Empathy and Beyond: Making Schools and Communities Whole

Empathy & Beyond Making Schools and Communities Whole

Sessions Offered:

Day 1: Keynote Speaker - Spencer Gorin

Navigating Relationships: Essential Foundations for the Art of Empathy and Courageous Conversations"

Day 1, Session 1: Playing with Spencer Gorin author of Learning to Play, Playing to Learn

Begin with "Why we play?".  The circle in the middle was the "correct" answer and we had to guess until we said the circle answer.  Once we got it right we added more ideas around the circle.

"What is the most important part of the game?"

Rules for building empathy and taking the power away from the negative or uncooperative students.

PLAY TIME!  Variations of tag to make a finalist, many finalists, or all are in at the end.

Day 1, Session 2: Shari Attaberry, School Counselor - Teaching Empathy... One Book at a Time,

Reading with expression and pulling in students to "feel" and understand the characters.  This helps them to understand their own emotions and build empathy towards others.

Story Time:  Ishi: Simple Tips from a Solid Friend

Rocks to take home as a reminder.

Day 1, Session 3: Debi Neat, YWCA - Is Your School Trauma Informed - Should it Be?!?!

Looking at the causes and who is affected by trauma.  About 25% of children have experienced trauma that affects them.  This guidebook is very useful as it shows things that may cause trauma and how responses can be loud or go unnoticed.

This is how to assist in trauma (grouped kind of like reading interventions).  

Green - Majority of students, no change of plan

Yellow - A Few students, group counseling

Red - Couple students, need 1-on-1 attention

Day 1 Closing: Mary Bouley - World Cafe

Reflecting and sharing our learning from the day

Day 2 : Resource Fair - Medical, financial, and supportive community resources were available at tables

Day 2: Welcome - Mayor Jonathan Rothschild

Day 2, Keynote Speaker: Jeannette Maré - Founder and Executive Director of Ben's Bells

Beyond Empathy to Kindness

Day 2, Session 1:  Emotional Intelligence: What is it? Why is it important?

 - Lots of research presented

 - Can be taught, very important for success at school and workplace

Day 2, Session 2: Yvette-Marie Margaillan - The Power of Reinforcement: A Scientific Approach to Motivating Students and Understanding Behavior

Knowing there is a reason for every behavior and some ideas on what to at school to keep students motivated.

Simple check sheet for Behavior ABC's

Day 2, Session 3: Shelly Hubman - Fun Ways to Help Students (and YOU) Tune-In, Focus, and Connect 

Stress relievers, movements, and thinking activities to for mindfulness, bring back focus, and lower stress at school.

Thank you Pima County's Superintendents Office and the many sponsers for the great 2 days filled with ways to begin to understand and support students and our community!