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October 2019 | Volume 77 | Number 2
Anthony Rebora
Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Table of Contents
Nancy Rappaport, Meredith Gansner and Lois T. Flaherty
K–12 educators often face the dilemma of how to respond to a student who makes a threatening statement. They must decide whether the threat is credible and the student poses a real danger, as well as how to respond to keep everyone safe. In such situations, a team of professionals often does a "safety assessment" to learn more about this student and evaluate how credible the threat is. The authors describe an approach many schools use for such an assessment (The Virginia Student Model for Threat Assessment Guidelines). Drawing on research with students who have undergone a safety assessment (and their families), they recommend ways to do the assessment that will keep the school safe and address the underlying problems of the student making the threat.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
K–12 educators often face the dilemma of how to respond to a student who makes a threatening statement. They must decide whether the threat is credible and the student poses a real danger, as well as how to respond to keep everyone safe. In such situations, a team of professionals often does a "safety assessment" to learn more about this student and evaluate how credible the threat is. The authors describe an approach many schools use for such an assessment (The Virginia Student Model for Threat Assessment Guidelines). Drawing on research with students who have undergone a safety assessment (and their families), they recommend ways to do the assessment that will keep the school safe and address the underlying problems of the student making the threat.
John Rogers
The author, director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, shares results of a study he led exploring how principals in U.S. high schools are responding to five specific societal challenges; he highlights what principals said about the challenge of gun violence in their schools. More school leaders reported their school being affected by the threat of gun violence than by any of the other four issues—and they see students and student learning impacted by fears about guns. Rogers shares aspects of the gun violence problem that principals must deal with, their perspectives, and various ways principals and schools are responding.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
The author, director of UCLA's Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, shares results of a study he led exploring how principals in U.S. high schools are responding to five specific societal challenges; he highlights what principals said about the challenge of gun violence in their schools. More school leaders reported their school being affected by the threat of gun violence than by any of the other four issues—and they see students and student learning impacted by fears about guns. Rogers shares aspects of the gun violence problem that principals must deal with, their perspectives, and various ways principals and schools are responding.
Jessica Minahan
When it comes to student trauma, there is much that is beyond educators' power, but there is also a great deal they can do to build a supportive and sensitive classroom environment. Here, author Jessica Minahan shares eight practical strategies teachers can use to help these students feel safe and ready to learn. In one example, she explains how to teach students in crisis to "switch the channel" with cognitive distractions. In another example, she illustrates how creating "islands of competence" can help combat the poor self-concept and negative thinking associated with trauma. Small changes in classroom interactions, she notes, can make a big difference for traumatized students.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
When it comes to student trauma, there is much that is beyond educators' power, but there is also a great deal they can do to build a supportive and sensitive classroom environment. Here, author Jessica Minahan shares eight practical strategies teachers can use to help these students feel safe and ready to learn. In one example, she explains how to teach students in crisis to "switch the channel" with cognitive distractions. In another example, she illustrates how creating "islands of competence" can help combat the poor self-concept and negative thinking associated with trauma. Small changes in classroom interactions, she notes, can make a big difference for traumatized students.
Timothy J. Landrum, Chris A. Sweigart and Lauren W. Collins
After a school shooting, people struggle to answer complex questions; mainly, they want to know if they could've somehow predicted an act of violence would happen and thus prevented it. The authors review what data show about the possibility of predicting which student(s) are likely to become school shooters and when such a violent act is likely to occur. They discuss the fact that threats of violence from students (which mostly aren't carried out) are common, and educators need to know how to reasonably react to a threat. The authors recommend using a threat assessment procedure according to established guidelines rather than resorting to zero-tolerance policies that often unnecessarily exclude troubled students from school.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
After a school shooting, people struggle to answer complex questions; mainly, they want to know if they could've somehow predicted an act of violence would happen and thus prevented it. The authors review what data show about the possibility of predicting which student(s) are likely to become school shooters and when such a violent act is likely to occur. They discuss the fact that threats of violence from students (which mostly aren't carried out) are common, and educators need to know how to reasonably react to a threat. The authors recommend using a threat assessment procedure according to established guidelines rather than resorting to zero-tolerance policies that often unnecessarily exclude troubled students from school.
Rita Platt
Platt outlines some simple but effective strategies to help students who are struggling with trauma. She relies on her own personal story with trauma to influence how she identifies and helps students who are struggling and offers tips on how to show love, stay calm, and be consistent when dealing with students who may be having a meltdown, acting out, or withdrawing.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Platt outlines some simple but effective strategies to help students who are struggling with trauma. She relies on her own personal story with trauma to influence how she identifies and helps students who are struggling and offers tips on how to show love, stay calm, and be consistent when dealing with students who may be having a meltdown, acting out, or withdrawing.
Thomas Armstrong
Is mindfulness part of your school safety program? Mindfulness isn't a panacea, but schools are increasingly recognizing its importance to student well-being. This self-regulation strategy has received growing attention over the past few years. Simply stated, mindfulness is the practice of attending to each present moment in time with an attitude of acceptance, openness, and curiosity. By engaging in mindfulness on a regular basis, students and their teachers and administrators can learn to train their minds, regulate their emotions, control their behaviors, and cultivate healthier relationships with the people and events around them.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Is mindfulness part of your school safety program? Mindfulness isn't a panacea, but schools are increasingly recognizing its importance to student well-being. This self-regulation strategy has received growing attention over the past few years. Simply stated, mindfulness is the practice of attending to each present moment in time with an attitude of acceptance, openness, and curiosity. By engaging in mindfulness on a regular basis, students and their teachers and administrators can learn to train their minds, regulate their emotions, control their behaviors, and cultivate healthier relationships with the people and events around them.
Elizabeth Englander
Determining the who/what/why/where/how of a cruelty incident in schools is crucial to determining context—is the act an isolated incident or bullying? But how do you determine that when the incident occurs online? Englander discusses the complexities behind determining context in cyberbullying and highlights new research in the area for how schools can deal with bullying both in school and outside of it.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Determining the who/what/why/where/how of a cruelty incident in schools is crucial to determining context—is the act an isolated incident or bullying? But how do you determine that when the incident occurs online? Englander discusses the complexities behind determining context in cyberbullying and highlights new research in the area for how schools can deal with bullying both in school and outside of it.
Roberto d'Erizans, Lee Ann Jung and Tamatha Bibbo
The overwhelming majority of disabilities (such as anxiety, depression, autism, learning disabilities, and autoimmune disorders) are not visually apparent. Despite the known risks of isolation, little attention has been paid to how students with "invisible disabilities" develop a sense of belonging in our schools, and what actions we, as educators, can take to improve their outcomes. Here, the authors share a framework schools can use to support belonging, based on three themes: self-advocacy, mastery of the student role, and building relationships.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
The overwhelming majority of disabilities (such as anxiety, depression, autism, learning disabilities, and autoimmune disorders) are not visually apparent. Despite the known risks of isolation, little attention has been paid to how students with "invisible disabilities" develop a sense of belonging in our schools, and what actions we, as educators, can take to improve their outcomes. Here, the authors share a framework schools can use to support belonging, based on three themes: self-advocacy, mastery of the student role, and building relationships.
Russell Quaglia and Michelle Brait
The authors discuss what data from several years of the Quaglia School Voice Student Survey reveal about whether students feel "known," accepted, and valued in school, and whether they feel there is a caring adult at school to whom they could go for help—all aspects of students having a "voice" in school. After sharing somewhat sobering data, the authors suggest actions educators might take to help all youth feel more accepted, valued, and cared about in school.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
The authors discuss what data from several years of the Quaglia School Voice Student Survey reveal about whether students feel "known," accepted, and valued in school, and whether they feel there is a caring adult at school to whom they could go for help—all aspects of students having a "voice" in school. After sharing somewhat sobering data, the authors suggest actions educators might take to help all youth feel more accepted, valued, and cared about in school.
Anthony Ciuffo
A school principal discusses how the enrollment of two gender-diverse students in his school changed his thinking on school safety and helped him and his staff create a more inclusive and sensitive school environment.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
A school principal discusses how the enrollment of two gender-diverse students in his school changed his thinking on school safety and helped him and his staff create a more inclusive and sensitive school environment.
Henry Seton
Teacher mental health is vital to safe and healthy schools. But it often gets neglected. Seton discusses the many ways that teachers can get burned out from trying "to do it all" and not feel like they can seek help. He offers strategies for school administrators on how to ensure that teacher mental health is a focus and how to create a school culture that encourages frank discussions of the issue.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Teacher mental health is vital to safe and healthy schools. But it often gets neglected. Seton discusses the many ways that teachers can get burned out from trying "to do it all" and not feel like they can seek help. He offers strategies for school administrators on how to ensure that teacher mental health is a focus and how to create a school culture that encourages frank discussions of the issue.
Bryan Goodwin and Lisa M. Jones
Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey
Jill Harrison Berg
Matthew R. Kay
David Griffith
Christine Eith and Kenneth Trump
Two experts in school safety argue that increasing social connection should be as much a part of school-safety plans as physical security measures. They review relevant research, describe the components of social bonding in schools, and provide tips on incorporating social bonding in school safety plans.Part of a theme issue on "Making School a Safe Place."
Two experts in school safety argue that increasing social connection should be as much a part of school-safety plans as physical security measures. They review relevant research, describe the components of social bonding in schools, and provide tips on incorporating social bonding in school safety plans.
Copyright © 2012 by ASCD
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