Talking about violence


We all hate to think about the unthinkable happening to us and our students, and some of us may still think, "it will never happen here." With the recent events that have occurred across our nation, our children may became scared and unsure about the environment around them. They often look to adults for answers to help them feel safe and reassured. Attached is information from the National Association of School Psychologists that guides a conversation between the adult and child. It is a quick read, but will hopefully be something that remains in the back of your mind, or in your tool box for when those hard questions in these tough situations come from our children.


http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/talkingviolence.pdf

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

Image
This month, we want to take time to remember those who have lost their lives to suicide, those who have struggled with suicidal ideation, and acknowledge all of those who have been impacted.  Why is this work important? According to the CDC, in 2021, there were 48,183 deaths by suicide in the United States, which is equivalent to 1 death every 11 minutes. 1.7 million adults attempted suicide. In 2021, the suicide rate among males was approximately four times higher than the rate among females. Males make up 50% of the population but nearly 80% of suicides. In North Carolina, suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 10-18. There was a 94% increase in youth suicide from 2011-2020.  Suicide can be prevented by recognizing signs, learning how to help, and taking steps to help those in need. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Student Services Department has a district protocol to respond to and manage suicide risk.   Firearms are the most common method used, at more than 50%,
Read more

Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 11-17, 2024

Image
  Although Random Acts of Kindness week will be celebrated next week, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has provided a calendar for the 2023-2024 school year; that's 365 ideas of ways to spread kindness. They also provide a variety of resources for spreading kindness at school, at home, and at work, including a 2024 calendar for adults to spread kindness at work throughout the year.  Additionally, the Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices department has compiled a Random Acts of Kindness resource folder that includes lesson plans, kindness activities, announcements, book lists, and more.  Join the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in their effort to make kindness the norm, not just next week, but all year long! 
Read more

Teen Week - Planning for Your Future

Last week, we posted a blog on fun activities for students during this time of quarantine.  As we looked over the list, we noticed that it was mostly focused on elementary and middle school students. Our high school students are also struggling to find ways to fill their time and remain socially connected to their peers.  For seniors, this time has been particularly difficult because they are missing out on many of the events they have looked forward to since kindergarten! To support our teenage students, our blog will be devoting an entire week to them!  Each day, we will have a list of activities to keep them engaged, active, and entertained. Today we are sharing ways they can begin preparing for college and planning for their future. Let us know if you think of more!  Show us your activities by tweeting to us @schoolpsychws. Use #wspsychs and #wsfcslearnon.  We would love to add your ideas to this list! College Prep Is your teen planning to take the SAT next year? Now is a great
Read more