Cultivating Resilience

1. Build and maintain a consistent strategic plan that eliminates adding flavor-of-the-month responsibilities to the faculty’s already considerable workload. this focus provides stability and avoids faculty burnout.
2. Understand that student behavior is a way of communicating. To counter ineffective behaviors, the district promotes training around social and emotional learning, making it as important as traditional academics in supporting student wellbeing.
3. Healing happens in the context of healthy relationships over time. Support staff across the district - nurture the nurturers - to help them best serve their students. Promote healthy school cultures by supporting everyone in the district.
4. Adopt a flywheel mentality. Build momentum by focusing on achieving a few things that get the achievement ball moving. We can't do everything at once, but we can build toward better.
5. Referenced Interview with Susan Engel Books by Susan Engel The Intellectual Lives of Children The Hungry Mind Book by Todd Whitaker What Great Principals Do Differently

Howard is the president and founder of the REACH Center for Multicultural Education in Seattle, Washington. He is the author of We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know 3rd Edition and We Can’t Lead Where We Won’t Go: An Educators’ Guide to Equity.

In this conversation, Gary Howard invites listeners to engage in reflective thinking about our racializing experiences. He begins by sharing his story of growing up as a White male in cultural isolation to becoming more culturally responsive during his collegiate years in New Haven, Connecticut. Howard emphasizes the importance of a multiethnic, multireligious, multigender teaching corps to understand that the work of personal transformation goes beyond just being culturally aware, beyond multicultural content, and conversations about differences. It is about the deeper work of acknowledging how our racializing experiences may impact our practice and how we relate to ‘others’ in ways we are not consciously aware of.

Our discussion touched upon trauma and mental health issues in the Benton Harbor Area Schools, emphasizing the need for mental health initiatives for both teachers and students. The importance of leadership philosophy and growing leaders within the district was highlighted, focusing on equity and addressing barriers through strategic planning and partnerships. The conversation also delved into education, neuroscience, and self-improvement through self-reflection and student feedback, ultimately emphasizing the significance of psychological safety, community engagement, and building alliances in education.

Key Topics

School leadership, trauma, and community support in Benton Harbor. (2:27)

Leadership, transparency, and building relationships in a school district. (9:26)

Mental health and wellness support for students and teachers in Benton Harbor. (14:25)

Addressing barriers to education and mental health support. (20:54)

Education, neuroscience, and teacher training. (27:39)

Self-reflection and improving teaching methods. (31:17)

Education, vulnerability, and agency in the classroom. (38:07)

Building alliances and addressing trauma in schools. (44:07)

Transformational leadership in education. (49:53)

Education reform with a focus on student involvement. (52:02)

School website: https://www.bhas.org/

As a passionate and dedicated principal, Anitra is committed to addressing trauma and creating a culturally responsive and trauma-informed environment in her school. She believes that all students can learn and succeed, and she is always looking for ways to improve their education. She is a strong advocate for her students, and she is committed to addressing trauma and promoting wellness in her school community. She is also a strong advocate for her faculty, and she believes they should be remembered for making a difference in education rather than just teaching content.

• Integrity

• Instruction

• Inspiration

Email: [email protected]

School website: https://www.hsd2.org/pms

A lifelong educator, Michelle Trujillo M.Ed is a Co-Founder of the Center for Learning and Well-Being and is known to make a tangible, sustainable, and positive difference through her books, speaking engagements, and interactive workshops. Named Nevada’s 2016 Innovative Educator of the Year, Michelle has appeared on television (including Oprah), podcasts, and radio nationwide. Michelle partners with school districts, professional educational associations, educational service agencies, and conference organizers to provide relevant answers to future-facing challenges. Michelle’s books include Social Emotional Well-Being for Educators (Corwin, 2022), Thriving through Adversity: Powerful Strategies for Educators to Ignite Hope, Inspire Students and Transform Schools (Center for Learning and Well-Being, 2022), and Start with the Heart: Igniting Hope in Schools Through Social and Emotional Learning (Corwin, 2019).

In a conversation about the challenges and well-being of educators, Michelle, a former teacher and principal, emphasized the importance of educational leaders understanding and supporting the well-being of their teachers to meet the academic and emotional needs of students effectively. She also introduced a framework for well-being that focused on six components: being reflective, intentional, empathetic, connected, accountable, and equitable.

Mental Health and Wellness for educators. (5:06)

The importance of social-emotional well-being for educators. (9:38)

Michelle’s six-part framework for social-emotional well-being. (13:42)

The importance of being accountable to ourselves. (16:19)

Creating a community of care and collective responsibility. (20:28)

Strategies to nourish your well-being. (25:25)

How to promote well-being. (33:05)

What we learned from the interview. (34:47)

Leveraging strengths and opportunities for growth. (40:12)

Connect with Michelle

[email protected]

www.centerforlearningandwellbeing.org

amazon.com/author/michelletrujillo

Keynote Clip: Collective Efficacy

Corwin Clip: Start with the Heart

Framework for Educator Well-Being (PDF)

Social-Emotional Well-Being Check-in (PDF)