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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 4, Issue 12
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As the end of 2013 nears and with the holidays so close upon us, here is something to consider. ACSSW has posted this idea, this "gift" in years past, but this year the description can be seen via video of Dr. Steve Sroke who came up with the idea of The Gift in a Toxic Society.
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Just a quick reminder: If you are planning to attend the ACSSW 3rd annual School Social Work Conference in New Orleans on February 10-11, don't wait on making your hotel reservations. We have obtained phenomenal rates but the cut-off dates are fast approaching and rooms are limited. If you hesitate, you will be paying premium rates at other hotels. Due to other events in New Orleans inexpensive rooms are very limited.
Professionals from across the nation and beyond have been registering for the conference. It is interactive and enriching. The brochure is available online and has information about the hotels as well as the workshops and speakers. Register now and check it off your "To Do" list! Discounts are available for teams of 3 or more from the same school/parish/district.
Sending you the warmest of Seasons' Greetings and a very Happy New Year. The next issue of the newsletter will be in January.
Judith Kullas Shine
President
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Recommended Read for December
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Strategies for Engaging Parents, Teachers and Students
by Keith Herman, Wendy Reinke, Andy Frey, and Stephanie Shepard
Based on encouraging research on the value of MI in K-12 settings, this practical book explains the basic elements of MI theory and demonstrates, step-by-step, how the four-stage process of engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning can be used with the families of students who need psychological or counseling services, teachers who need consultation and support to improve classroom management, and the students themselves. The book discusses barriers to readiness to change and describes how to foster engagement and compliance with school services to increase the likelihood that positive change will occur. It also describes how MI can be used to increase the effectiveness of inter-professional teams in school settings, along with ways in which MI can be integrated into and build support for already established programs. Richly illustrated with examples of using MI as a strategy for promoting everyday conversations about change--the nucleus of MI practice--the book also includes case studies and sample handouts for mental health professionals, students, family members, and teachers. Pub. date 12/19/13.
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This brief but pointed comparison of resilience and posttraumatic growth will be a good, basic reference tool for those who are working with children who have experienced trauma. "Resilience exists prior to exposure to trauma or a stressful life experience . . . Posttraumatic growth in children develops as a result of lessons learned from exposure to trauma or crisis." More.
Interconnecting School Mental Health and School-Wide Positive Behavior Support
Note: Chapter 8 of this report on the Interconnected Systems Framework which connects school mental health and PBIS has been informed by the survey that you, school social workers from across the country, participated in several months ago. Thanks to you and others who completed the survey, the document is richer and better reflects the reality in which we work.
This monograph is about improving the quality of life and outcomes for children and youth, especially those children who are at risk for or experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges. The editors have wisely chosen a title for the monograph that signals the pivotal role of education in this endeavor. Advancing Education Effectiveness: Interconnecting School Mental Health and Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Support clearly conveys the message that effective education is the primary goal and linking two important processes will be the strategy promoted to achieve this goal. The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) is described in the following chapters as the proposed mechanism that can effectively link School Mental Health (SMH) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in order to leverage the individual strengths of each of these processes and produce enhanced teaching and learning environments through their strategic linkage.
The decision to advance a systems framework such as the ISF and to connect SMH and PBIS has theoretical, practical, and empirical support. This is especially important for any initiative that addresses the complex needs of children and youth at risk for or experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges. Download and read full report.
free e-book from Liana Lowenstein
Liana Lowenstein is a well known speaker and therapist who offers many ideas for and to practitioners. Check out her website and sign up for the free e-book. Free Therapeutic Activities E-Book.
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App - Psych Drugs Free for a limited time
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Come to NOLA
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SAVE THE DATES!
February 10-11, 2014
NEW ORLEANS!
School Social Workers:
Inspiring HOPE. . .
Advocating for JUSTICE
Learn More Now!
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Free Guides for School Social Workers
Columbia University Teachers College Press published 4 guides geared to support teachers, administrators, student personnel staff, and parents. For a limited period, and as supplies last, TCP has agreed to provide FREE copies of the guides to social workers and educators working with military kids in schools including: teachers, school administrators, PPS workers, and military parents. School social workers should be aware of this wonderful, time-limited, FREE offer from TCP. Many school social workers will benefit from these guides.
The process is simple. Each individual desiring a free book would need to click on the link, select the type of book s/he desires, and fill out name, mailing address, etc. on the Qualtrix form after selecting the book desired. The book will be mailed in a few weeks.
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When student interns and other new social workers are making decisions about where to work, one of the most important factors to consider is the quality of field supervision (sometimes called field education or field instruction). Ideally, you will have a supervisor who not only excels as a practitioner, but one who possesses a high level of competence (skills, knowledge, and ethics) as a field supervisor. Ideally, you will have a supervisor who is always available and always ready to provide you with the support that you need to provide services in a competent manner and to facilitate your professional development. And ideally, you will have a positive relationship with your supervisor, based on mutual respect and trust. So, what happens when the reality departs from these ideals? Read more.
Imagine this scenario: Your boss has just handed you a big project. You're excited to get started, but she's left you with no direction as to how she expects you to go about it. She's specified the deadline and the deliverable, and has left you to find your own way. Your last boss was the complete opposite. He'd hand you a piece of work and then spend the next few weeks hovering over your shoulder, questioning your decisions and offering "helpful advice" at every turn. These two scenarios illustrate opposite ends of a management style spectrum. The first boss has a "laissez faire" management style, and the second is the classic micromanager - more politely known as a "very-hands-on" manager. Both styles can be effective in the right circumstances, but not, usually, when they're taken to extremes. As usual, the best approach lies somewhere between the extremes. In this article we'll look at each management style, and see how to find the best style for each person and situation. Read more here.
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Two studies examining elements of the association between the Responsive Classroom® (RC) approach and teacher-student interaction quality were published in the Journal of School Psychology in 2013. Also in 2013, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
Learning (CASEL) SELect program designated the RC approach as a comprehensive evidence-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program with strong potential for widespread dissemination. This designation heightens the importance of considering the extent to which the RC approach produces changes in teacher-student interactions. By design, RC practices target teachers' classroom practice with the goal of enhancing the quality of students' relationships, behavior, and engagement. Therefore, it is quite plausible that the RC approach could enhance the quality of day-to-day interactions among teachers and students. Both studies were conducted in the context of a larger longitudinal randomized controlled trial, the Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study (RCES), led by Sara Rimm-Kaufman at the University of Virginia. Schools were randomized into intervention and waitlist control groups. Teachers in the treatment group attended up to two one-week RC training institutes while teachers in the control group continued with "business as usual." Both studies used data from third and fourth grade teachers. To continue, click here and go to page 6. |
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More than half of teens with psychiatric disorders go untreated, with treatment rates for some conditions being lower than others, according to a new study. And among teens with psychiatric disorders who do receive treatment, the health care providers are not often mental health specialists, but rather school counselors, pediatricians and probation officers, said researchers from the Duke Center for Child and Family Policy, the National Institute of Mental Health and Harvard Medical School. The study, published in the journal Psychiatric Services, is based on 10,000 U.S. teens who participated in the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement survey. Learn more.
Over the past 15 years, researchers have learned that highly stressful - and potentially traumatic - childhood experiences are more prevalent than previously understood. Now scientists are shedding light on the mechanisms by which they change the brain and body. These insights have far-reaching implications for schools, where it's still standard practice to punish children for misbehavior that they often do not know how to control. This is comparable to punishing a child for having a seizure; it adds to the suffering and makes matters worse. Thankfully, some places are getting smarter. Continue.
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Deadline: February 14, 2014, 5 p.m. EST
For more than 65 years, Lowe's has supported the communities we call home. At a time when schools and community groups are struggling to support the basic needs of their communities, the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation recognizes the importance of financial support. This year, as a foundation, we are challenging ourselves to seek ways to provide the tools that help our educators and parent groups through today's challenging times efficiently, while providing the greatest impact, with basic necessities taking priority.
The Spring 2014 cycle is now open. However, if 1500 applications are received before the application deadline, then the application process will close. Learn more.
Children's Foundation Medical Grants for Children in Need
These grants are designed to cover financial expenses for a child's medical needs beyond a family's health benefit plan. Families can directly apply online for these grants of up to $5,000. Details.
Do Something Seed Grants
Do Something Seed Grants for youth can be used towards project ideas and programs that are just getting started, or to jump-start a program and realize ideas for the first time. These grants can also be used towards projects that are already developed and sustainable, towards the next steps of a project and organization as it looks to expand and grow impact. Maximum award: $500. Eligibility: community projects that are youth-led and driven. Deadline: rolling. Application.
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archived
Group mentoring is an increasingly popular strategy for providing positive relationships and activities to youth in need. In fact, over 20% of youth mentoring programs offer some form of group mentoring, while a survey of American volunteers finds that over half say they work with more than one young person at a time. But compared to one-to-one mentoring, the research on the group approach is still emerging, and programs often wonder when group mentoring might be the right fit and how to implement these models for maximum effectiveness. Access online.
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