Sonya Stiles- 15 years experience- A Complex World

Sonya Stiles is 15 years veteran to the School Psychology profession. Over her past 15 years of experience she has observed a shift in the complex world our children live in. Family dynamics have changed, heightened sense of peer pressure with social media/technology changes, feeling of isolation and being misunderstood are a few of the issues she has observed. Below is her response to the questions of" what changes and challenges have you observed our students experiencing since you began working?"

"The curriculum has moved forward so much over time, with increased academic pressure and evaluations/standards of success.  Classrooms are very busy with a wealth of information that can seem overwhelming at times.  Additionally, students extra curricular lives are not just filled with fun activities anymore, they are instead highly competitive and focused upon success.  While extracurricular activities can be very rewarding and help to develop a social network, they also can increase student anxiety and feelings of lowered self-worth if they do not meet the expectations.  I see students today who are trying very hard to fit in - based upon standards from home, peers, media, social networking and personal goals.   Students today come to school with so many more complex issues than before and they need much support - someone to care and to talk to.  Students need guidance in learning to problem solve and to make decisions, rather than reacting out of pressure or impulse." 

 She also offers some insight on how to positively effect this "I see staff members that are doing their best to care for themselves as well as their students in this complex world of education today.  Teachers are having to be very sensitive to changes in their students in order to refer them to student services workers that can help to unravel and resolve issues.  Schools need parents to be involved and communicating.  We all need an increased sense of community."

 Thank you Sonya for your insight and 15 years of making a difference in children's lives through small and big steps!

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