The brain behaves differently depending on its emotional state. Bruce Perry references this as "state dependent functioning." This seems like an obvious truth to most on an individual level when we consider our personal experiences. We have all made better or worse decisions depending on how we were feeling in a given moment. However, how much of our educational system, procedures, protocols, practices, school cultures, instructional design are built to support and incorporate this understanding? This presentation contends the answer to this question historically is, "very little." This session is designed to explore how we have, or more importantly, how we can factor state dependent functioning into our work as educators. Why is this important? Critical? As our emotional states shift as adults or students, the amount and type of access we have to our cognitive abilities changes. Our IQ is impacted. If student learning, safety and well-being are priorities, we not only need to understand state dependent functioning, but how we can use this understanding in our various roles.This session is designed to explore how we have, or more importantly, how we can factor state dependent functioning into our work as educators. Why this is important... Critical.
While trauma-informed practices must be rooted in Tier 1 and continued in Tier 2, schools still have some students requiring more intensive intervention. Out-of-school suspensions contribute to the school to prison pipeline, and our students need to remain at school more than ever. This session's objective is to outline an alternative program that identifies and supports students proactively, minimizes out-of-school suspensions, and continues to support students once they return to the general education classroom all while heavily involving parents and classroom teachers.
