Educator professional development and support

What to Say When Tragedy Strikes (Consejos para Abordar Problemas Sociales Actuales)

Authors : Kirby Chow

(Available in Spanish and English.) Our team at SRI Education is deeply saddened and concerned about the wars, violence, and climate destruction sweeping the world. Adults and children may be grappling with feelings of fear, worry, anxiety, anger, and confusion in response to what they are seeing and hearing in the news and social media about displaced families and loss of life.

Supporting Transgender Staff and Students

Authors : Editorial Team

The National Center for School Mental Health (NCSMH) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) compiled the following list of websites and free resources to help support transgender youth and adults.

Classroom Well-being Information and Strategies for Educators (WISE)

Authors : Elaine Mulligan

The Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network, in partnership with the National Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, has developed a FREE self-guided online course, video library + resource collection, and a website focused on educator mental health literacy. The 3-part training package, Classroom WISE (Well-Being Information … Continue reading Classroom Well-being Information and Strategies for Educators (WISE)

Free professional development opportunity: how to support students and educators dealing with trauma

Authors : Elaine Mulligan , Maddie Cincebeaux

Join us and REL Appalachia on August 16-17, 11:00am – 4:00pm EDT. Between the ongoing opioid crisis and all of the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students and families, educators’ number one learning need for the 2021-2022 school year is supporting students experiencing trauma

How early childhood education providers can use COVID-19 relief funds to establish lasting mental health supports for staff and children

Authors : Kirby Chow , Jennifer Nakamura , Todd Grindal

Did you know? The recent influx of federal COVID-19 relief funds provides an opportunity to fund early childhood educational mental health supports and services!
State agency leaders and early childhood educators can use infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) to meet children’s social and emotional needs during and beyond the pandemic.

16 resources on talking to students about police killings and racism

Authors : Elaine Mulligan

To help educators think about how to discuss these cases and other race-related violence and how to support Black students and other students of color who may be distraught by what they read and see in the media, Education Week has compiled some resources from its archives and elsewhere. They include news articles, opinion essays, … Continue reading 16 resources on talking to students about police killings and racism

Discussing the Derek Chauvin trial in class: How teachers are doing it and why

Authors : Elaine Mulligan

This recent article from EdWeek describes efforts by teachers of color to address police violence against citizens of color, as well as the pushback received. The teachers interviewed shared their own experiences, concerns for students of color, and desire to help white students participate in systemic change. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/discussing-the-derek-chauvin-trial-in-class-how-teachers-are-doing-it-and-why/2021/04?

What white colleagues need to understand

Authors : Elaine Mulligan

This article from Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) addresses the burden placed on teachers of color to support students and lead anti-racist efforts. It also offers suggestions for white educators, stories of white educators who are doing the work, and helpful tips (that white teachers and allies may want to print and post for … Continue reading What white colleagues need to understand

Overcoming the early childhood suspension & expulsion problem

Authors : Editorial Team

If preschool is designed to set a foundation of learning for children, expose them to structure, and build social, emotional and behaviors skills, then what is happening to produce these alarming rates?

Educator reflections on distance learning during COVID-19

Authors : Samantha Peyton

We spoke with two teachers at the beginning of school closures and again at the end of the school year to learn about their adjustment to distance learning.