Resiliency And Capacity Building In Inner City Learning Communities

The voices that are represented in this book offer differing perspectives on ways to support inner-city children and families. Each essay offers a unique contribution to our understanding of the interdependence of the people in these communities, yet all share the common message that inner-city children and families have strengths that can be built on to maximize their positive outcomes. This book is especially relevant to teachers who work with children and families with challenges.

Needs assessments identify the needs for services, answering questions about who needs these services and in what priority. Asset assessments focuses on existing resources; combing both needs and asset assesments helps find the gaps in these services and is useful to organizations and communities.

Leadership for Change in Teacher Education: Voices of Canadian Deans of Education presents a rich sampling of diverse perspectives on the topic in a unique collection of reflections contributed by Canadian deans of education. The focus of the inquiry, “What would we hear from deans of education invited to share their perspectives on leadership for change in contemporary teacher education?” invited deans of education to reflect on the research, policies and practices currently informing their leadership. The results, fourteen engaging and provocative essays, offer important insights and increased understandings of the complex nature of their work and explore concerns raised in relation to lived experience and the multi-faceted processes of leading change for teacher education in contemporary contexts. Reflections in these short essays underscore the critical role of deans in provoking, supporting and championing new ideas and approaches to pedagogy for teacher education, and make clear the complexities inherent in leading the change. The Coda highlights the limited scope of related research available in the current literature and recommends urgent attention, in both research and practice, to the preparation of deans and support for their ongoing professional learning and sustainable leadership. This book will be of great interest to scholars, deans of education, teacher educators, university administrators and other policymakers. “Leadership for Change was a catalyst to immersing myself in this book, promising as it does the “Voices of Canadian Deans of Education”. A member of the Association of Canadian Deans of Education (ACDE) for over a decade, I have been honoured to join these voices around many conference tables and other informal sessions. The promise of important insights these voices can share is fulfilled within every one of the compelling chapters. The book reminds us of the diverse geographical, political, and theoretical contexts that enhance understandings of multiple perspectives on leadership and the complex educational challenges inherent in contemporary teacher education. A deep commitment to public education and a profound work ethic towards stellar, relevant teacher education resonates across the work of these deans of education. This thought-provoking book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on reconceptualising leadership for teacher education.” – Professor Fern Snart, Dean of Education, University of Alberta

The SAGE Handbook of Gifted & Talented Education provides a comprehensive and international overview of key challenges and issues in the field of gifted education, making this an invaluable volume for individuals in the fields of education, public and private school administration, psychology and beyond. Containing contributions by a range of expert authors from around the world, chapters include discussions of the wide range of human abilities and talents which impinge upon academic success, with explorations of various political, social and economic factors which influence how ‘giftedness’ and ‘gifted education’ is defined and understood in different regions around the globe. PART 1. CONCEPTS OF GIFTEDNESS AND IDENTIFICATION: SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS PART 2: EDUCATIONAL PROVISION: PROGRAMS AND STRATEGIES PART 3: GLOBAL RESPONSES TO EMERGING G&T PROVISION: DEFINING THE FUTURE

The story of life in inner-city America and the education of its people is often recounted as a tragedy; the ending is often predictable and usually dire, highlighting deficiency, failure, and negative trends. As with most social problems, children and youth in the inner cities are hit hardest. But this dismal view is only half of the full picture. The cities of our nation are a startling juxtaposition between the despairing and the hopeful, between disorganization and restorative potential. Alongside the poverty and unemployment, the street-fights and drug deals, are a wealth of cultural, economic, educational, and social resources. Often ignored are the resilience and the ability for adaptation which help many who are seemingly confined by circumstance to struggle and succeed "in the face of the odds." This book helps to broaden the utilization of ways to magnify the circumstances known to enhance development and education, so that the burden of adversity is reduced and opportunities are advanced for all children and youth -- especially the children and youth of the inner cities who are in at-risk circumstances. The focus is on: * raising consciousness about the opportunities available to foster resilience among children, families, and communities, and * synthesizing the knowledge base that is central to implementing improvements which serve to better the circumstances and educational opportunities of children and families. This volume is intended for a wide audience of readers, but particularly those who are in a position to shape public policy and deliver educational and human services.

After a traumatic experience, survivors often experience a cascade of physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and spiritual responses that leave them feeling unbalanced and threatened. Building Resilience to Trauma explains these common responses from a biological perspective, reframing the human experience from one of shame and pathology to one of hope and biology. It also presents alternative approaches, the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) and the Community Resiliency Model (CRM), which offer concrete and practical skills that resonate with what we know about the biology of trauma. In programs co-sponsored by the World Health Organization, the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, ADRA International and the department of behavioral health of San Bernardino County, the TRM and the CRM have been used to reduce and in some cases eliminate the symptoms of trauma by helping survivors regain a sense of balance. Clinicians will find that they can use the models with almost anyone who has experienced or witnessed any event that was perceived as life threatening or posed a serious injury to themselves or to others. The models can also be used to treat symptoms of vicarious traumatization and compassion fatigue.

The story of life in inner-city America and the education of its people is often recounted as a tragedy; the ending is often predictable and usually dire, highlighting deficiency, failure, and negative trends. As with most social problems, children and youth in the inner cities are hit hardest. But this dismal view is only half of the full picture. The cities of our nation are a startling juxtaposition between the despairing and the hopeful, between disorganization and restorative potential. Alongside the poverty and unemployment, the street-fights and drug deals, are a wealth of cultural, economic, educational, and social resources. Often ignored are the resilience and the ability for adaptation which help many who are seemingly confined by circumstance to struggle and succeed "in the face of the odds." This book helps to broaden the utilization of ways to magnify the circumstances known to enhance development and education, so that the burden of adversity is reduced and opportunities are advanced for all children and youth -- especially the children and youth of the inner cities who are in at-risk circumstances. The focus is on: * raising consciousness about the opportunities available to foster resilience among children, families, and communities, and * synthesizing the knowledge base that is central to implementing improvements which serve to better the circumstances and educational opportunities of children and families. This volume is intended for a wide audience of readers, but particularly those who are in a position to shape public policy and deliver educational and human services.

This personal and moving account of raising a child with ADHD is remarkable for its humour, real-life examples, and useful strategies for teachers and parents. It is one of the few books to make the topic of ADHD truly come alive. Understanding ADHD shows how parents and teachers can work together in a positive and productive fashion. Topics addressed include: identification, causation, theory, treatment, behaviour management, teaching strategies, self-concept, and prognosis.

National and global efforts have failed to stop climate change, transition from fossil fuels, and reduce inequality. We must now confront these and other increasingly complex problems by building resilience at the community level. The Community Resilience Reader combines a fresh look at the challenges humanity faces in the 21st century, the essential tools of resilience science, and the wisdom of activists, scholars, and analysts working on the ground to present a new vision for creating resilience. It shows that resilience is a process, not a goal; how it requires learning to adapt but also preparing to transform; and that it starts and ends with the people living in a community. From Post Carbon Institute, the producers of the award-winning The Post Carbon Reader, The Community Resilience Reader is a valuable resource for community leaders, college students, and concerned citizens.