Optional Optimal School Programming for At-Potential Students

1. Optional Optimal School Programming for At-Potential Students (Alternative School Program Design ) Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - 2013 All right reserved

2. BasicBrainAnatomy FRONTAL LOBES CORPUS CALLOSUM CEREBELLUM HYPOTHALAMUS AMYGDALA HIPPOCAMPUS Neuron The Brain Made Ridiculously Simple! Major Parts Educators Need to Know Neurotransmitter-makes a recipe to produce learned behavior. You have 10 billion but you only need one to learn something new. Axon Terminal- holds the ingredients and arranges the recipe. (Electrical Flow) Dendrites- antennas that are receptors for each ingredient needed for you to learn. Myelin- cements learned behavior which turns into ritual or a habit. CORPUS CALLOSUM Brooklyn Bridge FRONTAL LOBES Learning to Drive HIPPOCAMPUS The Mail Carrier CEREBELLUM Mover & Shaker HYPOTHALAMUS WIIFM? AMYGDALA The Palace Guard These pairs do not play well together... Cortisol - “UH-OH” Adrenaline - “YIKES!” Serotonin - “AHH...” Dopamine - “YAHOO!” VS. 2013 All right reserved Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC -

3. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Today, child abuse is frequently referred to as “child maltreatment.” While exact definitions may differ, professionals generally recognize 4 types of child maltreatment: 1. Neglect 2. Physical Abuse 3. Sexual Abuse 4. Emotional Abuse In addition, events that do not involve child maltreatment can be very traumatic to children experiencing them. These “life experience” events include: >Death of a parent, sibling or caretaker >Separation from parent or caretaker >Relocation Disaster >Other 2013 All right reserved Trauma

4. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - N • E • G • L • E • C • T Failure to provide for a child’s essential needs: 1 >Adequate Nutrition >Clothing Shelter Health >Care Dental Care >Avoidable Hazards >Proper Supervision PHYSICAL NEEDS suck as: COGNITIVE NEEDS suck as: EMOTIONAL NEEDS suck as: >Nurturing and Affection >Psychological Care when needed >Exposure to Domestic Violence >Sensory Stimulation >Touch >Verbal Exposure >Educational Support and Advocacy 1 Specifically defined by law in each state. P • H • Y • S • I • C • A • L A • B • U • S • E Physical injuries inflicted upon a child by an adult resulting from actions including: > May occur as a single incident or repeated incidents. Biting Kicking Choking Throwing Stabbing Burning Shaking Punching Beating > Results can range from minor injuries to death. 2013 All right reserved WHAT IS IT?

5. S • E • X • U • A • L A • B • U • S • E Any sexual activity with a child where consent is Touching Activities Non-Touching Activities > Fondling of genitals or breasts > Oral, vaginal or anal penetration by finger, penis or other object > Masturbation > Exhibitionism Voyeurism > Child Pornography Internet > Crimes E • M • O • T • I • O • N • A • L A • B • U • S • E Often called “psychological abuse,” involves “a repeated pattern of caregiver behavior or extreme incidents that convey to children that they are worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only of value in meeting another’s needs.” * *Source: American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC). Guidelines for the psychosocial evaluation of suspected psychological maltreatment in children and adolescents. Chicago: APSAC; 1995, p.2. Spurning Terrorizing Isolating Exploiting/Corrupting Denying Emotional Responsiveness Medical, Mental Health and/or Educational Neglect EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE ACTIONS INCLUDE: 2013 All right reserved Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC -

6. Who experiences it? Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Most child maltreatment is never reported, especially for sexual abuse and emotional abuse. In a 2005 study using random-digit dialing phone survey, maternal-reported physical abuse was 40 times greater and sexual abuse was 15 times greater than official statistics for the same period. (Theodore et al., (2005) Pediatrics 115:e331-337) The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 8 children between the ages of 2 and 17 in the United States is a victim of maltreatment. (CDC, 2009) 2013 All right reserved

7. Factors That Impact the Likelihood of Maltreatment Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - • Family Structure (i.e. single parent) and Size • Poverty • Substance Abuse • Domestic Violence • Community Violence Sedlak, A. and Broadhurst, D., Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect 1993; NIS-3) Combination of several factors ― rather than a single factor alone ― is more likely to result in child abuse. Straus, M. and Gelles, C., Physical Violence in American Families (1989) 2013 All right reserved

8. W H O Commits Child Abuse? Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Most abusers are members of the victims family (parent, caretaker, close relative). 90% of confirmed physical abuse and neglect cases involve caretakers of children. Among all abused children, those abused by their birth parents were about equally as likely to have been abused by mothers as by fathers. On the whole, children are some-what more likely to be maltreated by female perpetrators than male: 65% by female and 54% by male. 2013 All right reserved

9. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - What Causes Child Abuse? Though there is no “cause” of abuse and no specific profile of abusers, many factors contribute and make abuse more likely to occur. Pressures on the family, alcohol and drug abuse, and social isolation can all lead to parental stress and increase the chances that a parent will strike out at their child. If an adult expects too much of a child or if a child has learning or behavior problems, or mental illness, or is the result of an unplanned pregnancy, the child is much more likely to be abused or neglected. If the adult was abused as a child or has psychological or medical problems, he or she is much more likely to abuse or neglect. 2013 All right reserved

10. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - How does the brain respond? > Abuse in childhood is often a traumatic experience. > Trauma in childhood may lead to psychiatric problems that can emerge in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. > These psychiatric vulnerabilities result from the brain’s response to the traumatic stress. What Are the Psychiatric Problems That May Occur? The child abuse victim’s feelings of fear, anger, shame, guilt and hopelessness may be directed inward, resulting in symptoms of: Depression Anxiety Suicidal Ideation Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The child abuse victim’s feelings of fear, anger, shame, guilt and hopelessness may be directed outward, resulting in symptoms of: Aggression Impulsiveness Delinquency Addiction Hyperactivity 2013 All right reserved

11. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - How does traumatic stress influence the developing brain? (in two big ways!) • The child’s stress response system is exaggerated and prolonged. • The child’s brain organs change size. Larger, more active Amygdala Smaller, less active Frontal Lobes Smaller Corpus Callossum Smaller Hippocampus 2013 All right reserved

12. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - How Does the Brain Respond? Impact of a smaller Corpus Callossum: Brains of abused children are not as well integrated as non-abused children. They have more difficulty using words to solve their conflicts and problems. What might this look like in Monday’s world? • Problems with emotional control. • Delays in cause and effect thinking. • Difficulty with empathic responses (“conscience”). Inability to describe own emotions. • More impulsive responses to experiences. (Impact Greater for Boys than Girls. De Bellis, MD et al. Developmental Traumatology. Biological Psychiatry 1999, 45: 1271-1284.) 2013 All right reserved

13. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - How Does The Brain Respond What Might this Look like on Monday’s World? Less ability to make memories (learn). Less ability to retrieve memories (remember). More impulsiveness. Vulnerable to depression. Impact of a larger, more active Amygdala: Abused children tend to exhibit “faster fear” that is highly subjective. Anxiety, nervousness, hypervigilence. Post traumatic stress disorder. Attachment disorder. Anxious, worried or withdrawn. May “self-medicate.” Executive function skills may lag behind peers. Working (short-term) memory is poor. Controlling behavior is difficult. Selecting appropriate behavior is hard. Depression. Impact of smaller, less active frontal lobes: Abused children often struggle with complex, goal-directed behavior and have trouble adapting to transitions, changes and demands. 2013 All right reserved

14. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - What can we do? Teach Stress Management Skills “Safety Comes First” 1 5 Build Self-regulation Skills Play “Developmental Catch-up” (Body Awareness, Emotional Awareness, Behavior Selection) 6 2 Repair and Strengthen the Caregiver-Child Relationship (Make Home Visits!) Focus on Competency 3 7 Enhance Executive Function Skills (and Promote Enrichment) Instill Hope 4 8 2013 All right reserved

15. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Help the Student to Create a Plan that will Stimulate Neurogenesis STOP CONSIDER START 2013 All right reserved

16. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Change Your Language, Change Their Lives What Adults Can Say Differently to Transform the Tomorrows of Our Youth 2013 All right reserved

17. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Educator’s Lexicon Words that develop the right Mindset about learning Adopt the LANGUAGE of the BRAIN! Research continues to reveal that what we say to our children and how we say it has a powerful impact on their developing brains. FIXED Mindset vs. GROWTH Mindset >Intelligence is a fixed trait — you only have a certain amount and that’s that. >Mistakes are attributed to a lack of ability. FIXED M I N D S E T Focus on: Learning strategies Effort Perseverance “If I struggle or have to work hard, I am dumb.” >Intelligence is malleable and can be developed through education and hard work. >Mistakes are attributed to a lack of effort. GROWTH FIXED “If I work hard enough, I can learn this.” GROWTH “Don’t tell your [kids] they are smart. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort – not on intelligence or ability – is the key to success in school and in life.” Just Two Examples ... 2013 All right reserved

18. Words that help Memory SENSE and MEANING WHAT GETS REMEMBERED? • Survival Value Info/ Experiences • Learning that Makes Sense - Can the child understand the item on the basis of past experiences? • Learning that Has Meaning Is the information relevant to the child? Incorporate These Two Essential Questions into Every Teaching Moment: 1. How does this relate to what they already know? 2. How might they use this in the future? 2013 All right reserved Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC -

19. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Words that Build Hope 1. Affirmation 2. Prediction of Positive Outcomes 3. Vision of Personalized, Compelling Possibilities by a Believable Authority Figure The Technical Side of Hope A F F I R M A T I O NUnconditional positive regard unrelated to behavior or compliance.Frank, great to see you today. I’m happy to have you in class.” P R E D I C T I O N O F P O S I T I V E O U T C O M E S “You keep working hard and your love of storytelling will get you paid for telling stories. I heard about a volunteer opportunity at the Heritage Museum that would give you some practice...” V I S I O N O F P E R S O N A L I Z E D C O M P E L L I N G P O S S I B I L I T I E S by a BELIEVABLE AUTHORITY FIGURE. “Good storytellers like you are in great demand. I could see you working for a newspaper or a television station. You’ll have to keep up your hard work, but I believe you’ll tell stories for a career.” 2013 All right reserved

20. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Step 1: State the context and the general behavior desired in that context. Step 2: Precisely state the behavior desired. Step 3: Connect the context and desired behavior to the abstract term. Words that Make the Abstract Specific Use words that give Meaning to Abstract Concepts. Educators At Large Focus Be specific | Focus on action | Avoid abstract terms without a concrete example (“Responsibility,” “Respect,” “Appropriate”) | If using abstract terms, always pair with a specific behavior. 3-PART MODEL to boost behavioral feedback and increase your child’s ability to respond: 2013 All right reserved

21. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Transformational Environment Design Experiential learning has its roots in brain-based learning. Brain research tells us that utilizing inviting physical environments that appeal both to the physical and emotional areas of the brain promotes, enhances and even accelerates student learning. 2013 All right reserved

22. Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - Transformation Education believes that the physical environment radiates powerful messages about the beliefs and values in a child-serving organization's culture. Thus, the physical environment is a key – but often ignored – element of experiential learning that sets the tone for relationships, learning, and discovery. The physical environment either stimulates or suppresses the senses. It also creates expectations for student behavior and communicates the motivation and attitude of the staff towards the student’s discovery of learning. 2013 All right reserved Transformational Environment Design (cont.)

23. This group works with adolescent at-risk students through the arts. Teaching students to cope with life situations and problems by means of writing, acting, creating films, and expressing talent through various medias assist students in becoming more adequate in controlling their behavior 2013 All right reserved Educators At Large Educational Consulting Firm, LLC - www.authoringaction.org