Will You Make the List Teaching Difficult to Reach Students

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Will You Make the List Teaching Difficult to
Reach Students

• Clara Cáceres Contreras
• School Health/Safe and Drug-Free Schools
  Communities
• Region One Education Service Center
• ccontreras_at_esc1.net
• www.esc1.net
• 956-984-6125

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Objective

• To eliminate barriers for learning in the school
  environment by targeting social emotional issues
  and providing strategies to increase protective
  factors for youth and enhancing positive school
  climates.

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Growing Up!

• Did you have any social, emotional, mental
  health, or physical challenges?
• Any adversity in your life?
• What made you feel shameful?

• How did you manage or cope?
• What gave you hope?
• Who was there for you?

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Mental Health Issues

• When you hear the word Mental what comes to mind?
• What emotions do you feel?
• Who do you think of and how old were you when It
  (mental) happened?
• Our thoughts and emotions can impact how we
  interact with people at risk. (confusion, fear,
  denial, shock, anger)

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Why Focus on MentalHealth Issues?

• They are common and can affect learning
• Stigma creates barriers to getting help
• Teachers can help remove barriers
• Benefits for schools, classrooms, students
• Higher academic achievement
• Lower absenteeism
• Fewer behavioral problems

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Mental Health and Its Impact
Percent of Youth who Graduate with a Standard
Diploma 2001-2002
Students with serious emotional disturbance
consistently had the lowest graduation rates.
Source United States Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs (2004).
Twenty-sixth Annual Report to Congress on the
Implementation of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act Results. U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Special
Education Programs.
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Mental Health and its Impact
Percent of Youth who Drop Out of School 2001-2002
Students with serious emotional disturbance
consistently had the highest dropout rates.
Source United States Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs (2004).
Twenty-sixth Annual Report to Congress on the
Implementation of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act Results. U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Special
Education Programs.
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Serious Emotional Disturbances Definition

• Diagnosable disorders in children and adolescents
  that severely disrupt their daily functioning in
  the home, school, or community. These disorders
  include, but not limited to
• Depression
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Anxiety disorders
• Conduct disorder
• Eating disorders

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Mental Health Definition

• A state of successful performance of mental
  function, resulting in productive activities,
  fulfilling relationships with other people, and
  the ability to adapt to change and to cope with
  adversity.
• It is indispensable to personal well-being,
  family and interpersonal relationships, and
  contribution to community or society.

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Serious EmotionalDisturbancesDefinition

• Diagnosable disorders in children and adolescents
  that severely disrupt their daily functioning in
  the home, school, or community.

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Mood Disorders

• Also called affective disorders because they
  refer to emotions
• Treatable medical conditions
• Most frequently diagnosed mood disorders in
  children and youth are
• - Major depressive disorder
• - Dysthymic disorder (mild depression)
• - Bipolar disorder

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Anxiety Disorders

• Excessive fears, worries, and preoccupations that
  are a reaction to a perceived sign of danger
• Include obsessive-compulsive disorder and
  post-traumatic stress disorder

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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

• Inability to focus ones attention
• Often impulsive and easily distracted
• Difficult to remain still, take turns, keep quiet
• Most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder among
  youth

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Disruptive Behaviors andOther Disorders

• Youth who show disruptive behaviors may have
• Unidentified symptoms of depression and/or
  anxiety
• One or more diagnosable disorders
• For example, a youth may have both ADHD and a
  learning disability.

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Disruptive Behavior Disorders

• Complicated group of behavioral and emotional
  problems
• Show as difficulty following rules and behaving
  in socially acceptable ways
• Impact of the disruptive behavior is distressing
  to others and can interfere with establishing
  trusting and supportive relationships

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Other Social-Emotional Issues

• Bulimia/Anorexia
• Bullying
• Grief Loss
• Stress

• Cutting
• Self-Injury
• Choking Game
• Suicide

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Suicide in Youth

• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in
  children ages 10 to 14
• Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in
  adolescents ages 15 to 19

Source Center for Disease Control
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Methods of SuicideTexas Children Ages 10-14
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Suicide in Texas Students

• Texas Youth Risk Behavior Scale
• 12.2 Made a plan about how they would attempt
  suicide
• 9.4 Attempted suicide one or more times in the
  last 12 months
• 2.5 Attempt required medical treatment

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QPRGatekeeping
Questionnotice signs Persuadeask the
question Refer get help
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Teen DepressionToxic Culture

• (video)

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Enhancing Resilience
Risk Factors
Protective Factors
Developmental Trajectory
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Risk and Protective Factors

• Risk factors include
• Problems in community environment
• Problems in family environment
• History of behavior problems
• Negative behavior and experiences
• Biology
• Protective factors include
• Caring adults
• Genuine youth-adult relationships
• Recognition
• Opportunities for involvement
• Hawkins Catalano

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Risk Factors

• Community-drugs, firearms, crime, media,
  violence, mobility, poverty
• Family-history of behavior problems, conflict,
  mental illness, chaotic home
• School-early antisocial behavior, academic
  failure in late elementary school, lack of
  commitment to school, individual/peer
  alienation rebelliousness, friends who
  engage in problem behavior, early initiation
  of problem behavior
• Hawkins Catalano

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Protective Factors

• Adult who cares about youth his future
• Adult Relationship expresses clear consistent
  rules expectations youth behavior discusses
  disappointments, poor decisions, and mistakes
• Recognition for involvement, accomplishment,
  worth as a person
• Opportunities to be involved to show skills
  that contribute both inside outside the school
• Positive attitudes emotions, such as optimism,
  determination, gratitude, forgiveness problem
  solving
• A sense of connectedness responsibility towards
  other
• Hawkins Catalano

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Protective Factors Prevention Framework

• Support
• Empowerment
• Boundaries Expectations
• Constructive Use of Time
• Commitment to School
• Positive Values
• Social Competence
• Positive Identity
• Dr. Peter Benson
• Search Institute

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Search Institute
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Search Institute
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40 Developmental Assets

• 1. Family support
• 2. Positive family communication
• 3. Other adult relationships
• 4. Caring neighborhood
• 5. Caring school climate
• 6. Parent involvement in schooling
• 7. Community values youth
• 8. Youth as resources
• 9. Service to others
• 10. Safety
• 11. Family boundaries
• 12. School Boundaries
• 13. Neighborhood boundaries
• 14. Adult role models
• 15. Positive peer relationships
• 16. High expectations
• 17. Creative activities
• 18. Youth programs
• 19. Religious

• 21. Achievement Motivation
• 22. School Engagement
• 23. Homework
• 24. Bonding to school
• 25. Reading for Pleasure
• 26. Caring
• 27. Equality and social justice
• 28. Integrity
• 30. Responsibility
• 31. Restraint.
• 32. Planning and decision making
• 34. Cultural Competence
• 35. Resistance skills
• 36. Peaceful conflict resolution
• 37. Personal power
• 38. Self-esteem
• 39. Sense of purpose
• 40. Positive view of personal

www.search-institute.org Dr. Peter Benson
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The Context of Learning
School Culture
Classroom Management
Procedures Routines
School/Classroom Climate
Consequences Reinforces
Peers Influence
Student/School Characteristics
Special Needs Modifications
Instructional Strategies
Caregiver/Teacher Expectations
Student/Teacher Temperament
Community Values
Safe Trusting Environment
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Do You Know Their Story?

• Bill Gates

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Too Good To Be TrueMr FazioVideo
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Most Favorite Teacher 1

• Identify three adjectives that best describe your
  most favorite teachers!
• _______________
• ________________
• ________________
• Will You Make the List?
• Whose list are you on?
• What adjectives will they be using to describe
  you?

Love Logic
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Three Elements of Human Bonding Positive
Teacher/Student Relationships

• Friendly Eye Contact
• Smile
• Friendly Touching
• (hand shake, high five, etc.)

Love Logic
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How Does One Build Relations With Difficult
Students?

• I NOTICED THAT
• Example
• I noticed that you dont let anybody give
  you a hard timeI noticed that
• Think of your Challenging Person and create a
  list of attributes .deposit 2 per week for 3
  weeks.
• Guaranteed!

Love Logic
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Our WORDS and ACTIONS bring students into either
THINKING mode SURVIVAL mode Empathy Opens
the Mind and Heart to Learning!Empathy
Prevents Fight or Flight!
Love Logic
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Its amazing that we have the power to change
another persons brain functioning with just the
The TONE of our VOICE The LOOK on our FACE A
FEW short WORDS
Love Logic
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Sharing CONTROLMake Small Deposits by Giving
Lots of Small Choices

• Examples
• You can turn in your papers on Friday or
  Monday
• You can use pen or pencil
• You can answer 50 out of the 100 questions, your
  choice
• Make Sure You Can Live with The Choices You
  Allow!

Love Logic
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Humans Are Willing to Harm Themselves in Order
to Regain a Sense of Control.

• There exists no limit to what people will do for
  control.We can either give people control on
  OUR termsor wait for them to take it on THEIRS.

Love Logic
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Enforce Limits with Questions Which papers
receive full credit? Who do I listen to?Who
do I take to recess? Love Logic
Give Them Expectations.Tell Them What You are
Going to DO!
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5 Steps for Helping Students to Own Solve
Their Problems

• Provide a strong dose of Empathy (statement)
  
• Hand the problem back in a caring way
  (Ask,What are You Going to Do)
• Ask permission to share some solutions and
  provide choices. (Offer a Menu of Suggestions.)
• Help the student evaluate the potential
  consequences of each choice.
  (Ask, How Will That Work For You?)
  alllow the
  student to either solve or not solve the
  problem(let me know what you decide)
• Follow up(what did you dohow did it work for
  you?)
• Love Logic

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Giving the Gift of Problem SolvingGreat
teachers resist the urge to rescue students or to
rub salt in the wound by lecturing.

• When they PROBLEM SOLVEthe message is
• I am strong.
• I can think for yourself.
• I can solve the problems I encounter!
• I feel PROUD EMPOWERED!

• When you RESCUE the message is
• I am weak.
• I cant make it without me
• I cant think for yourself.
• I need other people to tell you what to do
• I feel helpless and useless.

Love Logic
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Powerful Solutions address both UNDERLYING
NEEDS and SYMPTOM MISBEHAVIORS

• Focus heavily on prevention and meeting basic
  needs
• (Affection, Control, Self-Competence, Peer Group
  Status, Increase of Adult Eyes Smiles, etc.)
• When students misbehave, apply strong doses of
  Empathy and hold them Accountable

Love Logic
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Role of School StaffImpacting the School Climate

• Help ensure that the School Climate is one that
  is supportive of the at risk student.
• Fostering a feeling of Connectedness between the
  students and the school.
• Providing an Opportunity for students to become
  Involved in school activities.
• Ensuring a Safe and Positive Environment creates
  a climate that has potential to have a profound
  impact on adolescent suicide.

Hawkins Catalano
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The Most Powerful Teachers are Strict Caring
at Same Time

• Positive relationship
• Build trust rapport
• High expectations
• Friendly, but firm
• Respect them
• Know the childs interest, strengths concerns
  (DYKTS)
• Value the child unconditionally
• Sets firm limits
• Holds students accountable for their behavior
• Consistent fair
• Encourage
• Love Logic

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The Asset-Building Difference
From To

• Young peoples problems Young peoples strengths
• Professionals work Everyones work
• Young people absorbing resources Young people as
  resources
• Programs Relationships
• Troubled young people All young people
• Accountable only for own Accountable as well for
  behavior other adults behavior
• Incidental asset building Intentional asset
  building
• Blaming others Claiming responsibility

Search Institute
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When our students fail, we, as teachers, too,
have failed. Marva Collins

• We don't try to fix the students, we fix
  ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor
  student good and the good student superior.
• Marva Collins

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Resources

• Web Sites
• www.esc1.net
• www.resiliency.com
• www.loveandlogic.com
• www.sdrg.org
• www.search-institute.org
• www.smhp.psych.ucla.edu
• http//theguide.fmhi.usf.edu/

• Books
• A Child Called It, Dave Pelzer
• The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog, Dr. Bruce
  Perry, M.D., Ph.D. Child Psychiatry, Neurobiology
  and Maia Szalavitz

WE NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP On Kids!