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School Social Work NOW!
Supporting Innovative Practice,
Effective Leadership, and Applied Research
Vol 6, Issue 37
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Plan now for your 2015-2016 Professional Learning experiences!
October 17 - 18, 2016
Milwaukee, WI
- designed for school social workers
- offers an opportunity for training in nationally approved PREPaRE 2 crisis and trauma response. Brochure.
January 30 - February 1, 2017
5th Nat'l Advancing School Social Work Practice Institute
New Orleans, LA
- learn much, play hard, and enjoy new connections
- join us at Tulane University
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Register now or submit a proposal--due September 15th. Join your colleagues in a professional learning experience that is worth your time!
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Experiencing direct and indirect forms of violence during childhood significantly increased risk for drug and alcohol dependence later in life.
"We were surprised that chronic parental domestic violence exposure remained significantly associated with both drug and alcohol dependence, even when we adjusted for childhood maltreatment, depression and most of the known risk factors for substance dependency," Esme Fuller-Thomson, PhD, of the University of Toronto,said in a press release. "In fact, the odds of alcohol dependency among those who witnessed their parents' chronic domestic violence were about 50% higher than those without that exposure, and these odds were similar in magnitude to that of childhood sexual abuse." Full article.
Use the SSW Time Study Tool and improve your practice. The SSW Time Study Tool is a simple, straightforward way to collect data about how you spend your time. One week a month, you track your activities in 15 minute increments on an easy to use spreadsheet (takes typically less than five minutes a day). The spreadsheet then creates premade graphs and charts of your data.
When he was 15 years old, Javier immigrated to the United States with his mom and little brother. Their plane touched down on a snowy night in Hartford, Connecticut where Javier's father Osmin anxiously awaited. Osmin had been part of a labor movement organization in El Salvador and was forced by threat of violence to flee. Two years later, the family reunited and, within a few days, Javier found himself in a mostly white classroom where he did not speak a word of English. His shy temperament further complicated his ability to make friends and gain a foothold in this new land. Fortunately, Javier's school had a mentoring program through which he was matched with Colin, a thoughtful, kind 26-year old graduate student from nearby Trinity College. Over time, Colin began to understand Javier's complicated and traumatic sending circumstances and the ways in which they continued to reverberate through Javier's very sense of being. One time, when a nearby student dropped a stack of plastic trays, Javier instinctively jumped into Colin's arms in terror. A tenuous bond deepened. Continue with article for strategies.
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What if you assumed that those people who work for you are in fact doing their best? As leaders we are quick to judge those we lead and when they don't fit what we think they should be doing, we often get resentful and angry.
I believe that most of us are doing the best we can. Our challenge as leaders is to help challenge those we lead to grow into what is the next level of "best they can do." If they are not willing to become the next best version of themselves, kindly send them on their way to somewhere else where their attributes will be appreciated. More.
People don't quit jobs; they quit bosses. So when you're the leader, your job directly impacts employee retention. While some people are naturally good at managing others, all of us have strengths and weaknesses that can affect our relationships with members of the team.
"When you're in charge, your opinion takes up more space than others', whether you intend it or not," says Jonathan Raymond, author of Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For. "What you say and do carries more weight. It's only a bad thing when it's disempowering and demotivating others from finding their own voice."
Looking at yourself as a whole can help you sidestep the pitfalls and become a better leader, says Raymond... Access article.
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Head Start early education programs were found in a recent study to have an especially good effect for children with disabilities, researchers in Michigan report.
Disabled children enrolled in federal Head Start early school programs fare better on tests of literacy, math and reading than those not in the programs, and are more likely to have their disabilities verified by a doctor, according to a study by Michigan State University.
The Head Start programs, funded by the U.S. federal government and administered by individual states, are designed to improve children's readiness for kindergarten based on family income. The programs also help connect parents to poverty- and healthcare-related social services, which have also been shown to benefit children. Continue.
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Recommended Read for July & August
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Traumatic Experience and the Brain: A Handbook for Understanding and Treating Those Traumatized As Children
by Dave Ziegler
Traumatic Experience and the Brain is the result of Dr. Dave Ziegler's three decades of experience with children traumatized by abuse and/or neglect. This book details the effect of such trauma on the developing brain, describing how it actually rewires one's perceptions of self, others, and the world. It is a book of hope for foster, natural, and adoptive parents of such "broken" children and the therapists, teachers and social workers who attempt to help them. Dave Ziegler, M.S., Ph.D., is the director of Scar/Jasper Mountain, a residential treatment program in Oregon for some of society's most damaged children.
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| Professional Development Opportunities |
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Television's track record for telling stories involving individuals with special needs is spotty, and particularly tricky when it comes to comedy. That's something that "Speechless" executive producer Scott Silveri sounded well aware of during a Thursday morning panel at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Beverly Hills.
Centered on a family navigating the issues that can arise while raising a nonverbal special-needs child (portrayed by actor Micah Fowler, who has cerebral palsy), "Speechless" is a story Silveri said he had long wanted to tell after being raised with a brother with special needs. But, the former "Friends" producer was wary of how to tell it. Read more.
ACSSW joins many others in congratulating Dr. Gary Bowen!
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill today announced that Gary L. Bowen has been selected as the new dean for the School of Social Work. He is currently Kenan Distinguished Professor in the School.
"Gary Bowen is a longtime faculty member, who along with former Dean John B. Turner, worked to develop the school's doctoral program from 1988-92. Over the years, that program has grown and is now one of the reasons the school is nationally recognized and consistently earns a top ranking in U.S. News and World Report," said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost James W. Dean Jr. "Chancellor Carol L. Folt and I are confident that under his leadership, the school will continue to develop innovative research that enhances social work practice and education." More.
With all the talk about bullying in schools, a new federal report shows a remarkably rosy picture - 60 percent of San Diego County school districts and charter organizations report zero harassment or intimidation on the basis of race, sex or disability.
Encinitas Union Elementary School District? No incidents among its 5,400 students in the most recent report, for 2013-14. Coronado schools? Zero. La Mesa-Spring Valley School District had no such bullying to report either. Officials at the U.S. Department of Education say the numbers are an accurate reflection of what school officials report to them, but some advocates say the data defies belief. Continue. |
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School Social Work Positions
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New This Week
No new postings.
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Students with Disabilities: What Do I Do?
August 16, 2016 - 3 - 4 pm ET
The laws and expectations of how school districts are to educate students with disabilities are complex and complicated. General education teachers need to understand the basics of special education and their critical role in the process. The problem is general classroom teachers often do not have the training to understand all that is required when educating students who have disabilities.
The laws that most significantly impact students' with disabilities educational program are the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These laws are interpreted based on the individual needs of the student and can be difficult to implement. Join David F. Bateman and Jenifer L. Cline, authors of the new ASCD book A Teacher's Guide to Special Education, in an engaging webinar where teachers will gain a basic overview of the expectations and intent of the law, an understanding of their role in the process, and some tools to help them be strong members of a student's special education or 504 team. Register.
Homework Problems You Can Solve: A Parent's Guide to Conquering Assignments
August 23, 2016 - 1 - 2 pm ET
Homework is the great equalizer. It is equally deplored by both kids and parents - in no small part because of the nightly battles it incites. Students who forget to write down assignments or struggle to remember the day's lessons fight tooth and nail to sit down and concentrate on homework after a full day of executive function challenges. And tired parents grow weary of nagging and checking in while also making dinner and managing after-school activities. Register.
ESSA: Meeting Students' Needs Under Title IV
August 25, 2016 - 3 - 4 pm ET
Rather than continuing to authorize individual programs that support a well-rounded education, ESSA creates a block grant that provides formula funding to states and districts. Districts that receive funds under this block grant must spend at least 20 percent of their allocation on a well-rounded academic activity and 20 percent on an activity that supports safe and healthy students, and they may use some funds to expand the use of technology. This means that, although discrete funding streams will no longer be available to support programs such as physical education, district leaders can allocate funds from the block grant according to their schools' needs, without the hassle of applying for a myriad of grants to support various activities. Learn more and click on "add to calendar."
The Intersectionality of Race and Class in Identity-Based Bullying
October 6, 2016 - 2 - 3 pm ET
This session will focus on creating greater awareness of the intersectionality of race and class in bullying incidents and the role of the educator in understanding the subtle and more nuanced differences from traditional bullying . Drawing on recent examples, as well as participant experiences, this interactive workshop will explore the relationship between bullying, stereotypes, race, class and school climate. We will discuss strategies for responding to bias-motivated bullying ,help students better understand the specific role of being an ally and to develop the motivation to create inclusive school environments for all students. Learn more and register.
The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps
The University-Based Child and Family Policy Consortium, in collaboration with the Society for Research in Child Development, hosted "The Impact of Terrorism on Children: What Harms, What Helps" webinar on February 16, 2016. Based on an SRCD Social Policy Report written by James Garbarino and colleagues, and the Social Policy Report Commentary by Ann Masten, this webinar will discuss the research on the effects of children's exposure to terrorism. Access webinar. Approx. 1 hr.
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3rd Quarter Deadline: September 30, 2016
Grants of up to $500 are available for "innovative programs, events, or projects" from the Meemic Foundation for Michigan, Wisconsin or Illinois. Apply online using their easy application that takes less than 30 minutes to complete. These grants are open to any employee of a K-12 public or private school. Universities and colleges may also apply. Fill-in-the-blank application.
Grants are accepted year round, but the third quarter cycle ends September 30th. Grants are up to $500. Recipients will be notified by November 15th.
The foundation says it supports "basically anything that supports teachers and enhances the student's educational experience" - from field trips to books to behavior modification programs; science, music, or art equipment to professional development.
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