January 2023 T&L Newletter
January 2023
This Month's Focus: Refresher on Trauma-Informed Practices
Dear Staff,
I hope this newsletter finds you back in stride and off to a strong start for the second semester. As the calendar shifts to a new year, it's an opportunity for us to refresh ourselves when it comes to key practices that will help us connect with our students.
As I was considering the content to share with you in this month's newsletter, I actually made a shift from my original plans based on the feedback from our second-quarter staff surveys. A number of staff members across the district requested more training and emphasis on trauma-informed practices to better support our struggling students. Based on both research and observational experience, I think most of us would agree that trauma is often the biggest obstacle to students' academic success, positive self-image, and socially healthy behavior. Collectively as a district, and individually as adults who want to improve the lives of our students, we need to have an informed, intentional, and strategic approach to address the burdens so many of our students bring to school every single day.
I always try to tie newsletter topics into our district goals, not as an attempt to push a district agenda, but to show that these goals are tied to potentially life-changing outcomes for our students. District Goal 2 is a powerful one: Connected culture among ALL. Let's consider the power of what that would mean for our students. Every student would feel welcomed, included, safe, and cared for during the time they spend with us. We all have the power to create this environment by modeling empathy, presuming positive intent, and seeing mistakes as an opportunity to grow. One of the articles referenced below ("Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies" by Jessica Minahan) states "The teacher is 50 percent of every interaction with a student." We can use our influence in every interaction to leave students feeling cared for, respected, valued, and heard, even if the conversation is a difficult one. It is imperative that we, as the professional educators, are growing in our ability to make the most of these interactions.
This newsletter is just a small means of growing our individual and collective capacity to implement trauma-informed practices aimed at supporting student flourishing. I hope you'll carve out the time to watch the videos and read the articles shared here. I am confident that you will find solid takeaways that will inspire and equip you to better support the students who rely on you.
Additionally, we will continue diving into this topic at our March 20 half-day district professional development day. Trauma-informed practices will be a major topic that day, along with ways that we can support District Goal 2: Connected culture among ALL.
Thank you for the work you do with our students. Every day, in every school, in every classroom, life-changing moments are taking place. Some are obvious, and others aren't...at least not yet. Here's to pressing on together as a collective, all with the belief that the efforts we put in today will help our students fully realize the potential they carry.
Respectfully,
John Nguyen
Assistant Superintendent
Piper USD 203 District Goal 2:
Connected Culture Among ALL
Video Resources of the Month:
Buzzwords Defined: What are Trauma-Informed Practices?
Whenever delving into a critical topic, an essential first step is to make sure everyone is working from a common definition and understanding of the concept. This brief video gives an overview of what we mean when we use the term "trauma-informed practice."
TED Talk: Trauma-Informed Teaching - Dr. Meredith Fox
In this powerful TED Talk, Dr. Meredith Fox shares her personal experiences with two teachers: one who exemplified empathy during a deeply traumatic time in her life, and one who did not. Let's use this as a reminder of the power we have to shape our students' lives for the better.
Additional Resources for Trauma-Informed Practices
Article: Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies
Article: Integrating SEL, Equity, and Trauma Work for Multiplied Success
This article provides insightful connections that show how social-emotional learning, equity work, and trauma-informed practices are all linked together, which supports our holistic approach to District Goal 2. Though many want to compartmentalize these concepts, doing so diminishes the power they hold when considered and implemented together.