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Blog Post: Healing Classrooms: Why Trauma-Informed Schools Aren't Optional Anymore

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Blog Post: Healing Classrooms: Why Trauma-Informed Schools Aren't Optional Anymore

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Healing Classrooms: Why Trauma-Informed Schools Aren’t Optional Anymore

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Every day, students walk into school carrying more than just backpacks. Some carry anxiety from unstable home lives. Others carry grief…

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Free Mindfulness Coloring Pages for Kids : Kumarah

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Check out these free printable mandalas for kids mindfulness coloring. Themes include positive affirmations, ocean animals, yoga, and more!

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LFJ: Decarceration Begins With School Discipline Reform

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LFJ: Decarceration Begins With School Discipline Reform

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Decarceration Begins With School Discipline Reform

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Ted Talk: Raci Levine on Her Anxiety Experience

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Ted Talk: Raci Levine on Her Anxiety Experience

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Anxiety is terrifying. Learn what this teen does about it. | Raci Levine | TEDxManhattanBeach

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LFJ: Normalizing Mental Health Issues in Classrooms

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LFJ: Normalizing Mental Health Issues in Classrooms

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Broken and Healing: Normalizing Mental Health Issues in Our Classrooms

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If we want our students to feel safe and accepting of their own mental health issues, can we model that by being open ourselves?

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Mental Health In Schools Where We Stand NAMI believes that public policies and practices should promote greater awareness and early identification of mental health conditions. NAMI supports public policies and laws that enable all schools, public and private, to increase access to appropriate mental health services. Why We Care One in six U.S. youth aged 6-17 […]

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The bottom line on student learning today is this: "You can't teach if you're not addressing mental health," says Rene Myers, an intervention specialist in St. Paul, Minn.

Myers has been working in public education for more than 33 years. Over the decades, the mental health needs of her students have grown, and grown, and grown, she says. The pandemic, coupled with decades of inaction by school boards and state legislators, has only made things worse.

About 214,000 U.S. children have lost a parent to COVID-19. They're adrift, grieving. Many other parents and caregivers lost their jobs. Today, 17 million U.S. children struggle with hunger-about 6 million more than before the pandemic. On top of that, recent years have reinforced how much this nation still struggles with racism and antiLGBTQ+ hatred.

So when Myers sat down at the bargaining table this year, seeking to negotiate a new contract between the St. Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) and her school district, her number-one priority was students' mental health.

"To know what our students and staff have gone through in the past two years ... to say we don't need mental health supports? It's like saying you don't need air. It's unimaginable!" she said.

In February, St. Paul educators voted to strike. Then, in early March, just hours before hitting the streets, union negotiators reached an agreement to preserve the mental health teams that SPFE won during 2020 bargaining. Those teams include counselors, nurses, social workers, and school psychologists in every St. Paul school.

These professionals are essential to providing students with what they need, says Myers.

From Bad to Worse

In the past year, even as the nation has returned to "normal" life, the latest research shows that many students are still living in a state of mental health crisis. This data isn't at all surprising to educators and parents.

"Of course we see advanced need! On top of the pandemic, everything happening with the economy also is impacting our families," says Theresann Pyrett, a Michigan middle school teacher and president of the West Ottawa Education Association (WOEA). "It's like a perfect breeding ground for mental health issues to develop."

In an April poll, nearly three-quarters of U.S. parents said their child would benefit from mental health counseling-up from 68 percent in 2021. Additionally, about a third said their child has recently shown symptoms of mental health issues, including anxiety (19 percent) and depression (13 percent).

Among parents of students with disabilities-including learning, developmental, and physical challenges-almost a third said their child has anxiety, and rates of depression are higher as well.

"The biggest misconception is that COVID makes people mentally ill. From my point of view, COVID unmasked people who have underlying vulnerabilities," said John Walkup, chair of the behavioral health department at Chicago's Lurie Children's Hospital, in an interview with the New York Times.

Before the pandemic, between 2016 and 2019, the number of children diagnosed with anxiety rose by 27 percent, while depression diagnoses rose by 24 percent. But recently, it's worse than ever.

In the past year, 15 percent of teens suffered at least one major depressive episode- that's an additional 306,000 teens over the previous 12 months, according to the 2022 data from Mental Health America. On top of that, nearly two-thirds of teens with major depression say they haven't gotten any help.

Demanding Help for Students

In West Ottawa, the local union is making sure students get what they need. That includes using local property tax revenues to hire 10 additional mental wellness coaches throughout the district and using federal pandemic relief funds to hire 16 additional interventionists.

WOEA leaders work closely with district administrators, all asking the same question: What's best for students?

"One thing I keep repeating, over and again, is that more hands on deck makes for a lighter load," Pyrett says. "We're focused on picking up kids-and if you have more hands to pick those kids up, it's so beneficial for those kids."

The Biden administration's pandemic relief plans have made the largest-ever, single investment in public schools. Now educators are making sure that money is used for the counselors, social workers, school psychologists, behavioral coaches, etc., that students need to be successful.

Unions also are bargaining contracts that include those supports. In Minneapolis, educators went on strike this spring for more than two weeks, finally settling a deal that doubles the number of nurses and counselors in elementary schools and provides a social worker in every school.

"Don't Say Gay" - Or Trans, Either

Maybe the most alarming figure in recent mental health data is this: Nearly half of young LGBTQ+ people have considered ending their lives in the past 12 months, according to a survey of 34,000 young people by the Trevor Project.

Among those young people with suicidal ideas, more than half are transgender and nonbinary youth and nearly half are Black. (Nonbinary is a term for people who do not identify as male or female.)

The numbers are troubling, but not surprising to Palm Beach County, Florida high school teacher Michael Woods. "Especially here in Florida, with the ' Don't Say Gay ' law, which should also be called 'Don't Say Trans,' we have a lot of kids in stress," Woods says. "They're just coming back to the rigors of school [after the pandemic]-and now this!"

The Florida law enables parents to sue school districts if they think their child has had inappropriate instruction on gender and sexuality. The cost of litigation will be borne by districts, which are already beginning to remove curricula on these topics.

Anti-gay laws are also spreading far beyond Florida. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered teachers to report parents of transgender youth for child abuse if the parents seek gender-affirming care for their child. NEA and state educators unions have spoken out against these laws.

For his part, Woods-an educator of 29 years-isn't afraid. He wears his "We're All Human" T-shirt and answers his students' questions. But he worries about younger teachers with less job security, living in more conservative areas.

"I tell the kids, I'm always here for you. I'm always a safe space for you. I'm not giving up on you, and you shouldn't give up on yourself," he says. "When young people don't feel like they have anywhere to turn or anyone to talk to ... well, I know why the stats are the way they are."

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Mental Health in Schools: The Kids Are Not All Right | NEA

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As students' mental health needs rise, so do educators' demands for help.

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Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools: An Action Guide for School and District Leaders

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Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools: An Action Guide for School and District Leaders

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Strategies and Resources to Support Trauma Informed Schools

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Strategies and Resources to Support Trauma Informed Schools

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SchoolSafety Issue Brief_Strategies and Resources to Support Trauma-Informed Schools_508c

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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Lists common reactions educators might see in the students with whom they work and suggestions on how they may help after community trauma. This tip sheet describes how traumatic events, such as a natural disaster, school violence, or the traumatic death of a peer or educator, can affect students' learning, behavior, and relationships.

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Helping Youth after Community Trauma: Tips for Educators

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Lists common reactions educators might see in the students with whom they work and suggestions on how they may help after community trauma. This tip sheet describes how traumatic events, such as a natural disaster, school violence, or the traumatic death of a peer or educator, can affect students' learning, behavior, and relationships.

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Center for Educational Equity: Exploring Equity Issues

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Center for Educational Equity: Exploring Equity Issues

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Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit - National Center for School Safety

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A toolkit outlining a framework for implementing Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented (TR) approaches in schools and school districts.

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Effective School Comm Partnerships to support SMH Final

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Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline

Exclusionary discipline policies, such as suspensions or expulsions, can have long-term negative consequences on youth (e.g. school dropout and involvement in the juvenile justice system) and school climate ( White House Report: The Continuing Need To Rethink Discipline; HHS and U.S. DoE Policy Statement on Exclusionary Discipline). Although federal data demonstrate steady declines in suspensions and expulsions, data indicate that students of color and students with disabilities continue to be disproportionately suspended or expelled.

Several states have addressed the negative consequences and disparities related to exclusionary discipline by enacting policies that direct schools and districts to eliminate or reduce punitive discipline practices and/or implement restorative practices.

Sources: Data retrieved via an extensive independent review by the NCSMH and supplemented by additional sources, including:

National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). (2020). State Policy Database: Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline. Retrieved from: https://statepolicies.nasbe.org/health/categories/social-and-emotional-climate/alternatives-exclusionary-discipline

Education Commission of the States. (2018). School Discipline: Are there non-punitive approaches outlined as alternatives to suspension or expulsion? Retrieved from: http://ecs.force.com/mbdata/MBQuest2RTanw?rep=SD1804

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have either anti-bullying laws, regulations, model policies, or a combination of all three. These require districts to engage in bullying prevention and to respond when bullying occurs. Although it is necessary to address bullying, there is concern regarding the reliance on punitive responses to bullying. Punitive discipline practices do not reduce incidents of bullying and do not address harm.

The links in the map lead to state pages on stopbullying.gov, a site hosted by the US Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to describing the laws, policies, and common components, each state page provides link to the policy itself.

The information in the map was originally collected and compiled by several federal government agencies, including U.S. Department of Education (DoE), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of Justice (DOJ).

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Laws, Policies, & Regulations | StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/laws

Every Student Succeeds Act (Chronic Absenteeism and School Climate)

One of the most significant components of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the requirement that states include multiple measures in their accountability systems. In addition to academic indicators (academic achievement, academic growth, graduation rate, and progress in achieving English language proficiency (ELP)), states must select at least one indicator of "school quality or student success" such as:

Rates of chronic absenteeism

College and career readiness

Student or educator engagement

Student access to and completion of advanced coursework

School climate

States have the flexibility to select multiple "school quality or student success" indicators and to use multiple measures within each indicator.

Expanded Medicaid Coverage in Schools

In 2014, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reversed the Free Care Rule, which restricted schools from getting reimbursement for services provided to Medicaid-enrolled students without an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The reversal permits states to allow school districts to bill Medicaid for school-based health services, including mental health services, provided to all Medicaid-enrolled children, not just those with an IEP. To expand this eligibility, states need to take action, typically through modification of state Medicaid plans. For more information on school Medicaid, please visit the Healthy Students, Promising Futures webpage, a Healthy Schools Campaign program.

The map below displays states that have leveraged the policy reversal by expanding Medicaid coverage in schools, states that are in the process, and states that have not yet taken action.

This information was originally compiled by the Healthy Schools Campaign through their Healthy Students, Promising Futures program.

Partnering with and effectively engaging families is critical to the success of comprehensive school mental health systems. The map below displays states that have a policy directing districts to develop or implement plans, policies, or programs related to family engagement in schools.

The information in this map was compiled by the National Association of State Boards of Education.

National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE). (2020). State Policy Database: Family Engagement Plans. Retrieved from: https://statepolicies.nasbe.org/health/categories/family-engagement/family-engagement-plans

Funding for school mental health comes from multiple and diverse funding sources, including federal, state, district, school, and private support. The maps below display states that use federal funding sources (U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and those that use state funding sources (e.g. specific appropriations in state budgets, state taxes, and state education funding).

This information was compiled by the Education Commission of the States. Their policy brief, State Funding for Student Mental Health, details these funding sources and includes several state examples.

The School Mental Health Quality Guide: Funding and Sustainability provides background information on funding and sustainability, best practices, examples from the field, and resources.

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SHAPE - School Health Assessment and Performance Evaluation

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Alternatives to Exclusionary Discipline Exclusionary discipline policies, such as suspensions or expulsions, can have long-term negative consequences on youth (e.g. school dropout and involvement in the juvenile justice system) and school climate ( White House Report: The Continuing Need To Rethink Discipline; HHS and U.S. DoE Policy Statement on Exclusionary Discipline).

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4 Activities to Help Develop Emotional Regulation Skills 

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4 Activities to Help Develop Emotional Regulation Skills 

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Susana Newcombe

Emotional regulation is the ability to manage your emotions and impulses. It involves learning skills to increase positive thinking and decrease negative thinking when faced with challenging situations. This may include rethinking a difficult problem to reduce anger and anxiety.

The area of your brain responsible for emotions is the Limbic system. The Limbic system has four parts that control emotions and the body's response to the emotions.

Hippocampus: is responsible for our learning and memory

Amygdala: responds to emotions, including anger, fear, and sadness, to protect yourself.

Hypothalamus: controls your body temperature, hunger, thirst and circadian cycles.

Thalamus: detects and responds to our senses.

The area of the brain responsible for emotional regulation is the pre-frontal cortex. This part of the brain controls regulatory behaviors like impulse control, reactivity, and flexibility. It develops primarily during adolescence but only fully matures once a person is mid-twenties.

What Does All This Mean?

When a child is distressed, angry, or overly excited, they may not be able to regulate this emotion. Their emotions have activated behaviors that their pre-frontal cortex cannot control. A child cannot verbalize what is upsetting them or making them angry until their bodily response has calmed down.

Dr. Daniel Siegel Presenting a Hand Model of the Brain
YouTube video by FtMyersFamPsych
What Can You Do?

Remain calm.

Be empathetic... "I can see you are really sad right now."

Do not ask questions.

Hug your child till they calm down and slowly breathe in and out, so they mirror your breathing and relax.

Stay with your child.

Mindfulness Activities to Help Develop Emotional Regulation Skills

1. Breathing Activity
YouTube video by @upbrainery
2. Rainbow Breathing
YouTube video by The Mindfulness Teacher
3. Candle and Flower Breathing - Mindful and Calming Breathing Technique
YouTube video by Pure Star Kids
4. Guided Square Breathing for Children
YouTube video by Learn and Play Right Brain Education
Recommended Reading:

Siegel, D. J., & Payne Bryson, T. (2011). The whole-brain child: 12 revolutionary strategies to nurture your child's developing mind. Bantam Books.

Find Additional Resources in the NAPA Blog:

About the Author

Susana is a Registered Counsellor who brings to NAPA 25 years of experience working in educational and school settings. She specialises in anxiety disorders, ADHD, mood disorders, stress management, grief and loss, self-esteem, peer relationships, school issues, trauma, and bullying. She is passionate about working with children with special needs, working alongside their families and carers to ensure everyone is supported to reach their potential.

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Emotional Regulation Skills for Kids: Activities That Help | NAPA

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Learn how to support emotional regulation skills in children with calming strategies and mindfulness activities from a pediatric therapist.

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​ ​ The check-in is a one-minute daily routine that builds meaningful connections between you and your students. You can follow their daily progress, help them overcome difficulties, and celebrate their successes. It will make a positive difference in each student's life and in the spirit of your classroom.

​ We are offering free subscriptions for a limited time. See " Contact " to request an account.

Copyright (c) 2025 by Steve Herbst. All rights reserved.

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​ ​ The check-in is a one-minute daily routine that builds meaningful connections between you and your students. You can follow their daily progress, help them overcome difficulties, and celebrate their successes. It will make a positive difference in each student's life and in the spirit of your classroom.

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The Behavioral and Mental Health team in the Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) works to help ensure that schools and districts build internal capacity to meet the social emotional and behavioral and mental health needs of their students, families and staff as well as develop their capacity to build partnerships with community-based providers.

Professional Development
Spotlight on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Mental Health Enhancing Systems of Student Support Professional Learning Communities (PLC):
The Department, is pleased to offer a series of professional learning communities (PLCs) that offer educators guidance and support on building comprehensive school mental health systems that address the holistic needs of students, in partnership with:

The full menu, schedule and registration information for the PLCs planned for school year 2023-2024 can be found at Spotlight on SEL MH.
Additional related PD offerings:

Lighthouse Wellness and Health Education Consulting, Inc, will offer a series of free professional learning opportunities for school and district personnel covering topics related to Cultivating Well-Being, Physical Education & Physical Activity, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.

Youth Mental Health First Aid: The Department has partnered with Walker Therapeutic & Educational Programs, Lighthouse Wellness and Health Education Consulting, Pinnacle Partnerships, and others to offer Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training. The training helps teachers, other school staff, parents, and others who interact with youth to recognize and support students ages 6-18 who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. The training also helps adults know how to refer students to mental health services. As everyone continues to navigate the impacts and challenges of the pandemic, it is likely that adults are seeing more students who report and show changes in mood as well as more intense feelings of anxiety and stress.

Though school mental health professionals may find this training helpful, the intended audience is individuals without mental health training who work or interact with young people. School districts may request up to two free trainings for up to 60 members of their staff and community. Participating districts will also be eligible for technical assistance to develop follow-up systems and resources for integrating this training into multi-tiered systems for student support. Request sessions here.

Collaborative Improvement and Innovation Network (CoIIN): During school years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 the Department, in partnership with the Massachusetts School Mental Health Consortium (MASMHC), engaged with selected districts in a learning collaborative facilitated by the National Center for School Mental Health. The initiative included professional development, technical assistance, and ongoing coaching to pilot practices to support the establishment of comprehensive school mental health systems. Participating Districts - Fiscal Year (FY) 2022: Agawam, Haverhill, King Phillip, Monomoy Regional & Waltham. FY2021: Belchertown, Berkshire Hills Regional, Boston Renaissance Charter Public, Burlington, New Bedford, and Randolph

What is a Comprehensive School Mental Health System (CSMHS)?

A Comprehensive School Mental Health System (CSMHS) is defined as school-district-community-family partnerships that provide a continuum of evidence-based mental health services to support students, families, and the school community.

A CSMHS:

Provides a full array of tiered mental health services

Includes a variety of collaborative partnerships

Uses evidence-based services and supports

Department Resources

Supporting Students' Social Emotional Learning, Behavioral & Mental Health, and Wellness Grant - The SEL/ MH grant is funded through state line items and with additional federal funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Funds (ESSER). This grant program supports Massachusetts public school districts and communities to adapt, expand, or strengthen multi-tiered systems of support to respond to the social-emotional and behavioral health needs of students, families, and educators and to build strong partnerships with community-based mental health agencies and/or providers.

This grant aims to build capacity of school districts, charter schools, and educational collaboratives to do the following:

develop comprehensive, integrated multi-tiered systems for student, family, and educator social-emotional and/or mental health supports; and

build sustainable infrastructure to facilitate integrated coordination between school students, family, and community-based services and/or providers.

In FY2022, seventy-three (73) school districts and collaboratives were awarded grants and are eligible for continued funding pending appropriation in FY2023 and FY2024.

The competitive FY2023 Supporting SEL & Mental Health Grant SEL/MH Grant is open to Massachusetts public school districts (including charter schools) that were not recipients of a FY2022 Fund Codes 613-311-332 SEL & MH Grant .

Holistic Support and Enrichment, SEL, Health and Safety Newsletter - The Department periodically shares updates and offerings related to holistic supports and enrichment, including efforts to help strengthen social emotional competencies, health, and safety. You can sign-up & see past issues for this and other Department newsletters.

Family Engagement - The primary goal of family engagement is to facilitate shared responsibility that contributes to the healthy development, learning, and growth of children - from the earliest ages into young adulthood. Family engagement builds relationships between students, families, educators, and the community. These relationships over time develop into meaningful partnerships rooted in the strengths and assets of all.

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) - A Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for how school districts can build the necessary systems to ensure that each and every student receives a high-quality educational experience. It is designed to support schools with proactively identifying and addressing the strengths and needs of all students by optimizing data-driven decision-making, progress monitoring, and the use of evidence-based supports and strategies with increasing intensity to sustain student growth. In 2018, Massachusetts updated its MTSS Blueprint to reflect the most current research and enhance the user experience. For example, the current blueprint more explicitly focuses on equitable access and universal design for learning (UDL) and fully integrates social emotional, behavioral, and academic learning.

Promoting Student Engagement, Learning, Wellbeing and Safety - School Year 2021-2022 (Released Summer 2021) : ( Power Point slides / eLearning Module) The Department is providing this document to support district efforts to promote the wellbeing of students families and school staff. This document includes guidance previously released by DESE, as well as new and updated resources to help districts develop, strengthen, and implement comprehensive systems for engaging with students and their families, connecting students and families with additional supports they may need, and promoting student safety. This document also includes racial equity and cultural responsiveness considerations to support districts in ensuring the wellbeing of all our students.

MA Tools for Schools is a clearinghouse from the Department of resources to support sustainable school improvement in Massachusetts.

Other State Resources

National Resources

Contact

Chris Pond , Behavioral Health and Mental Health Specialist

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massachusetts department of elementary and secondary education

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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Mental and Behavioral Health and Wellness Supports

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The goal of the Massachusetts public K-12 education system is to prepare all students for success after high school. Massachusetts public school students are leading the nation in reading and math and are at the top internationally in reading, science, and math according to the national NAEP and international PISA assessments.

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Teen Stress, Meltdowns: How to Manage the Fight-Flight Response

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When someone is in fight-flight mode, they’re not thinking clearly or logically.

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Ted Talk: Lizard Teens: Turning fight or flight into affiliate and flourish 

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Ted Talk: Lizard Teens: Turning fight or flight into affiliate and flourish 

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Lizard Teens: Turning fight or flight into affiliate and flourish | Rebecca Moles | TEDxDanielHandHS

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Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101

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Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101

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Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching 101 — Lifting Literacy Aotearoa

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Our Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Academy is a leadership development and mental health advocacy academy that equips Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) high school students to affect change in their schools, communities, and their states.

Young adults have made clear that many of the most pressing mental health-related issues are connected to racial justice, creating equitable access to mental health care, developing youth-centered mental health policies (school board, local, or state), and achieving affordable, culturally appropriate comprehensive health care.

Applications for the next Academy cohort open in Fall 2025.

Be the first to know - subscribe to our newsletter and check back for updates on how to apply.

Advocacy in Action

Through the Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Academy, students will engage in a program where they will learn leadership through connection and collaboration with student changemakers across the country. Students will walk away with ideas and intentions to reshape their school and local communities!

Therapy Dogs for Students

Muhammad Riaz, a high school student from California, created a campaign to help seniors in his school reduce their stress levels. Muhammad launched his campaign by hosting a self-care event in order to bring therapy dogs during finals week, with the aim that the school will host this regularly.

The Need for a Mental Health Coalition and Mindful Center

Brialis Phan, a high school student from New Jersey, created a 2-step campaign to establish an Active Minds chapter that would allow her to gain support to create a mindful center. This center will increase access to mental health resources and offer a space where students can practice effective coping mechanisms during school hours.
Hear from past academy participants about their experience

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Active Minds mobilizes young adults to lead a transformative movement in mental health, forever changing how it is valued and prioritized in society.

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There are a number of benefits to using a trauma-informed approach, not only for patients but also for providers and staff. Many patients with trauma have difficulty maintaining healthy, open relationships with a health care provider. For patients, trauma-informed care offers the opportunity to engage more fully in their health care, develop a trusting relationship with their provider, and improve long-term health outcomes. Trauma-informed care can also help reduce burnout among health care providers, potentially reducing staff turnover.

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Learn about how trauma-informed care shifts the focus from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?"

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Phoenix Trauma Center & Dr Scott Giacomucci

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Ted Talk: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime

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Ted Talk: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime

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How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris | TED

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Ted Talk: How Can We Improve School-Based Mental Health Support?

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Ted Talk: How Can We Improve School-Based Mental Health Support?

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How Can We Improve School-Based Mental Health Support? | Jordan Wells | TEDxYouth@BeaconStreet

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Neural plasticity of development and learning

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Neural plasticity of development and learning

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Neural plasticity of development and learning - PubMed

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Development and learning are powerful agents of change across the lifespan that induce robust structural and functional plasticity in neural systems. An unresolved question in developmental cognitive neuroscience is whether development and learning share the same neural mechanisms associated with ex …

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Understand Neuroplasticity and Its Impact on Curriculum and Instruction

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USI’s online MSE with a concentration in C&I equips graduates with the principles of neuroplasticity to lead to effective teaching strategies and improved student outcomes.

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The Power of Reframing to ‘Rewire’ Students’ Brains

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The Power of Reframing to ‘Rewire’ Students’ Brains

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Teachers can use the principles of neuroplasticity to help students be aware of thought patterns that are no longer serving them and begin to take risks in the classroom.

Neuroplasticity is our human superpower. As stated in the Introduction, there is growing research on plasticity, but one of the key principles of neuroplasticity shared by Dr. Bruce Perry is termed specificity. Dr. Perry states, "In order to change any part of the brain, that specific part of the brain must be activated." One of the remarkable properties of the brain and nervous system is its capacity to change and adapt to our individual worlds. Brain cells and brain networks work together in use-dependent ways, and with awareness, intention, and practice, we can strengthen those connections between neurons, leading to improved performance and well-being. Neuroplasticity is how our nervous systems produce and create feelings, thoughts, and behaviors through a process of structural and therefore functional change. How? Every time we think a thought and generate a feeling, we install neurological hardware that impacts our well-being in all moments.

Our neural roadways or networks fire, and those connections between neurons signal the emotional limbic brain, which signals hormones, which enter the receptor sites on cells. In turn, those messages or emotional signals are signals to the genes that create new proteins; and proteins are the expressions of life, contributing to our well-being. Author and speaker Joe Dispenza, D.C., states that with a clear intention and elevated emotion, we don't need to wait for a changing condition to bring us peace or hopefulness; we can begin to find moments or "glimmers" of conditions, such as pieces of experiences or thoughts that feel safe and hopeful, which can begin a new stream of improved thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Cultivating an elevated emotion and a clear intention often requires one another's support, and this is why co-regulation is so important as we move through the emotional and cognitive changes in our lives.

This takes repetition and is a process! These small moments that we notice each day can accumulate to become thought routines that begin to reframe a difficult day or challenging experiences.

The concept that the brain is "self-changing," meaning that it organizes, disorganizes, and reorganizes based upon experiences, prompts the revelation that the architecture of each brain is unique. Adolescent brain psychiatrist and author Dr. Dan Siegel asserts that, because humans have the power to direct their own attention (focal attention), they thus have the power to shape and reshape the firing patterns and architecture of the brain, impacting the developmental processes of parenting, education, and psychotherapy. Just as we are able to focus upon different muscle groups through physical exercise, we are also capable of stimulating the firing patterns of targeted neuron connections in certain areas of the brain by intentionally focusing so that we can strengthen and integrate those neural circuits.

Defining plasticity is tricky, with both positive and negative implications in how our attention and experiences create neural networks. Author Martha Straus writes, "If an individual has no options for corrective experiences, his brain will continue to stimulate and develop neural networks that perpetuate old patterns. The brain exposed to psychological trauma, for example, responds to internal and external cues by structuring itself around those firings. However, if a trauma survivor develops the capacity to focus attention on the formation of new neural networks, theoretically, his brain can then restructure to experience that same trauma very differently."

The Power of Awareness and Reframing

How can we consistently support ourselves-as well as our students-during these times of unpredictability and heightened emotional states? We can begin by becoming aware of and paying attention to our feelings and sensations. We can validate where we are in this moment by modeling this awareness for our children and youth. Following awareness and felt validation, we can choose an improved perspective or thought. We might begin reframing a thought or perspective, accompanied by a short regulatory practice, as that small action step begins to weaken the brain architecture of synapses, those specific connections between neurons that no longer serve us. Not only can we strengthen circuits between brain areas by getting these areas to fire at the same time and produce new feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, but we can also weaken connections because, as we shared previously, neurons that fire apart wire apart! Can we begin to weaken links of pain-based thoughts and feelings by replacing these habits of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with practices that generate social and emotional well-being?

These reframing practices will require honest feedback and support from one another. We will need to be intentional and patient. Through careful, mindful effort, we can leave behind judgment or guilt, because awareness and recognition of our autonomic states begin to move our brains and bodies into conditions that feel hopeful and collaborative. Relational neuroscience increasingly assures us that we are continually shaping one another's embodied brains, and that the safety provided by deep listening to one another offers tremendous support.

Education requires that we're able to regulate our own state. We serve our students better when we prepare our nervous systems for the mental and cognitive tasks needed for learning and academic growth, as well as social and emotional development at any age. Dr. Arielle Schwartz writes, "The human body is also equipped with an innate physiological resilience system, which is our autonomic nervous system." There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy. When we learn to partner with our autonomic nervous system, we can begin to reshape this system through listening to our sensations, the language of our bodies, with much appreciation.

Our nervous system drives all that we sense, feel, think, and are! It holds our past, and when experiences of trauma occur in our lives, our nervous system reorganizes and prioritizes protection. This automatic survival reaction is built into our biology and, when activated for long periods of time to produce an overactivation of stress hormones, this can create a chronic disruption of regulation in our brains and bodies. As mentioned earlier, this is neuroplasticity by default.

We are creatures of habit. Our thoughts produce biochemical reactions in the brain, sending signals to the body, and our bodies begin to feel in similar ways to how we were thinking. We can unconsciously think thoughts that produce feelings, and we can feel our way into similar thoughts that create a continuous cycle of habits of thoughts and feelings. Without intention, our feelings, thoughts, and routines automatically recycle, producing the same behaviors and choices.

Therefore, my brain activity and biology stay the same. As I stated in the Introduction, this work begins with me. When I am thinking the same thoughts, generating the same feelings, performing the same routines and actions, and swimming in the same emotions, my nervous system chemistry stays stagnant and, in some ways, I am living in the past. That state of sameness can feel comfortable and effortless, a state of knowing who you are, but it also can feel miserable and helpless. Dispenza states, "Your personality is made up of how you think, act, and how you feel. It is your present reality." But if we want to change how we think, feel, and experience our lives, we must be willing to explore, question, and wonder what is serving us well in this time, and what is still serving our survival responses that we no longer need. Understanding how our nervous systems function in response to our environments and experiences is critical for children, youth, and adults to explore.

Our brains contain about 86 to 100 billion neurons. The synapses connecting those neurons are where our cells exchange information. If learning makes new connections, then remembering that learning will strengthen those connections. As our brains create these structural changes, our thoughts produce neurotransmitters, a mixture of neurochemicals that create emotions. Dopamine and serotonin are two examples of neurotransmitters that may be familiar. When we think about something pleasurable, anticipate a vacation or a weekend gathering, or visualize a calming place with the sights, sounds, tastes, and people we love, we can stimulate the production of these neurotransmitters. Our thoughts produce how we feel, and those feelings produce related thoughts, and as this occurs, our neurons keep firing along the same pathways, strengthening the relationship between the cells so that their signal becomes stronger with repeated activation. If we repeat enough times what we have learned, we literally reinforce communities of neurons that begin to remember well the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that we have consciously or subconsciously practiced and rehearsed. Neuroscientist Dr. Lara Boyd refers to these brain changes when she defines neuroplasticity as the chemical, structural, and functional changes that occur with learning. When we are thinking the same thoughts and producing the same feelings, our brains are firing and activating the same neural circuits in the same patterns and sequences. This is what Dispenza refers to as neuro-rigidity. He defines this concept as thinking inside the box, which means unintentionally creating a finite signature of automatic programs.

Many of us have spent weeks, months, or longer trying to change habits of thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that we found next to impossible to change. The New Year brings promises and resolutions, yet by February, many of us are back to our patterned ways of being, behaving, and feeling. This is not because we lack will power, but because our nervous systems need patterned repetitive experiences over time. When we begin to think differently, feel differently, and choose novel behaviors, our brains and nervous systems may feel threatened and move to survival states. Therefore, we often relinquish new habits that feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Once we understand that the biological and chemical changes in our nervous system are causing this discomfort, we feel more powerful and confident as we move through these rivers of change. Most of us have been so conditioned to run from the unknown that we do not really question this fear. Dispenza states, "If you told me that you did not like being in that void of the unknown because it feels disorienting and you can't see what lies ahead, I'd say that's actually great, because the best way to predict your future is to create your future."

To think outside the box generates neuroplasticity. When our brains change, our minds change, because our mind is the brain in action. As we use our brains, they grow and change through the use-dependent principle of neuroplasticity. Our brains prune away connections or synapses that we no longer use or need, while sprouting connections when we learn something new. Our brains are organized to reflect everything we know, and we use this historical information to predict new experiences. Therefore, change can feel very difficult as we keep records of the trillions and trillions of neurons that have connected with one another throughout our lives. The complex networks of neurons that have fired throughout our days on earth have formed memories of our past experiences, and if we do not create intentional changes or shifts, we become individuals and communities who are living in the past.

©2023 Lori L. Desautels, Ph.D. (revelationsineducation.com). All rights reserved. Used with permission from Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing.

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The Power of Reframing to 'Rewire' Students' Brains

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Teachers can use the principles of neuroplasticity to help students be aware of thought patterns that are no longer serving them and begin to take risks in the classroom. Neuroplasticity is our human superpower. As stated in the Introduction, there is growing research on plasticity, but one of the key principles of neuroplasticity shared by Dr. Bruce Perry is termed specificity.

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The Limbic System: 8 Ways To Boost Learning Capability

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The Limbic System: 8 Ways To Boost Learning Capability

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They keep us alive, they store our memories, and a lot of us have them. What are we talking about? Brains, of course!

As you might imagine, brains are an essential part of learning and development. But the limbic system is particularly important. This region is crucial for learning and memory, while also heavily influencing emotions and reactions.

Understanding how the limbic system works can be the key to influencing what gets stored as a lasting memory and unlocking your full learning potential.

So, buckle up and get ready to explore this fascinating brain region. We'll explore the limbic system's key components, their roles in learning, and - most importantly - how to supercharge your brain's ability to soak up new information. Ready? Then it's all systems go!

What is the Limbic System?

The limbic system, also known as the paleomammalian cortex, is a set of interconnected structures in the brain that play a central role in regulating emotions, motivations, behaviour, learning and memory. It's located deep within the brain, nestled below the cerebrum and above the brainstem.

It was initially called the rhinencephalon (what a mouthful!), or smell-brain. The name 'smell-brain' was fitting as our limbic system was thought to be primarily responsible for our sense of smell. However, psychologists now recognise that it serves many more functions than that.

While the limbic brain is responsible for our behavioural and emotional responses to stimuli, it also supports higher mental functions. These include, for instance, learning, making memories and formulating habits. Specifically, the limbic system:

Facilitates memory storage and retrieval.

Establishes emotional states.

Links conscious, intellectual functions with unconscious functions.

Influences problem-solving and rational thought.

In addition, while your sensory cortex and motor cortex allow you to perform certain tasks, your limbic system makes you want to complete the tasks you are performing. It's your very own internal motivational speaker!

Have a peek below at what our very own Juliette Denny has to say on the matter:

The Key Parts of The Limbic System

As we've seen, the limbic system is a collection of structures that are involved in processing emotion and memory. All of its constituent parts work together in harmony to regulate some of the brain's most important processes.

However, there is some debate over which structures should be included within the limbic system. The amygdala and the hippocampus are universally recognised as key players. We'll introduce these all-stars first, before exploring other structures that are also often included.

1. Amygdala

The amygdala is a small almond-shaped structure in the temporal lobes, located right next to the hippocampus. It's the first responder when it comes to emotional threats, processing feelings like fear, anger, and anxiety.

But the amygdala isn't all about negativity. It also plays a role in happiness and reward processing. Think of it as the brain's emotional alarm system, constantly on guard to keep us safe and motivated. By evaluating the emotional valence of situations, it helps our bodies to prepare for fight-or-flight reactions.

In addition, the amygdala is important for the formation of new memories. After all, it interacts with the hippocampus and attaches emotional content to information. Strong emotions act like a memory magnet, making these experiences more likely to stick in our long-term memory.

2. Hippocampus

Like many other structures in the brain, the hippocampus comes as a pair. Located in each hemisphere of the brain, both of your hippocampi resemble the shape of a seahorse, and they mainly consist of grey matter.

The hippocampus is essentially the memory centre of our brains. It's where we form short-term memories and encode them into long-term storage across other parts of the cerebral cortex. Whilst it doesn't store our memories, it does help to organise them and associate them with various senses.

For instance, if you burn your finger on a hot pan for the very first time, your hippocampus learns the sensory input related to this new experience. It plays the memory back repeatedly to your cerebral cortex to form a long-term memory. This process is called memory consolidation.

As you can imagine, this makes the hippocampus essential for learning new things. After all, it completes a process called neurogenesis, where it makes new neurons from adult stem cells. This process is the basis of one type of neuroplasticity.

3. Thalamus & Hypothalamus

Both the thalamus and hypothalamus are associated with changes in our emotional reactivity.

The thalamus is a large structure that sits deep in the centre of the brain. It passes information from the outside world to and from your cerebral cortex. As such, its primary importance comes from the connections it forms with other parts of the limbic system.

Your hypothalamus, on the other hand, is about the size of a pea. Tucked just below the thalamus, on either side of the third ventricle, it orchestrates a wide range of vital functions. For instance, it helps to manage your body temperature, hunger and thirst, mood, sex drive, and so on.

To control its functions effectively, the hypothalamus integrates information from other parts of the brain. As a result, it's responsive to a variety of stimuli, including light, odour, stress and arousal.

4. Cingulate Gyrus

Curving like a large arch, the cingulate gyrus act as a control centre within the limbic system, interacting with various brain regions to influence emotions, memory, and learning.

It's also a forward-thinking guardian, monitoring our body's reactions to unpleasant experiences and helping us to anticipate and avoid negative stimuli.

However, its influence extends beyond internal control. The cingulate gyrus also plays a part in translating emotions into outward expressions. That clenched fist you make when you're frustrated? The cingulate gyrus is part of the network coordinating that reaction.

5. Basal Ganglia

The basal ganglia are a group of structures that are situated at the base of the forebrain and top of the midbrain, tucked behind other parts of the limbic system.

The limbic region of the basal ganglia includes multiple components. These are called the nucleus accumbens, the ventral tegmental area, and the ventral pallidum.

These areas are involved in our cognitive and emotional behaviours, as well as with our response to rewards and reinforcements. As such, the basal ganglia are linked to habit formation and addictive behaviours.

On top of this, the main function of the basal ganglia is to regulate and organise our voluntary movements, including, for instance, eye movements, balance and posture. As a result, damage to the basal ganglia can cause movement disorders like Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

The Limbic System Function: 8 Ways To Boost Its Power

We've explored the inner workings of the limbic system. Now, let's unlock its potential! Here are eight practical steps to enhance your learning and emotional well-being by optimising your limbic system function.

1. Eat Well and Embrace an Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Since chronic inflammation is linked to problems with thinking and memory, an anti-inflammatory diet can be a powerful tool to support your limbic system's function.

Highly inflammatory foods typically include hydrogenated fats, processed vegetable oils, farmed fish or conventionally raised meat and dairy. They often contain refined sugars and grains, food additives and preservatives, and pesticides or toxic debris.

As such, you need to include foods in your diet that reduce inflammation, stabilise blood sugar, and provide the necessary nutrients that enable your limbic system to operate effectively. For instance, these foods include:

grass-fed meat

wild-caught fish

pastured eggs

low-carbohydrate and low-glycaemic vegetables

But, don't worry, we have not forgotten about treats or your morning caffeine kick. For instance, blueberries contain antioxidants that tackle brain ageing by attacking oxidative stress. Coffee also includes antioxidants and can boost feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

2. Increase Your Vitamin and Supplement Intake

Similarly to embracing a healthy diet, increasing your vitamin and supplement intake will help you to support your brain function. For instance, Omega-3 fatty acids improve learning and memory, which helps you to fight against cognitive disorders.

According to the American College of Healthcare Sciences, these vitamin-rich foods are fantastic brain-boosters:

Garlic is high in iodine, which supports healthy brain activity.

Kelp is high in iodine, phosphorus and vitamin C, all of which are wonderful brain nutrients.

Wild salmon is high in phosphorus, vitamin B3, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Nuts like walnuts, cashews and almonds, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

Foods high in resveratrol like red grapes, red wine, peanut butter, cranberries, and blueberries have anti-inflammatory effects.

3. Manage Your Stress Levels

As most of us have experienced, stress can wreak havoc on our health. This is especially true when it comes to our brains. In fact, stress is one of the leading factors in cognitive disfunction. Severe stress can cause inflammation in the brain, which deteriorates our brain health.

As such, our ability to manage our stress levels is essential for a healthy limbic system. Some people find help in meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and aromatherapy, while others engage the brain through games, reading books, listening to music or doing arts and crafts.

Destressing pleases your almighty amygdala, the limbic structure responsible for your awareness of emotions. As a result, you will not only be more relaxed, but also happier. And did you know that happy learners are 12% more productive?

4. Exercise

We're sure you're already aware of the benefits that exercising has on your physical health. But, did you know that it also dramatically boosts your brainpower? As such, physical exercise is one of the best ways to maintain optimal limbic system function.

Exercising produces certain feel-good neurotransmitters, such as endorphins. In addition, it increases blood flow and supplies oxygen to the brain. Physical activity can even stimulate new brain cell growth, also known as hippocampal neurogenesis.

Train Fitness recommends a fitness regime of 20-30 minutes, 3-5 times a week to help maintain the health of your limbic system. Further research suggests that aerobic exercises such as cardio, swimming, running, walking, and hiking are particularly beneficial to charging up your brainpower.

5. Nurture Relationships

Strong social connections are like sunshine for your limbic system. Indeed, research shows that people who are more socially connected live longer and have better physical, mental and cognitive health. It seems we are biologically wired for connection.

After all, feeling supported and connected to others reduces stress and promotes feelings of safety and security. Spending time with loved ones can also trigger the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin.

Feeling like you belong to a community or group also provides us with a sense of purpose and self-worth, contributing to our overall emotional well-being. And did you know that social learning is a particularly effective development approach?

6. Focus on the Positive

Some might dismiss the power of positive thinking, but research suggests it can have real benefits. The limbic system plays a crucial role in processing emotions, and negativity can take a toll on its function.

Dwelling on negative thoughts and experiences activates the amygdala, the part of the limbic system associated with fear and stress. On the other hand, positive thinking improves our brain plasticity, intensifying our attention and improving our problem-solving acumen.

So, when negativity starts to creep in, challenge those thoughts and try to reframe them in a more positive light. For example, instead of thinking 'I can't do this', reframe it as 'This is a challenge, and I'm going to learn from it'.

Just remember, positive thinking is most effective when combined with realistic action. Focusing on the positive can be a powerful motivator, but it's important to develop strategies and take action to achieve your goals.

7. Challenge Yourself

Your limbic system thrives on novelty and stimulation. By thinking outside of the box and stepping outside your comfort zone, you can keep your brain sharp and ready to face any challenges that may be lying in wait.

Research suggests that stepping outside of our comfort zone helps us to navigate unfamiliar situations, and gives us a deeper understanding of our capacity to handle challenges and manage risks. This newfound confidence empowers us and increases our self-efficacy.

Indeed, challenging yourself with new activities or skills stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which strengthens existing neural connections. This keeps the limbic system adaptable and efficient. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Learn a new skill or take on a new hobby

Push your limits with an existing skill or hobby

Read books or articles with opposing viewpoints

Step outside of your social bubble

Solve puzzles or brain teasers

8. Prioritise Sleep

Last, but not least, let's talk about sleep! Restorative sleep is essential for optimal brain function. This is when your brain actively works during your slumber to repair your body and mind.

Sleep reduces inflammation and restores the brain by flushing out toxins, like a protein called beta-amyloid. In addition, sleep plays a critical role in storing memories effectively.

In turn, a lack of sleep can impact your cognitive function significantly. For instance, you may find it difficult to solve problems, exercise reason or pay attention to detail. With this in mind, here are some of our top tips for a great night's sleep:

Lower the temperature in your bedroom

Keep your room as dark as possible

Avoid caffeine and heavy foods before bedtime

Get sun exposure during the day

Exercise regularly, but not late at night

Keep a sleep diary to find your optimal sleeping routine

Stick to a regular bedtime and rising time

Avoid napping during the day unless absolutely necessary

Final Words

The limbic system plays a central role in memory, focus, and emotional regulation - all key ingredients for a high-quality learning experience. The good news? There are several practical steps you can take to optimise your limbic system function and unlock your full potential.

For instance, practising relaxation and mindfulness, getting those steps in and eating well can support the health of your limbic system. Ultimately, these little efforts can lead to higher productivity and better learning outcomes. Good luck!
Ready to unlock your learning potential? Download our free guide, '100 Brain Science Tips to Boost Your Training Strategy' now! Your limbic system will thank you for it.

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The Limbic System: 8 Ways To Boost Learning Capability

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The limbic system is a set of interconnected structures in the brain that are responsible for our behavioural and emotional responses to stimuli. Here's how to tap into its power to boost your learning outcomes!

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Skip to content

Are you interested in integrating more neuroscience into your lessons? With a wealth of resources spanning all grade levels, it's never been easier! To start, take a look at the Overview Matrix for grades K-12, developed by the Society for Neuroscience and BrainFacts.org, to learn how fundamental neuroscience concepts align with Next Generation Science Standards.

Explore below a few examples of interactive guides and resources designed for different grade levels that students and teachers alike can use to learn about the brain.

Neuroscience for Elementary School Students (Grades K-5)

First exposure for young learners is an exciting time, and what better way to engage their curiosity than by having them build their own models of the brain! The "Build-A-Brain" exercise integrates a fun, sensorimotor activity with a basic neuroanatomy lesson using Play-Doh. Students will explore the structure and function of various parts of the brain, compare animal models, and refine oral communication skills by presenting work to peers.

After students have learned about the different regions of the brain, they can follow up with "Protect Your Brain," an engaging lesson that teaches the importance of our two levels of protection for the brain: the skull and cerebral spinal fluid. Using a raw egg, students will learn about the ventricular system, discover the various protective factors for the brain, and understand the importance of providing extra protection for the brain.

Now, it's time to extend the students' curriculum with the "Expose Your Nose" exercise. This lesson on the human sense of smell stimulates discussion through an interactive experiment. Students will learn the pathway for odors once they enter the nose, discover how smells are tied to certain memories, and practice observing and gathering scientific observations.

Neuroscience for Middle School Students (Grades 6-8)

Middle school is the perfect time for students to explore the cellular mechanisms of neuroscience. The "Pipe Cleaner Neuron" is a hands-on activity, where students learn to create realistic model neurons out of colorful pipe cleaners. Through this exercise, they will understand the main components of a neuron, its functions, and discover how neurons communicate with one another during neurotransmission. This introduction to neurons lays a crucial foundation for understanding how communication between these specialized cells underlies our brains' most essential functions, including memory.

"Now You See It, Now You Don't" guides learners through the different stages of memory formation. Through this lesson, students will learn about the brain regions involved in creating memories, the different stages of memory storage, and have fun practicing their short-term memory skills with a class-wide trivia contest.

Follow-up with "Optical Illusions," an interactive lesson where students experience and analyze how visual perception can trick your brain. By learning about the visual system, including different parts of the eyeball, students will understand how objects we see are perceived by the brain.

Neuroscience for High School Students (Grades 9-12)

High school is the prime time for students to get their hands dirty...literally! The "Sheep Brain Dissection" is a lesson in comparative and gross anatomy. Students will learn how to safely, and respectfully, examine the brain of a previously living organism to explore its structures and relationships to function by visually comparing the brains of different species.

For students interested in a more analytical, research-based approach to understanding the teenage brain, "This Is Your Brain on Depression" teaches students about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for teen depression. Students work in groups to investigate what happens in the brain during depression, the advantages and disadvantages of current treatment options, and how antidepressants target neural mechanisms to alleviate its symptoms.

A multi-unit Neuroscience & Society curriculum offering an in-depth focus on neuroscience-from cellular anatomy to future technologies and societal issues-was developed by The Franklin Institute and recently updated with support from the Dana Foundation. This highly engaging, flexible curriculum can be integrated into existing science lessons or utilized as a semester-long course for students. High school students will participate in hands-on activities to learn about topics including brain basics, learning and development, and current methods used in neuroscience to learn how the brain orchestrates behavior and is constantly changing. Class-wide discussions and debates in current societal issues such as mental health, substance use, and criminology will foster students' curiosity in how the human experience is transformed through the many ways neuroscience intersects with our daily lives.

Additional resources, lesson plans, and fact sheets can be found on the Dana Foundation's Resources page alongside many other educational assets from organizations whose work we have supported, including BrainFacts.org, the Brain Bee, and the University of Washington.

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Skip to content Are you interested in integrating more neuroscience into your lessons? With a wealth of resources spanning all grade levels, it's never been easier! To start, take a look at the Overview Matrix for grades K-12, developed by the Society for Neuroscience and BrainFacts.org, to learn how fundamental neuroscience concepts align with Next Generation Science Standards.

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The brain is your coolest organ. It is the boss of your other organs, your emotions, your movements, and much more. The brain is fun to study, and here students and teachers can get ideas for classroom activities, experiments, science fair topics, and supplies to learn more about the brain.

What does the next generation think about neuroscience?

Resources for teachers and parent educators

Pre-K

Engage and excite students with these sensory activities and videos that introduce them to how senses are connected to the brain.

Kindergarten-second grade

These activities and lessons help students begin to understand the basic functions of the human brain.

Third-fifth grade

Students begin to dive deeper into learning about the brain through these lessons and websites.

Sixth-eighth grade

This set of activities will give students a chance to better understand specific neuroscience concepts and structures of the brain.

Ninth-twelfth grade

High school students can explore the complexity of the brain and the parts that make it work well or can lead to illness.

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Resources for K-12 students and teachers to get ideas for classroom activities, experiments, science fair topics, and supplies to learn more about the brain.

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With Stress in Schools Increasing, Simple Strategies to Stay Calm

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With Stress in Schools Increasing, Simple Strategies to Stay Calm

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The 6-year-old boy's eyes welled up with tears. His teacher, 30-year veteran Leigh Yelton, could see the explosive anger building in the first grader. After his mother died unexpectedly in his kindergarten year, he struggled with what his grandmother called "mommy days," or periods during which he would often cry uncontrollably. Instead of asking him what was wrong or trying to distract him, Yelton asked him to do something simple and unexpected: go to a private part of the room and push against a wall. It worked.

Yelton learned the technique from a resilience training program that shows teachers how to help themselves-and their students-calm the central nervous system. Stress and trauma can trigger a response in the amygdala, the part of the brain that sends the body into fight, flight, or freeze mode, hijacking the rest of the brain so it becomes focused solely on responding to or fleeing the perceived threat.

"Our thinking brain is where we process language, so if I have flipped my lid, and you talk to me, you sound like the Charlie Brown teacher," says Ann DuPre Rogers, executive director of Resources for Resilience, the nonprofit organization that conducts the training. When a person is triggered and can't be reached through conversation, the training directs them to take a sip of water, press against a wall, or try a quick walk while paying close attention to their physical sensations.

For example, when drinking a sip of water, a participant might try to feel every droplet of water in their mouth. How does it feel as it passes over the lips? Is it cool or warm? Does it have texture? This process of closely examining sensory details called sensing-in is similar to mindfulness practices which are increasingly backed by research, and even prescribed by doctors, for addressing acute stress and trauma.

"You notice all the sort of sensory elements of the sip," said Rogers, explaining one of the strategies that allows teachers and kids to calm their brains and bodies. Once the amygdala is calmed, she continues, "then the brain can come back and we can talk it through. We can make a plan."

Understanding Triggers

The simple techniques, called rapid resets, are designed for "anyone with a nervous system," Rogers says, but they can be especially helpful in the school setting where teachers and students of all grade levels experience different levels of stress and trauma. Students or teachers who have had many adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as living in an abusive household or having an incarcerated parent, may be more easily triggered.

Rogers and her staff train teachers, counselors, and other school personnel to recognize the triggers that cause a person to "flip their lid," or activate the stress response. Triggers in a classroom can seem minor: a student takes another student's pencil or a student teases another student about their appearance. But even these events can spark a response rooted in mounting frustration or underlying trauma and disrupt learning-for both the student and the wider classroom.

While the methods tackle the immediate problem-getting the child to calm down is the first step-the program advises teachers to follow up and address the deeper issues as soon as they can. Getting brains back "online" is a vital prerequisite for exploring the student's challenges and making plans to help the child or teen self-regulate in the future.

"These are quick strategies that you can implement into your classroom with a little effort, but get a big response," says Susan Puckett, a counselor at Forest Park Elementary.

Put On Your Mask First

Despite initial skepticism, Yelton calls the training "the most valuable workshop experience that I have ever been to." Like the flight directive about putting an oxygen mask on yourself before helping a child, the training encourages teachers to use the strategies for their own fight, flight, or freeze responses before teaching them to students.

After learning the rapid resets, Yelton tried them first on herself and then her husband. When she found herself growing angry, she would practice the grounding technique by focusing on the sensory experience of feeling the floor beneath her feet. The strategy brought Yelton back to a place where she could interact again.

The skills she learned in the training had immediate application in her classroom and transformed how she relates to her students. She taught her kids to imagine that their amygdala-which produces the first inkling of anger or anxiety-is like a barking dog. When the "lid is flipped," the dog barks to alert the rest of the brain to fight, flight, or freeze, and getting children to recognize the presence of the dog is a necessary prerequisite for getting them back to a place where they can learn. In her class today, Yelton's students use hand signals to demonstrate that a dog is in the house, periodically gesturing to indicate that they are starting to get anxious.

Before the training, if a child became upset, Yelton might ask "What's wrong?" and press the student to articulate the reason for their discontent. "Often I would say, when kids were really flipping their lids, 'Give me your words. Use your words and tell me,' not really thinking that they can't do that at this point," she says.

The training sparked a paradigm shift in Yelton's interactions with her students. Instead of trying to fix the problem, she approaches triggered students with a new sense of patience and understanding. She realized that "when they get that out of control, they're not in a zone where they know what's happening. They are so amped up or so shut down... and they can't hear you. They can't listen."

Yelton related to the grief of her young student who lost his mother in a different way than she would have before the training, acknowledging his anger without trying to distract or control him. "He was angry, and he had every single right to be angry. I never tried to change that," she said. "You have a right to be angry. I get it. I understand where you're coming from. I would be upset too."

Over time, the student's crying became less frequent and he began to self-regulate, taking time-outs when he felt himself getting triggered. The young boy moved at the end of the year, but Yelton feels she sent him off with a toolbox of tactics he could use to deal with some of the effects of the trauma he had experienced.

Changing School Community

The shift in Yelton's classroom is just one of many in the Kannapolis City School system, a small district in the central part of the state that began training school personnel in the resilience practices in 2016.

Teachers and staff appreciate the simplicity of the practices and their easy implementation in the classroom. "I remember walking out and thinking I can use this tomorrow. I don't have to wait," says elementary school psychologist Amy Roberts. "I don't have to prepare anything. I don't have to make anything. I can just do it."

The practices have created a positive shift in the overall school culture at Forest Park. "Teachers would come to my office and say, 'I did this and this worked for these kids. I haven't seen anything work like this before,'" says counselor Puckett.

The shared practices have created a common language in the school community. Fourth grade teacher Kelcie Lewis says her students know the strategies and respond when they observe her using them. "If I am getting frustrated waiting for them to pay attention or if they're not getting a skill, I might just go over and lean against the wall and they're like, 'Uh oh, guys, Mrs. Lewis is about to blow her lid,'" she says.

Bringing themselves back to a calm state is critical for teachers to avoid exacerbating triggers students may be experiencing. "Through the training, I learned that even the way that you approach the room can make such a difference," says Martha Motley, principal of Forest Park Elementary. "If you get called if there's a fight, a disturbance, or a student being disrespectful, and you show up... escalated, even from the quick walk there, then kids are going to respond differently."
Kelcie Lewis
When school takes place in-person, Forest Park teachers create physical space for students who need to take a break and reset. Lewis set up a corner of her classroom for her students to try the strategies with a wall adorned with posters of typical emotions along with more specific synonyms. If a child says, "I'm mad," she asks for a more nuanced understanding of their feelings-are they betrayed, frustrated, or annoyed? For kids who can't yet read, Yelton uses a board with emotion words, coupled with pictures depicting a range of emotional states.

"The student knows that they can go to the calm down corner and do those strategies without the teacher, or they can let the teacher know that they need help," says teacher Lindsay Stowe.

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With Stress in Schools Increasing, Simple Strategies to Stay Calm

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In North Carolina, a program offers 'rapid resets' to help teachers and students calm their minds and bodies and get back to learning.

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Understanding and responding to the effects of trauma in the classroom: A primer for educators

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Understanding and responding to the effects of trauma in the classroom: A primer for educators

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Abstract

Although nearly half of U.S. students have experienced a potentially traumatic event (Bethell et al., 2017), educators are not routinely trained in trauma or trauma-informed practices (Hobbs et al., 2019; Koslouski & Stark, 2021; National Council of State Education Associations, 2019). Yet, trauma can have profound negative impacts on students' social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Thus, this primer introduces educators to the prevalence of trauma in PreK-12 students' lives, the effects of trauma on students' development, and proactive and responsive strategies that adults can use to support students who have experienced trauma. We provide several vignettes to help educators understand varied presentations of trauma and the range of trauma-informed practices that can benefit students. We also address educators' relationships with caregivers and describe strategies for mitigating the toll secondary traumatic stress (Figley, 1995) can take on educators. Throughout, we aim to build educators' understanding, empathy, and agency for their work supporting students affected by trauma.

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Understanding and responding to the effects of trauma in the classroom: A primer for educators

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Although nearly half of U.S. students have experienced a potentially traumatic event (Bethell et al., 2017), educators are not routinely trained in tr...

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Understanding Trauma: Learning Brain vs Survival Brain

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Understanding Trauma: Learning Brain vs Survival Brain

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Understanding Trauma: Learning Brain vs Survival Brain

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Join Peabody Institute faculty, Jen Graham, as she leads you through a gentle movement series to promote mind-body connection and well-being.

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Six Neuro-Diverse Design Strategies that Strengthen Learning for All Students

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Six Neuro-Diverse Design Strategies that Strengthen Learning for All Students

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Six Neuro-Diverse Design Strategies that Strengthen Learning for All Students - EDspaces

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There has been growing recognition of the importance of understanding and finding ways to support neurodiverse students. Creating inclusive learning spaces in our K-12 schools is crucial to ensure that all students, including neurodiverse students, can thrive academically and socially.

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Beyond The Basics: Designing Truly Sensory-Friendly Classroom Spaces

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Beyond The Basics: Designing Truly Sensory-Friendly Classroom Spaces

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Beyond the Basics: Sensory Friendly Classrooms & Environments

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Create calm, inclusive, and sensory friendly classroom environments that help all students focus, self-regulate, and thrive.

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How to Reduce the Cognitive Load on Students During Lessons

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How to Reduce the Cognitive Load on Students During Lessons

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How to Reduce the Cognitive Load on Students During Lessons

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A look at ways teachers can refine their practices to help ensure that students absorb and process information so they can retrieve it later.

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Neuroscience-Informed Technology:                Implications for Professional Counselors and Counselor Education

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Neuroscience-Informed Technology:                Implications for Professional Counselors and Counselor Education

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Brain-Based Learning: 15 Strategies to Improve Student Learning & Retention

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Brain-Based Learning: 15 Strategies to Improve Student Learning & Retention

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- Dr. Bobbi Hansen

To non-educators, the term "brain-based learning" may sound redundant. Doesn't all learning involve our brains? Yes - but brain-based learning delves a little deeper into the science of how we learn in order to deliver more effective instruction.

This introduction to brain-based learning serves as an accompaniment to Dr. Bobbi Hansen's presentation, "Teaching with Superpowers: Instructing Through Brain-Informed Practices," delivered during a University of San Diego Master of Education town hall.
View the recorded presentation here. >>
What Is Brain-Based Learning? Key Principles Benefits of Brain-Based Learning 8 Brain-Based Teaching Strategies How to Build a Brain-Based Curriculum: 7 Ideas
What Is Brain-Based Learning?

Brain-based learning involves teachers creating conditions that increase student motivation, engagement and long-term retention by tapping into the natural ways the brain receives, processes and stores information. This approach can be applied to classroom teaching methods, lesson planning, curriculum design and any other educational engagement. As long as the planning and delivery is rooted in the latest research on the science of learning, it's considered brain-based instruction.

The research in question centers primarily around the brain's ability to change and reorganize itself to receive and retain new information in a process called neuroplasticity. New information and experiences can physically reshape the brain's neural pathways; the more we practice new skills or review new information, the stronger those pathways become and the better we retain the information or ability.

Our brain's neuroplasticity is influenced, both positively and negatively, by motivation, stress and challenge, as well as our emotional state as we're learning. Understanding how neuroplasticity works (especially in young, developing brains) can help curriculum designers and educators build lessons that are more likely to "stick." When students master new concepts or gain new skills in the classroom, teachers see this neuroplasticity in action. Perhaps Dr. David Sousa, an educational neuroscience consultant, puts it best: "Successful teachers are brain-changers!"

History

The theory of the left and right brain has been synonymous with learning styles since it was introduced in the 1960s. Neuropsychologist Roger W. Sperry posited that all humans are either right-brain or left-brain dominant, depending on how they think and receive information. More informed neurological research, however, has since disproven this theory; we now know that humans use each hemisphere of their brain for different tasks, and that neither is dominant over the other.

As neurological research and discovery gained traction in the 1990s, some researchers began to apply their findings to the classroom. In " Understanding a Brain-Based Approach to Learning and Teaching," Geoffrey Caine and Renate Nummela Caine proposed that educators leverage neuroscience to improve students' knowledge retention and performance. The Caines found that students had better comprehension and retention in a collaborative, hands-on, brain-based learning environment than those in a traditional lecture-based classroom. Scientifically speaking, active learning leads to the growth of dendrites - nerve cell extensions in the brain that influence how neurons collect and process information. This is good news for knowledge retention.

Brain-based learning has since gained significant traction in schools. As evidenced by texts like Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), there remains a continued insistence that all educators have a working knowledge of how the brain receives and retains information in order to be better teachers.

Key Principles of Brain-Based Learning

The overall goal of brain-based learning is not complicated, nor is it unattainable:
To create a learning environment and classroom strategy where all students can thrive.
To achieve this goal, educators need to break down their instruction (and their students' learning) into smaller components. In her town hall presentation to USD MEd students, Dr. Bobbi Hansen identifies four key principles of brain-based learning:

1. Experience: New experiences only reshape the brain when we are actively participating in those experiences.

2. Flow: Stress affects memory, so instructors need to facilitate a "flow state" in which students are comfortable, safe and focused.

3. "Sticky" learning: Utilize teaching methods that result in higher knowledge retention, such as learning by doing or student-led instruction.

4. Brain-informed teaching practices: Identify and implement the teaching strategies that will best support the current group of students.

The following are some specific classroom examples that incorporate these four key principles:
Health and wellness
Physical activity isn't only for the gym. When students are able to take stretch breaks, go for short walks or otherwise move their bodies during lessons, the more engaged they will be when they come back. Movement-based learning is more common in younger grades, but teachers should not count older students out - bringing some light physical engagement to classroom lessons can:

Energize and revitalize students (and teachers)

Improve students' attention spans

Help students receive and retain more information

Positivity
When students are in a positive emotional state, they are more willing to engage in lessons and classroom activities. Social validation from their peers and affirmations from their teacher can contribute to students' feelings of belonging.
Group work
When learning new material, it can be highly valuable to hear other students' reactions or experience how they take in new information. Group activities help students learn from one another and may even help them understand information better than they would have from their teachers' presentations.
Peer teaching
Educators may occasionally feel unprepared to teach certain course material but find that their comprehension grows as they begin to deliver their lessons. Teaching others is the most effective way to learn, and this applies to students as well. If a handful of students grasp a concept right away, they can then turn around and teach their peers, thereby strengthening their own understanding and delivering this new information in a way that resonates with their classmates.
Practice
Repetition, experimentation and productive failure are all more effective than simple memorization of facts or vocabulary. Students should have an opportunity to practice new skills and retrieve new knowledge before any major assessment.
Limiting lectures
Traditional lecture-based teaching has been proven not as effective as active learning. Making lessons more active rather than passive promotes students' knowledge retention.
Meaningful information
Academic concepts can often feel disconnected from students' actual lives. How many teachers have fielded the question, "But when am I ever going to need this?" Finding ways to connect course materials to the real world boosts student engagement and gives relevant meaning to abstract concepts.
Written and verbal information
Lessons and assignments that incorporate varied modes of delivery give students a better chance of logging information in their long term memory. This involves the instructor delivering both spoken and written lessons, and the students demonstrating their understanding through both written and verbal assignments.
Stimulation
Not all students learn the same way, but there are ways to capture their attention that generally garner a positive reaction. Incorporating movement, humor, games or current events that are of interest to their age group can increase students' participation, processing abilities and the likelihood that they will remember the course content.
Stress mitigation
In general, stress negatively impacts our brains' neuroplasticity, preventing us from retaining information. By and large, students learn and perform better in a classroom environment that is calm, safe, supportive and positive (and with a teacher who exhibits the same qualities).

Benefits of Brain-Based Learning

When information is presented in a way that accounts for the brain's ability to process it, it can vastly improve the learning experience. Brain-based learning supports:

Skills retention

Higher academic performance

Academic progression

Resiliency

Long-term memory

Brain health and function

Mood

Classroom cooperation

Motivation

A positive attitude

8 Brain-Based Teaching Strategies

As long as a lesson is built around the way students receive and retain information, brain-based learning can look like almost anything. Educators can utilize multiple instructional methods while following the principles of experience, flow, "sticky" learning and brain-based teaching strategies. These principles remain the same no matter the age of the student; it is up to the teacher and their creativity to build age-appropriate lessons rooted in a brain-based foundation.

Here are some high-level strategies teachers can use when building their brain-based lesson plans:

Combine written and verbal information to boost learning retention

Prioritize engagements that are hands-on, creative, useful and have an emotional impact

Favor lessons and activities that help students develop critical thinking skills over simple memorization

Model lessons and assignments on real-world challenges that students can relate to

Create lessons that teach students social and team-building skills in addition to course content

Build opportunities to practice course content into every lesson, or before moving on to the next unit

Incorporate movement or brain breaks into lessons, regardless of grade level

Ensure that neither lessons nor the classroom environment contribute to unnecessary stress or anxiety

How to Build a Brain-Based Curriculum: 7 Ideas

As mentioned above, a brain-based curriculum can look like anything, so long as lessons are built to encourage students' neuroplasticity and optimal knowledge retention. It's important to note that not all strategies work for all students, so rely on trial and error to see what works and what doesn't for your classroom.

Break learning into chunks.

This may seem obvious to many educators, but it bears repeating. Students learn best when they can digest new concepts bit by bit; break lessons down into bite-sized pieces that fall into introductory, practice and review segments before moving on to a new concept or topic.

Include "turn and talk" time in your lessons.

Take breaks during each lesson or unit for students to talk amongst themselves and solidify their understanding of the topic. This can fall into the "review" stage mentioned above. You can also task students with explaining a new concept to a parent or someone unfamiliar with it. After all, teaching is the best way to grasp a new skill or subject.

Not all "chunks" need to involve learning! Leave space in each lesson for movement or stretch breaks. You can even create lessons that get students moving while they learn - e.g. role playing a historical event or reading out loud "popcorn"-style with a tossed ball.

Include multisensory elements in each lesson.

For some topics, using visual elements may be a no-brainer; but challenge yourself to activate other senses during your lessons. Can you help students "physicalize" parts of speech? How can you bring a history lesson to life through sound?

Encourage students to try to remember what they've learned from a lesson, even if the topic is fairly new to them. The process of remembering strengthens memory and identifies gaps that call for a refresher. For example, rather than providing a study guide with bullet points covering key points of a lesson, build your study guides around questions that students will need to answer, thereby creating their own study guide through retrieval.

Concept mapping is the act of connecting separate elements of a topic or unit into a web of comprehension. For example, in a unit on cell structure, students can list out what they've learned about each component of a cell, then visually connect the components to each other by explaining their relationships.

Whenever possible, get your students out of the classroom to apply their learning in the real world. Field trips are a classic example of experiential learning, but even taking your students for a walk around campus to talk about the weather or photosynthesis can help make abstract concepts easier to understand.

This is just a sampling of the ways in which creative educators can leverage neuroscience to help their students succeed in the classroom.

The best teachers never stop pursuing new ways to make learning accessible for all students. The specializations offered by USD's Master of Education program enable educators to drill down into specific areas of interest that not only improve their own teaching practice, but can also lead to higher student achievement and a love of learning. Explore all the ways in which you can strengthen your teaching skill set and boost your earning potential with an advanced degree.

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Brain-Based Learning: 15 Strategies to Improve Student Learning & Retention

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What exactly is brain based learning, and what does it look like? An introduction to the science of learning, plus brain based learning strategies and examples.

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Christian Jarrett: Myths and facts about the brain and learning - LT15 Conference

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Christian Jarrett: Myths and facts about the brain and learning - LT15 Conference

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Christian Jarrett: Myths and facts about the brain and learning - LT15 Conference

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Mirroring others’ emotions relates to empathy and interpersonal competence in children

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Mirroring others’ emotions relates to empathy and interpersonal competence in children

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Mirroring others’ emotions relates to empathy and interpersonal competence in children

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The mirror neuron system (MNS) has been proposed to play an important role in social cognition by providing a neural mechanism by which others’ actions, intentions, and emotions can be understood. Here functional magnetic resonance imaging was used…

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What are Some Simple Evidence-based Strategies for Teaching Emotion Regulation in the School Setting?

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What are Some Simple Evidence-based Strategies for Teaching Emotion Regulation in the School Setting?

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Association for Science in Autism Treatment

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Simple evidence-based strategies for teaching emotion regulation?

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In this piece, we provide a brief background on emotion regulation, and then offer seven evidence-based strategies for improving emotion regulation in students with autism.

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How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation?

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How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation?

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If you're a parent, chances are you've witnessed a tantrum or two in your day. We expect them in two-year-olds. But if your child reaches school age and meltdowns and outbursts are still frequent, it may be a sign that they have difficulty with emotional self-regulation.

Simply put, self-regulation is the difference between a two-year-old and a five-year-old who is more able to control their emotions. Helping kids who haven't developed self-regulation skills at the typical age is the goal of parent training programs. And many older children, even if they're beyond tantrums, continue to struggle with impulsive and inappropriate behavior.

What is self-regulation?

Self-regulation is the ability to manage your emotions and behavior in accordance with the demands of the situation. It includes being able to resist highly emotional reactions to upsetting stimuli, to calm yourself down when you get upset, to adjust to a change in expectations, and to handle frustration without an outburst. It is a set of skills that enables children, as they mature, to direct their own behavior towards a goal, despite the unpredictability of the world and our own feelings.

What does emotional dysregulation look like?

Problems with self-regulation manifest in different ways depending on the child, says Matthew Rouse, PhD, a clinical psychologist. "Some kids are instantaneous - they have a huge, strong reaction and there's no lead-in or build-up," he says. "They can't inhibit that immediate behavior response."

For other kids, he notes, distress seems to build up and they can only take it for so long. Eventually it leads to some sort of behavioral outburst. "You can see them going down the wrong path but you don't know how to stop it."

The key for both kinds of kids is to learn to handle those strong reactions and find ways to express their emotions that are more effective (and less disruptive) than having a meltdown.

Why do some kids struggle with self-regulation?

Dr. Rouse sees emotional control issues as a combination of temperament and learned behavior.

"A child's innate capacities for self-regulation are temperament and personality-based," he explains. Some babies have trouble self-soothing, he adds, and get very distressed when you're trying to bathe them or put on clothes. Those kids may be more likely to experience trouble with emotional self-regulation when they're older.

But the environment plays a role as well. When parents give in to tantrums or work overtime to soothe their children when they get upset and act out, kids have a hard time developing self-discipline. "In those situations, the child is basically looking to the parents to be external self-regulators," Dr. Rouse says. "If that's a pattern that happens again and again, and a child is able to 'outsource' self-regulation, then that's something that might develop as a habit."

Children with ADHD or anxiety may find it particularly challenging to manage their emotions, and need more help to develop emotional regulation skills.

How do we teach self-regulation skills?

Scott Bezsylko, the executive director of the Winston Prep schools for children with learning differences, says that acting out is essentially an ineffective response to a stimulus. The parent or teacher needs to help the child slow down and more carefully choose an effective response instead of being impulsive.

"We approach self-regulation skills in the same way we approach other skills, academic or social: isolate that skill and provide practice," Bezsylko explains. "When you think of it as a skill to be taught - rather than, say, just bad behavior - it changes the tone and content of the feedback you give kids. "

The key to learning self-regulation skills, says Dr. Rouse, is not to avoid situations that are difficult for kids to handle, but to coach kids through them and provide a supportive framework - clinicians call it "scaffolding" the behavior you want to encourage - until they can handle these challenges on their own.

Imagine a situation that can produce strong negative emotions, like a frustrating math homework assignment. If a parent hovers too much, they risk taking over the regulation role. "Instead of the child recognizing that the work is frustrating and figuring out how to handle it," Dr. Rouse explains, "what they feel is that the parent is frustrating them by making them do it."

Scaffolding in this situation might be helping the child with one problem, and then expecting them to try the rest. If they feel frustrated, they might get up and get a drink. They might use a timer to give themselves periodic breaks. The parent would check in on them at intervals, and offer praise for their efforts.

If a child is prone to melting down when they're asked to stop playing a video game, scaffolding might be practicing transitioning away from the game. "You'd want to practice with a game in which they're not overly invested - you don't want to begin with high-stakes," Dr. Rouse explains. "Have them practice playing for two or three minutes and then handing you the game. They get points towards something they want every time they do it."

Dry runs are another way to scaffold self-regulation. For instance, if you've had trouble with a child reacting impulsively or having a tantrum in a store, make a short visit when you don't need to do serious shopping. Have them practice walking with you, keeping their hands to themselves. They get points towards some goal every time they are successful.

Dr. Rouse says that often parents get discouraged when things don't go well the first time they try skill-building, but consistency and starting at a level that is appropriate for your child are key. Rather than giving up, try paring down the activity so it is more doable, and slowly give your child more and more independence to handle it.

For instance, if brushing their teeth is a problem for your child, you might start by focusing just on putting toothpaste on the brush, and respond with positive feedback and rewards when they do it. Once they've practiced that a few times, add the next step in the chain.

Similarly, if getting out the door in the morning is causing meltdowns, target one step at a time. First, say, getting dressed by 7:15. Once they've mastered that, set a target time for breakfast, and add that. Breaking the chain into small steps allows them to build self-regulation skills in manageable increments.

Help kids become self-reflective

Bezsylko stresses that when parents or teachers approach impulsive, inappropriate behavior calmly and give them time, kids can learn to choose better ways to respond to that situation. The feedback kids need is non-judgmental and non-emotional: what went wrong, and why, and how they can fix it next time.

"When kids are part of an environment that's reflective and analytic as opposed to emotional and fast-paced," Bezsylko explains, "they can learn to make better choices." Slowing down allows children to become more thoughtful, reflective and self-aware. "We need to slow down and model self-reflection and self-awareness and self-regulation for our kids," he notes, "but it's also helpful and good for us, too."

Bezsylko notes that mindfulness and meditation are good for everyone, but especially for children with self-regulation challenges. And Dr. Rouse mentions the many parent training programs available to help them become better coaches for their kids. For older kids, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is also an option, as it focuses on distress tolerance and emotion regulation.

At the end of the day, though, nothing can replace the work of the parent. "It seems to me," says Dr. Rouse, "that the family environment is the most important piece."

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help my child regulate their emotions?

What is self-regulation in child development?

At what age can a child control their emotions?

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How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation? - Child Mind Institute

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Tips for helping kids improve their self-regulation skills when they need help to control emotions, handle frustration and resist impulsive behavior. Advice from experts.

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University of KY Center on Trauma and Children

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National Center for Learning Disabilities

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Specific Learning Disabilities - National Center for Learning Disabilities

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Learn about Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, their impacts on academic skills, and the rights and protections available under IDEA, ADA, and Section 504 to support individuals with SLDs.

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Sensory processing is how people feel and react to information received from their senses. Autistic people can be much more or less sensitive to sensory experiences than non-autistic people.

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How to make students (and teachers) want to go to school | Michele Freitag | TEDxYorkBeach

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How to make students (and teachers) want to go to school | Michele Freitag | TEDxYorkBeach

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How to make students (and teachers) want to go to school | Michele Freitag | TEDxYorkBeach

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A Call to Connection: Making Childhood Trauma Personal | Dr. Allison Jackson | TEDxRVA

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A Call to Connection: Making Childhood Trauma Personal | Dr. Allison Jackson | TEDxRVA

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A Call to Connection: Making Childhood Trauma Personal | Dr. Allison Jackson | TEDxRVA

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The principal of an internationally recognized trauma-informed school explains what this form of education is-and what it isn't.

ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) have made their way into the mainstream over the past couple of years, even showing up in a segment that Oprah did for 60 Minutes. And because ACEs have a profound effect on children, the concept has been taken up in the world of education. Approaching education with an understanding of the physiological, social, emotional, and academic impacts of trauma and adversity on our students is driving changes in our systems.

However, these changes are not coming without misconceptions. As the principal of Fall-Hamilton Elementary, an internationally recognized trauma-informed school, I've encountered many misconceptions about trauma-informed education over the past five years. As educators move toward understanding the impact of trauma, including ACEs, and how creating and maintaining positive relationships can serve as a buffer to the negative impacts of trauma, it's vitally important to understand what trauma-informed education is and is not.

6 Misconceptions About Trauma-Informed Education

1. Trauma-Informed education is solely about a student's ACE score: The ACE study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the CDC is credited with increasing public awareness of the potential negative health outcomes of adults based on their adverse childhood experiences.

That increased awareness is good, but trauma-informed education is not solely concerned with students' ACE score. We should use the ACE study as a catalyst to look deeper into understanding the broad scope of adversity that children are experiencing but that the study did not include. Trauma-informed education includes examining the influence and impact on students in our schools of factors such as racism (explicit, implicit, and systematic; and microaggressions) as well as poverty, peer victimization, community violence, and bullying.

2. Educators must know a student's ACE score to successfully intervene: It is not imperative to know a child's ACE score or specific traumatic experience to provide effective interventions. Being trauma-informed is a mindset with which educators approach all children.

Research indicates that strong, stable, and nurturing relationships foster a feeling of belonging that is essential for all students but is absolutely imperative for healing with students who have experienced trauma. Karen Treisman, a clinical psychology specialist, says, " Every interaction is an intervention." As educators, we must understand the impact of daily positive interactions and affirmations for our students.

3. Trauma-informed education is about fixing kids: Our kids are not broken, but our systems are. Operating in a trauma-informed way does not fix children; it is aimed at fixing broken and unjust systems and structures that alienate and discard students who are marginalized.

If we view our trauma-informed approach as fixing kids, that creates a deficit mindset. Many kids are doing the best they can in the moment. We must meet all students where they are while supporting them with strong, stable, and nurturing relationships.

4. Trauma-informed educators don't give students consequences for inappropriate behavior: There needs to be a clear understanding of the difference between consequences and punishment. Consequences by definition are designed to teach, while punishment relates to personal suffering.

It's important to set clear boundaries and expectations and then to support students into success. When students do not meet expectations or disregard boundaries, it is imperative to teach and reteach the expectations through consistent consequences.

5. Sometimes you have to escalate a confrontation with a student to calm them down: Co-regulation is the idea of keeping calm in order to help calm a student who is experiencing anger, frustration, or fear. A dysregulated adult cannot regulate a dysregulated child. Raising our level of intensity is not a strategy that works.

We should instead use strategies that honor the student's emotions and need for space while also getting their systems to calm in a safe way. This can be accomplished through first making sure that we really are calm and then by validating the student's experiences and emotions in order to get to the root of what is causing those emotions.

This doesn't mean excusing any poor choices the student may have made-it means ensuring that they're in a state where they can understand and accept any consequences, which is necessary if they are to learn from the experience.

6. I'm a teacher, not a therapist-this isn't my job: As educators explore the complexities of being trauma-informed, we need to remember that trauma-informed work is a journey and not a destination. It doesn't mean that teachers need to do the work of professional therapists. Our part in helping students with trauma is focusing on relationships, just as we do with all of our students. The strong, stable, and nurturing relationships that we build with our students and families can serve as a conduit for healing and increasing resilience.

Becoming trauma-informed in our daily practice is truly a process of learning and adjustment, but it is a worthwhile process.

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The principal of an internationally recognized trauma-informed school explains what this form of education is-and what it isn't.

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SAMHSA's Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

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SAMHSA's Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

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NCTSN: Trauma-Informed Schools for Children in K-12

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NCTSN: Trauma-Informed Schools for Children in K-12

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SAMHSA: Behavioral Health Equity Barometer

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SAMHSA: Behavioral Health Equity Barometer

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Article - How Trauma Informed Are We Really

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In order to be safer, young people need accurate, honest, compassionate drug education. This is why the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) developed and distributed Safety First: Real Drug Education for Teens. It is the nation's first harm reduction-based drug education curriculum for high school students.

The curriculum emerged from DPA's long-running Safety First program aimed at providing resources for parents. DPA managed the Safety First curriculum from its creation in 2016 until March 2023 when we transferred it to Stanford Medicine's REACH Lab. The Stamford Medicine's REACH Lab has deep expertise in developing curricula for young people and will further develop, expand, and evaluate Safety First.
You can now find the Safety First curriculum and all its supporting materials on Stanford Medicine's REACH Lab site here.
Why DPA Developed Safety First

Young people need factual information on drugs in order to be safer. Yet, most schools in the United States provide drug education programs that are based in abstinence-only logic despite its weaknesses. Programs like D.A.R.E. don't give students the tools they need to make safe decisions or to get help if problems with alcohol and other drugs do occur.

Furthermore, abstinence-only education too often has the effect of making teenagers cynical about any drug information coming from adults.

DPA developed Safety First according to the following principles:

The safest path for teens is to avoid drugs, including alcohol, cigarettes, and prescription drugs outside of a doctor's recommendations.

Some youth will choose to try drugs, regardless of the risks. In order to reduce potential harm, we must teach young people strategies for keeping themselves and their friends safer when they do encounter drugs.

Drug education should be:

scientifically accurate;

honest, not seeking to minimize or exaggerate the risks of drugs, acknowledging the fact that not all drugs carry the same risks;

interactive; and

compassionate, taking into account that some youth will have used and/or sold drugs - or have close friends and family members who have.

Safety First Works

Safety First was developed with young people in mind. After conducting research, DPA completed its first version in 2017. It consisted of 15 lessons that were meant to be delivered by a health teacher for 9th or 10th graders in 45 to 50 minute class periods. The curriculum content was aligned with National Health Education Standards as well as Common Core State Standards.

From 2018-2019, DPA piloted and evaluated Safety First with New York City and San Francisco high schools. We then launched Safety First publicly, making it broadly available as a free resource. In 2020, we created a Distance Learning version in response to COVID-19 restrictions.

At every turn, we solicited feedback from students and teachers to improve our curriculum. In 2021, we released the final version. This was the version we transferred to Stanford Medicine's REACH Lab.

Safety First was independently evaluated by Dr. Nina Rose Fischer, Associate Professor at City University of New York (CUNY) John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Interdisciplinary Studies, both in 2018 and 2019.

Highlights from the evaluation include:

Increased student knowledge of harm reduction

Increased student knowledge of drug knowledge regarding alcohol, cannabis and opioids

Increased student knowledge of how to detect and respond to a drug-related overdose

You can read a published paper reviewing the evaluation results in the Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy journal.

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Safety First: Real Drug Education for Teens - Drug Policy Alliance

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In order to be safer, young people need accurate, honest, compassionate drug education. This is why the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) developed and distributed Safety First: Real Drug Education for Teens. It is the nation's first harm reduction-based drug education curriculum for high school students.

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NIDA.NIH.GOV | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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NIDA's mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. NIDA is one of the National Institutes of Health.

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Safety First: Drug Education and Curriculum from National Overdose Prevention Network

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Safety First: Drug Education and Curriculum from National Overdose Prevention Network

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Safety First: Real Drug Education for Teens — National Overdose Prevention Network

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This curriculum is a comprehensive tool for teachers that allows them to have honest conversations about drugs with their students, equipping them with the skills to navigate their risks. It is the nation’s first harm reduction-based drug education curriculum for high school students.

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US Department of Education: Preventing and Reducing Youth and Young Adult Substance Misuse: Schools, Students, Families

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US Department of Education: Preventing and Reducing Youth and Young Adult Substance Misuse: Schools, Students, Families

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Preventing and Reducing Youth and Young Adult Substance Misuse: Schools, Students, Families

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Reducing Youth and Young Adult Substance Misuse.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Free Mind: Mental Health & Drug Use Awareness for Teens | CDC

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Drug use and mental health challenges are connected. Discover tools to support teens and parents.

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Smoking, drinking, and doing drugs can lead to problems at home, in school, and with your health. Learn more here.

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HOW NATURAL HIGH WORKS

We believe in the power of storytelling to transform lives.

We engage storytellers who kids admire and trust and work with these influencers to create free and impactful content for educators and parents.

Our evidence-based program is used in all 50 states and makes use of current scientific findings on youth behavior, brain development, social norming, and substance abuse prevention.

Over 80% of kids said that having a natural high would help them fight the temptation to turn to substance abuse, and 84% said that after participating in our program, they intended to make better decisions.

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Natural High - Drug Prevention Program for Youth

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We believe in the power of storytelling to transform lives. We engage storytellers who kids admire and trust and work with these influencers to create free and impactful content for educators and parents. Our evidence-based program is used in all 50 states and makes use of current scientific findings on youth behavior, brain development, social norming, and substance abuse prevention.

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Many young people turn to nicotine to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression, but it may be making them feel worse
Download report

Two health crises among youth - a mental health crisis and a vaping epidemic - pose increasing threats to a generation of young people. They are also linked in ways many may not realize, according to a body of peer-reviewed studies.

Both crises have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the pandemic, 70% of young people said anxiety and depression were a major problem among peers in their community, according to a Pew Research Center report. Since then, the problem has gotten worse, as the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in youth has doubled compared to before the pandemic. Alongside this mental health crisis, youth e-cigarette use - driven by products that quickly deliver highly-addictive nicotine - has remained at epidemic levels, with one in five high school students vaping in 2020, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. In the time since that survey, national e-cigarette sales have risen to record highs and the risks of vaping have become more apparent, as evidence shows it can harm lung health and may put users at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.

While it is well known that nicotine harms developing brains, including by making young people more susceptible to addiction, lesser known are the worrying connections between nicotine and mental health. Though nicotine has not been found to directly cause mental health conditions and more research is needed, numerous peer-reviewed studies reveal troubling links, including clearly established research that shows nicotine can worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety.

While it is well known that nicotine harms developing brains, including by making young people more susceptible to addiction, lesser known are the worrying connections between nicotine and mental health.

Research shows several connections between nicotine and mental health:

Nicotine can worsen anxiety symptoms and amplify feelings of depression.

Current e-cigarette users have double the odds of having a diagnosis of depression compared to those who have never vaped, according to a 2019 JAMA study of nearly 30,000 current e-cigarette users. Frequent vaping is tied to even higher odds (2.4x) of having a diagnosis of depression compared to never users.

Using e-cigarettes can worsen symptoms of depression, based on the results of a study of nearly 2,500 ninth graders who had never previously used e-cigarettes or combustible tobacco.

Using e-cigarettes at a higher frequency was associated with higher depressive symptoms - including feeling sad or having crying spells - a year later.

Current e-cigarette users had 1.67 times higher odds and former e-cigarette users had 1.52 times higher odds of reporting at least 1 day of poor mental health in the past month compared to never users.

Trace metals found in vape liquid may play a role in the potential link between vaping and depression.

Vaping is significantly associated with higher levels of ADHD symptoms, based on a 2019 study of college students. Using e-cigarettes as an adult also had nearly twice the odds of association with cognitive complaints - having serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions - compared to those who had never used e-cigarettes.

Many misinterpret the effects of tobacco products as a stress reliever. Indeed, Truth Initiative surveys show a large majority of young people who have used e-cigarettes started vaping to lessen feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression, and many continue vaping to cope with these feelings. Though they may be looking to nicotine for relief, many young people are unaware that vaping may make their symptoms worse.

The common misconception that nicotine relieves stress, anxiety, and depression, may be rooted in the cycle of nicotine withdrawal. Irritability, anxiety, and depression are some of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, and using nicotine relieves these symptoms temporarily. It's critical to recognize that the cycle of nicotine withdrawal, subsequent nicotine use, and alleviation of symptoms all starts with nicotine addiction in the first place. [See side bar "The illusion of nicotine as a stress-reliever" below]. In addition, the tobacco industry has invested significant resources in marketing that connects tobacco use with mental well-being, stress-relief, relaxation, and pleasure. [See side bar "How Big Tobacco has linked nicotine and mental health"]. Given these two factors - the cycle of nicotine withdrawal combined with tobacco industry marketing - it's no wonder that people have misconceptions about the role nicotine plays in mental well-being.

Published research on nicotine and mental health, combined with Truth Initiative survey data, point to an urgent need to increase awareness of the connections between youth vaping and mental well-being.

Mental Health and COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 70% of young people said anxiety and depression were a major problem among people their age in the community they live in, according to a 2019 report from Pew Research Center. Since then, the problem has gotten worse:
Depression and anxiety are up:

YOUNG PEOPLE VAPE NICOTINE-CONTAINING E-CIGARETTES TO TRY TO COPE

Truth Initiative surveys reveal that many young people cite feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression as reasons they start and continue vaping.

Overwhelming majority started vaping to decrease stress, anxiety, or depression: 81% who had used e-cigarettes said they started vaping to decrease stress, anxiety, or depression, according to an August 2021 survey of 1,000 people between ages 15 and 24.

More than half of vapers use e-cigarettes to cope: 50.3% of frequent vapers - those who vaped 20 or more days in the past month - reported that they need to vape to cope with stress or anxiety, according to Truth Initiative continuous tracking data from June 2021. In a separate study, when respondents were asked about the advantages of e-cigarette use, one of the most frequently listed advantages was "relaxation and stress relief."

78% of those who vaped before COVID-19 are vaping either the same or more during the pandemic. As many young people return to in-person learning, 70% report that they anticipate seeing young people vape at similar or higher rates as they go back to school.

Many tobacco users believe smoking reduces stress or anxiety. (See sidebar "The illusion of nicotine as a stress-reliever,").

The illusion of nicotine as a stress-reliever

Many tobacco users believe tobacco products can relieve stress or anxiety. They might be interpreting the ability of the products to curb the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal as a beneficial effect on mental health, according to research on the effects of quitting smoking on mental health published in 2014. According to the paper, smokers experience irritability, anxiety, and depression when they have not smoked for a while, feelings which are relieved by smoking. The cycle of symptoms followed by relief from smoking can create the perception that smoking has psychological benefits.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO VAPE ARE UNAWARE THAT VAPING CAN WORSEN MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

While young people may use e-cigarettes as a coping mechanism, they aren't always aware of the negative role e-cigarette's primary component - nicotine - can play in mental health. According to Truth Initiative Continuous Tracking Online (CTO) survey findings, most vapers are unaware of the mental health effects of vaping: only 44% of frequent vapers agreed that vaping can worsen anxiety and irritability, compared to 61% of those who don't vape, according to data collected in June 2021.

More than twice as many frequent vapers (45%) agreed that it is OK to vape for stress relief compared to non-vapers (20%). Similar patterns exist for survey respondents with any past 30-day use of e-cigarettes. The results suggest that, aside from not knowing that vaping can exacerbate mental health concerns, e-cigarette users are instead using them to cope with anxiety and stress, potentially worsening mental health in the long term.

Preventing the use of nicotine and helping those addicted quit is critical to helping to ensure today's young adults are best equipped for the future.

QUITTING VAPING CAN IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH

Quitting smoking is linked with lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as improved positive mood and quality of life compared with continuing to smoke, according to a 2014 meta-analysis of 26 studies about smoking and mental health published in the British Medical Journal.

Similarly, there is emerging evidence of a link between quitting vaping and improvements in mental health symptoms. Truth Initiative survey data show support for this link between quitting nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and improved mental health outcomes.

90% of those who quit said they felt less stressed, anxious, or depressed

47% of respondents who quit vaping reported that when they quit vaping they felt more in control

78% of respondents who reported ever vaping but had not quit said they would feel better about themselves if they quit vaping

Previous Truth Initiative research published in Preventive Medicine Reports show high interest in quitting among young people. A majority of current young e-cigarette users surveyed say they intend to quit, with one-third reporting a past-year quit attempt and 15% aiming to quit in the next month.

Truth Initiative's This is Quitting® (TIQ), the first-of-its-kind program from truth to help young people quit vaping, has helped more than 370,000 youth and young adults on their journey to quit vaping. Teens and young adults can text "DITCHVAPE" to 88709 and get immediate help. Parents of young people who vape can get support at BecomeAnEX.org.

How Big Tobacco has linked nicotine and mental health

The tobacco industry has invested significant resources to connect tobacco with mental well-being, including giving away cigarettes to psychiatric facilities, supporting research that positions cigarettes as a way to self-medicate, and using stress relief themes in marketing. One prominent theme used in their tobacco advertising is that "smoking can help solve some personal and emotional problems by relieving stress and promoting relaxation," according to the National Cancer Institute's 2008 report on the role of media in tobacco use.

This theme can be seen in many tobacco ads, from early Camel ads that picture people relaxing with a cigarette which reads: "It's a psychological fact, pleasure helps your disposition. For more pure pleasure - have a Camel," to the long-running Newport marketing campaign featuring the tagline "Pleasure" and images that associate cigarettes with care-free fun. Many e-cigarette brands are now tapping into themes of stress relief and mental well-being as well, including the popular disposable e-cigarette brand Puff Bar, which during the pandemic as a way to "stay sane," advertising it as "the perfect escape from back-to-back zoom calls, parental texts, and WFH stress."

ACTION NEEDED

The associations between youth vaping nicotine and mental health concerns add to the urgency to regulate and reduce youth access to e-cigarette products. As young people continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic and cope with its attendant stressors on mental well-being, we must work to create a supportive environment that reduces the availability of products that exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Preventing the use of nicotine and helping those addicted quit is critical to helping to ensure today's young adults are best equipped for the future.

Policymakers and regulators must take steps to reduce the use of e-cigarettes, including:

Removing all flavored products: The FDA must act to remove from the market all non-tobacco flavors - including menthol - from all tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, little cigars, cigarillos, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and hookah. Federal actions to date to limit the marketing of e-cigarettes, including removing some pod-type flavored e-cigarette products, have proven insufficient to significantly reduce the alarming number of young people who use e-cigarettes.

Restrict nicotine levels: The FDA should limit nicotine levels of e-cigarettes by capping nicotine strength as is done in the EU and Canada. Truth Initiative supports restricting not only nicotine levels, but also the mechanism by which nicotine is delivered (e.g. restrictions on levels of nicotine salts), to reduce the amount of nicotine e-cigarettes deliver to the body. These restrictions will help reduce the addictiveness of the products.

Ensure a thorough and transparent pre-market review process: FDA needs to be transparent about both the review process and its enforcement of the regulations against those products and companies who are operating outside of the existing regulatory structure. This diligence is especially critical as the agency postponed its decisions on the pre-market reviews of the products that make up the largest share of the market. As the FDA continues its review process for these products, including JUUL, Vuse, blu, Logic, and NJOY, it must ensure a thorough and transparent process.

Restrict e-cigarette marketing to ensure it is aimed at adults: FDA must impose restrictions on all marketing, including social media marketing, to ensure e-cigarette advertising to be aimed at adults switching away from combustible tobacco.

Restrict access to adult smokers: FDA authorization of e-cigarettes should be accompanied by strict requirements that restrict access to adult smokers, including selling e-cigarettes in adult-only retail spaces, no self-service sales, and no in-store/window promotional signage near schools.

Internet sales: FDA should prohibit all non-face-to-face sales, along with internet sales of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Taxation: Federal, state and local tax-writing authorities should set taxes on e-cigarettes at a level sufficient to discourage youth use.

FDA should prohibit all non-face-to-face sales, along with internet sales of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Download report

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Colliding Crises: Youth Mental Health and Nicotine Use

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Many young people turn to nicotine to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression, but it may be making them feel worse Download report Two health crises among youth - a mental health crisis and a vaping epidemic - pose increasing threats to a generation of young people.

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Effective Programs for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Effective Programs for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Teens and social media use: What's the impact?

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Find out how to help limit the negative impact of these popular apps on your teenager.

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Youth Statistics: Internet and Social Media - ACT for Youth

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U.S. youth statistics about teen internet and social media use, with selected statistics for New York State.

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9 Effective Teaching Strategies for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Children are the beacon of hope for our future. Their mental health and emotional well-being are the very foundation upon which future success and happiness are built.

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Addressing kids’ challenging behaviors through a neurobehavioral lens

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Addressing kids’ challenging behaviors through a neurobehavioral lens

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Access denied | www.childneurologyfoundation.org used Cloudflare to restrict access | www.childneurologyfoundation.org | Cloudflare

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This module overviews the effects of disruptive behaviors as well as important key concepts and foundational practices related to effective classroom behavior management, including cultural influences on behavior, the creation of positive climates and structured classrooms, and much more (est. completion time: 2 hours). Note: This resource replaces an earlier version of this module. Much of the information from that previous version can still be found in part two of the series:

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Classroom Behavior Management (Part 1): Key Concepts and Foundational Practices

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This module overviews the effects of disruptive behaviors as well as important key concepts and foundational practices related to effective classroom behavior management, including cultural influences on behavior, the creation of positive climates and structured classrooms, and much more (est. completion time: 2 hours). Note: This resource replaces an earlier version of this module.

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The home of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). FInd more information on PBIS, how to implement PBIS, get resources and materials, and how to get support. Funded by the U.S.

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Discover how schools can collaborate with HEARD Alliance to support student mental health and implement effective programs.

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Division for Emotional Behavioral Health

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Division for Emotional Behavioral Health

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Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders

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Teacher Educators of Children with Behavior Disorders (TECBD) Conference

Teacher Educators of Children with Behavior Disorders (TECBD) Conference The annual Teacher Educators for Children with Behavior Disorders (TECBD) conference is the premier educational research conference for teacher educators working with children and youth with severe behavioral disorders. The 2022 TECBD Conference will be a hybrid event. The agenda will include workshops, strands, and general sessions delivered in a variety of formats.

In-person at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel November 16-17

Virtually on November 18

DEBH Foundation & Awards 2024 Announcement

As educators and researchers, fall is a time to start thinking about the upcoming academic year. Is there a project you would like funding for? A professional development opportunity you would like to attend? Additional funds to help pay for your education? The DEBH Foundation & Awards has multiple grants and scholarships. See flyer and links for more information and submission.

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How to Support Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Strategies to help foster communication with students challenged by emotional and behavioral disorders.