Supporting Challenging Students NJPSA Presentation Mental IllnessACES Presenters

Supporting Challenging Students NJPSA Presentation Mental Illness/ACES Presenters: Dumar Burgess, Principal Dr. George Jackson, Principal

Goals of the Presentation ● Goal 1: Explore the challenges of servicing students in public education. ○ ○ ○ The implications of servicing diverse populations. The hidden epidemic of mental illness and its impact. Understanding the factors that contribute to students social and emotional development. ● Goal 2: Share strategies that can be used to support students. ○ ○ Focus on relationship building De-escalation strategies Explore a school-wide approach to supporting social and emotional development Sharing educational resources relating to mental health

We all bring us to work?

Who are we? and Who do we bring to work everyday?

Who are you?

Let me re-introduce myself!

Clarification of Terms ➢ Mental Health ○ Mental health related to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being ■ It’s how we think, feel, or act. ■ It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. ➢ Mental Illness/Mental Disorders ○ Health conditions related to emotions, thoughts, or behaviors. ■ There can be a combination of these factors. (Mental. Health. gov, 2019; American Psychiatric Association, 2019)

Clarification of Important Terms ● Trauma ○ An emotional response to a terrible event. ■ Long term effects of trauma can be unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, physical symptoms, etc. ● Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) ○ ○ Traumatic events occurring before age 18. ■ All forms of abuse and neglect ■ Parent mental health, substance abuse, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence Traumatic experience can have lasting impact on a person’s social and emotional development that lasts into adulthood (U. S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2019; American Psychological Association, 2019)

Let's think about our kids (Activity #1) ➢ Describe characteristics of a ideal student? ○ ○ ○ Collaborate and create write the attributes on the chart paper. Be prepared to report out. Time 5 min. ➢ Describe characteristics of a challenging student? ○ ○ ○ Collaborate and create write the attributes on the chart paper. Be prepared to report out. Time 5 min.

Activity #2: Unpacking Our Children ➢ Reflect on how the following factors impact students’ social and emotional development. ○ ○ Environment People Demographics Health/Genetic ➢ 3 -5 min Self-Reflection ➢ 3 -5 min Group Discussion

Unpacking Our Children ➢ What factors make-up a person? ➢ Environment ■ ■ ■ Home School Community ➢ People ■ ■ ■ Parents/Guardians/Caregivers Relatives Community Members (i. e. Neighbors) Organizations (i. e Churches, Clubs, Teams) Celebrities/Politicians/Activists ➢ Racial/Ethnic Identities ■ ■ Race Culture Ancestral/Family History Spiritual ➢ Health/Genetics ■ ■ ■ Physical Mental Emotional

Video (6 Min. ) Mind, The Mental Health Charity Mental Health: In Our Own Words https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_y 97 VF 5 UJcc

Types of Behaviors that are Associated with Mental Illness ➢ Externalizing Behaviors Externalizing behaviors (directed outward) are behaviors that are directed toward the social environment. Externalizing behaviors manifests itself as verbal threats or aggressive physical actions (e. g. fighting, hitting, etc. ) ➢ Internalizing Behaviors Internalizing behaviors (directed inward) are behaviors that are manifest internally (e. g. depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, mood disorders, etc. ). (Marsh, 2016)

(Anonymous)

Video (Min. 17) TED Ideas Worth Spreading How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime By: Nadine Burke Harris Web Source: https: //www. ted. com/talks/nadine_burke_harris_how_childhood_trauma_affects _health_across_a_lifetime? language=en#t-635273

What are you thoughts?

What does the data say students with mental illness? ➢ 1 in 5 students will suffer from a mental illness. ➢ 70% of students that are diagnosed in middle school exhibited behaviors by 2 nd grade. ➢ 80% of students with mental illness do not receive treatment. ➢ Approx. 40% of students with mental health issues will graduate. (Compared to 76% students without mental illness. ) ➢ Approx. 50% of students with mental illness 14 and older drop out of H. S. ➢ 20 -25% of homeless people have mental illness. ➢ 73% of women and 55% of men incarcerated have mental illness. ➢ Higher rates of: substance abuse, poverty, & suicide (Anderson & Cardoza, 2016; Bekiempis, 2014; Merz, 2017; MHF, 2017; Preidt, 2014; Strauss, 2013; Varney, 2014)

What exacerbates mental illness? ➢ Poverty ○ ○ ○ Homeless Hunger Living in Filth/Squalor ➢ Abuse ○ ○ Physical Sexual ➢ Violence ○ ○ Domestic Environmental ➢ Loss of Relationships ○ ○ Death Abandonment (Anderson & Cardoza, 2016; Elias 2013; Merz, 2017; Strauss, 2013)

Supporting students is a complex endeavor!

Thinking of the ‘Whole Child’ Self Actualization Esteem Love & Belonging Safety & Security Physiological

The Harper Approach: Disciplining with Dignity Practice, Not Policy ➢ Understand there is no one approach to disciplining students; individualize approaches work best. ➢ Take time to build relationships with students; build social capital. ➢ Try not to engage students when they are not prepared to listen or receive direction. ➢ Start off with a positive statement. Ground your approach love and compassion. ➢ Help students to become self-reflective about their choices; recognize their errors. ➢ Try not to aggressively engage students when they have an audience. ➢ Never take a gang-up approach. ➢ Honest conversations with parents regarding mental illness and/or trauma.

Things do not alway happen on our terms!

One person cannot do it all! It must be a team!

No child is disposable!

Closing Thoughts?

References ➢ ➢ ➢ Anderson & Cardoza (2016). Mental health in schools: a hidden crisis affecting millions of students. NPR Ed Bekiempis, V. (2014). Nearly 1 in 5 americans suffers from mental illness each year. Newsweek. Retrieved from http: //www. newsweek. com/nearly-1 -5 -americans-suffer-mental-illness-each-year-230608 Elias, M. (2013), The school-to-prison pipeline. Retrieved from https: //www. tolerance. org/magazine/spring-2013/the-schooltoprisonpipeline Etzioni, A. (1994). The spirit of community: The reinvention of american society. Touchstone. Merz, S. (2017). Who in your class needs help? ASCD Educational Leadership pp. 12 -17 Marsh, R. (2016). Identifying students with mental health issues: A guide for classroom teachers. Sage Journals. Retrieved from: https: //journals. sagepub. com/doi/abs/10. 1177/1053451215606706 Mental. Health. gov. (2019). What is mental health? . Retrieved from https: //www. mentalhealth. gov/basics/what-is-mental-health National Association of School Psychologists (2019). Essa and other federal policy updates. Retrieved from https: //www. nasponline. org/research-and-policy/policy-matters-blog/essa-and-other-federal-policy-updates New Jersey Department of Education (n. d. ). New jersey keeping our kids safe, healthy & in school. Retrieved from https: //www. state. nj. us/education/students/safety/behavior/codes/#dc Strauss, V. (2013), Study: Impact of unaddressed mental health issues on students is severe. Washington Post https: //www. edweek. org/ew/articles/2018/03/21/students-with-emotional-disabilities-facts-about-this. html https: //sites. ed. gov/idea/