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The Region 13 Middle School Counseling Binder is a resource for all middle counselors within the region. It is continuously updated to offer the newest and most relevant information available to our counselors. Please email any questions and/or suggestions to: Tisha.Kolek@esc13.txed.net

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Teaching and Leading in the Time of COVID-19

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Teaching and Leading in the Time of COVID-19

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This resource goes with the above webinar regarding Educator Resilience and Trauma-Informed Self-Care.

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Supporting Educator and Student Well-Being

Educators now more than ever need trauma-informed care to meet the challenges of today's educational environments. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders collaborated with national partners and leading educators to produce a webinar series focused on the developing the use of evidence-based trauma-informed practices. Included in this work are three webinars that highlight strategies specific to fostering resilience and well-being for educators, for educators as they work with their students, and for school leaders as they work to build trust and well-being in their school communities.

Each webinar includes resources and handouts (below) that support educators in building knowledge and skill in trauma-informed practices. The Educator Stress Spectrum was created to support teacher teams in gaining greater awareness of individual and collective context and stressors. While the Self-Assessment and Planning Tools were designed to support educators with concrete strategies for building resilience and well-being as individuals, in the classroom, and in school communities. Note: Language in these tools may be dated, yet the content remains evergreen and relevant to meeting today's needs of students, teachers and school leaders.

What About You?
Strategies for Supporting Educator Resilience and Trauma-Informed Self-Care
Co-sponsored by NEA and NBPTS Learn More
What About Your Students?
Supporting Student Well-Being and Resilience with Trauma-Informed Care
Co-sponsored by NEA and NBPTS Learn More
What About Your School?
Building Trust and Well-Being through Trauma-Informed Communities
Learn More

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Center on Great Teachers & Leaders - at American Institutes for Research

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The GTL Center is dedicated to advancing state efforts to grow, respect, and retain great teachers and leaders for all students. Our mission is to foster the capacity of vibrant networks of practitioners, researchers, innovators, and experts to build and sustain a seamless system of support for great teachers and leaders for every school in every state in the nation.

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I created a Padlet to provide resources for various forms of Dysfunctional Behaviors

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I created the following website to help students with their post-secondary plans.

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Welcome High School Students!

How do you feel when people ask what your plans are after high school? Do you feel excited about all of the possibilities or do you feel anxious and overwhelmed? The information on this site is available to help as you begin to think and plan for life after high school.

What is my school counselor's role in college and career planning?

Check out this video from The College Board (2016) to learn more about how your school counselor can help you achieve your dreams.

Where do I begin?

Students who do not know what career path they want to take will begin by clicking the " Career Assessments" tab at the top. Students who have an idea about their future career path can click on the " Career Search Tools" tab. The information within these tabs should be a good place to begin planning your future.

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Welcome High School Students! How do you feel when people ask what your plans are after high school? Do you feel excited about all of the possibilities or do you feel anxious and overwhelmed? The information on this site is available to help as you begin to think and plan for life after high school.

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Date of Completion:
October 1, 2020

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Interview of Brian Coleman - 2019 School Counselor of the Year

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Interview of Brian Coleman - 2019 School Counselor of the Year

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American School Counselor Association

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Brian Coleman: School Counselors' Role and Impact

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Hear from Brian Coleman, the 2019 School Counselor of the Year, about school counselors' role and im...

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The Global Emotional Intelligence Test uses 40 questions which are derived from, the Global instrument, which contains 158 items. These are based on Goleman's four quadrant Emotional Intelligence Competency Model (2002). Click EI Capability Assessment here for more details. Short EI quizzes such as this are meant to be fun, and to give you a guide to which EI areas you are doing well in and those which perhaps you need to focus on for development.

This Test, is a forced-choice psychological test which requires you to choose Instructions for the FREE EI Test one statement in each pair of statements that describes you best. For each pair of statements, select the statement that best applies to you. Do not over-analyse the questions, or try to think of "exceptions to the rule." Be spontaneous and choose the statement that comes closest to the way you are.

Occasionally there will be questions that ask you to make a close call between two choices. This is because the Test is trying to distinguish between specific areas. If a question is very close and you can't decide which statement applies to you best, you can come back to it after you have completed the other questions.

The Test usually takes about 10 minutes to complete. At the end of the test, click on the Score Test button, and wait for the computer to generate an EI profile of your scores. If you have answered honestly and accurately, your scores will reflect your capability level within each of the EI quadrants.

We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the results of this Test - only that it can help you begin your journey of self-development!

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Emotional Intelligence Test - Global Leadership Foundation

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Free emotional intelligence test developed by Global Leadership Foundation

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The importance of Emotional Intelligence for leaders

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The importance of Emotional Intelligence for leaders

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Forbes Magazine

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When most people imagine intelligence, they picture a mathematician solving equations, a novelist writing great works of literature or a philosopher expounding on wise principles.

But brilliance takes many forms, not least of which is the ability to comprehend and manage emotions. Known as emotional intelligence, this trait is often overlooked, yet crucial for success as a business leader.

Here's what having emotional intelligence provides you with:
Acute Awareness
One of the defining features of emotional intelligence is the ability to comprehend the effects of your feelings. This is crucial for making sound, objective decisions when your pride and self-esteem are at stake. All leaders must face situations where their emotions make a decision seem better than it is.

If you previously expressed support for a certain strategy, for example, your pride will be tied up with that strategy, making it harder to recognize if it isn't working. Leaders who have emotional intelligence are more likely to realize when pride and other emotions are influencing their thinking, allowing them to make more rational, impartial choices.
Impact Interpretation
In addition to reigning in your own feelings, emotional intelligence makes it easier to anticipate and respond to others' sentiments. As much as we may want for it to be objective, business is an emotional experience.

Bad news from work can shock or dismay your employees, while good news may make them unreasonably optimistic. Emotional intelligence means you can tell ahead of time how others will react and develop a strategy to keep them grounded.
Mental Health Management
Those with emotional intelligence have an easier time assessing the emotional and psychological state of their employees. This makes it easier to determine if someone is suffering from:

* Anxiety

* Depression

* Grief

* Trauma

* Eating disorders

By recognizing threats to your employees' mental health, you can provide them with the support and professional resources they need to recover. Not only is this good for their health but it promotes a more harmonious, productive workplace.
Cultivated Communication
Leaders with emotional intelligence have an improved ability to gauge others' responses to their words and actions. This makes it easier for you to tell if your employees really understand what you are saying or are confused but unwilling to say so. You can then refine your messages accordingly, developing reliable ways of communicating with everyone who works for you.

Emotional intelligence also makes it easier for you to listen to what other people are saying clearly and without judgment, ensuring that others can always give you the information you need.
Helpful Humor
Never underestimate the value of humor in business. A good joke or clever play on words can cheer up dismayed employees, win over skeptical customers and draw positive attention to your brand. If you have emotional intelligence, it will be easier to tell what people will find funny. You can also determine in which situations humor will be appropriate, finding the proper balance between serious work and lightheartedness.

While intelligence is important, emotional intelligence is a key to success in leadership and in being able to relate to others. When dealing with others, truly try to place yourself in their situation. It will help you choose the best method to solve problems and achieve your goals.

How has emotional intelligence helped you to make sound and informed decisions?

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Council Post: Why Emotional Intelligence Is Indispensable For Leaders

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When most people imagine intelligence, they picture a mathematician solving equations, a novelist writing great works of literature or a philosopher expounding on wise principles. But brilliance takes many forms, not least of which is the ability to comprehend and manage emotions.

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The potential dark side of Emotional Intelligence

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The potential dark side of Emotional Intelligence

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The Atlantic

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In some jobs, being in touch with emotions is essential. In others, it seems to be a detriment. And like any skill, being able to read people can be used for good or evil.

Some of the greatest moments in human history were fueled by emotional intelligence. When Martin Luther King, Jr. presented his dream, he chose language that would stir the hearts of his audience. "Instead of honoring this sacred obligation" to liberty, King thundered, "America has given the Negro people a bad check." He promised that a land "sweltering with the heat of oppression" could be "transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice," and envisioned a future in which "on the red hills of Georgia sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood."

Delivering this electrifying message required emotional intelligence-the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions. Dr. King demonstrated remarkable skill in managing his own emotions and in sparking emotions that moved his audience to action. As his speechwriter Clarence Jones reflected, King delivered "a perfectly balanced outcry of reason and emotion, of anger and hope. His tone of pained indignation matched that note for note."
Emotional intelligence is important, but the unbridled enthusiasm has obscured a dark side.
Recognizing the power of emotions, another one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century spent years studying the emotional effects of his body language. Practicing his hand gestures and analyzing images of his movements allowed him to become "an absolutely spellbinding public speaker," says the historian Roger Moorhouse-"it was something he worked very hard on." His name was Adolf Hitler.

Since the 1995 publication of Daniel Goleman's bestseller, emotional intelligence has been touted by leaders, policymakers, and educators as the solution to a wide range of social problems. If we can teach our children to manage emotions, the argument goes, we'll have less bullying and more cooperation. If we can cultivate emotional intelligence among leaders and doctors, we'll have more caring workplaces and more compassionate healthcare. As a result, emotional intelligence is now taught widely in secondary schools, business schools, and medical schools.

Emotional intelligence is important, but the unbridled enthusiasm has obscured a dark side. New evidence shows that when people hone their emotional skills, they become better at manipulating others. When you're good at controlling your own emotions, you can disguise your true feelings. When you know what others are feeling, you can tug at their heartstrings and motivate them to act against their own best interests.

Social scientists have begun to document this dark side of emotional intelligence. In emerging research led by University of Cambridge professor Jochen Menges, when a leader gave an inspiring speech filled with emotion, the audience was less likely to scrutinize the message and remembered less of the content. Ironically, audience members were so moved by the speech that they claimed to recall more of it.

The authors call this the awestruck effect, but it might just as easily be described as the dumbstruck effect. One observer reflected that Hitler's persuasive impact came from his ability to strategically express emotions-he would "tear open his heart"-and these emotions affected his followers to the point that they would "stop thinking critically and just emote."
"Whenever we wanted to persuade our staff to support a particular project we always tried to break their hearts."
Leaders who master emotions can rob us of our capacities to reason. If their values are out of step with our own, the results can be devastating. New evidence suggests that when people have self-serving motives, emotional intelligence becomes a weapon for manipulating others. In a study led by the University of Toronto psychologist Stéphane Côté, university employees filled out a survey about their Machiavellian tendencies, and took a test measuring their knowledge about effective strategies for managing emotions. Then, Cote's team assessed how often the employees deliberately undermined their colleagues. The employees who engaged in the most harmful behaviors were Machiavellians with high emotional intelligence. They used their emotional skills to demean and embarrass their peers for personal gain. In one computer company studied by Tel-Aviv University professor Gideon Kunda, a manager admitted to telling a colleague "how excited we all are with what he is doing," but at the same time, "distancing my organization from the project," so "when it blows up," the company's founder would blame the colleague.

Shining a light on this dark side of emotional intelligence is one mission of a research team led by University College London professor Martin Kilduff. According to these experts, emotional intelligence helps people disguise one set of emotions while expressing another for personal gain. Emotionally intelligent people "intentionally shape their emotions to fabricate favorable impressions of themselves," Professor Kilduff's team writes. "The strategic disguise of one's own emotions and the manipulation of others' emotions for strategic ends are behaviors evident not only on Shakespeare's stage but also in the offices and corridors where power and influence are traded."

Of course, people aren't always using emotional intelligence for nefarious ends. More often than not, emotional skills are simply instrumental tools for goal accomplishment. In a study of emotions at the Body Shop, a research team led by Stanford professor Joanne Martin discovered that founder Anita Roddick leveraged emotions to inspire her employees to fundraise for charity. As Roddick explained, "Whenever we wanted to persuade our staff to support a particular project we always tried to break their hearts." However, Roddick also encouraged employees to be strategic in the timing of their emotion expressions. In one case, after noticing that an employee often "breaks down in tears with frustration," Roddick said it was acceptable to cry, but "I told her it has to be used. I said, 'Here, cry at this point in the ... meeting." When viewing Roddick as an exemplar of an emotionally intelligent leader, it becomes clear that there's a fine line between motivation and manipulation. Walking that tightrope is no easy task.
In jobs that required extensive attention to emotions, higher emotional intelligence translated into better performance. In jobs that involved fewer emotional demands, the results reversed.
In settings where emotions aren't running high, emotional intelligence may have hidden costs. Recently, psychologists Dana Joseph of the University of Central Florida and Daniel Newman of the University of Illinois comprehensively analyzed every study that has ever examined the link between emotional intelligence and job performance. Across hundreds of studies of thousands of employees in 191 different jobs, emotional intelligence wasn't consistently linked with better performance. In jobs that required extensive attention to emotions, higher emotional intelligence translated into better performance. Salespeople, real-estate agents, call-center representatives, and counselors all excelled at their jobs when they knew how to read and regulate emotions-they were able to deal more effectively with stressful situations and provide service with a smile.

However, in jobs that involved fewer emotional demands, the results reversed. The more emotionally intelligent employees were, the lower their job performance. For mechanics, scientists, and accountants, emotional intelligence was a liability rather than an asset. Although more research is needed to unpack these results, one promising explanation is that these employees were paying attention to emotions when they should have been focusing on their tasks. If your job is to analyze data or repair cars, it can be quite distracting to read the facial expressions, vocal tones, and body languages of the people around you. In suggesting that emotional intelligence is critical in the workplace, perhaps we've put the cart before the horse.

Instead of assuming that emotional intelligence is always useful, we need to think more carefully about where and when it matters. In a recent study at a healthcare company, I asked employees to complete a test about managing and regulating emotions, and then asked managers to evaluate how much time employees spent helping their colleagues and customers. There was no relationship whatsoever between emotional intelligence and helping: Helping is driven by our motivations and values, not by our abilities to understand and manage emotions. However, emotional intelligence was consequential when examining a different behavior: challenging the status quo by speaking up with ideas and suggestions for improvement.

Emotionally intelligent employees spoke up more often and more effectively. When colleagues were treated unjustly, they felt the righteous indignation to speak up, but were able to keep their anger in check and reason with their colleagues. When they went out on a limb to advocate for gender equity, emotional intelligence helped them keep their fear at bay. When they brought ideas for innovation to senior leaders, their ability to express enthusiasm helped them avoid threatening leaders. On a much smaller scale, they were able to follow Martin Luther King Jr.'s lead in rocking the boat while keeping it steady.

More than two decades have passed since psychologists Peter Salovey at Yale and John Mayer at the University of New Hampshire introduced the concept of emotional intelligence in 1990. Why has it taken us so long to develop a more nuanced view? After Daniel Goleman popularized the idea in 1995, many researchers-perhaps awestruck themselves by enthusiasm for the concept of emotional intelligence-proceeded to conduct studies that were fatally flawed. As University of Lausanne professor John Antonakis observed, "practice and voodoo science is running way ahead of rigorous research."

One of the most persistent problems was the use of self-report measures, which asked employees to rate their own emotional abilities on items like "I can tell how people are feeling even if they never tell me" and "I am generally very good at calming someone down when he or she is upset." Abilities cannot be accurately measured with self-reports. As emotion experts Sigal Barsade of Wharton and Donald Gibson of Fairfield University lament, "One might compare this approach to assessing mathematical skills by asking respondents, 'How good are you at solving algebraic equations?' rather than asking the person to actually solve an algebraic equation."

Thanks to more rigorous research methods, there is growing recognition that emotional intelligence-like any skill-can be used for good or evil. So if we're going to teach emotional intelligence in schools and develop it at work, we need to consider the values that go along with it and where it's actually useful. As Professor Kilduff and colleagues put it, it is high time that emotional intelligence is "pried away from its association with desirable moral qualities."

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In some jobs, being in touch with emotions is essential. In others, it seems to be a detriment. And like any skill, being able to read people can be used for good or evil. Some of the greatest moments in human history were fueled by emotional intelligence. When Martin Luther King, Jr.

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John Maxwell explains Emotional Intelligence

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John Maxwell explains Emotional Intelligence

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YouTube Video

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Emotional Inteligence - A Minute With John Maxwell, Free Coaching Video

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Prezi Presentation

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Transformational Leadership Article & Video

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Transformational Leadership Article & Video

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David Burkus

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David Burkus - Author of The Myths of Creativity

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What Is Transformational Leadership Theory?

Transformational leadership is a relatively new approach to leadership that focuses on how leaders can create valuable and positive change in their followers. James MacGregor Burns first introduced the concepts of transformational leadership when studying political leaders, but this term is now used when studying organizations as well. Burns described two leadership styles: transactional and transformational.

Transactional leaders focus on gaining compliance by giving and withholding rewards and benefits. Transformational leaders focus on "transforming" others to support each other and the organization as a whole. Followers of a transformational leader respond by feeling trust, admiration, loyalty, and respect for the leader and are more willing to work harder than originally expected. Another researcher, Bernard M. Bass, added to the work of Burns by explaining the psychological mechanisms that underlie transformational and transactional leadership. Bass' work established that transformational leaders demonstrate four factors: individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation (charismatic leadership), and idealized influence.

Transformational leadership theory is supported by nearly 30 years of research correlating transformational leadership to positive performance outcomes including individual, group, and organizational level variables. It also solidified the need to study followers in leadership research. Transformational leadership was the first developed and validated theory to emphasis morals and values in leadership. However, research on the theory is primarily based on the multifactor leadership questionnaire, which has produced inconsistent results. Research has also focused heavily on senior-level leaders. Transformational leadership also has the potential to be used negatively by leaders "faking it." Regardless, transformational leadership theory is a valuable and widely used approach to studying and teaching leadership.

Want more? We've created a ton of free resources to help you do your best work ever. We'd love to share them with you and keep connected with you. Just click the button below to view them all.
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Transformational Leadership Theory - David Burkus

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What Is Transformational Leadership Theory? Transformational leadership is a relatively new approach to leadership that focuses on how leaders can create valuable and positive change in their followers. James MacGregor Burns first introduced the concepts of transformational leadership when studying political leaders, but this term is now used when studying organizations as well.

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Journal of Leadership Education

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View Abstract View PDF Share Article

Introduction

The importance of teacher leadership in our educational systems cannot be understated. The teacher leader is identified as being in a "unique position to make change happen" (Lieberman & Miller, 2004, p. 12) and their leadership is associated with school improvement, increased teacher agency, the democratization of schools, teacher learning, and developing a collaborative culture (Muijs & Harris, 2006; York-Barr & Duke, 2004). Different approaches have been taken to strengthen or expand this form of leadership in our school systems. Examples include teacher leader programs under state or ministry initiatives, post-secondary education programs or research that identifies barriers and enablers to teacher leadership. We propose a different approach: this paper explores the connections between servant leadership and teacher leadership through the lens of the ten characteristics identified by Spears (2010) and it considers the implications of informing and strengthening teacher leadership through a servant leadership framework. In our analysis we attempt to answer the following questions:

What connections can be made between the characteristics of servant leadership and teacher leadership?

What are the implications of these connections?

How can these connections be used to inform and strengthen teacher leadership?

Servant Leadership

Robert Greenleaf coined the term servant leadership in his 1970 essay "The Servant as Leader", where he explained that a "servant leader is servant first" (Greenleaf, 1970, p. 15). Greenleaf credits the idea of the servant as leader from his reading of Journey to the East by Herman Hess. The main character in Hess' story, Leo, is a man who accompanies a group on a mythical journey and does their chores, but he also keeps them upbeat and positive through songs and interactions with the group members. Leo disappears in this story and the group falls apart, the journey discontinues. The story's narrator comes across Leo some time later only to discover that he was actually the leader of the Order that had sponsored the journey and not the servant the narrator had thought him to be. The notion espoused in this story that a servant and a leader could be embodied by one person was something that Greenleaf believed could exist in today's world as a form of leadership. The idea of a servant as a leader is a very different perspective on leadership as it focuses on the needs of the followers and the focus of the leader is ensuring that those needs are being served (Greenleaf, 1970, p. 15). The priority for a servant leader is not their aspirations as a leader, nor the goals of the organization, but to the people that they serve as a leader. To know if a servant leader is achieving success as a leader is to simply administer what Greenleaf referred to as the best test: "do those served grow as persons, do they while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants" (Greenleaf, 1970, p. 15)?

Teacher Leadership

Defining what teacher leadership is can be quite challenging as there are overlapping and competing ideas of what it constitutes (Muijs & Harris, 2003). Our own definition of a teacher leader includes those who inspire, encourage, and empower their colleagues. This might be through sharing the interesting and innovative learning experiences of their classrooms, through participating in a mentoring project with a colleague, or through giving workshops on ideas that they are passionate about. These teachers are offering thoughtful ideas and suggestions to schools and school district challenges, they are letting their voice be heard in different contexts and they are developing new and innovative programs or structures collaboratively with colleagues.

Looking to the literature, the idea of teacher leadership has developed over a number of waves: the first wave was limited to positions of authority or thinking of the teacher in a more managerial role such as a department head; the second wave was more aligned with the classroom context, but still gave influence to formally created positions such as curriculum coordinator or team leader. The third wave recognizes leadership as a process rather than a position (Silva, Gilbert, and Nolan, 2000). For example, Muijs and Harris (2003) describe teacher leadership as relationships between the players rather than a role, position or status. This third wave of teacher leadership is harder to delineate; "when teacher leadership is conceived of as a process rather than a positional concept, it is more difficult to articulate because it comprises an array of behaviours and characteristics rather than formalized positional duties" (Pounder, 2006, p. 534).

Connections Between Servant and Teacher Leadership

Not only does the idea of servant leadership force us to change how we think of leadership, it also demands a different model of leadership: not the traditional, hierarchical mode of leadership, but a model based on community, team-work and involving others in decision making (Greenleaf, 2003). Similarly, the understanding of teacher leadership is often described as a process and behavior, rather than a position of authority. This form of leadership is emergent and can be seen in the actions one takes rather than a position or title (Supovitz, 2018, p. 55). Teacher leadership has been closely aligned with a distributed leadership model where leadership is shared and not held within a specific position. Teacher leadership has been documented to thrive in schools that more readily embrace this distributed model (Mujis & Harris, 2003 & 2006). This form of leadership also challenges traditional authoritarian systems in schools: that females dominate the teaching staff and males lead through administrative positions and that teachers work with students and administrators work with adults (Taylor et al, 2011).

Similarly, servant leadership is not dependent on a role or formal authority to lead, it is much bigger than that. In Greenleaf (2003), Larry Spears describes servant leadership as an approach to both life and work that is on-going, enduring, and transformational. It can be thought of as a philosophy that radiates into everything that a servant leader does in their lives. While teacher leadership is much more specific and a limited form of leadership due to its context compared to servant leadership, it has also been described as a different way to think about leadership and a way of being (Kajitani, 2015, p. 123).

The nature of the teacher leader context is that many teacher leaders are demonstrating leadership while working as full-time classroom teachers. As Burns (2003) points out, the key distinctive role of leadership is that leaders show initiative. In the case of teacher leadership, there is more going on than just initiative. Teacher leaders are often well regarded as knowledgeable colleagues who are collaborative and reflective and as a result of this, rather than simply becoming leaders, as Snell and Swanson (2000) explain, they are allowed by their peers to lead. Similarly, servant leaders earn the trust and respect of the people around them and they then choose to follow. The followers have a choice as this leadership is not about a role or a title (Ferch & Spears, 2015). Sipe and Frick (2009) further this idea by explaining that a servant leader does not use positional authority or coercion to lead, but rather moral authority.

Characteristics of Servant Leadership as a Comparison to Teacher Leadership. Spears (2010) distilled Greenleaf's original writings into ten characteristics of servant-leaders: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to growth and community building. These characteristics describe a servant leader, what they do, how they are with their followers, and what typifies them as a leader. They also provide a comparison or connection point between teacher leadership and servant leadership, as both forms of leadership are described through the characteristics that such leaders exemplify. The literature documents many similarities between servant leadership and teacher leadership through this analysis.

Listening. One characteristic that servant leaders exhibit is listening: listening first, listening deeply and reflectively. "Only a true natural servant automatically responds to any problem by listening first" (Greenleaf, 2008, p. 18). Servant leaders demonstrate respect, warmth, and genuine interest while they are listening as they know that true listening builds strength in those being listened to (Sipe and Frick, 2009). This characteristic has been identified in teacher leaders in the Teacher Leader Model Standards developed by the Teacher Leader Exploratory Consortium (TLEC)[1]. The consortium identified effective listening skills as an important component of how teacher leaders foster a collaborative culture. As described earlier, teacher leaders have earned the respect and trust of their peers and have developed strong collaborative relationships; listening is a very important part of building these relationships.

Empathy. Characteristics of servant leaders include striving to fully understand and empathize with others. This includes assuming good intentions of colleagues and others (Greenleaf, 2003). Servant leaders understand others and their circumstances or challenges and through this they build confidence and trust with their followers (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007). As with listening, demonstrating empathy has been documented in teacher leaders. For example, Supovitz (2018) reported themes of empathy in his study of teacher leaders; he also connected this to how teacher leaders earn trust and rapport with their colleagues. Earning trust and confidence with colleagues is a central part of how teacher leaders lead.

Healing. An important characteristic of servant leader is that they "have the potential to heal themselves and others" (Crippen, 2010, p. 30). Through their actions as servant leaders they are facilitating a healing process and followers often look to them for support when times are difficult or something traumatic has occurred (Barbuto and Wheeler, 2007). As Robert Greenleaf also observes, this healing is to become whole and there is an awareness that this "search for wholeness is something they share;" both followers and leaders (Greenleaf, 2008, p. 37). Teacher leaders work to create a collaborative culture in an environment that is traditionally isolating and individualistic. Typically, teachers have closed their doors and taught in isolation (Taylor et al, 2011). Supovitz (2018) suggested that the teacher leaders he worked with had to develop strategies to get beyond the privacy norms that exist in schools and between teachers to gain trust and develop strong relationships. This included a focus on encouragement and support for teachers, which reflected the understanding that teachers rarely receive reassurance or acknowledgement in their work or when they went above and beyond. With this focus, these teacher leaders are filling that void in the system. Creating a connection across a culture of isolation is one example of how teacher leaders are healing themselves and their colleagues. They are also adding to the culture of the organization by actively filling what they viewed was lacking. As York-Barr and Duke (2004) explain, "the isolated culture of teaching diminishes teacher growth and professionalism" (p. 256). Teacher leaders are healing this divide with their attention to relationships and connections.

Awareness. Being open and aware of as much as possible strengthens effectiveness as a leader; especially having a high degree of self-awareness. This awareness allows servant leaders to step aside from context and detach in order to be able to fully see all of the intricacies at play. As Greenleaf explains (2008), it is important to keep the doors of perception wide open as "able leaders are usually sharply awake and reasonably disturbed" (p. 29). Often teacher leaders are very aware of their role as a leader and are concerned with how this might affect their relationships with their peers. The awareness of this tension informs how they operate in their leadership (York-Barr & Duke, 2004). For example, Supovitz (2018) found that teacher leaders prioritize their role as teacher and approached their leadership role from a teacher perspective. He also explained how teacher leaders are aware of the legitimacy this teacher focus brings to this role, especially with the teachers they are working with or leading.

Persuasion. The servant leader does not use coercion, nor their positional authority, but rather they seek to convince others through influence (Greenleaf, 2003). They never force anyone to do anything, but provide genuine, compelling reasons for action (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007). As Greenleaf (2006) points out, the advantages to leading by "convincement rather than coercion" are obvious (p.31). For a teacher leader the relationships that are central to their role as a leader are their primary means of influence (York-Barr & Duke, 2004). Muijs and Harris (2006) explain that teacher leaders use a form of collaboration based on collegiality that they lever "for the prime purpose of securing certain outcomes linked to improving teaching and learning" (p. 964). Supovitz (2018) also describes how teacher leaders use strategies such as leading by example, earning their colleagues trust and encouraging and collaborating with their peers. They do not use traditional administrative approaches that are more coercive in nature.

Conceptualization. Servant leadership requires creativity and the ability to look at a problem or an organization from a wider perspective. This requires servant leaders to think beyond the day-to-day realities (Greenleaf, 2003) and encourage others to dream big (Babuto & Wheeler, 2007). This can be seen in teacher leaders where they are encouraging teachers to go beyond their traditional teacher roles (Supovitz, 2018). Teacher leaders have also been recognized as skilled in possessing a solid understanding of organizational diagnosis and the "big picture" issues facing a school or school district (York-Barr & Duke, 2004).

Foresight. A servant leader is able to use the information and understandings available to them to reflect and predict happenings in the future. According to Sipe and Frick (2009), a servant leader is able to create and imagine possibilities while anticipating future likelihoods, then move ahead with purpose. Barbuto and Wheeler (2007) also describe servant leaders as being able to anticipate consequences of decisions correctly. Foresight involves being connected to the present as it is informed by the past and as it informs the future. Greenleaf (2006) explains that the ability to view the past, present, and future in this way is a central tenant of leadership. Acker-Hocevar and Touchton (1999) observed that teacher leaders can envision the broader impact of decisions made by administrators and teachers. There is also the clear connection between teacher leadership and school improvement (Muijs & Harris, 2003, 2008; York-Barr & Duke, 2004; Wenner & Campbell, 2017). Teacher leadership is seen as a strong driver for moving educational change forward in a school system. Muijs and Harris (2003) identify some of the main reasons teacher leadership is associated with school improvement; including how it empowers teachers, how activities such as collaborating with peers strengthened morale, and how shared leadership can lead to higher recruitment and retention. It has also been noted that teacher leaders often do not associate their actions with the term leadership, rather they identify as teachers first, not leaders first (Supovitz, 2018; Muijs & Harris, 2006). This positions them in a very strong place as they are more able to make decisions based on what is best for students and supports their colleagues. Their perspective and foresight make for strong leadership.

Stewardship. Service is central to the work of a servant leader and that includes being a steward for the organization so that it may contribute to the greater good of society and make a positive impact (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2007). Servant leaders consider the good at all times, including potential impacts on individuals, families, communities and the natural world from decisions made within the organization (Greenleaf, 2003). Teacher leaders demonstrate stewardship by advocating for their colleagues as well as student learning and the profession (Muijs & Harris, 2006; Supovitz, 2018; Teacher Leader Exploratory Consortium, 2011). They also are stewards through their active participation in school improvement initiatives and teacher professional development (Muijs & Harris, 2006).

Commitment to Growth. This characteristic of servant leadership is the commitment to the growth of individuals. This relates to Greenleaf's "best test" as a leader and is a focus for servant leadership: helping those whom you serve become more confident and capable (Greenleaf, 2003). This is often a direct focus for teacher leaders: promoting growth among colleagues. Teacher leaders report seeing their role as helping teachers become better teachers and doing this through collaboration (Supovitz, 2018). The primary concern of teacher leaders is to support professional learning in their schools through organizing learning communities, leading professional development programs and assisting teachers in their classrooms (Mujis & Harris, 2006; Margolis & Huggins, 2012). It is through this focus that they demonstrate a commitment to the growth of others.

Community Building. Servant leaders find ways to build community and strengthen relationships (Greenleaf, 2003). Teacher leaders build community when they work collaboratively and lead and develop professional learning opportunities. Teacher leaders are able to deal with process and have effective group processing skills (Yarger & Lee, 1994), they establish social linkages and networks among peers and community (Acker- Hocevar & Touchton, 1999), and they facilitate communities of learning through organization-wide processes (Crowther, 2002). Teacher leadership often extends beyond the school. Teacher leaders strive to make connections to the community outside of the school through collaboration with families, communities, and colleagues. (York-Barr & Duke, 2004; Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium, 2008).

Implications

There are clear links and similarities between servant leadership and teacher leadership represented in the literature when one applies the individual characteristics developed in detail by Spears (2010). These connections indicate a strong potential for integration of servant leadership and teacher leadership for the purpose of strengthening teacher leadership. Nonetheless, the two forms of leadership are quite different contextually: teacher leadership is relatively narrow and confined to the role of a teacher operating within a school system (although this description of leadership may be extrapolated to other similar roles), whereas servant leadership can be practiced anywhere and in any position. Servant leadership as a philosophy of leadership has the potential to inspire, guide and provide purpose to the role of teacher leaders. It is an overarching way of approaching leadership that has the potential to support the more specific context of the teacher leader. A teacher leader who is consciously practicing the qualities of servant leadership will not only strengthen their role by building onto the characteristics of successful leaders identified in this paper, but, will so with a new sense of purpose and guidance. Sipe and Frick (2009) look to Aristotle to explain how consciously and consistently making decisions and actions based on guiding principles strengthen our character. An awareness and understanding of servant leadership principles by teacher leaders would potentially make a powerful synergy between role and philosophy. Therefore, our recommendations going forward are to integrate discussions and information on servant leadership in teacher leadership courses. This would include being part of university preparatory programs, graduate level programs, teacher workshops, or seminars with the goal of developing a curiosity and understanding of the practice and philosophy of servant leadership as it is linked to teacher leadership. Through these types of courses, participants would develop an identity as a leader and recognition of their actions as leadership.

The importance of developing and strengthening teacher leadership can be seen in the growing number of courses or programs in this field (Allen, 2018; Taylor, Goeke, Klein, Onore & Geist, 2011), including the development of the Teacher Leadership Model Standards (Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium, 2011). Taylor et al. (2011) stress the importance of such programs to help develop teacher leadership specifically because teacher leaders often do not associate themselves as leaders, nor associate their actions as providing leadership: "without the recognition that one is already a leader, the fulfillment of one's own potential and the capacity to influence others is diminished" (p. 925). These programs develop understanding of leadership theory, which in turn helps teacher leaders to develop their identity as leaders.

The philosophy of servant leadership has the potential for teacher leaders to become self aware of their identity as leaders. As stated earlier, teacher leaders are often reluctant to identify as leaders. Lieberman and Friedrich (2010) assert that this reluctance is due to the widely held definition of leader as being hierarchical, decision-making, and have a formal title. This definition stems from the system in which teachers exist where teachers are treated the same and it is the administration of schools that have more authority. Teacher leaders did not identify with that definition of leadership. Servant leadership provides a philosophy of leadership that is much more aligned with teacher leadership (as evidenced through the comparison of characteristics stated earlier), it also challenges the traditional concept of leadership that teachers often do not identify with. Bennis and Goldsmith (1997) argue that by changing the lens with which we view leadership we can change ourselves as leaders. The concept of service-focused leadership is in direct opposition to, and challenges, the traditional, hierarchical concept of leadership (Crippen, 2005).

Our recommendation that servant leadership be included in teacher leadership programs as a valuable component to developing a teacher leader identity is further supported in that it not only provides an overarching philosophy to guide teacher leaders, but it strikes at the heart of being a teacher, of taking on the teacher identity and role. Sipe and Frick (2009) explain that the idea of servanthood can be thought of as a value and a belief and that individuals generally would like to be a part of an organization that makes a positive difference in the world. This is very true of teachers; most teachers go into the profession for primarily altruistic reasons (Fray & Gore, 2018). As Crippen (2005) points out, when one takes on the title or identity of teacher, they become a leader, first a leader in their classroom, then a leader in their school and beyond. With this role comes great responsibility, especially moral responsibility. She then expands this idea to assert that servant leadership provides a moral way of serving and addresses the moral imperative demanded of teachers and leadership in education (Crippen, 2010). For teacher leaders, the philosophy of servant leadership includes values that closely align with the profession and take it further. For example, Sun (2013) explains "leaders with a servant identity are able to consciously refer to a set of servant attributes when the situation requires servant behavior" (p. 555).

In an analysis of teacher leadership programs through the lens of the Teacher Leadership Model Standards, Berg, Carver, and Mangin (2014) observe that the standards do not include the importance of the teacher leaders developing a shared vision. They identify that this is an integral part of the role of a teacher leader, especially when navigating instructional change and as such, is regularly included in administrative leadership programs and courses. Including a focus on servant leadership in teacher leadership programs could address this issue. Sun (2013) describes the visioning that servant leaders are associated with through the characteristic of persuasion. He points out that servant leaders need to develop a clear way forward to persuade followers to act. Sun also points out that servant leadership visioning is characterized by what would be best for the individuals in an organization, not the interests of the leader or the organization.

As stated previously, teacher leadership is associated with a distributed model of leadership. Mujis and Harris (2006) explain that teacher leadership thrives in environments that have a more distributed model of leadership where power is shared and where teacher leadership is valued, encouraged, and promoted. Similarly, Van Dierendonck (2011) found that an organization with a lower power distance (or a leadership model closer towards a distributed leadership model), not only facilitates servant leadership behaviours, but also encourages them. Therefore, we also recommend, not only incorporating servant leadership into teacher leadership programs, but include education on this partnership for school district administrations, emphasizing the importance of distributed leadership structures to promote and help to facilitate both teacher leadership and servant leadership within their districts.

Further research that is able to measure or track the effect of including servant leadership principals and characteristics in teacher leadership programs is warranted in this area as well. For example, Fields, Thompson, and Hawkins (2015) completed a study over the course of three years that documented the development of servant leadership in cohorts of students enrolled as social work and child and family studies majors. They incorporated servant leadership instruction into a weekly seminar session and analyzed students' written reflections, capstone project (an internship), and a self-reflection using a conceptual framework. Student reflections from their internship reflected "a deep, contextualized understanding of servant leadership within a professional setting" and based on the results, the team supported incorporating servant leadership instruction in programs for such professions (Fields et al, p. 101). We recommend embedding servant leadership and teacher leadership understandings and characteristics into teacher education programs and workshops to explore the effect of such programs over time. Tracking an increase or strengthening in teacher leadership is a complex endeavor; for example, looking for evidence of sense of identity as a leader in teacher participants and noting evidence of characteristics described in the Teacher Leader Model Standards (Teacher Leader Exploratory Consortium, 2011) or the ten characteristics outlined by Spears (2010) in the teacher participants' schools. This could be done through reflective journaling before, during, and after attending a program; as well as interviews with teacher participants and their peers or administrators to investigate the long-term impacts.

Conclusion

Spear's (2010) ten characteristics of servant leadership provided a framework for comparing the characteristics of teacher leaders and servant leaders as outlined in the literature. While there are many similarities between the characteristics of the two forms of leadership, there are also similarities around how they are defined and described. Neither teacher leadership nor servant leadership are dependent on a role or authority; both are described as a set of behaviours, a mindset or way of being as a leader. However, teacher leadership and servant leadership differ in that one is confined to a specific context while the other is a broader philosophy and practice. Connecting the two in meaningful and intentional ways in teacher leadership programs and workshops has the potential for creating a synergistic partnership. Servant leadership provides an overarching philosophy that could enhance teacher leadership programs and in turn strengthen the role of teacher leadership in our educational systems.

References

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Connecting Teacher Leadership and Servant Leadership: A Synergistic Partnership - Journal of Leadership Education

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Introduction The importance of teacher leadership in our educational systems cannot be understated. The teacher leader is identified as being in a "unique position to make change happen" (Lieberman & Miller, 2004, p. 12) and their leadership is associated with school improvement, increased teacher agency, the democratization of schools, teacher learning, and developing a collaborative...

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AASA - The School Superintendents Association

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Relational leadership is not new. In fact, if leadership is anything, it is about relationships. So why then do leaders, especially those at the top levels of their schools and school districts, struggle with this concept? Perhaps it's because relational leadership is just too basic, too simple.

Relational leadership involves being attuned to and in touch with the intricate web of inter- and intra-relationships that influence an organization. As Etienne Wenger points out in her book Communities of Practice, it is about the meaning and identity that are created when people work together.

Regardless of the rules, structures or roles and irrespective of tasks, strategic plans, political alliances, programs, contracts, lawsuits, etc., relational leadership is about people and their perceptions (which, in essence, are their realities) of how they are being treated.
Lacking Specificity
Most leaders claim to be effective in the area of relational leadership. Yet when asked to produce data to substantiate their personal assessments, many would be hard pressed to find staff, colleagues and even some bosses who would be comfortable in giving feedback that contradicts the leader's personal perception of his or her strengths in this area. The reason is that the higher up in the organization one moves, the less likely the individual is to receive honest and specific feedback about their relational leadership skills, according to Paul Kaplan, Wilfred Drath and Joan Kofodimor, co-authors of High Hurdles: The Challenge of Executive Self-Development.

Staff resist giving honest feedback for various reasons. Some fear retribution; others are reluctant because of their own insecurities in dealing with confrontation. Consequently, leaders continue to believe and behave as if they are adept at relational leadership when unbeknownst to them they may be alienating some of the very people who are critical to their success. This is why so many executives feel blind-sided by poor performance ratings, nonrenewal of contracts or worse, termination where the primary reason-whether articulated, implied or unstated-is about a deficit in relational leadership.

As a solution, more and more educational leaders, like their business counterparts, are turning to 360-degree feedback as a vehicle for getting data about their strengths and developmental needs in the area of relational leadership. Information from peers, direct reports, superiors and others are compared to personal perceptions, which gives leaders an authentic read on their relational assets and liabilities.

This process, coupled with executive coaching and goal setting, is a powerful strategy for leaders who are committed to becoming more skilled in the relational arena.

In this age of accountability, many leaders are hired for their ability to produce results. Sometimes leaders assume this means they are expected to value and promote things, ideas and projects more than the people who are responsible for implementing and sustaining these.

For instance, there's the individual leader who smugly argues that he or she is "high task, low relationship." Again, the simple lesson is that "high task" without "high relationship" may produce decisively quick yet temporary results. The low relationship variable may well contribute to sabotage (subtle as well as overt), poor morale, organization ineffectiveness and/or unnecessary turnover in staff.
Six Competencies
Numerous competencies are important in the area of relational leadership. The following represent a small subset of factors developed by the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, N.C., that contribute to success for leaders and managers:

* Leading employees: Demonstrates skill in effectively delegating to staff, providing a broad range of employee challenges and opportunities, acting with fairness toward direct reports and hiring talented people for the team.

* Interpersonal savvy: Demonstrates skill in building and mending relationships, evidences compassion and sensitivity, is able to put people at ease and understands and respects cultural, religious, gender, socioeconomic and racial differences.

* Work team orientation: Demonstrates effective listening skills and communication (oral and written) through involving others, building consensus and influencing others in decision making.

* Conflict management: Demonstrates skill in using good timing and common sense in getting things done without creating unnecessary adversarial relationships, recognizing that every decision has conflicting interests and constituencies.

* Managing change in others: Demonstrates an effective use of strategies in facilitating organizational change initiatives by considering other people's concerns, involving key people in the design and implementation of change and adjusting management style to changing situations.

* Effectively confronting problem employees: Demonstrates decisive and skillful acts, handled with fairness, when dealing with problem employees, including those who are loyal but incompetent or ineffective.
Failed Relations
Just as some relational leadership competencies are associated with success, specific factors not only contribute to poor relationships in and out of the workplace but often lead to stalled careers.

Leaders who are arrogant, dictatorial in their approach, emotionally volatile and adopt a bullying style under stress often leave a trail of bruised people. By resisting input from others, ordering people around and making staff feel stupid and unintelligent, leaders set themselves and their organizations up for failure.

While it is imperative for leaders to develop skill in the different areas, one must be equally aware that an overdependence on a strength can become a weakness and contribute to poor relational leadership. For example, while leaders may relate well with all kinds of people, they may be spending so much time building networks and glad-handing that they are not taken seriously as credible, take-charge leaders.

Consider the following: Superintendent K, a school leader on the fast track, is in the second year of her third superintendency. During her annual performance review, members of her governing board reveal their concerns about her relationships. Responding to her request for specifics, the board president remarks that while the superintendent does not shy away from conflict and is good at hammering out tough agreements, she often drives for solutions before others are ready, leaving in her wake those who could be potential allies.

Citing a recent case involving redistricting, the board president comments about the superintendent's success in getting a plan approved at the expense of community and staff sentiment that could prove to be essential in an upcoming special election.
Appropriate Timing
In this composite of a couple of real-life examples, the very strengths that led this high-potential school administrator to upward mobility and early promotion have become a weakness. While she has experienced technical success, an overreliance has in essence turned the skill into a relational problem-a lack of recognition about the importance of interdependence.

Relational leadership is more than being described as a "people person." Likewise, relational leadership is not about being "touchy feely" or routinely having everyone join hands to sing rounds of "Kumbaya."

The key is having a range of interpersonal skills and approaches and knowing when to use what with whom. The outcome, as described by Michael Lombardo and Robert Eichinger in their book, For Your Improvement: A Development and Coaching Guide, is "the ease of transaction where you get what you need without damaging other parties unnecessarily and leave them wanting to work with you again."

Simply put, relational leadership is about valuing one's greatest organizational asset-people.

Karen Dyer is manager of the education sector at the Center for Creative Leadership, P.O. Box 26300, Greensboro, N.C. 27438. E-mail: dyerk@leaders.ccl.org

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AASA | American Association of School Administrators

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Relational leadership is not new. In fact, if leadership is anything, it is about relationships. So why then do leaders, especially those at the top levels of their schools and school districts, struggle with this concept? Perhaps it's because relational leadership is just too basic, too simple.

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Forbes Magazine

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What is authentic leadership?

It continues to surprise me how many leaders attempt to be one way at work, while their "true" personality emerges outside of work. Once a CEO reminded me, "Leadership is acting." And it surprises me when these same leaders seem shocked or confused when their employees don't trust them, don't like them, and can't really wait to work elsewhere.

Authenticity has been explored throughout history, from Greek philosophers to the work of Shakespeare ("To thy own self be true." -Polonius, Hamlet). Authentic leadership has been explored sporadically as part of modern management science, but found its highest levels of acceptance since Bill George's 2003 book, Authentic Leadership.

But what is authentic leadership?

While different theorists have different slants on the concept, most agree that:

1. Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine. Authentic leaders are self-actualized individuals who are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They also show their real selves to their followers. They do not act one way in private and another in public; they don't hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak. They also realize that being self-actualized is an endless journey, never complete.

2. Authentic leaders are mission driven and focused on results. They are able to put the mission and the goals of the organization ahead of their own self-interest. They do the job in pursuit of results, not for their own power, money or ego.

3. Authentic leaders lead with their heart, not just their minds. They are not afraid to show their emotions, their vulnerability and to connect with their employees. This does not mean authentic leaders are "soft." In fact communicating in a direct manner is critical to successful outcomes, but it's done with empathy; directness without empathy is cruel.

4. Authentic leaders focus on the long-term. A key tenet in Bill George's model is the company leaders are focused on long-term shareholder value, not in just beating quarterly estimates. Just as George did as CEO of , and as Bezos has done for years at Amazon, leaders realize that to nurture individuals and to nurture a company requires hard work and patience, but the approach pays large dividends over time.

__________

What are your motivation triggers? Take the "Your Engagement Profile Quiz" to find out.

Check out Kevin Kruse's new book, Employee Engagement 2.0, and discover how to turn apathetic groups into emotionally committed teams.

Kevin Kruse is a NY Times bestselling author and serial entrepreneur. For insider tips and exclusive content, join his newsletter at kevinkruse.com.

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What is authentic leadership? It continues to surprise me how many leaders attempt to be one way at work, while their "true" personality emerges outside of work. Once a CEO reminded me, "Leadership is acting." And it surprises me when these same leaders seem shocked or confused when their employees don't [...]

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Educational Leadership

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Transformational (right) vs. Transactional (left) Leadership Theories

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Transformational (right) vs. Transactional (left) Leadership Theories

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Interview with Angela Duckworth on Educational Leadership

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Interview with Angela Duckworth on Educational Leadership

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YouTube Video by Education Week

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Interview: Angela Duckworth Talks to School Leaders

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NEA Today

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Reimagining Classrooms: Teachers as Learners and Students as Leaders
are a source of inspiration, knowledge and motivation for countless educators. Dig deeper to find more, but here are ten presentation teachers may find most useful and informative.
North Dakota teacher Kayla Delzer seeks to change how technology is viewed in the classroom. Instead of a force for distraction, she believes students and teachers can learn more by utilizing common apps and technology in the classroom. (For more on Delzer, check out "Farewell Desks, Here Come the Starbucks Classrooms")

Teaching Teachers How to Create Magic

Dr. Christopher Emdin of the Teachers College at Columbia University argues that we need to transform how teachers are trained if our schools are going to reach and engage all students. (Read NEA Today's interview with Emdin)

Forget the Pecking Order at Work

Management expert Margaret Heffernan argues that working together, asking questions, and helping others is the key to the most successful and productive workplace. These are lessons educators of varying experience can bring into their workplace to help create the best learning experience for their students.

Prepare Our Kids for LIfe, Not Standardized Tests

Standardized testing isn't preparing our kids for their futures and is driving the joy and real learning from our classrooms, says innovation expert Ted Dintersmith. It's time to empower those who own the consequences of what happens in the classroom - our teachers and students. (Read "In Teachers We (Should) Trust," NEA Today's interview with Dintersmith)

Why Do We Sleep?

The mental and physical wellness of educators is integral to the success of our shools. In this TED Talk, neuroscientist Russell Foster urges everyone to check your health by prioritizing sleep.

Sleep deprivation affects educators as much as it does the students they are teaching. Wendy Troxel, a sleep researcher, believes sleep deprivation among teens is a serious public policy issue. Troxel believes that middle and high schools should not start before 8:30 am for fear of severely impacting adolescent health. You can find her Ted Talk here.

"How to Make Stress your Friend"

Stress and burnout are pitfalls many if not most educators face in their careers. Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist, doesn't want your stress to hold you back, but says it can, believe it or not, be a positive force.

"How to Get Better at the Things You Care About"

Every job is important and has room for improvement and change. Whether it's your professional or personal life, your box only exists because you let it, according to Eduardo Briceño.

The Economic Case for Preschool

Author of "Investing in Kids," Timothy Bartik, offers a unique perspective on why preschool and education are important. There are economic benefits along with bettering the lives of young children.

"What Adults Can Learn from Kids"

Educators have the unique and powerful opportunity to empower youth. This TED Talk by child prodigy Adora Svitak is a fun look at how working with and uplifting children can change your perspective on life and education.

"Do Schools Kill Creativity?"

In 2006, Sir Ken Robinson delivered what would become the most popular TED Talk of all time - a plea to reverse the standardization and rigid compliance that has drained creativity out of our schools. Unfortunately, more than a decade later, Robinson's diagnosis remains relevant today.

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10 Must-See TED Talks for Educators - NEA Today

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are a source of inspiration, knowledge and motivation for countless educators. Dig deeper to find more, but here are ten presentation teachers may find most useful and informative. North Dakota teacher Kayla Delzer seeks to change how technology is viewed in the classroom.

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Student Voices

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From a young age, children learn about leadership by watching the people around them. By observing how others respond to criticism, confront failure, and communicate to large groups, children begin to develop their own habits and thought processes.

Through social and emotional learning, educators and parents can encourage students to begin analyzing their habits and behaviors to create long-term leadership goals.
"As we focus on self-awareness and self-management, students are encouraged to think about their own goals. Leadership development is an important part of that process," said Diana Davis, MHS Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum Supervisor. "We want students to understand they all have the capability of being leaders, no matter what their age or involvement in campus activities."
To gain leadership experience at a young age, 10 percent of Milton Hershey School's elementary student population participates in Student Government Association.

As students gain responsibility and enthusiasm about being a leader, it's important to help them develop specific leadership qualities, including:

Through cooperative learning activities, conferences, kindness challenges, and service learning projects, educators can build on these skills and empower students of all ages to embrace leadership and serve as positive role models for their peers.
Take a look at five ideas for empowering student leaders:
At MHS, proposal writing starts as early as elementary school. Adults on campus work with students to help them research, write, organize, and present proposals that advocate for specific student requests such as winter socials and dress codes.

"Writing proposals and self-advocating for themselves in front of adults has been really good for students who are going through difficult times or want something different in the scholastic realm," said Michelle Weber, student government association coordinator at MHS.

At the high school level, proposal writing can be taken a step further. Selected students can meet with school administration monthly to discuss submitted proposals and reach mutual decisions. As student leaders, they also organize open forums to teach other students how to write proposals.

To create a passionate group of student leaders across campus, MHS hosts leadership conferences multiple times throughout the year for elementary, middle, and high school students. More than 200 high schoolers attended this year's leadership conference where they listened to empowering speeches from local business professionals and alumni.

In addition to gaining knowledge, peer-to-peer interaction is one of the most important parts of student leadership conferences. Encourage high school students to organize and lead conferences for younger students - this gives them experience planning events and sharing their knowledge with peers.

At the elementary and middle school level, adult-like responsibility is exciting and empowering for students. Ask students to read the morning announcements, serve as campus tour guides, volunteer to have lunch with new students, or complete tasks in the school office. At the high school level, consider giving students larger responsibilities such as planning basketball tournaments for younger students or helping at career fairs.

"Leadership opportunities benefit students because they are able to step up and take charge in a leadership role," said Katie Peters, a middle school student program leader at MHS. "This also gives them the courage to lead others through their words and, most importantly, their actions."

When students are given responsibility combined with the belief that they can succeed, they have everything they need to meet and exceed expectations.

One of the best ways to empower student leaders is by connecting them with role models who will guide them and give them a voice. MHS mentoring programs begin in August and continue throughout the school year - more than 250 high school students signed up to be paired with a staff member this school year.

When mentors display important leadership traits such as respect and compassion, it shapes how students approach their own style of leadership and gives them an adult they can trust.

Community-oriented projects allow students to come together and work toward collective goals. Through elementary food drives and middle and high school Mini-THONs, students learn that the world is bigger than themselves - and begin to take action on how they can make their mark on the community.

"We work very hard to help students realize they are capable of seeing what can be better and acting to make changes in their world," said Juli Gerard, an elementary student government association advisor at MHS. "Hopefully, we can teach kids that they are an active and necessary part of MHS."

Educators also can incentivize students by how much they give back through community service hours instead of focusing solely on fundraising. This helps empower students to form strong connections with specific charities and organizations throughout the school year.

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From a young age, children learn about leadership by watching the people around them. By observing how others respond to criticism, confront failure, and communicate to large groups, children begin to develop their own habits and thought processes. Through social and emotional learning, educators and parents can encourage students to begin analyzing their habits and behaviors to create long-term leadership goals.

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Strategies for Teaching Students Leadership Skills

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Strategies for Teaching Students Leadership Skills

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Education World

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There has been a flood of research pointing to the advantages of social and emotional learning (SEL) and its benefits for developing the whole child-and even specifically their academic skills and ability to make good choices. But what about its connection to leadership?

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), good SEL skills can be developed in schools and classrooms in a number of ways, including through leadership opportunities. That comes at a time when leaders in education and the business community don't think we are doing enough to teach kids leadership lessons.

CASEL and other researchers have found that teaching leadership or providing opportunities for students to lead helps them with personal and social skills that are in demand. For instance, Entrepreneur magazine has offered details about the top leadership skills we need to teach children and Forbes magazine discussed top traits of leaders-and both very closely match those skills that groups like CASEL believe are the core competencies for SEL: things like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

It also relates directly to the wide-ranging Partnership for 21st century learning mission, and its goals for life and career skills, which notes that the business community sees a need for teaching more leadership skills in schools.

So, here are some ways educators can offer leadership opportunities, knowing that they'll also be a valuable part of SEL.

Put them in charge. Involve students in leadership opportunities in the classroom-from heading the discussion of a lesson to handing out papers. Experts say such opportunities should become part of the classroom procedures each day. It benefits the student with the assignment and peers who must work with a peer leader. Activities involving student leadership in the classroom may help students most when teachers (or, even, in a respectful way, other students) positively assess their handling of the responsibility. So a teacher might congratulate a student on their introduction to a lesson, but suggest they speak slower. Or, they might write a quick note home to tell a parent how a student either followed through on an assigned leadership task successfully-or without prompting took one on.

Show off yours. Talk to students about why you expect certain behavior (but not at that moment when the behavior is not under control) or how you organize your class as its leader. Explain how leadership works in your mind and how you would like to share it because good leaders do. Shared leadership, you can explain, demands responsibility. Look for an example of your leading responsibilities each day and point it out.

Provide some good examples. Regularly mix in discussions about good leadership-whether it's a more detailed critique of why a famous leader succeeded or a talk about the leadership that their principal must show-or their parents or a coach. Look for examples among their favorites music, movie, or sports stars when they are showing good (or not so good) leadership behavior. Assign a search for one. For example, a story of a sports star getting his team to help a good cause or a musician who can incite a crowd (positively or negatively) with one comment. Talk about the quality of leadership in figures who loom large in your subject area.

Deliver leadership lessons. Explain what leadership is and why it is valuable as a life skill and in careers. Find good short lessons as warm-ups twice a month.

Get them invested in improving school culture. Find ways to get students to change school culture by being leaders. The most common are perhaps stopping bullying, raising environmental awareness, or promoting understanding of students from other cultures, but you can enlist students in small ways in your class to do their part in improving the culture of the school-behaving better and reporting on it in class or inviting a lonely student to join their group at lunch. Reward students who report a school-wide leadership role they took on. Have an announcement every day recognizing a leadership act.

Involve them in extracurricular activities too. Extracurricular activities allow students to lead and can be ignited for that purpose. Include more students in smaller groups, and encourage them to develop leadership in the group and then school generally through a club senate, where rotating members from various clubs serve, separate from the traditional student government. (It often attracts students who already possess these skills.) Individual teachers can start clubs for their specialties-history or math or tech clubs-or even groups related to a personal interest or one's culture. One English teacher had a drumming club, one on African culture, and one a fly-fishing group. It is key then to give members leadership opportunities to run meetings or plan a project.

Give them space. When students are given leadership opportunities-and especially when they step up and take them on, give them freedom to struggle and even fail, but support them. Experts often note there is no better lesson than failure, but you can help break the fall or encourage the comeback.

Jim Paterson has been a newspaper and magazine editor and an award-winning writer for The Washington Post, USA Today Weekend, the Christian Science Monitor, Parents magazine, and a number of national and regional publications. During a break from writing he worked as a school counselor for seven years and quickly became head of a counseling department and "Counselor of the Year" in Montgomery County, Md. He now writes about education primarily. More about Jim at www.otherperplexity.com.

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Strategies for Teaching Students Leadership Skills

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There has been a flood of research pointing to the advantages of social and emotional learning (SEL) and its benefits for developing the whole child-and even specifically their academic skills and ability to make good choices. But what about its connection to leadership?

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2 Diagrams to Teach Students about Leadership

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2 Diagrams to Teach Students about Leadership

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Leader in Me

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Author: Jennibelle Williams
January 26, 2015

Tools for educators are in high demand especially if you're looking for ideas to increase student engagement and learning-- you're not alone. As educators, we are constantly adapting to the learning styles of our students and figuring out how to teach content in ways that help students internalize what they learn.

In Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Harvard education professor Howard Gardner suggests that students learn and internalize information better when teachers use more than one learning modality in an instructional strategy. Some students learn best through hands-on experience; others prefer reading or listening, and others benefit from visual-spatial representations of a concept.

Tools For Educators

There are many types of tools for educators and activities available, such as diagrams, to teach the water cycle and flashcards for memorizing multiplication tables. But, how can we apply some of these resources to teaching 21st-century leadership and life skills? In my own experience as an educator, I've seen how some teachers use well-known tools for educators to illustrate leadership skills and principles.

Data-driven quality tools for educators are graphic organizers that visually represent a collection of ideas, facts, and relationships. They organize information into a pattern and use labels to clarify relationships among discrete pieces of information.

Here are two examples of how you can use quality tools for educators to teach student leadership in the classroom:

The Fishbone Diagram

The fishbone diagram (created by Kaoru Ishikawa) effectively displays the causes for a specific effect, event, or problem. It is also known as a cause-and-effect diagram. The effect or outcome is at the "fish head" of the diagram, and the causes that lead to the effect are on each of the "bones" connected to the centerline.

This tool for educators can be used to teach students the leadership skills of strategic thinking and problem-solving. You can ask your students to identify the causes of the final outcome of a story you read as a class. Then you can have them come up with their own ending and identify what must happen for their new ending to take place. You could also use this diagram to help your students identify the causes of a problem in your community, and ask them to come up with a solution based on their understanding of the causes.

Circle of Control Diagram

Another type of tool for educators is the Circle of Control Diagram that helps students focus on the things they can control in a given situation. Students list things they can control in the inner circle of the diagram (the Circle of Control) and the things they may be concerned about but cannot control in the outer circle (the Circle of No Control).

Students can use this tool to identify actions within their Circle of Control that will help them achieve their reading or math goals. They will learn about the leadership skill of being proactive and taking action on what they can control.

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Tools for Educators: 2 Different Diagrams to Teach Students Leadership

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Author: Jennibelle Williams January 26, 2015 Tools for educators are in high demand especially if you're looking for ideas to increase student engagement and learning-- you're not alone. As educators, we are constantly adapting to the learning styles of our students and figuring out how to teach content in ways that help students internalize what they learn.

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American School Counselor Association

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Are you looking for ways to build student leaders at your elementary school? Hear different initiatives that help students successfully develop leadership skills. From welcoming new students to a classroom to mentoring peers, elementary school students can be empowered by school counselors to take ownership in school initiatives.... more

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Are you looking for ways to build student leaders at your elementary school? Hear different initiatives that help students successfully develop leadership skills. From welcoming new students to a classroom to mentoring peers, elementary school students can be empowered by school counselors to take ownership in school initiatives.... more

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Act on FACTS Suicide Prevention Training Certification

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Act on FACTS Suicide Prevention Training Certification

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Date of Completion:
August 25, 2020

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It is the school counselor's role to affirm all youth and create a safe place for academic and social growth.

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Creating a campus culture and climate that promotes wellness and resiliency is more important now than ever.

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ASCA and NASP School ReEntry Considerations

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ASCA and NASP School ReEntry Considerations

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Supporting students' social and emotional learning, and mental and behavioral health amidst COVID-19

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A Hopeful Case of Teacher Leadership and Confronting Bias in Education by Teaching Tolerance

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A Hopeful Case of Teacher Leadership and Confronting Bias in Education by Teaching Tolerance

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From the article: “It’s hard work,” Mann says. But she stresses the endgame: “If I held a bias and didn’t know, and discover it, it doesn’t mean I’m a bad teacher. It’s about doing the work to uncover I’m holding that bias."

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Randyl Wilkerson and Alison Mann had not even started the conversation before some of their colleagues had questions-and concerns. Where was this coming from? Did something happen? What have I done wrong?

Mann remembers wondering if some colleagues would push back-or worse, revolt. They were being asked to confront lifelong preconceptions. They were being asked to refocus the lens through which they saw their students, their work and their world.

Wilkerson and Mann-who teach sixth grade and kindergarten, respectively-were spearheading an initiative that led to a schoolwide goal for professional development: identifying one's own biases.

Nestled into a single block of Boston's Allston neighborhood, Gardner Pilot Academy (GPA) has a strong reputation for equity. The school is rated a Tier 1 institution by Boston Public Schools' Quality Framework and has won awards for its innovation in environmental education, after-school programs and anti-bias principles, including the Human Rights Campaign's Seal of Excellence.

But inside GPA, educators would come to recognize that even the best teachers are not immune from bias and that the goal of equity requires looking beyond accolades and numbers. It requires looking within.

"It'll take a lifetime, and then you still won't learn everything you needed to learn," says Erica Herman, the principal at GPA. "That complexity is what makes people really scared."

Mann and Wilkerson had leaned into the complexity. For educators conditioned to expect PD that delivers concrete classroom practices, the goal inspired trepidation.

"That was a big battle," Wilkerson says. "To say these are actually proactive, definitive, culture-shifting conversations that we want to have, not prescriptive or shame and blame."

Some educators doubted that a yearlong PD centered on considering biases could translate into tangible results. Others feared evaluation. Over time, Wilkerson and Mann demonstrated their own thinking about biases to remove some of the hesitancy.

"What we had to reiterate time and again is that thinking is the work," Wilkerson says, "that thinking about your perceptions and these dialogues that you're having are work-because now you can replicate these dialogues with your students. You can use it to change your curriculum."

The Audit

The movement began with conversations. Mann and Wilkerson attended Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity, a program of the YWCA. It brought in multiple stakeholders from school and business communities for facilitated discussions about race and bias.

Mann and Wilkerson immediately recognized that other members of the school community needed access to these conversations. But while Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity represented a great opportunity, the six evening meetings were often late. For those who could not find childcare or who worked late hours, opportunities for access were limited. So Mann and Wilkerson considered their options. Instead of leaving with an answer, Wilkerson says, they left the program with a question:

"Why don't we make it our first goal to figure out what the community needs?"

So, in conjunction with the equity-focused management consulting firm Kingston Bay Group, Mann and Wilkerson developed an audit to get feedback on how the school was doing on the equity front. They solicited the views not just of teachers but also of paraprofessionals, students and families.

"I think what was great about it was that it wasn't someone coming in and saying what we're lacking and, 'Here's what you need to do instead,'" Mann says. "It was truly from the community: the community asking for our strengths, our challenges and for us to pull together."

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A Hopeful Case of Teacher Leadership and Confronting Bias in Education

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Randyl Wilkerson and Alison Mann had not even started the conversation before some of their colleagues had questions-and concerns. Where was this coming from? Did something happen? What have I done wrong? Mann remembers wondering if some colleagues would push back-or worse, revolt. They were being asked to confront lifelong preconceptions.

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Black Minds Matter by Teaching Tolerance

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Black Minds Matter by Teaching Tolerance

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From the article: "See all of your students. Use an intersectional approach and recognize that students may have identities that don’t conform to the dominant culture at your school."

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McKenzie Adams and Maddie Whitsett should still be here with us today. But after being tormented at their respective schools last year, the two girls, both 9 years old, died by suicide. According to the girls' families, McKenzie was the victim of racist bullying, and Maddie was taunted because she had ADHD.

These two children represent the human faces behind a disturbing study published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2018: Although the overall suicide rate for Black youth is about 42 percent lower than for white youth, that number represents all young people under 17. While Black teens between the ages of 13 and 17 are 50 percent less likely to die by suicide than white teens, the suicide rate for Black children between the ages of 5 and 12 is about twice as high as that of their white peers.

The study, which analyzed data from 2001 through 2015, does not describe reasons for the disparity, but it points to the need for culturally informed interventions. In a 2015 study published in JAMA Pediatrics, which analyzed data from 1993 through 2012, researchers came to a troubling conclusion: Because there was no significant change in the overall suicide rate among youth, the fact that the suicide rate had decreased among white children but increased among Black children had been obscured.

While youth advocates note that these statistics are disturbing, they welcome the much-needed and long-overdue conversation about the well-being of Black children. This awareness of suicidality among Black youth is why the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) established an emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health in April 2019. It aims to determine the reasons for the significant increase in suicide, recommend ways to improve Black children's access to mental health care and create solutions to better protect and support them.

Black people, including youth, are less likely to receive adequate care for mental health issues for a number of reasons: disparities in access to care, stigma about mental illness and lack of culturally competent mental health practitioners. According to a study published in the International Journal of Health Services, Black children are about half as likely as white children to get mental health treatment. As the CBC task force, mental health experts and policy makers mull over ideas to address this gap, it's also crucial that schools devote significant attention and space to mental health literacy and provide mental health services in the form of counselors and psychologists.

Schools Must Fill the Gap

Because the racial disparities in mental health access and treatment affect children, schools necessarily play a major role in helping to mitigate those disparities. This inequity "perfectly underscores schools as the de facto providers of mental health services to students," says Charles Barrett, a school psychologist and multicultural committee chair for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). "Because systemic issues related to race and poverty disproportionately affect Black children and families, schools, due to having access to large numbers of children, are a practical way to meet a significant need."

Advocates agree that school administrators and educators must be part of this work. School faculty and staff are likely to notice signs and symptoms that something is amiss and refer students to the help they need. But schools often fail in this effort when it comes to Black students-and sometimes cause even more harm.

When Black students exhibit negative behaviors or become withdrawn, educators often label them as problems and subject them to reactionary, zero-tolerance policies and other practices that disproportionately affect Black students but don't address the root causes of such behavior.

This harm manifests in a number of ways: adopting curriculum that isn't culturally responsive, lowering academic expectations, tracking Black students into remedial or special education classes and seeing Black youth as older and less innocent than their white peers-a bias known as adultification.

"Kids who don't feel safe, engaged or supported cannot show up in schools and demonstrate what they know and have learned," says David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black LGBTQ and same-gender-loving communities. "In particular, those who have been terrorized by [educators'] indifference and our ignorance-and the hate that is often birthed from that-suffer and are suffocated."

We see this suffering play out regularly in news reports of egregious assaults on Black children's dignity at school: A Black student is humiliated when made to clean feces off a bathroom wall; a teacher rips the braids from a Black girl's head; groups of Black kids are forced to act as enslaved people while their white classmates pretend to trade them as property; Black students are turned away from school because they have dreadlocks or some other "unacceptable" hairstyle.

These stressors are serious. And sometimes they rob children of their lives, especially if they're compounded by underlying mental health issues.

"I'm acknowledging that the world often doesn't allow Black people to simply be," Johns says. "But it's incredibly important for parents, family members and educators to protect the ability for our babies just to be babies-to laugh, to make mistakes, to color outside of the lines, to create things with blocks that don't make sense to those of us who have forgotten how to dream. Too often we snatch them from Black kids in ways that are unfair and undeserved."

Johns leads a policy committee for a working group commissioned by the CBC's task force. He leverages his experience as a former kindergarten and third-grade teacher into policy work and activism. He spent a decade crafting federal policy, from serving as a congressional fellow to directing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans under President Barack Obama. His work has focused on education and health care issues as they relate to children and families.

In his postgraduate work at Teachers College, Columbia University, Johns describes how schools themselves are sources of trauma for kids who are not white, cisgender or heterosexual.

Too often, he says, academic researchers and policymakers approach conversations about issues Black youth face with a deficit mindset-treating Black students, their families and communities as perpetually problem-ridden despite the fact that these conditions were forced on them. "We need to invert that. Black feminists a long time ago talked about the reality that there are signs, symbols and systems that work to make white privilege real and work to preserve it and often make it invisible," Johns emphasizes.

Johns notes that there is urgency in the establishment of the CBC task force, which is expected to produce a report with recommendations by the end of the year.

"The emergency in this context also signals that it's not designed to be permanent," he explains. "This isn't going to be a standing caucus. We are working through the first quarter of next year to accomplish as much as we can and to plant seeds that will continue to bloom."

"We're Still Healing"

Gabriel Bryant, coordinator for Engaging Males of Color, a Philadelphia youth initiative, sees firsthand how under- or undiagnosed mental health issues can add to the challenges Black students might have at school.

"Oftentimes, there are added stressors for young people when they don't feel that they have an outlet with which to cope, with which to manage the grief, the loss, the anger, the sadness," Bryant says. "And what happens is that it's compounded when that young person recognizes that they also have just a whole host of social determinants to navigate. That can be overwhelming."

He argues that these added stressors-the causes of that grief, loss, anger and sadness-must be addressed before there can be real change. Such stressors include the effects of poverty, environmental issues, living in a food desert and having disabilities.

The growing awareness of mental health concerns for Black children doesn't mean something new is happening. Educators and mental health advocates note that perhaps the increase in Black youth suicidality may be coming to light now because previously there wasn't a collection of such data specific to Black children.

"And in particular," David Johns points out, "we have a lot of work to do to overcome the stigma that's still associated with mental health, which is still seen in too many communities as a 'white people thing.'"

Charles Barrett encourages school psychologists and school counselors to help Black families understand how depression and anxiety look in children, which may be different from adults.

"Relatedly, school-based mental health professionals need to assist Black families with accessing culturally responsive community-based resources-for example, counseling and therapy," Barrett says. "And although it's improving, school-based mental health professionals can also work with Black families to reduce the stigma that is associated with mental health in the Black community."

Trust has to be built, though.

"Whenever possible-and it's not always feasible-I think identifying other Black providers for families could be very helpful," Barrett says. "I think sometimes I've shared the same message that they've heard from others, and it's received better from someone who looks like you."

Another aspect of that lack of trust has to do with Black communities' historical and ongoing struggles for equal rights. On top of that, some communities must also tackle issues that are exacerbated by these inequities, such as violence, poverty and substance abuse. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, an associate professor of English education with Teachers College, Columbia University, says Black people are often left out of critical conversations about these problems that plague families of any race.

"As Black people, we're still healing," she says. "We've been ignored for so long. The issues that have been in other communities-let's say issues of abuse or incest or whatever-always seems to get public media attention when it happens to white families. Some of these same ills have always been happening in our community and probably more so because of the vestiges of enslavement and captivity in this country."

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McKenzie Adams and Maddie Whitsett should still be here with us today. But after being tormented at their respective schools last year, the two girls, both 9 years old, died by suicide. According to the girls' families, McKenzie was the victim of racist bullying, and Maddie was taunted because she had ADHD.

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Discussing Race, Racism, and Other Difficult Topics with Students by Teaching Tolerance

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Discussing Race, Racism, and Other Difficult Topics with Students by Teaching Tolerance

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools

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Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools

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Sign up to receive information about how to help students who have experienced a traumatic event with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

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CBITS At-a-Glance

The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based, group and individual intervention. It is designed to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent support, and coping skills.

CBITS has been used with students from 5th grade through 12th grade who have witnessed or experienced traumatic life events such as community and school violence, accidents and injuries, physical abuse and domestic violence, and natural and man-made disasters.

CBITS uses cognitive-behavioral techniques (e.g., psychoeducation, relaxation, social problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and exposure).

Take a CBITS Training Course

CBITS offers both online and in-person training. To learn more about our online training or to take the online course, register with our website. For more information about our in-person training, contact us at info@cbitsprogram.org.

Access our Free Resources

Professionals can register with our website for training and implementation information.

By registering, you'll gain access to a host of free resources, including everything you'll need to implement CBITS in your school:

Our interactive online training course that will prepare you to implement CBITS

A link to a free download of the CBITS manual (2018 Second Edition now available)

Sample materials and forms to help you deliver the CBITS intervention

A robust online community where you can engage with discussion boards, "ask the experts," and collaborate on documents

Video clips of experts providing practical advice on CBITS implementation

And more!

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The Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools (CBITS) program is a school-based, group and individual intervention. It is designed to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and behavioral problems, and to improve functioning, grades and attendance, peer and parent support, and coping skills.

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Prevention; Protocols; After a Suicide; Student, Staff, and Parent Education Material

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A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through the Coronavirus

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A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching Through the Coronavirus

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A Trauma-informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus

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Experts from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network share their recommendations for educators supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis.

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Trauma and Grief Informed Practice Resources from TEA

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Trauma and Grief Informed Practice Resources from TEA

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Studies now show that nearly every school has children who have been exposed to overwhelming experiences, such as witnessing violence between their caretakers, being the direct targets of abuse, and other kinds of adversity that considerably impact learning. The landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study found higher levels of traumatic experiences in the general population than previously imagined.

Recent neurobiological, epigenetics and psychological studies have shown that traumatic experiences in childhood can diminish concentration, memory, and the organizational and language abilities children need to succeed in school. As students get older, exposure to traumatic experiences can also lead to the adoption of high-risk, self-medicating behaviors such as substance abuse, smoking, and overeating.

Schools serve as a critical system of support for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. Schools can create trauma-informed environments that mitigate against the impacts of trauma and grief. Administrators, teachers, and school staff can help reduce the effects of trauma and grief on children by recognizing trauma responses, accommodating and responding to traumatized students within the classroom, and referring students to mental health professionals when necessary.

https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/building-trauma-sensitive-schools

Framework- Comprehensive school-wide or district-wide approach to implementing strategies or procedures, that is evidence-based and acknowledges the unique needs of your school or district

Life Can Hurt, We Can Help. Contact the Texas Youth Hotline any time, day or night to discuss your problem. It's free and we're here to help!
http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Youth_Hotline/
Chat With Us Online: www.TexasYouth.org

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Trauma Informed & Grief Informed Practices

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Studies now show that nearly every school has children who have been exposed to overwhelming experiences, such as witnessing violence between their caretakers, being the direct targets of abuse, and other kinds of adversity that considerably impact learning. The landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study found higher levels of traumatic experiences in the general population than previously imagined.

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Website that provides resources to help students on the post-high school planning.

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Counselors & Advisers: Better support your students with Texas OnCourse

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With Texas OnCourse, counselors and advisers become go-to experts on college and career planning

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Texas Virtual College Advisor - Would be good to use on School Counselor webpage.

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ADVi is a chatbot, powered by artificial intelligence, who is available 24/7. ADVi doesn't know everything, but they have a lot of information about applying to college, completing the FAFSA (or TASFA), college readiness, and more!

What can I ask ADVi?

You can ask ADVi all questions related to attending a public college or university in the state of Texas, including things like how financial aid works, what tests you need to take, how to transfer credits, and how to access campus resources. ADVi provides general information but can also connect you with advisers at specific colleges if you have a college or university in mind.

How do I ask ADVi a question?

To ask ADVi a question, click on the 'chat' icon in the lower right-hand corner of our website. ADVi also chats via SMS text message, but right now, that option is only available to select audiences. Stay tuned!

What if ADVi can't answer my question?

Don't worry, we've got your back! If ADVi does not know the answer to your question, a live college adviser will step in to assist you with your question within 48 hours.

How do I get ADVi at my school / in my district / at my institution?

Right now, any student in Texas may access ADVi at askADVi.org. Counselors, teachers, advisers, and parents are welcome to share this URL with all students!

If you would like to speak in more detail about bringing ADVi to your students or would like to request more information or a presentation on ADVi to your school or staff, please contact us at info@askADVi.org. We look forward to collaborating!

See answers to more of our most Frequently Asked Questions.

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ADVi is a chatbot, powered by artificial intelligence, who is available 24/7. ADVi doesn't know everything, but they have a lot of information about applying to college, completing the FAFSA (or TASFA), college readiness, and more!

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Resources for TX School Counselors to support college enrollment.

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Complete College Freshmen Checklist

The summer between high school and college is an exciting time with much to look forward to! However, there are still many things to do to make sure the Class of 2020 makes it to their first day of college. The global pandemic, especially, has introduced new obstacles and uncertainties. The articles, videos, and resources in the Complete College Freshman Checklist package have been created to help your recently graduated students matriculate this fall. Check them out, pass them along to your students, post them in your virtual classroom, or link them on your school or organizational website!

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The Future Focused TX campaign - a public-private collaboration - aims to maintain college enrollment rates in Texas despite the effects of COVID-19. Below you will find the Digital Counselor Packages full of free, digital content, collated for Texas counselors and advisors to share directly to students.

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Leveraging the Power of SEL as you Prepare to Reopen and Renew your School Community by CASEL

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Leveraging the Power of SEL as you Prepare to Reopen and Renew your School Community by CASEL

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1. Take time to build partnerships, deepen your understanding, and plan for SEL.
2. Design opportunities for adults to connect, heal, and cultivate their own SEL competencies and capacities.
3. Create emotionally and physically safe, supportive, and engaging learning environments that promote all students’ social and emotional development.
4. Use data as an opportunity to deepen relationships and continuously improve
support for students, families, and staff.

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SEL Lessons for High School Students.

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7Mindsets Everything is Possible and Attitude of Gratitude -High School-Grades 9-12

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Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens

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Social, Emotional, and Academic Development Through an Equity Lens

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Resource to encourage educator wellness.

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What About You? Strategies for Supporting Educator Resilience and Trauma-Informed Self-Care

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TEA-backed, evidence-based trauma presentation from the National Center for Safe and Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) available for public use. Power-packed with definitions of trauma, types of trauma, how our brain/stress response system works, student reactions to trauma, impact on schools and educators, and more.

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Understanding Trauma and its Impact NCSSLE

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Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning Online: Principals and Practices During a Global Health Crisis

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Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning Online: Principals and Practices During a Global Health Crisis

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Good resource for educators.

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Trauma Informed Teaching and Learning During a Global Health Crisis

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Screening and Assessment of Childhood Trauma

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Screening and Assessment of Childhood Trauma

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Presents resources for professionals on screening and assessing trauma in children and youth.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016)
Provides information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Kaiser ACE study, major findings and implications from the study, and the tool for measuring adverse childhood experiences. The webpage includes journal articles, case studies, and additional resources.

The Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services & Interventions
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (2017)
Provides information and resources on trauma-informed assessment, family engagement, and service provider collaboration.

Child Measures of Trauma and PTSD
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Describes and compares child and adolescent trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder measures. For each measure, a brief description, sample items, versions, and references are provided.

Getting the Picture: A Cartoon-Based Assessment Tool for Complex Trauma in Children (PDF - 1,923 KB)
King (2015)
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice
Introduces and assesses the validity of a pictorial-based assessment tool, the Cameron Complex Trauma Interview, in evaluating trauma history and symptomatology in children ages 5-11.

Guidance for Trauma Screening in Schools (PDF - 738 KB)
Defending Childhood Policy Initiative, National Center for Mental Health and Juvenile Justice (2016)
Provides an overview of the prevalence and impact of trauma among children and adolescents, the role of screening and assessment in the identification of trauma, school-based screening considerations, and how to link screening data with potential interventions within schools. This resource will open as an attachment.

Review of Trauma Screening Tools for Children and Adolescents (PDF - 1,300 KB)
Wevodau (2016)
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Describes 11 screening tools designed to provide information about trauma in children and adolescents.

Trauma-Informed Screening and Assessment
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Provides information on trauma screening, trauma-informed mental health assessments, engaging families in the assessment process, and considerations for implementation. The website includes a webinar on An Overview of Screening and Assessment for Child Trauma.

Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute
Provides training, consultation, information, and resources for those who work with trauma-exposed children, adolescents, and adults. Website includes a section on assessment.

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Screening and Assessment of Child Trauma

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Presents resources for professionals on screening and assessing trauma in children and youth. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016) Provides information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Kaiser ACE study, major findings and implications from the study, and the tool for measuring adverse childhood experiences.

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The Power of Yet TED Talk by Carol Dweck

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The Power of Yet TED Talk by Carol Dweck

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The power of yet | Carol S Dweck | TEDxNorrköping

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How Bibliotherapy Can Help Students Open Up About Their Mental Health

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How Bibliotherapy Can Help Students Open Up About Their Mental Health

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For adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety and grief, the use of books as a therapeutic tool can be invaluable. Tweens and teens often get stuck in their narratives, believing that the fictional stories they tell themselves are accurate. Because of the insecurities that adolescence can bring, it's easy for them to assume that being excluded from a peer's birthday party or being left out of a group text exchange is a personal affront. Social media often fuel these beliefs, which can take a toll on a youth's mental health. Shame and stigma often prevent students from speaking out and seeking the emotional support they need.

But reading about a fictional character's experiences can normalize those feelings and give adolescents the courage to open up about their own struggles. During each meeting, Cellucci leads a discussion about a book, inviting students to share their impressions. Group members can also reflect privately about the readings by writing in their journals.

"' Buddha's Brain' offers practical mindfulness tips centered around kindness, empathy, love, and self-care," says Cellucci. While it's a nonfiction book, Cellucci uses the core concepts of Buddhism to help the students share their personal stories, such as times when they needed love and care, as well as moments when they offered this support to others. "After reading 'Buddha's Brain,' the students discuss how they can relate to the readings," says Cellucci.

Along with "Buddha's Brain," Cellucci also uses fiction books with students individually. Stories like " Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King and " All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely help students talk about sensitive topics, like race, privilege and human angst.

"Many of the students who read 'Please Ignore Vera Dietz' relate to Vera, the main character. This character helps them grapple with whether or not our family history determines our destiny," says Cellucci.
Getting Together
At Westborough's bibliotherapy group, each meeting follows a structured format in order to create a safe forum for the participants. The group begins with an activity, like yoga or a mindful breathing exercise. Then, Parteleno teaches the students cognitive tools, like reality testing and perspective taking, which helps them to challenge and cope with any distressing and worrisome thoughts. For example, if a worried student believes her friend is ignoring her, Parteleno might gently challenge the belief, asking a question like, "What evidence do you have that this is true?" followed by "Is there any other reason that could explain your friend's behavior?"

Students also practice activities based on Dialectical-Behavior Therapy, which teaches kids how to manage intense emotions. During the group, Parteleno leads the students through mindfulness and cognitive role-play exercises, acting out challenging real-life scenarios that they've faced during the week. For example, teens in the loss group role-played how to talk with friends and family members about their grief and loss.

While studies show DBT is an effective form of psychotherapy, especially for young adults, bibliotherapy is a newer mental health intervention for youth. However, research suggests it can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially among adolescents.

For some students, talking about their suffering can feel vulnerable. But hearing about the experience of loss from a trusted adult can help the students feel more secure about sharing. During one group meeting, Cellucci spoke about the death of her grandmother and how the loss affected her as a child. For many of the students, hearing these stories creates a sense of solace, which facilitates the healing process.

After enduring a family trauma, one student found the group especially helpful.

"The loss group was helpful because it allowed me to open up my feelings and share with people who were going through the same pain as me," says the student in Cellucci's group.

The student says that Cellucci and Parteleno helped her learn how to manage her stress and deal with intense emotions.

"In the group, I could feel compassion from others, and this gave me hope. I learned that we have to keep going with the belief that life will get better," she says.

Cellucci says the students look forward to the group because it's a time of quiet reflection and personal connection in a safe and trusted space. Students who experience the therapeutic benefits of bibliotherapy also begin to see the library as a haven where they can find books to help them understand their feelings.

For school librarians who wish to begin a bibliotherapy program, Cellucci offers these tips:

1. Create material displays that demonstrate awareness, cultural diversity and student voice (materials developed by students and/or with student input).

2. Facilitate schoolwide events that promote literacy through diversity, breaking mental health stigma and inviting students to share their voices.

3. Write grants to bring SEL-related programs that include poetry slams, reflective writing and community art.

4. Collaborate with the school's counseling department to design SEL and bibliotherapy programs.

5. Pursue training in youth mental health education through Youth Mental Health First Aid and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

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How Bibliotherapy Can Help Students Open Up About Their Mental Health | KQED

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For adolescents struggling with depression, anxiety and grief, the use of books as a therapeutic tool can be invaluable. Tweens and teens often get stuck in their narratives, believing that the fictional stories they tell themselves are accurate.

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Bibliocounseling Dream Team Resource M3_1_(1)

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Safety Plan Template by Stanley and Brown

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Safety Plan Template by Stanley and Brown

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Association for Specialists in Group Work Resources

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Association for Specialists in Group Work Resources

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RESOURCES

Group work resources

Ten Strategies to Intentionally Use Group Work to Transform Hate, Facilitate Courageous Conversations, and Enhance Community Building

The Association for Specialists in Group Work's (ASGW) Special Initiatives Committee created a document offering ten strategies for intentionally using group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building. Group workers can utilize these methods and resources to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion among group members in all types of groups and in various settings. These strategies provide a roadmap for group workers to use in navigating the complex process of unifying diverse individuals in a way that celebrates their commonalities and differences, while fostering difficult conversations in various group settings.

As the official publication of the Association for Specialists in Group Work, The Journal for Specialists in Group Work (JSGW) is an indispensable resource for both practitioners and educators working with groups in clinical, organizational, educational and community settings. Members in ASGW enjoy print copies of current issue mailed directly to them and full access to archived issues. "Members Only" section of the website will give Members full access to the journal.

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Multicultural and Social Justice: Competence Principles for Group Workers

ASGW has endorsed this document with the recognition that issues of multiculturalism and social justice affect group process and dynamics, group and individual outcomes, facilitation, training, and research. Oppressive systems (e.g., racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, sizeism, nationalism, adultism, ageism) affect everyone in substantial and different ways. As individual members of this organization, it is our personal responsibility to address these issues through developing multicultural awareness, knowledge, and skills, and social justice advocacy skills. We are responsible for increasing our awareness of our biases, values, and beliefs, and how they impact the groups we form, facilitate, participate in, and evaluate. Finally, we must increase our ability to facilitate groups that are diverse on many dimensions, leading with confidence, competence, and integrity as we assist group members informing and maintaining relationships that emphasize respect.

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ASGW Professional Standards for Training Group Workers

The purpose of the Professional Standards for the Training of Group Workers is to provide guidance to counselor training programs in the construction of their curricula for graduate programs in counseling (e.g., masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees and other forms of advanced graduate study). Specifically, core standards express the Association's view on the minimum training in group work all programs in counseling should provide for all graduates of their entry level, master's degree programs in counseling, and specialization standards provide a framework for documenting the training philosophy, objectives, curriculum, and outcomes for each declared specialization program.

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ASGW Best Practices Guidelines

These Best Practice Guidelines are intended to clarify the application of the ACA Code of Ethics to the field of group work by defining Group Workers' responsibility and scope of practice involving those activities, strategies and interventions that are consistent and current with effective and appropriate professional ethical and community standards. These Best Practice Guidelines address Group Workers' responsibilities in planning, performing and processing groups.

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Ten Strategies to Intentionally Use Group Work to Transform Hate, Facilitate Courageous Conversations, and Enhance Community Building The Association for Specialists in Group Work's (ASGW) Special Initiatives Committee created a document offering ten strategies for intentionally using group work to transform hate, facilitate courageous conversations, and enhance community building.

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Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling Guide from Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program

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Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling Guide from Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program

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Texas Behavior Support Initiative Certification

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Texas Behavior Support Initiative Certification

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Date of Completion:
August 24, 2020

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DFPS: Reporting Abuse or Neglect of a Child

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DFPS: Reporting Abuse or Neglect of a Child

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Date of Completion:
December 10, 2020

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Date of Completion:
December 10, 2020

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Date of Completion:
December 10, 2020

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Date of Completion:
August 25, 2020

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I created a week long bell ringer lesson plan for high school science classes to implement to embed Social Emotional Learning into the core curriculum.

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National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

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Child Mind Institute | Transforming Children’s Lives.

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The Child Mind Institute is an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

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This could be used in the "Counseling Corner" or on a school counselor's website.

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Directions: Read each statement and circle the answer that best applies to you; leave blank any questions you do not want to answer.

Add up the numbers you circled for 1-13, and see back of sheet for more details. Total:

18. I can identify areas of my body where I physically feel anxiety.

Yes

No

*This assessment is not meant to diagnose anxiety, but to see if anxiety could be a problem for you.

Assessment:

0 - 12: You may have a normal amount of stress/anxiety, or it may be a lot, depending on the items you checked. If it is a lot to handle, you may want to try talking with someone.

13 -26: You are feeling quite a bit of anxiety in your life. It may be normal, or it may be a lot to handle. You may want to try talking with someone to help you deal with it all.

27 - 39: You are experiencing a lot of anxiety in your life. It might be wise to talk to someone to help you deal with it all.

This test was provided in the High Schools Counselors Group on FB by Tara Roddy. She tweaked the form into a Google Doc and added a place for teens that took the test anonymously to include their cell number if they would like to be contacted by the school counselor.

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Anxiety Self-Assessment Test - Link for Counselors

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Directions: Read each statement and circle the answer that best applies to you; leave blank any questions you do not want to answer. Never Sometimes Often Almost Always 1. I worry excessively about the future or bad things happening (for example, earthquakes, a loved one getting hurt or sick, failing a test).

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One Love Foundation is a national non-profit organization with the goal of ending relationship abuse. We empower young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities.

More than 1 in 3 women will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetimes

1 in 3 men will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetime

1 in 2 trans or nonbinary people will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetime

Need to talk to someone? Get advice and information 24/7. Our trusted partners can help if you are experiencing or exhibiting unhealthy or abusive behavior, or need advice for someone in your life.

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Learn about Relationships - One Love Foundation

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Join One Love's mission to educate young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships and empower them to avoid abuse

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Healthy relationships for young adults can be confusing. Love is more than just the way you feel, and we’re here to help.

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10 Signs of a Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationship

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10 Signs of a Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationship