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Access the Cards

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

Successes

Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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What are the implicit and explicit cultural norms included within your classroom that impact how you engage with students and how they show up within the environment?

Ideas: What are you hoping to learn today?
What are you hoping to share today?

Resources/Insights:

Successes: What successes have you and/or your learners had related to this topic?

Challenges: What challenges have you and/or your learners encountered related to this topic?

Equity: What are some challenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to this topic?

Reflections  Is there a new tool or resource you want to explore? Or an idea you want to share with a colleague?

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Get the conversation started:

Who’s in the room?
(Ask participants to introduce themselves)

Why did you pick this topic?

What are you hoping to learn/share today?

What are some challenges or successes you have experienced related to this topic?

How does this topic intersect with issues of equity?

What resources, tools, or insight may help others dealing with this topic?

What additional questions do you have about this topic?

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Ideas

Resources/Insights

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Challenges

C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Ideas

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

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C hallenges and potential solutions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflections

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Make sure all voices are heard in the conversation.

Be mindful of your own unconscious biases in communicating.

Give ample wait time for people to respond to a question or comment.

Remind participants to stay muted when they are not speaking.

Use the chat feature or reactions (like a thumbs up icon) to share quick responses with the group.

The Edcamp Community are dedicated to a harassment-free experience for everyone. The Edcamp Community’s Anti-Harassment Policy can be found below:

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Scroll to the right to find your room --->

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Scroll to the right to find your room --->

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1. Restorative Practices

2. Q+A with Panelists

3. Reads and Resources on Identity

4. Family Connections

5. Brave Conversations

6. Technology Engagement

7. Identity in Special Ed.

8. Trauma Informed Practices - COVID

9. OPEN Room

10. OPEN Room

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Being able to look at people as multidimentional is super important.
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

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Get a daily email featuring the latest talk, plus a quick mix of trending content.

By subscribing, you understand and agree that we will store, process and manage your personal information according to our Privacy Policy

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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See Saw
Google Classroom
- MOte extension
- Jamboard for discussion

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How do we create a safe classroom environment? It might be the only safe place for our students.

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https://www.mathicalbooks.org/

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Download the Mathical Book List

The Mathical Book Prize recognizes math-inspiring literature for kids ages 2-18. Prize-winning books are selected by a committee of teachers, librarians, mathematicians, and others.

Each year's selections join a growing list of stories ranging from picture books and graphic novels to chapter books and young adult literature.

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The Mathical Book Prize is an annual award for fiction and nonfiction books that inspire children to see math in the world around them.

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Hoping to learn:

Topics: Reading different stories about nationalities, cultural diversity (age-appropriate). Modeling identity.

Teachers plan to collaborate with each other to design teaching in learning.

Special education is a service, not a life sentence.

As a Special Educator, we sometimes have less control over our teaching assignments.

Proposal: Let's think of special education more as "strengths and challenges" because we all have those.

Being the change by Sara K. Ahmed
https://www.heinemann.com/products/e09970.aspx

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Foreword by Terrence J. Roberts, PhD.

A Letter to Readers

Acknowledgments

An Introduction to Social Comprehension and Strategies to Prepare You for the Work Ahead
Chapter 1: Exploring Our Identities
Lesson: Affirming Our Identities: Identity Webs
We introduce the elements of our own identities (such as sister, athlete, bilingual, reader) and look for connections to or wonders about the identities of others.

Lesson: Placing Ourselves in the World: Stories of Our Names
Using a mentor text, we write the stories of how we got our names, how our names make us feel, and our experiences with our names.

Lesson: Journeying into Our Family Histories: "Where I'm From" Poems
We use the structure of a "Where I'm From" poem to share our family histories, storied objects, and moments.

Synthesis: Making Thinking Visible
Chapter 2: Listening with Love
Synthesis: Making Thinking Visible
Chapter 3: Being Candid
Lesson: Seeing Our Own Bias: Drawing Activity
We learn about how bias works, and we use an activity to help us see some of our own bias and brainstorm how we can confront it.

Lesson: Understanding Microaggressions: Poem Analysis
We analyze examples of microaggressions to understand what they are and how they affect people, and we look for microaggressions in our own lives.

Lesson: Refusing to Let Others' Biases Define Us: Identity Statements
We assert who we are with confidence. We recall labels others have tried to put on us, reject those labels, and choose how we define who we are.

Synthesis: Making Thinking Visible
Chapter 4: Becoming Better Informed
Lesson: Understanding How Our Identity Affects Us: Our News
We identify what is happening in our world-personal events, news stories, media-and consider how our identity shapes what we give our attention to.

Lesson: Moving Beyond Our Initial Thinking: Mini-Inquiries
We use a mini-inquiry to learn more about a topic and examine how new information changes our perspective.

Synthesis: Making Thinking Visible
Chapter 5: Finding Humanity in Ourselves and in Others
Lesson: Broadening Our Ideas About Who We Are Responsible To and For: Our Universe of Obligation
We consider who we feel responsibility to and why. We also consider how that responsibility can change in certain situations.

Lesson: Understanding Others' Perspectives: Intent Versus Impact
We work to understand two sides of a divisive issue by listening to both perspectives.
Chapter 6: Facing Crisis Together
Suggested Resource Stacks

References and Inspiration

This book is based on the idea that we can develop skills and habits to help us comprehend social issues and participate in relevant, transparent conversations. Social comprehension, like academic comprehension, is how we make meaning from and mediate our relationship with the world. We understand that the meaning making, or socialization, is learned, not inherited. Each chapter in this book includes lessons and/or practical help for students to learn and engage in a targeted social comprehension concept. Our thinking will change often as we practice being more socially literate citizens of the world, so we allow for and model the same for our students as we construct comprehension and cultivate our empathy together. The "At First I Thought . . . Now I Think" journal page in this introduction gives you and your students a tool to reflect on how the experiences in the lessons are affecting your outlook. In the work of social comprehension, we want to be as transparent as possible and make our thinking visible.

The final chapter of the book addresses how we, as educators, can continually refine our own approach to this work. If we are going to be on the front lines of helping children make sense of the news they bring to school and the curriculum the world keeps handing them, we must have a strong foundation of social comprehension in place. If we can commit to approaching this work as the lead learner, teaching with curiosity and modeling vulnerability rather than rigid certainty, we can build habitats of trust where kids (and adults) participate in a learning discussion, and where expression, identity, and social literacy matter.

- Introduction

A sense of urgency for pedagogy rooted in empathy and humanity is palpable in communities around the world. But how can teachers actualize such instruction and make it accessible to students? Where is the professional development teachers yearn for to facilitate important, and at times, challenging conversations? Being the Change is the resource every educator needs right now! Against a socio-politically charged backdrop where tensions run high, Sara is a beacon of light who offers practical, compassionate guidance that makes it possible to do the work of social comprehension. The journey to accomplishing this isn't linear; it is messy, tangled, circuitous. But Sara provides a pathway for teachers and our students. She offers a sustained, clear voice that reminds us of why this work is necessary and how it can look in our classrooms. Being the Change is invaluable to all educators as we work to empower our students as change-makers who positively influence the world.

- Sonja Cherry-Paul

****

Sara Ahmed is the ultimate upstander; she cares enough to confront. Her gentle and wise voice is a model for how to be in this tumultuous age. She shares text sets that ask big questions and resist simplistic answers. She invites teachers and students to address tensions in today's classrooms and examine bias in their thinking. Being the Change offers practical tools for building a classroom community that is inclusive, candid, and caring. This book is a treasure.

- Penny Kittle

****

What an incredibly powerful, practical, beautiful book. As I read I could not help but think how this book has the potential to radically change conversations in classrooms (and larger communities) around compassion, listening, empathy, and knowing. It is books like these that heal. It is hope and possibility and humanity within these covers.

Perhaps the greatest compliment I could give is that as I read, the teacher in me itched to get out of this room and into the presence of kids- to experience these lessons in real time, to hear children's stories, to dig into this work because for the first time I feel capable. This book is a roadmap with an entry point all of us can access and guidance through the most challenging places we could go. I don't feel afraid of what could happen, I feel energized about what Sara has taught me I can help happen.

I could not help but think of the million and one ways I could use Sara's thinking and teaching, to engage in this work whole heartedly from the moment children step through the doors.

- Kristi Mraz

****

In her book, Being the Change, Sara K. Ahmed offers us not only the roadmap of how to create and maintain components of meaningful social change within our instruction but also the necessary tools for us to navigate the hard conversations we invite in and those we have not had the courage to have...yet. By centering her book on developing the identity of the very children we teach, she gives us invaluable tools to navigate the hard topics that are constantly surrounding our learning community. While she writes in her book that there is no magical formula for making the world a better place, within the pages of this book and in her willingness to help us grow not just as educators but as human beings with her impactful lesson ideas, she has given us something near magic. A resource to be used in every school, this book will leave a trail of change for a better world in its wake if we let it.

- Pernille Ripp

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Being the Change is based on the idea that people can develop skills and habits to serve them in the comprehension of social issues. Sara K. Ahmed identifies

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Lesson Plan Exploring Individual Identity

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Lesson Plan Exploring Individual Identity

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https://www.facinghistory.org/back-to-school-2019/download/Lesson_Plan_2_Exploring_Individual_Identity.pdf

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Dr. Robert Berry III - Agency & Identity video

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Dr. Robert Berry III - Agency & Identity video

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https://youtu.be/HRptJsQsA0U

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Student Identity and Agency - Robert Berry

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Why did we choose to attend this section?
Relationships and connections with students and families creating a circle where everyone is involved.  It's important to keep everyone involved.  Be conduit between parents and students. Weekly Newsletter. Blog - like. Provide help -> How to help parents have conversations with teens.
Family connections as teachers and helping students. How to help students with loss? Any ideas.
Flipgrid Shorts video and the Loom extension to connect with families.
and concern with Covid?
Change in financial status for many families. The impact to the Middle Class causing fear and tension. It's a tough time for society.
Focus on saving our future.
Different cultural norms impact teacher responsibility and how teachers see the cultural norms differ between groups, students, parents and levels of engagement.
How do we authentically engage with different norms, cultures and perspectives?

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-Restorative & SEL:
-Learning Simulations PHET
-Nearpod
-Quizizz
-Blooket, Gimkit, Kahoot
-IXL, Study Stack,
-Bitmoji Classrooms
THEY speak, THEY type, THEY write

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Many educational setting judge students, deal with gender, beliefs and are not accepting or flexible. In some cases, punitive.
Remember some students are poor and don't have electricity - devices, sources and food. With Covid, so many people are dealing with challenges that impact education. Some parents can't even read.
How do we build bridges, help connect students with resources, sources.

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How to Find and Choose Graphic Novels for Students

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An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. You can take the test below:

So, you've got your score. Now what?

First, remember that the ACE score isn't a crystal ball; it's just meant as guidance. It tells you about one type of risk factor among many. It doesn't directly take into account your diet or genes, or whether you smoke or drink excessively - to name just a few of the other major influences on health.

To learn more, check the CDC's ACE Study website. You'll find, among other things, a list of studies that explore the ways adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of adult conditions, ranging from increased headaches to depression to heart disease.

Remember this, too: ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say.

"There are people with high ACE scores who do remarkably well," says Jack Shonkoff, a pediatrician and director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

Resilience, he says, builds throughout life, and close relationships are key. Recent research also suggests that for adults, "trauma informed" therapy - which can center on art, yoga or mindfulness training - can help.

How best to find and help kids who are experiencing abuse and neglect right now?

Child psychologist Hilit Kletter, of Stanford University's School of Medicine, says that to spot these children, she looks for visible signs of stress to understand what might have happened to them and how best to intervene. Some kids have nightmares or recurring thoughts of a stressful event, she says, or may re-enact the trauma through play. Or the child may seem distracted or withdrawn.

"This will come out at school," Kletter says. "Teachers will tell parents [their child] seems to be in a daze in the classroom, not paying attention."

Kletter says reactions to trauma are sometimes misdiagnosed as symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because kids dealing with adverse experiences may be impulsive - acting out with anger or other strong emotions.

"It's something that's very common in trauma: difficulty in regulating emotions and behavior," she explains. "That's why a lot of these kids get in trouble with the classroom."

Shonkoff's research center at Harvard tests interventions that can build resilience in kids who are growing up with adverse experiences - not just problems in the family, such as those the ACE study investigated, but also trauma stemming from poverty, for example, or from the chronic stress of racial or gender discrimination.

To bolster parents, the Harvard team is testing interventions right now that use video coaching to show moms and dads how to engage their babbling infants, using sounds and facial expressions in a style Shonkoff calls serve and return.

Shonkoff says these early interactions - a kind of conversation - have been shown to help children with later learning and literacy. Even more important, they boost kids' resilience, by helping them build secure attachments with caring adults. Research suggests that just one caring, safe relationship early in life gives any child a much better shot at growing up healthy.

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Take The ACE Quiz - And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean

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First developed in the 1990s, the 10 questions of the Adverse Childhood Experiences test are designed to take a rough measure of a difficult childhood. Finding out your score is easy. Now what?

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- Student Choice/Voice:
=Menu
=choice board
Flipgrid

Discussions

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https://iamfromproject.com/

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https://modelsofexcellence.eleducation.org/writings/i-am-poem

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Writing Assignment Description

As a culmination of learning about their lives and the greater world, students wrote "I am" poems. They used figurative language, spacing, and repetition as poetic authors. Although many other content standards were addressed as part of the larger learning expedition, this piece shows evidence of Writing and Language standards.

How This Writing Can Be Useful

Uses figurative language to describe a complex topic

Incorporates concepts from multiple disciplines to explain a topic as a poet

Offers multiple drafts of student work to demonstrate the power of revision

The accompanying resources offer the criteria list as well as other ways that this type of poem was used throughout the year to scaffold towards this writing piece

Common Core State Standards

Standard

Long Term Learning Target

W.5.4

I can produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.5.5

With support from peers and adults, I can use a writing process to produce clear and coherent writing.

W.5.10

I can adjust my writing practices for different time frames, tasks, purposes, and audiences.

L.5.5

I can analyze figurative language, word relationships, and slight differences in word meanings.

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As a culmination of learning about their lives and the greater world, students wrote "I am" poems. They used figurative language, spacing, and repetition as poetic authors. Although many other content standards were addressed as part of the larger learning expedition, this piece shows evidence of Writing and Language standards.

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Writing Assignment Description

As a culmination of learning about their lives and the greater world, students wrote "I am" poems. They used figurative language, spacing, and repetition as poetic authors. Although many other content standards were addressed as part of the larger learning expedition, this piece shows evidence of Writing and Language standards.

How This Writing Can Be Useful

Uses figurative language to describe a complex topic

Incorporates concepts from multiple disciplines to explain a topic as a poet

Offers multiple drafts of student work to demonstrate the power of revision

The accompanying resources offer the criteria list as well as other ways that this type of poem was used throughout the year to scaffold towards this writing piece

Common Core State Standards

Standard

Long Term Learning Target

W.5.4

I can produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

W.5.5

With support from peers and adults, I can use a writing process to produce clear and coherent writing.

W.5.10

I can adjust my writing practices for different time frames, tasks, purposes, and audiences.

L.5.5

I can analyze figurative language, word relationships, and slight differences in word meanings.

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As a culmination of learning about their lives and the greater world, students wrote "I am" poems. They used figurative language, spacing, and repetition as poetic authors. Although many other content standards were addressed as part of the larger learning expedition, this piece shows evidence of Writing and Language standards.

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This is the ed tech resource page I created as TSA for my district. Reach out at jgripman@ausdk12.org if you have any questions or suggestions! 

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This is the ed tech resource page I created as TSA for my district. Reach out at jgripman@ausdk12.org if you have any questions or suggestions! 

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Yoga, Mindfulness, and Science Education for Students YoMind

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This summer the YoMIND team went to Las Vegas to film a music video for JusTme's new single, "I'm Inspired". While we were there, we also a filmed a series of 7 short mindfulness exercises, featuring JusTme, for use in the classroom and at home. While these videos were made with students K-8 in mind, the videos are relaxing and appropriate for all ages. Practicing mindfulness for short periods many times during the day is good for yo' body and yo' mind! So give them a try and share them with your friends, family and co-workers.

If you are a teacher or school administrator, please consider using these videos in the classroom and school wide. The videos can be used as 'brain breaks' for both teachers and students ( research here on why this works!).

Like these videos? Help us produce more resources by making a donation to the Ashland Schools foundation. Write in the comment section for your contribution to go to "YoMIND Video Production". The Ashland Schools Foundation supports YoMIND and serves as our fiscal sponsor for this community project. Donations are tax deductible and will go towards YoMIND's mission to positively impact the changing world we live in, by bringing inspiring, relevant education to our youth through video and audio resources.
Click THANK YOU in advance for watching and spreading the word about these free resources! HERE to donate. Please write in the comments "YoMIND Video Production"
Music Video:

Mindfulness Exercises:

To play these videos in the classroom, consider accessing them directly through our Vimeo page here.

How This Project Came About

From Libby Edson, Founder of YoMIND:

So if you have scrolled down this far, you probably like what you see! Let me share briefly how this video project came to fruition. (If you want to see full story of how I launched the YoMIND community effort in 2013, please click here).

In the Spring of 2015, I began an ongoing conversation with filmmaker Natalie Faye about how to bring mindfulness "edutainment" videos into the schools in a fun and effective way, that would supplement the onsite programs already in place. We knew right away that a big key to success would be finding great on-camera talent: charismatic, hip, and kind mindfulness teachers that students could relate to.

In early 2016, I left rainy Oregon and stopped by Hermosa Beach to visit with Natalie on my way to UCSD's Bridging the Hearts and Minds of Youth Conference. The conversation continued as we contemplated how to increase the impact of YoMIND's efforts through video. Natalie suggested we focus on finding someone who was already an up-and-coming positive "influencer" with youth, and approach them about collaborating. And it needed to be someone that had a great presence on camera, AND could appeal to all ages. I went off to the conference with a tall order!

However, the very next day, that order was filled!! I attended a session at the conference where JusTme presented on his work with hip hop and mindfulness. From the moment I saw him I knew he would be perfect for this project. I talked to him after the session and he agreed to add his talents to our effort to bring these much needed resources to fruition and make them FREE to everyone!

All told, it took 18 months for YoMIND to pull together the team and finances to bring these videos to fruition. And thanks to the generous efforts of many, here we are.... MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Thanks to all who helped make these videos possible. Watch them often and share them with those you love. We hope this is the first of many YoMIND series with collaborators and influencers that share our vision! #wechooselove

Thanks to all who contributed!

With Gratitude,

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This summer the YoMIND team went to Las Vegas to film a music video for JusTme's new single, "I'm Inspired" . While we were there, we also a filmed a series of 7 short mindfulness exercises, featuring JusTme, for use in the classroom and at home.

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There are some great ways to surface kids passion for what they want to do.

Erin shared a great resource on a career family genogram to help students understand the narrative of how their family has seen career, what their narrative is around work, etc.

Here is her activity.  Erin Haywood is the person to follow up with on this.

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Trauma Informed/Sensitive Schools. Jaida Campbell Trauma Informed Care Trainer

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Trauma Informed/Sensitive Schools. Jaida Campbell Trauma Informed Care Trainer

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Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Tennessee

Chronic childhood trauma, or what experts call adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can disrupt a child's brain-building process. Like building a house in a storm or with below-grade materials and tools, ACEs are toxic to brain development and can compromise the brain's structural integrity. Left unaddressed, ACEs and their effects make it more difficult for a child to succeed in school, live a healthy life, and contribute to the state's future prosperity - our communities, our workforce, and our civic life.

Building Strong Brains: Tennessee ACEs Initiative is a major statewide effort to establish Tennessee as a national model for how a state can promote culture change in early childhood based on a philosophy that preventing and mitigating adverse childhood experiences, and their impact, is the most promising approach to helping Tennessee children lead productive, healthy lives and ensure the future prosperity of the state.

The Tennessee state initiative is born from research gathered in the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and their effects on life-long health and well-being. The study found that the greater the exposure to things such as domestic violence, addiction, and depression in early childhood, the greater the risk for later-life problems such as the higher risk for chronic illnesses, poverty, depression, and addictive behaviors.

Tennessee is undertaking a comprehensive effort to use this powerful insight to improve the lives of the state's children. Leaders from the state government, the business world, advocates, insurers, academia, and nonprofit foundations are organized as public and private sector steering groups to guide implementation and provide leadership at the state, regional, and community levels.

The Goals

Increase the potential that every child born in Tennessee has the opportunity to lead a healthy, productive life.

Raise public knowledge about ACEs.

Impact public policy in Tennessee to support the prevention of ACEs and to reduce community conditions that contribute to them.

Support innovative local and state projects that offer fresh thinking and precise measurement of impact in addressing ACEs and toxic stress in children.

Seek sustainable funding to ensure the state maintains a long-term commitment to reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences.

Embrace open, responsive governance through statewide planning groups and the Three Branches Institute, comprised of leadership from the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government, who were invited by the Governor to form a common agenda to advance child welfare and realign the juvenile justice system.

Projects

AOF FY24 Recipients
Building a Resilient East Tennessee
Metro Drug Coalition
Target Population: The MDC Obstetrics and Gynecologist Planning and Advisory Board will implement an ACEs pilot project in Knoxville and 13 predominately rural surrounding counties with OB/GYN professionals to enhance the office visit procedures, client follow-up, services, and resources to improve the quality of life for pregnant women with addiction and their baby.

Action Plan: Metro Drug Coalition is poised to develop an academic detailing program for ACEs training and implementation in high-risk OB/GYN practices in the East Tennessee Region. MDC developed a similar toolkit for healthcare providers to assess our targeted population, children, ages 1-12, and teens, ages 13-19. The MDC Practitioners Toolkit was based on the State of California toolkit for practitioners that provides the rationale, questionnaires, and clinic workflow suggestions to establish a protocol that is simple and provides some reimbursement through Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program). A toolkit for OB/GYN professionals is imperative to identify the ACEs for high-risk pregnant women as early as possible because of the effects that overactive stress has on the development of their babies' brains and bodies.
Resilient West Tennessee
Jackson - Madison County General Hospital
Jackson-Madison County General Hospital will collaborate with two partners on this proposal: T.A.M.B. of Jackson dba Aspell Recovery Center and Health Connect America in rural west Tennessee. Through these collaborations, the Applicant proposes to affect a collective impact to achieve population and systems level of change. Women in residential treatment and recovery at Aspell Recovery Center's Kirkland House, Ann's House, and A Mother's Love program for mothers addicted to opioids, other drugs, and their babies will be targeted for the program in Jackson. Aspell's Hardin County Women's Program two locations in Savannah will also serve as a project location. Health Connect America offers mental health and substance abuse counseling for adults and youth at four core office locations in rural West Tennessee. Jackson-Madison County General Hospital will offer a program that is supported by a strong theory of change. The long-term goal is for adults to acknowledge, and understand their own adverse childhood experiences, how these experiences have impacted their relationships, their role as a parent or adults, and what actions they can take to mitigate and prevent further unhealthy habits and behaviors in themselves. The program will promote youth's understanding of their adverse childhood experiences and provide them with tools for building resilience. The project will also provide workshops at community events throughout the region.

With collaborative partners, adults and youth will experience services designed to impact change in their lives from mental health to substance use. This program will further provide an avenue to impact change in the lives of adults and youth.
Supporting Training and Reflection in Early Childhood Mental Health Systems (STARS)
AIMHiTN
AIMHiTN proposes to develop, implement, and carry out Supporting Training and Reflection in Early Childhood Mental Health Systems (STARS). This program will tailor several Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) resources to child welfare professionals and foster parents to support an increase in the recognition of infant and early childhood mental health needs of young children in foster care, support an increase in placement stability, and to promote an increase in reflective capacity which directly correlates to a decrease in vicarious trauma, stress, and burnout.

STARS will develop a dual-track, asynchronous, IECMH Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum to support child welfare professionals and foster parents respectively in their awareness, recognition of, and response to infant and early childhood mental health needs.
Loudon County Schools and Community Resilience Project, Moving from ACEs to PACEs
Loudon County Schools
Loudon County Health Department, Loudon County Sheriff s Department, and Align9 Prevention Alliance will provide information regarding ACEs and building resilience to the families and individuals they encounter along with Loudon County Schools. Collaborative will pool resources and knowledge to produce a successful media campaign that can be used in other counties and across the state. All partners are members of the Loudon County Health Improvement Council. This 20-member council enables us to benefit from all members' experience and expertise. In addition to media campaigns, toolboxes will be developed and parenting workshops will be conducted.
Afterschool Enhancements for SEL: Pilot Wrap-around Programming in the SEL Supports/SEL Academies at MSCS's Family Wellness Centers and Pilot SEL Club Programming in MSCS's Extended Learning Programs
Shelby County Board of Education (dba Memphis-Shelby County Schools)

Special programming for students - for example, yoga programming provided by the Family Wellness Centers (FWCs) and remotely through satellite activities in the ReSET Rooms of the schools piloting the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Clubs

Simultaneous activities for parents during students' afternoon programming - for example, T.I.P. training accessible in the FWCs and remotely through Microsoft TEAMS

Removal of barriers for families of participants to participate in FWC activities - for example, bus passes for in-person counseling or provision of private space in the schools piloting the SEL Clubs for families to access telehealth services of the FWCs

Culminating family events - for example, bus transportation to allow families to participate in a community event aligned with the Five Protective Factors

Resources to connect program activities to students' school-day lives - for example, professional development for school-based staff and SEL Clubs' designation as SEL Ambassadors

Safe and Secure TN
Memphis Family Connection Center
After providing trauma-informed training to organizations in Shelby County for the past decade,

Safe and Secure TN (SSTN) recognized the need to connect organizations to each other in an effort to build a more consistent system of care for the community. Therefore, in 2022 SSTN launched a pilot program called the Shelby County Collective. One to two leaders from each of the organizations participated in practitioner training held locally in September of 2022. They also received coaching from SSTN to support the implementation of trauma-informed strategies. Finally, organizations were given opportunities to encourage, support, and collaborate with each other to scaffold the implementation of new learning. Preliminary survey results indicated that participants felt connected to other organizations in the Shelby County Collective. The Collective's collaborative approach endorsed an affinity for working with other local organizations to pursue a more trauma-informed Memphis community-wide. One collective member said, "I felt it helpful to see the community in Memphis and the various organizations who are pursuing this. I am hopeful for a greater yearning in our city for trauma-informed care."

Based on the successes identified thus far in Shelby County, SSTN seeks to develop similar trauma-informed collectives in additional communities. SSTN has identified Wilson County and Bradley/Polk Counties as the next locations to launch community collectives. Each collective will be led by a local Champion Organization identified by SSTN that has demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of trauma-informed services in their community. These Champion Organizations are Foster 180 in Wilson County, TN, and OrphanWise in Bradley and Polk Counties, TN. SSTN will provide ongoing training, coaching, and technical support to facilitate Champion Organizations' implementation of TBRI® through internal policies and practices, as well as the provision of TBRI®-informed services in the community. Further, Champion Organizations will be provided opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other as well as other TBRI® organizations across the nation.
The Hope Collective
The Omni Family of Services
This collaborative proposal is to create a Practice Model, rooted in Hope Science, that can be disseminated to child and family systems throughout Tennessee to prevent and intervene with the impact of ACEs.

The Hope Collective includes established Tennessee service providers of prevention and intervention services for youth and families across the state, an evidence-based Hope framework and training curriculum led by internationally renowned researchers, and a clinically designed, family-focused technology platform for data collection and analysis (TOC XV).

Map of Building Strong Brains Community Innovations

Download a state-wide map listing Building Strong Brains projects across Tennessee.

Learn More

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Chronic childhood trauma, or what experts call adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can disrupt a child's brain-building process. Like building a house in a storm or with below-grade materials and tools, ACEs are toxic to brain development and can compromise the brain's structural integrity.

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- ask district
-Go Fund Me or Donor's Choose
-freemium - if you take their training you can get so many months for free

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Remember all parents love and care for their children no matter what and although some view educators impact is negative. Teachers do care too. Usually teachers are here to help student, want to participate in support.
Remember that there are so many ways to identify identity. Religion, appearance - culture, ethnicity... Teachers may lack understanding and look at the student as different.
Lack of understanding impacts students.

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Caring (Jaida Campbell, Michelle Wooten)

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Caring (Jaida Campbell, Michelle Wooten)

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As we authentically CARE about students we support them to become their very best.

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Classroom Resources - Learning for Justice

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Classroom Resources - Learning for Justice

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Lesson plans and texts on different topics

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Learning Plans are built by teachers and reflect backward design. The Learning Plan Builder allows you to combine the Teaching Tolerance Social Justice Standards, Common Core-aligned literacy strategies and student performance tasks with windows-and-mirrors texts from the Student Text library. The result is a comprehensive, literacy-based plan that is both rigorous and relevant.

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Vingettes - Helping students understand others stories and then having a conversation around there. Any part of this person's story you relate to or have questions about?

- Sources: go to actual lived experiences (people who can share them) annonymize their story and have a conversation.

- Project Based Learning

- Immersion into an experience

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Use real people who are willing to share their stories.

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A gift of self awareness for yourself, and for others. Based on decades of research from Yale. Tell your Mood Meter mobile app how you feel and build emotional intelligence that lasts a lifetime.

Expand your emotional vocabulary Discover the nuances in your feelings.

Gain insights about your inner life Learn what's causing your feelings over time.

Regulate your feelings Use strategies to regulate your feelings: enhance how you manage your life.

Remember to check in with yourself Use reminders to check-in on your feelings throughout the day.

View your report Learn how your feelings are affecting your decisions, relationships, and performance.

Over time, you'll develop emotional intelligence skills that can help you in all areas of life.

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A gift of self awareness for yourself, and for others. Based on decades of research from Yale. Tell your Mood Meter mobile app how you feel and build emotional intelligence that lasts a lifetime. Expand your emotional vocabulary Discover the nuances in your feelings.

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S7ZzLKGlLzNBemRCDswIhdjP4gOCoiaZ/view?usp=sharing

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Home is Where the Relationship Begins- Home Visitation as a Family Engagement Strategy

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https://www.facinghistory.org/chunk/starburst-identity-chart

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Students create identity charts that capture both how they describe themselves and how they think others would describe them.

Most teachers are willing to tackle the difficult topics, but we need the tools.

- Gabriela Calderon-Espinal, Bay Shore, NY

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Students create identity charts that capture both how they describe themselves and how they think others would describe them.

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By Amanda Pagan, Children's Librarian

So you want to start reading manga?

We're here to help. Here, we break down the basics you need to know before delving into the wide, fantastic world of Japanese graphic novels, a.k.a manga.

What is manga?

Manga is an umbrella term for a wide variety of comic books and graphic novels originally produced and published in Japan. Unlike American comic books, which are usually printed in full color, Japanese manga are almost always published in black and white. Full-color prints are often only used for special releases.

Japanese manga is read right-to-left rather than left-to-right, which is the norm for English language publications. This can take some getting used to if you have only ever read English publications, but you will hardly notice once you've practiced enough.

In Japan, manga are typically released on a monthly or a weekly chapter-by-chapter basis through manga magazines such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, (which has been in circulation since 1968). If a series is popular enough, its chapters are then collected and published into volumes called tankōbon volumes, which usually feature a few chapters of the overall story.

Most manga series are long-running and can span multiple volumes. This is something to keep in mind when starting a new series as it is imperative you read the volumes in the correct order. This might be easier for small series, such as Naoko Takeuchi's Sailor Moon, which only has about 12 volumes, versus longer-running series such as Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, which has 42 volumes.

What is the difference between manga and anime?

Anime is yet another umbrella term for all forms of animation created and published in Japan. When most people hear the word 'anime,' they think of adaptations of manga series, such as Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. Both television shows boosted the popularity of Japanese anime in the west when they aired on American TV during the 1990s.

If a manga series is popular enough, it might then become an anime, as was the case with both Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon. In some cases, the opposite is true; a popular original anime will be given a manga adaptation. However, the two terms are not interchangeable.

Anime is animation. Manga is print. That is the difference.

Where should I start?

The most important thing to remember about manga is there is something for everyone. Whether you like high school romantic comedies or high-fantasy epics, there is a manga for you.

Manga is chiefly categorized by audience first, then genre. For example, CLAMP's Cardcaptor Sakura is a shojo (young girls) "magical girl" (sub-genre) manga. However, this does not mean a boy cannot enjoy the series. That is simply how they are marketed. If you were looking for manga for a young boy who likes fantasy or mystery, you would search for "shonen (boy) fantasy" or "shonen mystery" manga.

We would need an entirely different blog post to cover the gargantuan number of manga genres and sub-genres that exist so, for now, we will simply cover the types of audiences to which manga are marketed. If you are looking for more information on manga genres and subgenres, then check out: Beginner's Guide to Manga 3: Genres and Subgenres.

Don't forget to check out our handy Manga for Middle-Schoolers guide for further recommendations!

Primarily, there are five demographics of manga:

Is there anything else I should know about manga?

There is no rule stating a grown man cannot read a shojo series or, likewise, a teen girl cannot enjoy a seinen series. It all boils down to personal taste.

Many manga series cross gender and age divides to be enjoyed by everyone, such as Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist. There are also manga that defy the conventions of their genre, such as Kaiu Shirai's Promised Neverland and Kiyohiko Azuma's , which are technically shonen manga, although both feature female protagonists.

We mention this so readers can have a better understanding of what differentiates certain manga series. More often than not, people assume all manga is geared towards teens or children, which can lead to problems if a well-meaning educator, parent, or librarian unwittingly gives a young child access to a sexually explicit manga meant for adults.

As with any other form of narrative, manga can run the gamut from serious, heart-wrenching drama to silly, mindless fun. Most manga feature over-exaggerated situations, comedy, or art, as over-exaggeration is practically a staple of the brand.

A Brief Warning: Fan Service and Oversexualized Characters

Fan service is also something to keep in mind. This refers to art that only exists to please or titillate the fans. Acts of fan service never further the plot or offer character development, and simply serve as gratuitous content, such as featuring a series' prominent character in a revealing costume or pseudo-sexual situation. Nakaba Suzuki's Seven Deadly Sins is a high-fantasy series that features an overabundant amount of fan service that makes it unsuitable for young children. Fan service appears in almost all types of manga and can range from harmless fun to seriously disturbing.

Unfortunately, a large chunk of manga (specifically those targeted towards the male demographic) tend to feature a disproportionate amount of oversexualized female characters. It is not unusual for female characters to randomly lose their clothing, wear revealing clothing, or be accosted in a sexual manner by the other male characters. Sexual assault is not something to be taken lightly, however, it is often played for laughs within these manga. For this reason, we encourage you to double check and read through the manga yourself before giving them to your children, especially young impressionable boys. There are plenty of thoughtful, well-developed series out there that are perfectly appropriate for readers of all ages. We have listed several titles for younger children in our Manga for Middle-Schoolers guide.

Our job is not to censure readers, but we do want to empower and inform our patrons so they can make their own decisions. Again, we mention this as a warning to parents, educators, and librarians before they unwittingly give someone the wrong material.

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A Beginner's Guide to Manga | The New York Public Library

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Want to start reading manga? You've come to the right place. We've defined five major categories of this Japanese-based comic book art, and...

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How does identity in Special Ed intersect with equity?

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How does identity in Special Ed intersect with equity?

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All students should have access to technology and learning experiences that are similarly structured.

Celebrating our student's successes.  When it comes time for Senior Department Awards, we don't want to traumatize our students further by "calling them out."

The competition, which our system is based upon, is broken. Let's rethink what we are doing to celebrate student achievement.

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This FREE Escape Room will take students on a secret mission around the classroom! This escape room has students decode inspirational quotes from famous figures about growth mindset.

Students will learn facts and quotes about Rosa Parks, Theodore Roosevelt, William Shakespeare and Oprah Winfrey. Your students will be inspired to do their best.

The Growth Mindset Escape Room has students walking around the classroom breaking codes. The codes include ciphers, Morse code, cryptograms and a final 4 digit code based on the decoders/clues.

Each clue and code is different. The codes require students to think differently to decipher or decode them.

Some codes are easier than others. Some codes require critical thinking to determine what a letter/symbol stands for. Each code will reveal interesting facts about famous people and their Growth Mindset.

The use of secret code will keep your students engaged while competing to find the final code. Students can report the final code to you. If you wanted to, you could purchase a 4 digit lock that you program, but it is not necessary at all! No props needed!!

This is a NO PREP, NO PROPS, PRINT & GO Activity! Best used in grades 4-8.

You can use the pre-labeled clues or you can challenge older kids to choose/find the decoder that works for each of the clues.

A set of labeled and non-labeled decoders are included for differentiation. A "How to Decode" puzzles is also included. An answer key and easy to follow teacher directions are provided.

Time needed: 30-60 minutes.

In addition to learning or reinforcing the subject matter, my escape rooms encourage teamwork and critical thinking. As a "timed" challenge, students will be engaged from beginning to end.

This FREE escape room includes 12 fun, colorful signs to take class pictures with at the end of the mission.

Signs include "Puzzle Master", "She did all the work", "Genius", "We did it", "I Escaped" and more! Hang the pictures in your room, send them in a parent newsletter or share them on social media☺

New Feature: I have included a 6 question formative to complete as proof of understanding. Each "clue" also has one question to answer to ensure comprehension for a total of 10 questions. Many times students rush to solve the puzzles without reading or comprehending what they read. The questions need to be answered correctly before they can win!

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Free Growth Mindset Escape Room - Think Tank Teacher

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This FREE Escape Room will take students on a secret mission around the classroom! This escape room has students decode inspirational quotes from famous figures about growth mindset. Students will learn facts and quotes about Rosa Parks, Theodore Roosevelt, William Shakespeare and Oprah Winfrey. Your students will be inspired to do their best.

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41 of the Best Children’s Books about Identity

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41 of the Best Children’s Books about Identity

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https://childrenslibrarylady.com/books-about-identity/

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Celebrating identity in your classroom is a powerful way to help your students thrive into confident, courageous and empathic citizens. Let me know how you promote identity in your classroom.

You can find additional resources and books here, including lesson plans like this one from Teaching Tolerance.

What are your favourite children's books to help your students embrace their identity and develop positive self-esteem? Add the title into the comments below!

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18 of the Best Children's Books about Identity

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Celebrating identity in your classroom is a powerful way to help your students thrive into confident, courageous and empathic citizens. Let me know how you promote identity in your classroom. You can find additional resources and books here, including lesson plans like this one from Teaching Tolerance.

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Books for Teaching Kids About IdentityShare

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Books for Teaching Kids About IdentityShare

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https://theresponsivecounselor.com/2020/11/books-for-teaching-kids-about-identity.html

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Books for Teaching Kids About Identity - The Responsive Counselor

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Social justice is a big concept - break it down when you're teaching kids about it by using books and starting with identity

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Flipgrid
Screencastify
EdPuzzle
Deck toys
Gimkit
Scratch
PEardeck

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Send out all kinds of communication.
Email, letters, calls, folders, etc.
https://sites.google.com/view/emilyrcox/home
Provide lots of resources to help families.
Thank you all for sharing. Identity is an interesting topic and think about what we teach and share with our students.

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Parent Square (paid?)
Remind
Bloomz
Class Kick
Class DOjo

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Thank you for sharing your time with me. Nanette (moderator)

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Thank you for sharing your time with me. Nanette (moderator)

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MrsNFDiaz@aol.com (NJ high school Spanish teacher) @nanettediaz (Twitter)

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Prevalent in our educational system - we need more time for this!

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Make it a habit to check in with students to make sure they are okay.

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Using Culture to Connect with Students for Success

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Using Culture to Connect with Students for Success

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Identify kids icons, people they look up to and share videos with them around what they say helped them be successful.

- e.g. Lebron James and his 10 rules for success.  What worked for him.

- Using people's stories to promote conversations and raise questions that help them with their identity.

-INTERSECTIONALITY AND SUCCESS:
- How many people do you know that are successful who are White?
- Black?
- Black and queer?
-etc - it helps us see what intersectionalities are and how they impact our career.

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What are the challenges you face in class and what do you do to overcome them? 

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What are the challenges you face in class and what do you do to overcome them? 

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"Sometimes you can print everything out and send those out, along with giving those the benefit of the doubt where if they missed something, they would give them until the send of the marking period, Also Google sites are free and you can update with anything as pdfs, word docs, and more. It is super easy to create. If anyone would like I can share one of the sites I made."
Provide opportunities for collaboration,
slow down and think about what you said and see the expressions. Read the whole child.
Changing mindset takes time especially when there are prior bad practices.  It's our passion to make it a safe place for the students as well as the parents.  Not all parents handle the discussion the same way.
Sometimes there is a language barrier as well.
It helps to try to make sure that students know you will research or learn whatever you can. For example, I am not religious, but if a student tells me that they are of a certain religion, I will do my best to research any important holidays, cultural important actions, etc.
Develop connections and greater understanding of diversity.

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I love you!

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Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Tennessee

Chronic childhood trauma, or what experts call adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can disrupt a child's brain-building process. Like building a house in a storm or with below-grade materials and tools, ACEs are toxic to brain development and can compromise the brain's structural integrity. Left unaddressed, ACEs and their effects make it more difficult for a child to succeed in school, live a healthy life, and contribute to the state's future prosperity - our communities, our workforce, and our civic life.

Building Strong Brains: Tennessee ACEs Initiative is a major statewide effort to establish Tennessee as a national model for how a state can promote culture change in early childhood based on a philosophy that preventing and mitigating adverse childhood experiences, and their impact, is the most promising approach to helping Tennessee children lead productive, healthy lives and ensure the future prosperity of the state.

The Tennessee state initiative is born from research gathered in the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and their effects on life-long health and well-being. The study found that the greater the exposure to things such as domestic violence, addiction, and depression in early childhood, the greater the risk for later-life problems such as the higher risk for chronic illnesses, poverty, depression, and addictive behaviors.

Tennessee is undertaking a comprehensive effort to use this powerful insight to improve the lives of the state's children. Leaders from the state government, the business world, advocates, insurers, academia, and nonprofit foundations are organized as public and private sector steering groups to guide implementation and provide leadership at the state, regional, and community levels.

The Goals

Increase the potential that every child born in Tennessee has the opportunity to lead a healthy, productive life.

Raise public knowledge about ACEs.

Impact public policy in Tennessee to support the prevention of ACEs and to reduce community conditions that contribute to them.

Support innovative local and state projects that offer fresh thinking and precise measurement of impact in addressing ACEs and toxic stress in children.

Seek sustainable funding to ensure the state maintains a long-term commitment to reducing the impact of adverse childhood experiences.

Embrace open, responsive governance through statewide planning groups and the Three Branches Institute, comprised of leadership from the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government, who were invited by the Governor to form a common agenda to advance child welfare and realign the juvenile justice system.

Projects

AOF FY24 Recipients
Building a Resilient East Tennessee
Metro Drug Coalition
Target Population: The MDC Obstetrics and Gynecologist Planning and Advisory Board will implement an ACEs pilot project in Knoxville and 13 predominately rural surrounding counties with OB/GYN professionals to enhance the office visit procedures, client follow-up, services, and resources to improve the quality of life for pregnant women with addiction and their baby.

Action Plan: Metro Drug Coalition is poised to develop an academic detailing program for ACEs training and implementation in high-risk OB/GYN practices in the East Tennessee Region. MDC developed a similar toolkit for healthcare providers to assess our targeted population, children, ages 1-12, and teens, ages 13-19. The MDC Practitioners Toolkit was based on the State of California toolkit for practitioners that provides the rationale, questionnaires, and clinic workflow suggestions to establish a protocol that is simple and provides some reimbursement through Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program). A toolkit for OB/GYN professionals is imperative to identify the ACEs for high-risk pregnant women as early as possible because of the effects that overactive stress has on the development of their babies' brains and bodies.
Resilient West Tennessee
Jackson - Madison County General Hospital
Jackson-Madison County General Hospital will collaborate with two partners on this proposal: T.A.M.B. of Jackson dba Aspell Recovery Center and Health Connect America in rural west Tennessee. Through these collaborations, the Applicant proposes to affect a collective impact to achieve population and systems level of change. Women in residential treatment and recovery at Aspell Recovery Center's Kirkland House, Ann's House, and A Mother's Love program for mothers addicted to opioids, other drugs, and their babies will be targeted for the program in Jackson. Aspell's Hardin County Women's Program two locations in Savannah will also serve as a project location. Health Connect America offers mental health and substance abuse counseling for adults and youth at four core office locations in rural West Tennessee. Jackson-Madison County General Hospital will offer a program that is supported by a strong theory of change. The long-term goal is for adults to acknowledge, and understand their own adverse childhood experiences, how these experiences have impacted their relationships, their role as a parent or adults, and what actions they can take to mitigate and prevent further unhealthy habits and behaviors in themselves. The program will promote youth's understanding of their adverse childhood experiences and provide them with tools for building resilience. The project will also provide workshops at community events throughout the region.

With collaborative partners, adults and youth will experience services designed to impact change in their lives from mental health to substance use. This program will further provide an avenue to impact change in the lives of adults and youth.
Supporting Training and Reflection in Early Childhood Mental Health Systems (STARS)
AIMHiTN
AIMHiTN proposes to develop, implement, and carry out Supporting Training and Reflection in Early Childhood Mental Health Systems (STARS). This program will tailor several Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) resources to child welfare professionals and foster parents to support an increase in the recognition of infant and early childhood mental health needs of young children in foster care, support an increase in placement stability, and to promote an increase in reflective capacity which directly correlates to a decrease in vicarious trauma, stress, and burnout.

STARS will develop a dual-track, asynchronous, IECMH Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum to support child welfare professionals and foster parents respectively in their awareness, recognition of, and response to infant and early childhood mental health needs.
Loudon County Schools and Community Resilience Project, Moving from ACEs to PACEs
Loudon County Schools
Loudon County Health Department, Loudon County Sheriff s Department, and Align9 Prevention Alliance will provide information regarding ACEs and building resilience to the families and individuals they encounter along with Loudon County Schools. Collaborative will pool resources and knowledge to produce a successful media campaign that can be used in other counties and across the state. All partners are members of the Loudon County Health Improvement Council. This 20-member council enables us to benefit from all members' experience and expertise. In addition to media campaigns, toolboxes will be developed and parenting workshops will be conducted.
Afterschool Enhancements for SEL: Pilot Wrap-around Programming in the SEL Supports/SEL Academies at MSCS's Family Wellness Centers and Pilot SEL Club Programming in MSCS's Extended Learning Programs
Shelby County Board of Education (dba Memphis-Shelby County Schools)

Special programming for students - for example, yoga programming provided by the Family Wellness Centers (FWCs) and remotely through satellite activities in the ReSET Rooms of the schools piloting the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Clubs

Simultaneous activities for parents during students' afternoon programming - for example, T.I.P. training accessible in the FWCs and remotely through Microsoft TEAMS

Removal of barriers for families of participants to participate in FWC activities - for example, bus passes for in-person counseling or provision of private space in the schools piloting the SEL Clubs for families to access telehealth services of the FWCs

Culminating family events - for example, bus transportation to allow families to participate in a community event aligned with the Five Protective Factors

Resources to connect program activities to students' school-day lives - for example, professional development for school-based staff and SEL Clubs' designation as SEL Ambassadors

Safe and Secure TN
Memphis Family Connection Center
After providing trauma-informed training to organizations in Shelby County for the past decade,

Safe and Secure TN (SSTN) recognized the need to connect organizations to each other in an effort to build a more consistent system of care for the community. Therefore, in 2022 SSTN launched a pilot program called the Shelby County Collective. One to two leaders from each of the organizations participated in practitioner training held locally in September of 2022. They also received coaching from SSTN to support the implementation of trauma-informed strategies. Finally, organizations were given opportunities to encourage, support, and collaborate with each other to scaffold the implementation of new learning. Preliminary survey results indicated that participants felt connected to other organizations in the Shelby County Collective. The Collective's collaborative approach endorsed an affinity for working with other local organizations to pursue a more trauma-informed Memphis community-wide. One collective member said, "I felt it helpful to see the community in Memphis and the various organizations who are pursuing this. I am hopeful for a greater yearning in our city for trauma-informed care."

Based on the successes identified thus far in Shelby County, SSTN seeks to develop similar trauma-informed collectives in additional communities. SSTN has identified Wilson County and Bradley/Polk Counties as the next locations to launch community collectives. Each collective will be led by a local Champion Organization identified by SSTN that has demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of trauma-informed services in their community. These Champion Organizations are Foster 180 in Wilson County, TN, and OrphanWise in Bradley and Polk Counties, TN. SSTN will provide ongoing training, coaching, and technical support to facilitate Champion Organizations' implementation of TBRI® through internal policies and practices, as well as the provision of TBRI®-informed services in the community. Further, Champion Organizations will be provided opportunities to collaborate and learn from each other as well as other TBRI® organizations across the nation.
The Hope Collective
The Omni Family of Services
This collaborative proposal is to create a Practice Model, rooted in Hope Science, that can be disseminated to child and family systems throughout Tennessee to prevent and intervene with the impact of ACEs.

The Hope Collective includes established Tennessee service providers of prevention and intervention services for youth and families across the state, an evidence-based Hope framework and training curriculum led by internationally renowned researchers, and a clinically designed, family-focused technology platform for data collection and analysis (TOC XV).

Map of Building Strong Brains Community Innovations

Download a state-wide map listing Building Strong Brains projects across Tennessee.

Learn More

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Chronic childhood trauma, or what experts call adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), can disrupt a child's brain-building process. Like building a house in a storm or with below-grade materials and tools, ACEs are toxic to brain development and can compromise the brain's structural integrity.

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Registration information for the Manga in Libraries: Supporting All Learners webinar that I mentioned. -RH

Friday, September 24th @ 7:00pm ET!

Registration: https://bit.ly/2UuCT78

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Attended a Manga session and Ashley's collection is fabulous. Here is a list of resources for elementary students.

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Manga for Kids (Collection Development for Elementary K-5)