December 2020 | CA MAP Newsletter

1. Resources for Early Childhood Teachers and Care Providers

Teaching Pyramid Tools; Professional Development Options; Rapid Resets Videos and Mindfulness Activities.

Walking Up the Teaching Pyramid: Tools to Support Children’s Return

Using the Teaching Pyramid framework and new resources adapted for California from those recently developed by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations, Linda Brault with the help of MAP’s web master, Alejandro Castillon created the graphic resource, Walking Up the Pyramid. It includes resources for self-care, building relationships, designing a supportive environment, teaching social and emotional skills, individualizing support and trauma informed care. Considerations for both remote and return to in-person learning are discussed. Resources are in multiple languages.

You can watch a recorded presentation of Walking Up the Pyramid from the Inclusion Collaborative Conference from September 2020 here .

New Professional Development Options

Published by California MAP

You can find a link to all of the Inclusion Collaborative Conference 2020 recorded sessions and upcoming state and national professional development options on MAP’s newly updated Professional Development Opportunities Supporting Children with Disabilities page .

Rapid Resets: Understanding escalation of emotions and simple ways to reset yourself and the kids you care for! With Stress in Schools Increasing, Simple Ways to Stay Calm

Published by Edutopia

“The simple techniques, called rapid resets, are designed for “anyone with a nervous system,” Rogers says, but they can be especially helpful in the school setting where teachers and students of all grade levels experience different levels of stress and trauma. Students or teachers who have had many adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as living in an abusive household or having an incarcerated parent, may be more easily triggered.” The videos demonstrate the physiology of escalating emotions and what to do to “reset” and bring yourself or kids back to a calm state. The videos are fun to watch and include the science behind the activity described as a “rapid reset”.

The “rapid resets” are demonstrated in the following videos:

Compassionate Classrooms: Mindfulness-Based Skills to Promote Resilience and Connection in the Autism Classroom, Monarch Center for Autism, Megan Davis, Registered Yoga Instructor

Recorded Webinar, November 19, 2020

Although this webinar is geared toward students with autism, the practices would be helpful for children with other disabilities and very young children as well as adults. The experiential nature of this webinar made it helpful to the viewer to de-stress while watching and participating. “The goal of this edWebinar is to introduce mindfulness skills that educators, therapists and paraprofessionals can integrate into the classroom to build resiliency, distress tolerance and connection in students with autism. At the end of this recorded session, you will have gained insight into how simple mindfulness practices directly impact our body’s ability to downregulate in the face of stress, anxiety and trauma. You will be able to integrate concrete skills into your classroom to support students’, as well as your own, wellness.”

2. For Families

Ideas for activities and interactions with your children that will support healthy social and emotional development and ways to de-stress for parents during the pandemic.

Holidays During the Pandemic

Published by Child Mind Institute , November 2020

As we head into the holidays, families everywhere are struggling to make plans appropriate for the pandemic. How do we celebrate when we can’t be together as usual? How do we resolve differences of opinion about what is safe? How do we deal with more disappointment and frustration — and help our kids do the same?

We can’t tell you what the right (or safe) choices are for your family, but here are some tips to make the best of holidays during the pandemic, whatever your situation. We asked our experts for advice about ways to minimize stress and help everyone in the family feel as good as possible about this unusual holiday season.

This article helps you to navigate decisions and interactions with others as you plan for the holidays during COVID-19.

10 Ways to Support Children’s Emotional Well-Being During COVID-19 (Video, 2:47 mins)

Published by Child Trends , November 17, 2020

In this video, Child Trends mental health expert Jessica Dym Bartlett discusses 10 ways for parents and caregivers to support children’s emotional well-being during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These basic suggestions provide a brief summary of ways to support the children in your care.

11 Simple Things You Can Do To Support Young Children’s Social and Emotional Skills

Published by Brookes Publishing , October 27, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in months of stress, fear, and struggle for many families—and young children have felt the effects of these seismic changes just as acutely as their other family members. Paying close attention to the social-emotional development of young children is critical, now more than ever. So today we’re bringing you some simple but effective things you can do to strengthen social-emotional skills and help children build confidence, cope with big emotions, and manage stress and worry.

Social and Emotional Pandemic Risks to Your Child and Solutions by Age

Published by Aha Parenting , October 29, 2020

“Most parents I know are worried about the impact of social isolation on their children, regardless of age. Remote learning isn't developmentally appropriate for children or teens, and most kids miss the social interactions that are part of the school day, as well as the after-school activities. If your child can go to school in person, that's probably a relief, but masks and social-distancing restrictions can trigger a sense of disconnection and sadness. It's hard for kids to sustain excitement about learning under these conditions. And as the pandemic continues, many youngsters are battling anxiety and depression, just as adults are.” This article by parenting expert, Dr. Laura Markham, describes the risks and solutions by age group to common issues around social isolation and the pandemic.

Emotions and Self-Awareness

Published by PBS for Parents , November 2020

“We all have feelings! When kids develop a strong emotional toolkit, they are better able to handle the ups and downs of life. As parents, we can help children name their feelings, understand them and develop strategies for expressing them in healthy ways.” This interactive web page is a tool kit for parents that includes information, strategies, activities and games for ages 2-8 that support self-awareness, self-control and self-confidence.

11 Positive Affirmations That Build Kid’s Confidence

Published by Motherly

Positive affirmations are a form of positive self-talk. When repeated often enough, this positivity can contribute to gains in self-esteem and overall positive thinking. When my son tells himself that he can work hard and overcome challenges, he replaces his negative thoughts with positive, happy thoughts that build self-confidence. If he says them often enough, he internalizes these positive things about himself, learning that he has the skills and knowledge to be capable, confident, and kind, even in the face of obstacles. This blog post explains how positive affirmations can help children as well as adults and gives 11 examples!

Social-Emotional Support Through Positive Language (Video, 8:11 mins)

Published by Santa Rosa Junior College Children’s Center (SRJC) , December 16, 2020

“At the Santa Rosa Junior College Children’s Center (SRJC) we believe in the importance of social and emotional development and promoting children’s success at home, in school and in life. Just as we teach children ABC’s, how to swim or multiply or drive a car we must teach them the social and emotional skills they need to have self-awareness, manage their emotions, and build relationships. One very meaningful way we can do this is by the expectations we set for them and the language we use to help them understand those expectations. Through Positive Descriptive Acknowledgment or PDA we can encourage positive behavior and reduce challenging behavior. We use PDA at the Children’ Center and are here to help you use them at home.” Watch this video, produced by the SRJC, to learn more about how to promote positive behavior with PDA. Additional information about PDA and more strategies and materials for families that support social and emotional development are available at the California Teaching Pyramid website .

Why Parents Need a Little Self-Compassion: Three Simple Ways to Bring Mindfulness to your Busy Day

Published by Greater Good Magazine , January 2020

While taking time out for self-care might feel like a burden—who has time for one more thing you should do?—the research is clear: Self-compassion is good for us, and for our children. It can help reduce our stress levels and bring more joy to parenting, and we can get it in small doses that fit into our insane schedules. (Take two deep breathes, find magic in the mundane, appreciate your hands.)

3. Resources for Administrators and Supervisors to Support Staff and Families

A Book; Messages from Families on Distance Learning; One Page Summary of Coping Resources for Families.

Supporting School Staff During COVID-19: 12 Things School Leaders Should Do to Support Their Staff This Year

Published by Brookes Publishing , September 22, 2020

“As Jen Alexander says in her new book, Supporting Students and Staff After COVID-19 , “the priority of caring for your school staff during COVID-19 must not stop with an introductory PD session.” Informal and formal supports for you and your staff will be critical all year as the pandemic stretches on, new challenges arise, and emotions run high. Much is being expected of educators, including leaders, and it’s important to remember that you are each doing your best during a collective trauma that isn’t over yet. Acknowledging genuine feelings and encouraging the expression of individual needs—while knowing that you can’t fix every difficulty—is key. From there, remember that each person is doing their best and be gentle with one another.

Here are 12 more specific things you can do as a school leader to support teachers and other staff members this year, adapted from Supporting Students and Staff After COVID-19 . Keep these tips in mind as you work to create a cohesive support plan for your team.”

The Distance Learning Tool Box Families Wish They Had

Published by NAEYC , October 16, 2020

This is a summary of the findings from the surveys, describing what families wanted and needed from their child’s school and teachers in order to support learning from home. The author came to think of what they described as a Distance Learning Toolbox.

Coping With Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic One Page-English and Spanish

Published by Aces Connection , November 3, 2020

The California Department of Public Health, Injury and Prevention Branch (CDPH/IVPB) and the California Department of Social Service, Office of Child Abuse Prevention’s (CDSS/OCAP) , Essentials for Childhood (EFC) Initiative , ACEs Connection , and the Yolo County Children’s Alliance have co-created a newly developed resource, “Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic” in both English and Spanish. This material is intended for Californian families experiencing the severe economic consequences resulting from novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and shares resources and offers supportive information on ways Californians can take care of themselves and their families during the pandemic. The information is similar to what other articles on the same topic have provided, but this document is more condensed and also provides hotline numbers for emergency aid.

4. Resources for Educators and Families

A Loving Kindness Activity; Kind Thoughts Video and Book Recommendations!

Greater Good: Supporting Learning and Well-Being During the Coronavirus Crisis

Published by Greater Good in Education

This area of the Greater Good website has a wealth of research-based “Practices for Educators and Parents” that support the learning and well-being of children, families and educators. A sample activity under “Practices for Staying Connected” and specifically “Helping Students Feel Connected to Each Other ” is presented below to give you an idea about how with appropriate supports a short activity can have a big impact on well-being. The activity, Wishes for the World: A Loving Kindness Activity is a very simple 15 minute activity for preschoolers and kindergartners. Students “fill” an imaginary ball with friendly wishes and “send it off” to the world. “How To Do It ” and “The Research Behind It ” describe the how and why of the activity. In addition, the links below are available to aid in making the activity effective and accessible to everyone. What’s more, the adaptations described can be applied to other activities and provide an opportunity for you to reflect on how you are making all of your activities inclusive.

Train Your Brain to Be Kinde (Video, 1:46 mins)

Published by Greater Good Magazine

Boost your kindness by sending kind thoughts to someone you love—and to someone you don't get along with—with a little guidance from these students.

The voices of children have a big impact on both children and adults in helping us to make the world a better place with kind thoughts.

Book Recommendations About Feelings and Attachment, Fear, Trauma and Diversity

Published by Attachment Network of Manitoba

Chandra Ghosh Ippen, Ph.D, of Piplo Productions , creator of the books, “Once I was Very, Very Scared” and “You Weren’t With Me”, recommends these books found on the Attachment Network of Manitoba website . You may be familiar with many of them because they have been favorites for many years. I read “Love You Forever” to my now 36-year-old daughter who is sure to read it to her daughter. This collection of books support learning and discussion related to attachment, diversity, emotion regulation and trauma. A sample of these books are in the pictures below. For the complete list, visit the website .

Direct questions or comments about this newsletter to map@wested.org

California MAP* to Inclusion and Belonging… *Making Access Possible December 2020 Newsletter

Supporting Well-Being and Belonging For All Children and Their Families and Staff During COVID-19

1. Resources for Early Childhood Teachers and Care Providers

2. For Families

3. Resources for Administrators and Supervisors to Support Staff and Families

4. Resources for Educators and Families

5. Our Team Wishing you a Happy New Year!

In this issue:

California MAP^* to Inclusion and Belonging… ^*Making Access Possible December 2020 Newsletter