Whole Child, Whole Day: A Social Emotional Learning Symposium
On August 10, 2018, YDEKC hosted Whole Child, Whole Day: A Social Emotional Learning Symposium for over 300 practitioners and system-level leaders from around the Road Map Region and beyond. Approximately 50% of our registrants work primarily at a school site, 33% do most of their work at community based organizations, 5% were based in a district office, and the rest were from diverse backgrounds ranging from philanthropists to researchers. 88% of participants were also first time YDEKC symposium attendees.
Planned by a cross-sector committee of the Youth Development for Education Results Road Map Workgroup and staffed by YDEKC and School’s Out Washington, this interactive professional development experience was designed to strengthen participants’ capacity to create equity-based learning environments that support the whole child across the whole day, focusing on shifting adult practices and systems to better serve youth of color in the Road Map Region. Our learning objectives for the day were to:
- Understand and articulate the value of social emotional learning to youth success in and outside of school
- Understand the role social emotional learning can play in racial equity within learning environments and systems
- Identify strategies and practices that cultivate a whole child approach across the whole day
- Identify and practice techniques to improve and address our own social emotional skills and identity-related biases
- Network, share perspectives and expertise, and cultivate relationships and partnerships within and across sectors
On a scale of 1 to 5 (1: strongly disagree; 5: strongly agree), participants rated “The Symposium was a good use of my time” an average of 4.63. On a similar scale (1: very low; 5: very high), participants rated “My understanding of of the intersection of social emotional learning and racial equity within learning environments and systems…” 3.55 before the symposium on average and 4.34 after the symposium on average.
Here are some perspectives on what parts of the day were most useful to participants:
- “Keynote inspired and set the tone of my day”
- “Excellent, interactive presentations”
- “Hearing from young people”
- “Different methods of instruction that reach across cultures”
- “Sharing ideas with other educators”
Symposium Resources & Session Materials
Symposium Program
Plenary Slides
Healing Communities with Creativity
Aaron Counts, Lead Artist, Creative Justice
Kardea Buss, Savion Carter, Joyee Runninghawk, Youth Leadership Board, Creative Justice
Creative Justice uses art as a means to critique and disrupt the school to prison pipeline. In this youth-led presentation, attendees will move through an interactive process that takes a closer look at their experiences with the school and justice systems. Participants will emerge with a greater understanding of the many ways institutions exacerbate the trauma already inflicted on our communities, and look at the ways Creative Justice uses art instruction as a healing force.
The Intersection of Equity & SEL
Mary Fertakis, CEO, M. Fertakis Consulting LLC
Research shows disproportionality in discipline, suspensions/expulsions, drop-out, and graduation rates tied to the social-emotional issues experienced by PreK-12 students – particularly students in poverty and of color. Attendees will develop their knowledge base related to: SEL principles; Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs); Toxic Stress; Vicarious (Secondary) Trauma; the research supporting SEL; and strategies to ensure they are making equitable policy, strategic planning, and resource allocation decisions to support student success.
Beyond the Numbers: Exploring Students’ Perceptions of the Factors Associated with Equity in School Climate
Dr. Charles Lea, Assistant Professor, UW School of Social Work
Tiffany M. Jones, Post-Doctoral Fellow, UW School of Social Work
Angela Malorni, Doctorate Student, UW School of Social Work
School climate is one factor that is related to academic achievement and school discipline. Yet, little is known about students’ perceptions of the factors that can promote equity in school climate. This limited knowledge poses challenges for many districts using student-level climate data for reform efforts, because they may be missing and misunderstanding key factors that influence positive school climate, especially for youth of color who often experience school climate differently than their white counterparts. In this session, we discuss the findings that emerged from a collaborative research project with Seattle Public Schools that sought to better understand students’ perceptions of the constructs and items being considered to address issues of race and equity in their annual Student Survey for School Climate.
Uplifting Viable World Males of Color through Intentional Restorative and Relationship Building
Willie Seals, Co-Founder/Director, ACE Academy
Clarence (CJ) Dancer, Jr, Co-Founder/Director, ACE Academy
Marcus Harden,Co-Founder, ACE Academy
Participants of this workshop will gain an understanding of the ACE model which leads to success of best practices used to cultivate intentional relationship with males of color. ACE implements the Family Academics Motivation Environment (FAME) model to ensure program focus on the whole child, improve physical health and well-being, ensure youth empowerment, and improve skills to promote healing. Young men will learn compassion and understanding (Family), a strong educational and cultural foundation (Academics), the value of perseverance and determination (Motivation), and how to use their individual talents for the greater good (Environment). The FAME model sets the foundation by which any young male scholar that participates in the program will fully develop their skill sets and characteristics of becoming “viable world citizens.”
Social Emotional Learning With an Equity Lens
Building 21: Room 105
Erin Jones, Education and System Consultant, Erin Jones LLC
This session will provide participants with an overview of basic concepts and terminology, but it will also involve activities and interaction that could be utilized in classrooms or after school programs immediately. The presentation will include storytelling, team-building activities, media and small group discussion. Attendees will leave informed and inspired to move forward with a better sense of how to ensure high quality programming for EVERY student.
Reaction, Response, and Self Reflection
Denise Daniels, Asst. Director of Equity, Outreach, and Engagement, Auburn School District
In this session, we will unpack how we developed our thoughts, beliefs, and values around cultural norms, expectations, and ideals, and how they show up in the work that we do. We will also examine some systems in education that can present a barrier to success for students of different ethnic backgrounds. Attendees will be presented with alternative perspectives through exercise and small group discussion, made aware of potential bias, and given strategies to evaluate themselves and their systems, and support change.
Yoga Behind Bars: Trauma-Informed Somatic-Based Tools for Youth
Rosa Vissers, Executive Director, Yoga Behind Bars
Alyssa Pizarro, Development Coordinator, Yoga Behind Bars
Yoga Behind Bars, local non-profit teaching trauma-informed, body-based tools in youth and adult detention facilities, is excited to share strategies and tools that can be used with youth in any setting to foster well-being, resilience, and connection. In this session, you will learn about YBB’s youth programs in five detention facilities and our trauma-informed approach to yoga and mindfulness. You’ll get to experience and practice inclusive, strengths-based tools specifically for youth, but also helpful for adults experiencing trauma, anxiety and/or stress. Session materials: Somatic-Based Tools for Youth Handout, Ginwright Article Handout
Youth-Led Change: Creating and Cultivating a Grassroots Movement
Makayla Wright, Youth Voice Organizer, SOAR
Karla Vargas, I’lea Roberts, Opportunity Youth Leaders
What does youth-led change look like? In this session, we will hear from Opportunity Youth leaders, who have been connected to non-traditional education pathways, their personal leadership journeys. We will also highlight youth organizing efforts led by SOAR, through the King County Youth Advisory Council and Opportunity Youth United- King County.
Trauma Informed Restorative Practices
Derrick Wheeler-Smith, Facilitator of Scholar Empowerment & Engagement, Federal Way Public Schools
An introduction to philosophy and classroom practices and it’s alignment with Equity, MTSS and Trauma informed practice. Participants will leave with the foundational knowledge for what Restorative Justice is and what principles underlay the work. Too often we forget that discipline really means to teach, not to punish. A disciple is a student, not a recipient of behavioral consequences. A restorative culture supports all school stakeholders to shift their analysis of a problem from using exclusionary discipline tactics to support healing and accountability. We hope you leave informed and inspired to begin the process of implementing in your organization or classroom.
Coaching Students to Build a Growth Mindset and Metacognitive Skills
Roslyn Kagy, Secondary Success Manager, Highline Public Schools
KaLehua KaApana, Emily Kuhn, Aléjandra Baires-Ramirez, Student Success Coaches, Highline Public Schools
How do you help students build a growth mindset and develop metacognitive skills? In Highline Public Schools, Student Success Coaches work with students one-on-one, in small groups, in class, and afterschool to help students develop these skills through interactive workshops and activities to help all students stay on track to succeed in school and in life. In this workshop you will experience multiple coaching activities and learn how to implement these practical strategies and mini-workshops with your students to build skills in goal setting, developing a growth mindset, codeswitching, navigating systems, and identity development.
Equity in the Classroom: Strategies that Build Relationships, Promote Student Voice, and Develop the Whole Child
Denisha Saucedo, Regional Teacher of the Year, Kent Elementary School
Mandy Manning, National Teacher of the Year, Joel E. Ferris High School
In this session, educators will learn strategies for building student-teacher relationships. Relationships are the foundation for learning. This will be a chance to hear why student voice, and both teacher and student self-efficacy have a higher effect on student achievement than curriculum and planning. This session will prepare educators and administrators to head back to their building and look at class policies and make systemic changes that emphasize SEL for both educators and students.
Shifting the Paradigm of School
Stacy Lappin, Director of Program, Sound Discipline
DeeAnn Wells, Principal, Campbell Hill Elementary
Tymmony Keegan-Morgan, Teacher, Dimmit Middle School
Shawnez Graham, Instructional Coach, Campbell Hill Elementary
Aletta Venzant, Parent, Campbell Hill Elementary & Dimmit Middle School
Jasmine Venzant, Student, Dimmit Middle School
It is one thing to talk about social learning and growing racial equity and quite another to implement these shifts in schools. It requires dismantling of the systems that perpetuate long term inequities and a shift in what we think of as “school” to build true learning communities. This panel of educators will share some of the hard lessons learned as they’ve begun to implement a whole school model that is trauma informed and empowers student voice. They will share some of the successes and how they continue to work to make their school a better place for every student. Together we will engage in a conversation about how we, as a larger community can move forward.
Social and Emotional Happenings in Washington State
Ron Hertel, Program Supervisor, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Sarah Butcher, Co-Founder, SEL for WA
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) supports the development of life-skills to generate safe and supportive school, family and community environments. This session will provide foundational information on SEL research as well as past and current work being done in Washington State with regard to the development of SEL in Washington schools. Focus areas will include the development of Washington State Standards and Benchmarks (2016), the Washington State on-line SEL module (2017), and work being done to complete SEL indicators which is due to be completed by June 20, 2019.
Honest Reflections from Youth in the School System
Abdinasir Mohamed, Student, Rainier Beach High School
Abdiweli Abdi, Student, Franklin High School
Nafia Finch, Student, Summit Sierra Charter School
Damme Getachew, Youth Job Readiness Training Program Lead, Refugee Women’s Alliance
Three high school youth will present their insights on building stronger, more inclusive school learning environments. With specific studies on the presenter’s schools (Rainier Beach High School, Franklin High School, and Summit Sierra Charter School), they will explore different forms of school violence, relationship building, and equitable learning methods in the classroom, while also providing data and stories of diverse student experiences to draft an honest reflection on the Road Map Region.
Trauma-Informed Equity: From Healing Relationships to Just Communities
Briana Herman-Brand, MSW, Community Educator and Consultant
In this workshop, we will apply a trauma-informed lens to our understanding of the impacts of oppression and inequity in students’ lives. We will recognize the interconnections of trauma and oppression at individual, collective, systemic, and intergenerational levels and learn to honor the innate intelligence of young people’s survival strategies and resiliency. Through interactive exercises we’ll explore relationship-building rooted in empathy, mutual dignity, and shared power, and we’ll discuss practices for building equitable and empowering classrooms and campuses. Participants will be supported to deepen their self-awareness, increase compassion for themselves and others, and develop their capacity to foster healing relationships at the center of efforts towards educational justice. Session materials: Trauma-Informed Youth Work Wheel Handout
Examining Responses to Unconscious Fixed Habits to Build More Positive Connections
Edna Sadberry, MA, LMHCA, Griffin Counseling & Wellness
This workshop will examine more effective ways to communicate by identifying emotional, behavioral and physical hooks that are rooted in implicit and explicit biases, which are detrimental to building positive connections. By courageously examining root causes, we will develop new possibilities for supporting tomorrow’s leaders. The workshop will address cultural competency and racial equity and explore the responsibility of each individual to critically examine the internal working model that drives decisions around policy and treatment of students of color. The internal model will include individual as well as collective culture to provide a more equitable platform for all youth to be successful. Session materials: Explaining White Privilege Handout, Overrepresentation of African American Males in Special Education Programs Handout, Racial Microaggressions Handout, Paying Attention to White Culture and Privilege Handout
The Future is Inclusive- LGBTQ Youth and Justice
Finn Cottom and Karli Santos, Community Outreach Educators, Planned Parenthood of the Great NW and Hawaiian Islands
This workshop is geared toward educators who serve youth of all ages. Come learn about working with LGBTQ youth including current research and activism. We will talk about the intersections of racism, transphobia, and homophobia. We will explore the ways in which creating LGBTQ inclusive spaces is integral in the development of positive SEL environments. We will talk about real-life scenarios and go over practical ways to intervene in moments of oppression.
Epic Times, Epic Emotions
Sheely Mauck, Associate Director of Statewide Quality Expanded Learning Opportunities, School’s Out Washington
This session will provide an opportunity to learn strategies for supporting emotion coaching, including helping young people name, analyze, and manage their emotions. Participants will explore tangible, easy-to-implement activities that support self-awareness and emotion coaching through direct experience and implementation resources. Session materials: Emotion Coaching Strategies Handout
Integration of Trauma and Cultural Responsive Practices in a School System of Support
Concie Pedroza, Ed.D., Director of Racial Equity Advancement, Seattle Public Schools
David Lewis, Psy.D., Director of Behavioral Health, Seattle Public Schools
This workshop will demonstrate how cultural responsive practices are interrelated with trauma responsive practices. Participants will learn about these practices and strategies to support students in schools. This includes strategies that support building positive identity and esteem for students, and overall academic and life success.
A Scan of Practices and Strategies that Support Whole Child Outcomes Across the Road Map Region
Jessica Werner, Executive Director, Youth Development Executives of King County
Sarah Terry, Research & Evaluation Manager, Youth Development Executives of King County
What whole child efforts are happening in school districts and youth programs across our region? Join us for a presentation and table discussions on the latest findings on YDEKC’s SEL scan of the region. Participants will leave with an understanding of what a whole child, whole day approach entails, SEL-related themes across the region, and discuss ways to strengthen, collaborate, and align whole child, whole day efforts across sectors.
Start With Us: Linking Research to Practice to Better Support Black Youth
Shelby Cooley, PhD, Research Director, Community Center for Education Results
Monika C. Mathews, Founder/Executive Director, Life Enrichment Group
In this workshop, learn about what Black high schoolers in South King County and South Seattle say they need from the education system through key findings from the Start With Us research project. Then hear from a local practitioner about how these themes can be addressed through intentional, culturally relevant program design and school partnerships.
Cross Curriculum SEL Content and How to Run On Next Year’s Student Climate Survey!
Bryan Manzo, School Counselor, Sand Point Elementary, and Founder and Creative Director, whytheface.org
How do you create explicit SEL opportunities in your program or school —and how will you know whether that learning is taking place? This session will highlight the framework, monthly SEL themes, counselor/teacher/student collaboration, implementation, and assessment. Students will also share their perspectives on how SEL curriculum has impacted their learning. This session will focus on elementary-age students in a diverse array of youth-focused settings but will also be applicable to middle and high school.
Healing Through Community: Self Care at the Intersection of Emotional Intelligence and Social Awareness
Janell Jordan, Youth Development Coordinator, SouthWest Youth and Family Services
Audry Bernal, Student Success Coach, Highline School District
Corvalli Wammer, Student Success Coach, Highline School District
Self care is crucial for marginalized youth as a means to heal; to address white supremacy and the impact structural oppression has on their personal lives. Reflective practices are at the intersection of emotional intelligence and social awareness. This workshop will give you the tools to create safe spaces for youth of color, that are necessary for equitable practices. It will also provide white service providers and educators tools and guidelines to appropriately leverage their privilege to confront white supremacy within the education system.
For more information on past Symposia, check out resources from our 2016 Symposium and 2017 Symposium.