Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress

Description

Half the students in U.S. schools are experiencing or have experienced trauma, violence, or chronic stress. Much has been written about these students from a therapeutic perspective, especially regarding how to provide them with adequate counseling supports and services. Conversely, little has been written about teaching this population and doing so from a strengths-based perspective. Using real-world examples as well as research-based principles, this book shows how to Identify inherent assets that students bring to the classroom. Connect to students' experiences through instructional planning and delivery. Foster students' strengths through the use of predictable routines and structured paired and small-group learning experiences. Develop family and community partnerships. Experts Debbie Zacarian, Lourdes Alvarez-Ortiz, and Judie Haynes outline a comprehensive, collaborative approach to teaching that focuses on students' strengths and resiliency. Teaching to Strengths encourages educators to embrace teaching and schoolwide practices that support and enhance the academic and socio-emotional development of students living with trauma, violence, and chronic stress. Dedication Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1. The Urgent Need for a Strengths-Based Approach Chapter 2. Preparing to Work with Diverse Learners Chapter 3. Creating a Strengths-Based Classroom Learning Environment Chapter 4. Scaffolding Student-to-Student Relationships Chapter 5. Fostering Family/Guardian Engagement Chapter 6. Infusing a Strengths-Based Approach Across a School Chapter 7. Capitalizing on Community Assets to Build Partnerships References Related ASCD Resources About the Authors Copyright