Well, it certainly has been a trying week for many. I am fortunate that my clients and work family accepted my croaked, incomplete responses this week with compassion, giving me space to process the school shooting in Uvalde.
My #SEL heart is centering:
- Students who are hearing about this national tragedy for the first time.
- Educators who have been tirelessly and consistently requesting more mental health resources, particularly during THIS VERY MONTH, Mental Health Awareness Month, and who are now being taxed with even more mental health challenges since the shooting.
- The entire city of Uvalde.
- The family of Salvador Rolando Ramos.
- Families who are having to re-live losing their children from other school shootings (i.e. Sandy Hook, Parkland, FL, etc).
*SEL is social-emotional learning, which I speak about in detail here.
My #ACEs brain is wondering:
- We all have an ACE number story. What is Ramos’?
- Why are we not talking more about adverse childhood experiences and the trauma that may have been a factor in this mass shooting?
- Mental illness exists all over the world and cannot be the “excuse” we give for why mass school shootings like this are happening in the US. What are school districts doing to help students understand their ACE history? What are hospitals doing to ensure access to the mental health services? What additional supports are being provided to schools to ensure children feel safe, heard, and seen?
My #ElementaryEducator hat is pondering:
- Who is looking for behavioral clues to observe warning behaviors for violent and/or suicidal behavior?
- Are we ready to integrate threat assessments by a collaborative team of experts to ensure we can identify cries for help? cc TREP Project.
- Does every student in every school have an adult in their school environment who is designated as their “lead teacher” or “advisory leader” or “check-in adult?” If not, could we implement a check-in system for every 10 students to every 1 teacher — 1 check-in per week — and make that a priority before getting into any academic learning?
My #aunty heart is hopeful for:
- Children who feel they can talk about their feelings as a family (s/o to my sister and brother-in-law who encourage feelings dialogue regularly).
- Accessible therapy, counselors, and social workers for elementary-age children as young as PreK.
Finally, if I can only encourage one point of action for anyone reading:
Find someone in your life who identifies as a right wing or conservative, and have a conversation with them. Start with how you both are feeling after this tragedy. Find common ground somehow, someway, before beginning to talk about gun control (or suggested language “gun reform” efforts or “gun violence prevention” strategies). A critical #SEL skill is ensuring people’s voices and perspectives are acknowledged, regardless of how the other person chooses to respond or react.
Thanks to some of these folks who inspired this writing:
Dena Simmons and LiberatED SEL’s Resource Bundle_After a School Shooting
The poetry of Nauka Patel
Decenter the Teacher’s Responding to a Community Trauma Circle
Natalie Kazarian’s Mental Health ≠ Gun Violence Resources
Keep going,
Mika
