Psyched About School

Last week, I saw this story from Colorado Public Radio and thought it was worth sharing with others.  It opens with this: " Ecno ynam sraey oga a relddif emac ot eht egalliv. Eh doots ni eht egalliv erauqs litnu eht elpoep emac ot netsil dna ot ecnad. A ylloj rehctu decnad htiw eht diamklim . That was the sentence in front of me and I didn’t know what it said."  The author of the story, Jenny Brundin, describes her experiences alongside Denver area teachers in a workshop that was designed to simulate learning difficulties.  One of the most powerful observations she shares is the sense of frustration and hopelessness that many of the adult participants experienced during this simulation.  Even veteran teachers within this group described feeling discouraged and experiencing self-doubt.  It was interesting to see that some of the adults in this simulation also engaged in behaviors such as "shutting down, avoidance [and] being angry" as a re...

The parents and guardians of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities often struggle with how to plan for life after high school.  Did you know almost 70% of adults with intellectual disabilities are unemployed?  In this article, we learn about an amazing couple in Wilmington, North Carolina who have created a safe and positive work environment for these individuals.  As the owners of this special coffee shop, they discovered that working with this population has been one of the "greatest joys in life."  To learn more, visit https://themighty.com/2016/02/coffee-shop-run-by-staffers-with-disabilities/

Conflicts between peers are a normal (and daily!) occurrence. These experiences are an integral part of growing up and given the right tools, provide students a valuable learning opportunity.  However, finding the right tools and time to deal with these ongoing conflicts can become frustrating, time consuming, and in the worst circumstances, can detract from valuable teaching time. As parents and teachers, it’s a natural reaction to try to force a conversation, insist on a solution, and fix the problem. This may work in the moment (instant gratification!); however, we know that this doesn’t give children the tools to resolve the next conflict on their own. Fortunately, a friend of mine shared a wonderful teaching strategy that she employs in her Kindergarten classroom. This strategy can be used in any grade and provides students with a structured way to learn conflict resolution. Like any successful tool, time spent teaching the strategy upfront is necessary in o...

Returning to school after summer break can evoke lots of emotions in kids and adults alike.  Our kids may have anxiety about starting school again, and all that experience entails.  As parents we may experience anxiety as well during this time of transition.  This article provides tips on how to make this transition from summer to school a smoother and more enjoyable one for the entire family. http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/back-to-school/transition/

Psyched About School took a much needed break for a few months.  We hope all of you had an enjoyable and restful summer!  As we prepare for the return of our students on Monday, we wanted to start the school year with a great article from Edutopia.  The article gives ideas on how to encourage a positive mindset in your students by helping them find their strengths and personal resources.  Throughout the year, look for more ideas on how to promote a growth mindset in the classroom and at home. http://www.edutopia.org/blog/helping-students-start-year-positive-mindset-maurice-elias?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow