Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a Youth Mental Health First Aid training. This was such an eye opening experience because I had never realized just how REAL and COMMON mental health issues and disorders are. More importantly, I had never realized how much damage can be done if we fail to recognize the signs and get the youth the proper help that they need. This immediately placed a heavy burden on my shoulders as I thought about all of the students I have had and all of the students I will have in the future; it seemed like too much to handle! I was comforted to learn that it is not my job to diagnose my students, nor is it my job to "fix" their problems. It is however my job to let them know that I care, speak up, and lead them to the help that they need. It is my job to help keep them safe. I encourage all fellow educators as well as parents to seek more information on youth mental health and if at all possible sign up for a course by visiting the YMHFA website. View the video below for a quick introduction to the concept of youth mental health.
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This week I had the opportunity to browse through many examples of eportfolios that range in purpose. The four I will be referencing are the following:
Upon reflecting on my teaching practices, I identified communication with parents as a targeted area of growth for the upcoming school year. My students are part of an age group (12-14) that does not tend to have open communication with their parents. During parent teacher conferences, parents often express their frustration of not knowing what their kids are doing at school every day because when they ask, the answer is always "nothing."
The unique thing about an eportfolio is that you can show what you have learned rather than just listing it. Dwayne Harapnuik states that the minimalist definition of an eportfolio is "a learner's digital evidence of meaningful connections." Personally I believe this will lead me to raise my own standards to ensure that I am confident in the meaningful connections I am claiming to have made. For me, the most intriguing aspect of an eportfolio is having the opportunity to tell your story. Often times a resume can reduce you to numbers; GPA, test scores, years of experience, amount of awards, etc. An eportfolio allows your audience to see beyond those numbers, it allows your audience to really capture your way of thinking.
This past week I had the opportunity to attend a conference hosted in my district for Conscious Discipline. It was a week PACKED with research based information as well as strategies we could immediately put into practice. The video below features Dr. Becky Bailey, the developer of the Conscious Discipline (CD) program summarizing what the CD program is all about.
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AuthorMiss E. Garcia Archives
September 2018
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