By the end of this course, learners will be able to define the principal elements of bullying and cyberbullying behavior, describe the impact of bullying on the health and well-being of young people, and recognize the role of teachers and educational professionals in bullying prevention. This course also dispels many myths about bullying and focuses on intervention and prevention and what educators can do to help.

This course features Dr. Joseph Wright of Howard University College of Medicine, who led this in-service training on May 24, 2016 at Lonoke High School in Lonoke, AR.

This training resource page contains all of the videos and training materials needed to facilitate a face-to-face version of the following ArkansasIDEAS professional development course: Paradigm Shift: Seeing Students Through a Trauma-Informed Lens (HWC21001). 

About this Training:

Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are more common for children in Arkansas than any other place in the nation. Children who have endured one or more ACEs are at a greater risk for health complications as they age, but they are also at a greater risk of struggling in school and social settings. Students with adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma can benefit immensely from teachers and administrators who work through a trauma-informed lens. Just one caring adult can change a child’s life.

In order to implement trauma-informed practices in schools, we must first change our perspectives surrounding trauma. This course aims to create a paradigm shift in school personnel by discussing the biological ways trauma impacts the brains and bodies of growing students, then increasing understanding and empathy for students who have endured childhood trauma and adversity. It will also compel educators to ask different questions, be curious, and engage with students using a new mindset.

By taking this course, school personnel, counselors, nurses, and administrators can better understand how to lead trauma-informed practices within any school setting. While we learn that being trauma-informed is crucial in leading a successful educational experience, we also discuss just how important it is to take care of yourself. Because having empathy and compassion can be exhausting, this course highlights forms of self-care and self-compassion to ensure that you’re providing a healthy environment for your students.

Bullying situations can be extremely tough for anyone to navigate; the word itself puts many people on edge quickly. Bullying Full Circle - Beyond the Victim is a panel discussion including a diverse group of Arkansas educators hosted by pediatrician Dr. Joseph Wright. Dr. Wright and the panel explain how bullying situations affect a much larger spectrum of individuals than just the victim and the bully. The panel also discusses differentiating actual bullying from one-time incidents and disagreements. Several educators share how their school or district works to prevent bullying and how educators, school staff, and students are trained to handle bullying when it does occur.

This course was recorded May 25, 2016 at AETN studios in Conway, Arkansas.

According to the Jason Foundation, four out of five teens display warning signs before they attempt suicide. In most cases, however, the seeds of trauma that brought them to that place were planted much earlier. Shawna Burns, licensed professional counselor and founder of Seed Digging Wellness Center, shares personal stories and case studies that show the connections between those seeds, student behaviors, and the innate needs within all of us. Burns discusses the importance of recognizing suicide warning signs, being aware of risk factors, and having a plan for prevention. She also shares classroom strategies for creating a safe and secure environment for students that speaks to the innate needs that are so often at the root of suicide.

This course meets the requirements of Act 770 of 2011.

Research has shown that adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are more common for children in Arkansas than any other place in the nation. Children who have endured one or more ACEs are at a greater risk for health complications as they age, but they are also at a greater risk of struggling in school and social settings. Students with adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma can benefit immensely from teachers and administrators who work through a trauma-informed lens. Just one caring adult can change a child’s life.

In order to implement trauma-informed practices in schools, we must first change our perspectives surrounding trauma. This course aims to create a paradigm shift in school personnel by discussing the biological ways trauma impacts the brains and bodies of growing students, then increasing understanding and empathy for students who have endured childhood trauma and adversity. It will also compel educators to ask different questions, be curious, and engage with students using a new mindset.

By taking this course, school personnel, counselors, nurses, and administrators can better understand how to lead trauma-informed practices within any school setting. While we learn that being trauma-informed is crucial in leading a successful educational experience, we also discuss just how important it is to take care of yourself. Because having empathy and compassion can be exhausting, this course highlights forms of self-care and self-compassion to ensure that you’re providing a healthy environment for your students.

This course is comprised of four modules on the subject of bullying. It was designed and created specifically for educators by the Connect With Kids Education Network. Each module can be viewed as a standalone lesson; however, to understand the full impact of bullying and what can be done in our schools and communities to "move from cruelty to a culture of caring" it is recommended that all four modules be completed in close proximity to each other. Stacey DeWitt is the Founder and President of Connect With Kids Education Network. The Connect with Kids team has gone above and beyond what has been asked of them to create a program that not only looks at the problem of bullying and why it is occurring, but to help us decide what are we going to do about it, and to see how the interventions are working in other communities and schools.