Building Resilient Students

Use trauma-informed strategies to give students the skills and support they need to succeed in school and life Nearly half of all children have been exposed to at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), such as poverty, divorce, neglect, substance abuse, or parent incarceration. This workbook-style resource shows K-12 educators how to integrate trauma-informed strategies into daily instructional practice through expanded focus on: The experiences and challenges of students impacted by ACEs, including suicidal tendencies, cyberbullying, and drugs Behavior as a form of communication and how to explicitly teach new behaviors How to mitigate trauma and build innate resiliency

This essential resource provides educators with proven and practical applications for building resiliency in even the most at-risk students.

BUILD RESILIENT TEENS WITH PROVEN METHODS "I can't wait to see the impact that this book makes in our schools. A must read for anyone who works with teenagers!" - Vance Morris Principal, Burkburnett High School School shootings occur every year. Teens die by suicide each week. Thousands of students are crushed by bullying every day. Why can some work through the adversity while others can't? JC Pohl, LMFT offers a direct pathway to one singular solution: resiliency. It's the ability to take the hits and keep moving forward. It's the fortitude to get knocked down and get back up. This book offers a blueprint that is guaranteed to unleash the powers of resilience within your students. Don't wait another minute to read this book! JC's keys to building resilient students might stop the next potential school shooter, save a suicidal student, or remind every bullied child that brighter days lie ahead. GAME CHANGING CONCEPTS - The Power of One Charismatic Adult - The Need for Grit & Self-Efficacy - The Idea that You're Never Alone - The Value of a True Connection - The Importance of Solution Focused Thinking TESTIMONIALS "This book is the perfect recipe for creating successful, healthy, and happy students." - Brittney Neece, LMFT-S, LPC-S "This book is FANTASTIC! Some of the stories literally gave me chills." - Valerie Pope Assistant Principal, Keller Middle School "JC brings to light student-centered approaches that will support every teenager." - Thomas Mangloña II Student, Mt. Carmel High School FEATURING - Proven tactics that build resilient students - In-depth stories that will inspire both teens and adults - A step-by-step guide to building school culture ABOUT THE AUTHOR JC Pohl is an award-winning producer and nationally certified counselor who has reached nearly 10 million people in 7,000+ schools. His work with TEEN TRUTH has sent him around the world, inspiring students, educators, and parents to tell their truth and be the difference. He has keynoted conferences for CADA, TASC, BOOST, NASC, COSA, OASC, LEAD, NCSA, GAEL, NCASA, OSTI-CON, NASSCED, the Texas School Safety Center, and the PTA. His RISING UP: Coaching Program has reached students across the U.S. and consists of an SEL curriculum used by school counselors, the Texas Department of State Health Services, 21st Century ACE Centers, and Communities in Schools. Pohl is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Texas. When not on the road speaking, he offers counseling services to select clients through Austin Divorce Recovery and his private practice. He holds a Masters Degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University, San Marcos, and has sat on the board of the Austin AMFT. You can find him on Facebook and LinkedIn or connect directly at www.jcpohl.com.

The Hugging Tree tells the story of a little tree growing all alone on a cliff, by a vast and mighty sea. Through thundering storms and the cold of winter, the tree holds fast. Sustained by the natural world and the kindness and compassion of one little boy, eventually the tree grows until it can hold and shelter others. A Note to Parents and Caregivers by Elizabeth McCallum, PhD, provides more information about resilience, and guidelines for building resilience in children.

Overcome the effects of poverty in the 21st century by embracing an innovative new vision of public schooling. With the guidance of this practical, research-driven resource, you will discover a model for building resilient schools that helps students work through their emotional and mental health needs, connect with caring adults, and find purpose for their lives. Use this resource to embrace the whole child and address students' social-emotional needs: Study the widespread poverty that currently exists in the United States. Understand the ways poverty traumatizes students, impedes their mental development, and damages and interferes with their ability to learn. Become familiar with secondary trauma and the ways educators can be traumatized by the compassion fatigue of working in communities that experience high rates of poverty. Learn how the effects of poverty can be mitigated through the development of resiliency in students, which can lead to decreased absenteeism and increased learning. Explore the four pillars of resilient schools. Discover the importance of resilient schools in overcoming the effects of poverty and supporting students and students' families who are experiencing poverty. Contents: Acknowledgments Table of Contents About the Authors Introduction--Poverty: Our Greatest Challenge Part I--Understanding Poverty Chapter 1--Poverty: On the Outskirts of Hope Chapter 2--An Invisible Barrier: The Impacts of Poverty on Teaching and Learning Chapter 3--An Unanticipated Challenge: The Detrimental Impacts of Poverty on School Staff Part II--Introducing the Resilient School Chapter 4--The Research: Resilient Students and Resilient Schools Chapter 5--Pillar 1: Addressing Students' Academic and Cognitive Needs Chapter 6--Pillar 2: Addressing Students' Social-Emotional Needs Chapter 7--Pillar 3: Meeting the Human Needs of Students and Families Chapter 8--Pillar 4: Considering the Relational and Professional Needs of Staff Chapter 9--Conclusion: A Personal Note and a Vision for Resilient Schools Appendix References and Resources Index

A practical framework to avoid burnout and keep great teachers teaching Onward tackles the problem of educator stress, and provides a practical framework for taking the burnout out of teaching. Stress is part of the job, but when 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years because the stress is making them physically and mentally ill, things have gone too far. Unsurprisingly, these effects are highest in difficult-to-fill positions such as math, science, and foreign languages, and in urban areas and secondary classrooms—places where we need our teachers to be especially motivated and engaged. This book offers a path to resiliency to help teachers weather the storms and bounce back—and work toward banishing the rain for good. This actionable framework gives you concrete steps toward rediscovering yourself, your energy, and your passion for teaching. You’ll learn how a simple shift in mindset can affect your outlook, and how taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally is one of the most important things you can do. The companion workbook helps you put the framework into action, streamlining your way toward renewal and strength. Cultivate resilience with a four-part framework based on 12 key habits Uncover your true self, understand emotions, and use your energy where it counts Adopt a mindful, story-telling approach to communication and community building Keep learning, playing, and creating to create an environment of collective celebration By cultivating resilience in schools, we help ensure that we are working in, teaching in, and leading organizations where every child thrives, and where the potential of every child is recognized and nurtured. Onward provides a step-by-step plan for reigniting that spark.

Bullying. Exclusion. Drugs. Alcohol. Body image. Self-esteem. Abuse. Divorce. Cutting. Depression. Suicide. Teens, their parents and the adults who work with them are confronted with these issues every day, but few have the tools or insight for how to deal with the mounting pressure and social dynamics that drive so many to hurt themselves and others. Having reached over 4 Million teens throughout the U.S. and Canada with TEEN TRUTH, their catalytic program and student driven film series, Christopher and Pohl have delved into the complex landscape that is the teen experience. With compelling personal stories from their experiences on the road, research-driven data that illustrates key concepts of social psychology, and hands-on exercises that explore why we do what we do, Christopher and Pohl provide teens and the adults who care for them with a well-structured, comprehensive tool for self-discovery. One part instructive, one part reflective and one part active, the TEEN TRUTH book is a recipe for change and a blueprint for building safer schools and healthier communities. This focused guide will:• help teens understand why they make the decisions they do• teach teens how to be more aware of their actions in group settings • illustrate the power of individual beliefs and their impact on relationships• give adults the tools to listen to and connect authentically with today's youthWe all have a choice in how we show up in the world. Christopher and Pohl aren't afraid to ask the critical question: if you're not being the difference, what are you doing?

#1 New York Times Best Seller Named a Best Book of 2017 by Barnes & Noble and Amazon From Facebook’s COO and Wharton’s top-rated professor, the #1 New York Times best-selling authors of Lean In and Originals: a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks. After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt certain that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. “I was in ‘the void,’” she writes, “a vast emptiness that fills your heart and lungs and restricts your ability to think or even breathe.” Her friend Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, told her there are concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences. We are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. It is a muscle that everyone can build. Option B combines Sheryl’s personal insights with Adam’s eye-opening research on finding strength in the face of adversity. Beginning with the gut-wrenching moment when she finds her husband, Dave Goldberg, collapsed on a gym floor, Sheryl opens up her heart—and her journal—to describe the acute grief and isolation she felt in the wake of his death. But Option B goes beyond Sheryl’s loss to explore how a broad range of people have overcome hardships including illness, job loss, sexual assault, natural disasters, and the violence of war. Their stories reveal the capacity of the human spirit to persevere . . . and to rediscover joy. Resilience comes from deep within us and from support outside us. Even after the most devastating events, it is possible to grow by finding deeper meaning and gaining greater appreciation in our lives. Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces. Many of these lessons can be applied to everyday struggles, allowing us to brave whatever lies ahead. Two weeks after losing her husband, Sheryl was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she cried. Her friend replied, “Option A is not available,” and then promised to help her make the most of Option B. We all live some form of Option B. This book will help us all make the most of it.