2009 January Conference
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Learning and Teaching Support
Presenters
Mona Johnson
Greg Williamson
Ron Hertel
Annie Blackledge
Travis Smith
Pam O’Brien
Kathleen Sande
Washington State’s Goal for
Education
“The goal of the Basic Education Act...…Shall be
to provide students with the opportunity to
become responsible citizens, to contribute to
their own economic well-being and to that of
their families and communities, and to enjoy
productive and satisfying lives.”
RCW 28A.150.210
A Supportive Learning
Environment
Is safe, civil, healthy and intellectually stimulating
where students are engaged in learning and are
committed to acquiring the knowledge, attitudes,
skills and behaviors to succeed in the 21st century.
Such an environment must be supported by weaving
together the resources of students, families,
communities, and school staff.
The Whole Learner
Intellectual
(Problem solving /
creativity)
Physical
(Stamina)
Emotional
(Resiliency /
empathy)
All components are interdependent
To Learn Effectively, Children
Must:
• Have full access to educational opportunities
• Feel valuable and supported
• Attend a safe, properly functioning school
• Have minimal distractions
• Have optimal health
Response to Intervention
Response to Intervention
Core Principles:
• Use all resources to teach all children.
• Intervene early.
• Use a problem solving model to make decisions.
(FBA)
• Make data based decisions.
• Use multi-tier model of service delivery.
• Deliver scientific, research based interventions
with fidelity according to the intervention plan.
Pyramid of Interventions
Indicated
Selected
Universal
5% - 10%
15% - 25%
65% - 80%
Assessment of Your School
Emma and Kathy
Emma
Pregnant
Lives with boyfriend’s family
Boyfriend suspected of using and selling
drugs
Depressed-withdrawn
Struggling in school- grades dropped at
least one grade this academic year
Mother and stepfather not supportive of
pregnancy and boyfriend ; kicked her
out of the house
History of sexual abuse by biological father
Family history of poverty; no family
member graduated form high school
Kathy
Engaged in school and activities
B student
Set goal to graduate from high school
and attend business school (first in
family)
Has positive view of the future
Feels very connected to mother and
younger siblings
Good social skills- very
outgoing and polite
Popular at school- lots of friends
Perspective; good at problem solving
Good sense of humor
The Power of Observation
Assessing the Learning
Environment- Data
Demographics
– Age, gender, race/ethnicity,
– Poverty
– Student turnover
– Substance abuse/mental health
– Community geo-demographic indicators
Sources
– WSIPC, school surveys, community archival data—
county profiles, Healthy Youth Survey
Assessing the Learning
Environment- Data
Perceptions
– Students
– Staff
– Parents
– Community
Sources
– School survey, focus groups, key informant
interviews, Healthy Youth Survey
Support Service Functions
Three categories:
1. Direct services and instruction
2. Coordination, development, and leadership
related to programs, services, resources, and
systems;
3. Enhancement of connections with
community resources
Adelman and Taylor, 1993, 1997; Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2001;
Taylor and Adelman, 1996
Important Research Findings:
Two key indicators for lowering the risk of a
child's involvement in negative behavior
and improvements in academic achievement:
– Connectedness to a parent
– Connectedness to a school based adult
Journal of the American Medical Association (2004)
Conceptual Framework for School
Improvement
RIGOR
RELEVANCE
PERSONALIZED
LEARNING
RELATIONSHIPS
Daggett
Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACE’s)
Brain Development Patterns
BRAIN
Hormones, chemicals
& cellular systems
prepare for a tough
life in an evil world
INDIVIDUAL
• Edgy
• Hot temper
• Impulsive
• Hyper vigilant
• “Brawn over
brains”
TRAUMATIC
STRESS
OUTCOME
Individual &
species survive
the worst
conditions.
Dissonance between
biological expectations
& social reality fuels
psychiatric disorders
NEUTRAL
START
BRAIN
Hormones, chemicals
& cellular systems
prepare for life in a
benevolent world
INDIVIDUAL
• Laid back
• Relationshiporiented
• Thinks things
through
• “Process over
power”
Adapted from the research of Martin Teicher, MD, Ph.D
OUTCOME
Individual &
species live
peacefully in
good times;
vulnerable in
poor conditions
Consequences of Biological Outcomes
COGNITIVE
•
•
•
•
•
Slowed language development
Attention problems (ADD/ADHD)
Speech delay
Poor verbal memory/recall
Loss of brain matter/IQ
SOCIAL
•
•
•
•
Aggression & violent outbursts
Poor self-control of emotion
Can’t modify behavior in response to social cues
Social isolation—can’t navigate friendship
MENTAL HEALTH
• Poor social/emotional development
• Alcohol, tobacco & other drug abuse—vulnerable to early initiation
• Adolescent & adult mental health disorders—especially depression, suicide,
dissociative disorder, borderline personality disorder, PTSD
Adverse Childhood Experiences
(ACEs)
1. Child physical abuse
2. Child sexual abuse
3. Child emotional abuse
4. Neglect
5. Mentally ill, depressed or suicidal person in the home
6. Drug addicted or alcoholic family member
7. Witnessing domestic violence against the mother
8. Loss of a parent to death or abandonment, including
abandonment by divorce
9. Incarceration of any family member
Trauma and Learning
Washington State Statistics
2005 - 11.6% below poverty level
($19,500 for a family of four)
2001 – Poverty rate was 9.9%
2004- WSPD - 52,055 domestic violence calls
2005 - 14% of students experiencing cultural transitions
speak a language other than English
2007 – 76,000 CA/N referrals –
investigated 42,000
– Over 10,000 children placed in foster care
and another 12,000 living with relatives

Personalized Trauma
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Child abuse and neglect
Cultural transition/language
barriers
High level of responsibility at
home
Poor health/injury of either
the student or family member
Death of a significant person
Loss of a relationship
Foster care
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Disability(ies)
Poverty
Homelessness
Pregnancy
Incarceration
Military Deployment
Mental Health/ Substance
Abuse
Criminal involvement
Bullying and harassment in
school or community
Complex Trauma
The term complex trauma describes the dual
problem of children's exposure to multiple
traumatic events and the impact of this
exposure on immediate and long term
outcomes.
Focal Point, 2007, Cook, Spinzzola, Ford, Lanktree
Complex Trauma is a major precursor to
behavioral and emotional problems
• 75% of children/families who experience multiple forms of
family violence receive no service
(Multiple National and Local studies)
• 21% of children experience a severe emotional
disturbance annually—less than 20% of this group receive
a specific service targeted to social and emotional
development (Kutash et al., 2006)
• Victims of maltreatment are 12 times as likely to attempt
suicide
• Child witnesses to family violence are 6 times as likely to
commit suicide
Trauma Visibility
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Helping Traumatized Children Learn
Flexible Framework for Trauma
Sensitive Schools
•
•
•
•
•
•
School wide infrastructure and culture;
Staff training;
Linking with Community Partners;
Academic instruction for traumatized
children;
Nonacademic strategies; and
School policies, procedures, and
protocols
Resilience
Resilience: The capacity to rise above adversity
and to forge lasting strengths in the struggle. It
is the means by which children/adults can
rebound from hardship and emerge as strong,
healthy individuals able to lead gratifying lives,
albeit with some scars to show for their
experiences.
Wolin and Wolin
Ingredients of Resilience
Crucial “C’s”
Competence
Confidence
Connection
Character
Contribution
Coping
Control
Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, American Academy of Pediatrics
Resilient Children
• “A resilient child is one who bounces back from
adversity and continues to function reasonably
well, despite continued exposure to risk” Gilligan, 1997
• Resilient youth share:
• Self-esteem and self confidence
• Sense of self-efficacy - a belief in their ability to affect their
own lives
• A range of social, problem solving approaches
• One significant adult
• External support system
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
What is SEL?
• The process through which children and adults
acquire the skills to recognize and manage
their emotions, demonstrate caring and
concern for others, establish positive
relationships, make responsible decisions, and
handle challenging situations effectively
• These skills provide the foundation for
academic achievement, maintenance of good
health, and civic engagement in a democratic
society
CASEL http://www.casel.org
How SEL Supports Good
Outcomes for Kids
Safe, Caring,
Challenging,
WellManaged ,
Participatory
Learning
Environments
Teach SEL
Competencies
• Self-awareness
• Social awareness
• Self-management
• Relationship skills
• Responsible
decision making
Greater
Attachment,
Engagement,
& Commitment
to School
Less Risky
Behavior, More
Assets, More
Positive
Development
Slide Courtesy of CASEL
Better
Academic
Performance
and Success
in School
and Life
The Value of Partnerships –
Schools Can’t do it Alone!
Supporting Success for ALL Kids
Instructional
Component
Learning Environment
Component
Community
Family
School
Management
Component
Howard Adelman & Linda Taylor
Department of Psychology, UCLA
Community Resources
(facilities, stakeholders
programs, services)
School Resources
(facilities, stakeholders
programs, services)
Examples:
Examples:
•
•
•
•
•
General health education
Drug and alcohol education
Support for transitions
Conflict resolution
Parent Involvement
• Pregnancy prevention
• Violence prevention
• Learning/behavior
accommodations
• Work Programs
• Special education for
learning disabilities,
emotional disturbance,
and other health impairments
Systems of Prevention
• Public health and safety
programs
• Prenatal care
• Immunizations
• Recreation & enrichment
• Child abuse education
Primary prevention
(low end need/low cost
per individual programs)
• Early identification to treat health
problems
• Short-term counseling
• Family support
• Shelter, food, clothing
• Job programs
System of Early Intervention
Early-after-onset
(moderate need, moderate
cost per individual)
Systems of Care
Treatment of severe and
chronic problems
(High end need/high cost
per individual programs)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Emergency/crisis treatment
Family preservation
Mental Health Services
Treatment programs
Disabilities programs
Health services
Foster placement/group homes
Potential Partners
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dept. of Social and Health Services
Department of Corrections
Parents and students
County Government Agencies
County Public Health Departments
Human Resource Committees
Internal Revenue Service
AmeriCorps
Local Fire and Police Departments
Local Libraries
Tribes and other ethnic resources specific to the community
Local businesses
School districts
Family Involvement in Learning
Epstein’s Six Types of Involvement:
• Parenting
• Communicating
• Volunteering
• Learning at home
• Decision making
• Collaborating with the community
Build Relationships into a Network
of Community Resources
Questions to ask
• What programs already exist in your school or
district that could work closer together?
• What community relationships can you draw
on to create a network for students and
families?
• Do you know any parents could assist with
the project ?
Students Tell the Best Stories –
It’s their life we’re talking about!
Values to Consider
•
•
•
•
•
All children can learn
Respecting families and their strengths is imperative
Build on assets the family and the community possess
Plan WITH families and students - not FOR them
Utilizing practices that are responsive to diverse
linguistic, cultural, ethnic values, and morals
• Assuring equal ease of access to support
• Helping families and students understand and navigate
systems—education, social services, health, career
training/retraining, and local government--as students and
families move to self-sufficiency
• Guaranteeing parent and student voice/leadership in all aspects
of programming
References
Adelman and Taylor, School Mental Health Project at UCLA
http://www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, School Improvement Planning
http://www.k12.wa.us/SchoolImprovement/default.aspx
“Helping Traumatized Children Learn”, Massachusetts Advocates for Children
http://www.massadvocates.org/helping_traumatized_children_learn
“Focal Point” Spring 2007, The Office of Health and Human Services, The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2modulechunk&L=4&L0=Home&L1=G
overnment&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Massachusetts+Commissio
n+for+the+Blind&sid=Eeohhs2&b=terminalcontent&f=mcb_focal_point_spri
ng07&csid=Eeohhs2
Additional References
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=hom_main
Kids Count
http://www.aecf.org/MajorInitiatives/KIDSCOUNT.aspx
Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning
http://www.casel.org/
Wolin and Wolin, Project Resiliencehttp://projectresilience.com/index.htm
Healthy Youth Survey http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/hys
US Census Bureau quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
Adverse Childhood Experiences Study
http://www.cdc.gov/NCCDPHP/ACE/questionnaires.htm
Learning and Teaching Support – OSPI
http://www.k12.wa.us/LearningTeachingSupport/default.aspx