Teaching to Strengths: Supporting Students Living with Trauma, Violence, and Chronic Stress, Sep/2017

Half the students in U.S. schools are experiencing or have experienced trauma, violence, or chronic stress. Much has been written about these students from a therapeutic perspective, especially regarding how to provide them with adequate counselling supports and services. Conversely, little has been written about teaching this population and doing so from a strengths-based perspective. Using real-world examples as well as research-based principles, this book shows how to

1. Identify inherent assets that students bring to the classroom.
2. Connect to students’ experiences through instructional planning and delivery.
3. Foster students’ strengths through the use of predictable routines and structured paired and small-group learning experiences.
4. Develop family and community partnerships.

Experts Debbie Zacarian, Lourdes Alvarez-Ortiz, and Judie Haynes outline a comprehensive, collaborative approach to teaching that focuses on students’ strengths and resiliency. Teaching to Strengths encourages educators to embrace teaching and schoolwide practices that support and enhance the academic and socio-emotional development of students living with trauma, violence, and chronic stress. 

About The Authors:

Debbie Zacarian, EdD, is known for her work in advancing student achievement. With an advanced degree in clinical psychology and a doctorate in educational policy, research, and administration and over three decades of combined experience as a district administrator, university faculty member, and educational service agency leader, she founded Zacarian & Associates. She presents and publishes extensively on working successfully with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, including working with students living with trauma, violence, and chronic stress.

Lourdes Alvarez-Ortiz, PhD, is a highly accomplished bilingual/ bicultural school psychologist with more than two decades of experience working in inner-city school districts serving culturally and linguistically diverse student and family populations. In addition to her expertise assessing and supporting students' socio-emotional and academic growth, she has collaboratively led initiatives supporting teachers and administrators in their efforts to optimize students' potential, work successfully with families, and use culturally responsive practices.

Judie Haynes is a renowned ESL teacher with 28 years' experience working in urban and suburban settings with diverse students and their families. She brings depth of knowledge and practice teaching students and working with families who have experienced trauma, violence, and chronic stress and has supported many school districts in designing and implementing curriculum for students who have experienced these phenomena. She provides extensive professional development throughout the United States on working with English learners and presents at international TESOL and various TESOL affiliates in the United States and Canada.