Getting Unstuck #198: The Neuroscience Underpinnings of Trauma in Schools
The Takeaway
Many educators still think of student mental health, and social and emotional learning as adjuncts to academic achievement. But neurologically, students need to be in a psychologically safe place to learn. If they are in a state of high stress or trauma, the part of the brain that facilitates learning is inaccessible. Thus, student academic achievement rests on the shoulders of student wellness.
Our guest
Dr. Melissa Hughes is a neuroscience researcher and a life-long educator. She works with school and business leaders to understand how the brain functions and how to make it work better to build cultures of learning and leadership.
Melissa
• is the author of Happier Hour with Einstein: Another Round, a wonderful adventure into neuroscience written in plain English.
• is the author of “Neuro-Nuggets,” a weekly vlog that shares neuroscience research that has relevance to our daily lives.
• is a TEDx speaker: “I am a fraud; I think you’re a fraud, too”
• Serves as the Florida Director for “Give Back,” an organization that provides college scholarships and mentoring to students who have faced economic hardship and other adversities such as foster care or the incarceration of a parent.
As you listen
• What are the various ways that ACEs – adverse childhood experiences – affect students?
• How do high levels of cortisol brought on by toxic stress — a prolonged fear state — impact students?
• What is the relationship between long-term stress, or trauma, and learning?
• What, according to Melissa, is the real job of today’s educators?
• What are the signs that a student might be experiencing trauma?
• What are some easy ways to offset stress and the production of cortisol?
In her own words
Students who are experiencing high levels of stress or trauma need to recover in a psychologically safe environment. What can educators at all levels do to create that environment?
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According to recent polls, employees are feeling a range of emotions about the changing workplace. Given the uncertainty the pandemic has created, one thing IS certain: Research reveals a significant shift in what employees need now to be engaged and successful. As we continue to adapt to changes that are out of our control, understanding basic human needs and the unintended by-products of the virtual workspace that cripple company culture must be integral to the change process.
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Read it!
In Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader, Daniel Bauer – highly sought-after coach and mentor to thousands of school leaders –introduces readers to a strategic advantage relied on by business leaders since the 1930s. The mastermind is an exceptional PD model for leaders looking to level up – and if this advantage worked for people like Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and FDR, what could it do for you and your school? Framed around the ABCs of Powerful Professional DevelopmentTM , this book will provide school leaders with:
Templates and tools for starting and running successful mastermind groups
Protocols to encourage collaboration, dialogue, and problem solving so school leaders can work together to overcome challenges
Stories of impact from education mastermind participants all over the world
The question is – what would you be able to accomplish within your school if you showed up this year as the leader you were meant to be?
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