Tupelo Distance Education - airing June 26

June 26, 2020

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>>> good friday this morning.

This is distance learning 101 on abc.

>>> today we're joined by page tidwell.

She is going to give us some tips we prepare to come back to school on emotional and social learning.

>> correct.

>> so you have done some other shows with us but this is a little bit different in that we don't know exactly what we're coming back to with school when school starts august 12th.

We're finalizing how that is going to look.

>> right.

>> the things the children and students and the administrators and the staff have faced and dealt with.

Tell us what this role is for you, the research you have done, give us the background before we dive into, you know what you have for us today.

>> first of all i'll tell you this is part of the district's covid-19 blueprint.

With that they have different goals and so one of the goals in the blueprint is to address the social, emotional and mental health needs of the teachers and students as they come back.

>> right.

>> as they come back to school.

This is something that we feel strongly about and we see a need for.

You know, given that the year end sod abruptly and you know it was difficult on teachers, it was difficult on the students.

It was difficult on the parents.

It was just unprecedented for all of us.

And we just recognize that that there are supports available out there and that as a school district it is, you know we want to provide the supports to our teachers and to our students.

>> absolutely.

>> so we can address for them you know some of the the how all of that impacted them.

How they felt about that.

And often times i think when things happen we just sort of push it under the rug and move on, i don't think they feel that is a good idea in the situation and we need to -- we need to support our students in any way that we can.

That's what we're prepared to do.

>> and of course everybody, i don't care what your age is.

They view it and look at what happened differently.

>> absolutely.

>> how do you -- i mean in the it is not a one size fits all.

How do you address the needs, i mean, that's beyond my realm of thinking.

How do you start.

Where do you .

If could you.

We heard for so long now social and emotional learning.

Social and emotional health, can you define what that is and then go into kind of preparing for our kids?

And staff?

>> yes, so, i would say in this case, it is different for everybody.

Everyone experiences things in different ways, this very different reactions and fears and thoughts.

Different anxieties about different things.

>> i think we need to be aware of that.

And i know that with and speaking with the teachers.

We hope to administer a short survey with them prior to the training.

And we can sort of understand know some of the things that they in particular dealt with.

As the teachers and in the training we will incorporate some of the concerns.

We'll incorporate some strategies and we'll just incorporate that into the training so we make sure specifically address the needs that they have.

The concerns that they have.

And you know i mean.

For teaching, you know it is going to look different.

And there are, fears around that.

I mean the fears around possibly what the classroom could look like when they go back.

Their concern for the students when they go back.

And -- so i think you know we hope to look at and a wide range of in the be open minded.

>> that's the key, open minded.

>> ultimately it is not what we think it is t is what -- it's their story so we just need to support them in wharf that is.

And we'll do our best, you know to figure that out.

>> so you said training and can you take us more into that is that 101 training by school and group all of the above?

How do you -- how do you train for something like this?

>> we're going to have some people that come in.

>> and you know their knowledge of this, they have an indepth expert, their experts in the field.

>> so, this is not the kind of thing that i feel like i should get up there, i understand about social emotional learning.

I'm familiar with it.

In that case that's not something i feel qualified to do.

And so, we're looking at trying to bring someone in.

And that has that training.

That indepth training and the has the mental health training they go hand in hand.

And so that we can give the teachers the best information possible, you know, and we really want to offer them.

We want to focus on them.

We want to single them out and focus on them.

And help them -- >> and they will be the ones with the kids most of the day.

>> absolutely.

>> and when we were short of putting this plan together, and you know we talked about what -- what will this look like so, you know, we were saying, you know we need to have a separate raining -- training for our teachers.

We need to separate them out and focus on them and just their needs because they -- they were thrown into sort of a tail-spin you know school ended.

Here we are on, distance learning and there is just a lot that goes, a lot, a lot that goes on or that went on within all of that.

>> april is -- i mean it just, wow.

>> that is important.

Like i said to give them the opportunity to express their feelings and express their fears.

Let's talk about it and get out in the open and let's talk about the strategies and things that you can do.

You know with anxiety and about that.

And sometimes just to verbalize things and have someone listen and hear what your concerns are or what it is you went through.

It helps to verbalize that, you know get it out and share with like-minded people.

>> so a lot of open die dialogue?

>> yes.

But then they wilt be given strategies for just themselves about when they get anxious or a multitude of things.

There will be strategies given to them to handle certain situations as they come up if something comes up they're not sure how to handle it.

There is support provided so they are not going to have to figure that out.

Themselves.

And we will have somebody that is trained that will be readily available.

And help with whatever it is they need help with at any given time.

>> that's a big part and assistance in help and it is just going to be instrumental and having a smooth classroom and we're doing everything we can to make the start of school look normal.

Things are going to be you know there will be differences.

There will be a lot of things that the kids are familiar with as we move through and we'll have to see how the virus plays out in the fall.

>> and i do thing getting back to school and so much of anxiety and things come from just out of your -- your normal every day to day.

They're teachers, they're in the classroom.

That's what they are accustomed to so when you have been taken out of that into a distance learning from your home.

You know i think that i'm -- i hope that once people return, once they return they are in the classrooms. that will provide a sense of comfort.

And familiarity for them so that, you know when they get back in that environment.

You know they know what to do there.

They know what to do there.

>> i hope that -- that's a up lifting, even though things are going to be different.

I think once they get back in the classrooms and are with the students and teaching i think that will offer some comfort for them.

>> it will be different but are you going to create new routines and create, you know new normalcy.

So that's -- that's going to be and that will help.

As an adult.

I need -- i not having my normal routine.

As have i.

We all thrive on routines and you know patterns and get disrupted like that.

You have no time to prepare for it.

>> you have no time to prepare.

There is a lot of feelings just around the year ending they didn't get to see the teachers.

They loved the students they didn't get to say goodbye to them.

>> and what they felt like and they give the students at the end of the year.

>> and there are is a lot of closure.

A lot of closure with that.

The one thing i do know that -- >> our teachers, i believe this from the bottom of my heart.

Our teachers are -- they can do anything.

I really believe that.

>> i know, we have phenomenal teachers.

They were phenomenal people in general.

I know that they -- that they are -- they want to get back in.

And i -- i'm just proud of them.

I'm proud of the job that they do.

I'm proud you know we have the caliber of teach teachers in the district.

They are going to take the ball and run with it.

>> we're going to take a break.

We'll come back.

You have a presentation for us that are you going to share.

As we get ready for the start of school on august 12th.

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>>> welcome back to distance learning 101.

I'm joined by miss page stidwell.

We're talking social and emotional learning.

We talked about the blueprint.

This is something that you presented to our board of trustees last week so now we're going to share it with the public.

So i'm just going to turn it over to you.

You have this incredible animated slide show.

I was impressed with that by the way.

>> it adds interest to it.

>> i'm going to let take us through it and give an idea what we're doing.

>> all right well i think i'll start off, i mentioned in the first segment about the covid-19 blueprint.

And that goal number 3 of that blue print addresses the social emotional and metal health and addressing those needs.

>> right.

>> so the goal is to provide mental health services and support to meet the need of students and teachers as a result of covid-19.

That's goal number 3 of the covid-19 blueprint.

So, the social and emotional plan for teachers and students is what i'm going to talk about next.

And so the purpose of this is to proactively address the social and emotional needs of the teachers and students as they transition back to school.

For that in training and support and related to the significant changes and disruptions brought about by covid-19.

>> meaning the quick end of school, the abrupt end of school.

>> and so, the first part of the training is going to be and teacher focused and the teacher focus training is the two parts to it.

>> and the first part of focus is on the needs of the teacher.

And the purpose of that training is just to help the teachers develop an awareness of the own emotional social needs to the transition back to school and provide them with support systems and strategies to identify the needs.

So, some of the objectives are to increase the awareness and normalization of concerns.

And the classroom setup.

Clennyness.

Anxiety about teaching.

And concern about the safety of their own personal students, you know, a lot of the teachers have students in the district, you know in other schools.

>> as do you, as do i.

>> and you know, just, i think that once we do that survey we'll have a better idea of exactly the things that we need to sort of hone in on and focus on specifically.

And i another object seive to provide useful strategies and demonstration and practice of those.

And a couple of those are our mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a strategy that we here a lot about now.

It's not a new thing but i think it is more and more practice in the districts; that's a strategy.

And communication skills another one.

Another is to increase understanding of support available to help them.

>> and to help them recognize the signs when the help is needed.

So they will know i need to -- i need to go.

I need the help here.

>> you have to recognize.

>> wreck it, yes.

>> and how to ask for help.

>> that may be one of the more difficult ones.

>> and how to ask for help.

>> and hopefully, you know, having that resource that will just cut down on their frustration in the classroom, which is -- it is sort of a whole -- whole approach, you know, we're trying to minutenise their frustration as teachers and in dealing with the issues that may come up with.

And with the themselves and you know maybe they were not expecting that.

>> or the thing with students.

We're trying to head that off.

>> until we get them in a classroom.

>> we're not going to know.

>> we're not going to know.

>> so that was the first part.

It is focusing on the needs of the teacher.

The second part of the teacher train something student focused.

So in this -- in the training, we're -- we hope to increase awareness of possible social, emotional and behavior issues students may exhibit related to the transition back to school.

>> and help them understand strategies and strategies that proactively address the concerns and how to access the supports when needed.

>> some of these ontoives are to increase awareness of how social and emotional awareness.

But this -- we'll have to differentiate this based on the grade levels of the school.

This is not going to be consistent and across all grade levels.

>> like first graders will encounter different concerns.

>> yes, than high school.

>> this does cover every great level.

>> it does.

>> and the strategies that the -- the training that the teachers received will be grade level specific.

>> got you.

>> and to increase awareness of the concerns may present on the return to school.

At the lower schools you may see excessive clinginess.

And across all grade levels you can see the compulsive behavior.

>> outbursts and things?

>> obsessive compulsive, you know with all the clenliness.

Washing hands.

I mean it could be something that they picked up while they were at home that has come out of the anxiety when school ended so abruptly.

And just like anxiety.

That's another objective to provide objectives to address concerns we'll talk about that.

To increase awareness of behavior problem thans may require additional support and access those.

So, we do recognize it is possible that some things come up and the realm.

And that is.

>>> and they will have to notice when that is.

How they need to get in touch with them to bring them in to help.

That is a big adjustment and they look for the markers.

I would think after a while it will be acustommed to it.

They pick up on things when are you around the kids all day that we're not going to see.

They have that ability whether they know that or not.

>> they do.

I think we hope to that you know teachers can focus on teaching.

Right.

As the things come up they will have a support system that can handle the other things and not have to stop teaching to focus on other things.

>> we focused about the teacher focused and that will be about 3 and a half hours worth of training.

And then the other part of the training is student, student training for students.

Of the way we decided to tack that is we just felt like it is going to be hard to get in front of the student with the social distancing.

There will be four videos and they will be grade level specific.

They will be directed at the students.

These are for the students.

They will address needs and concerns that the students have.

I think it is trying to normalize the situation and you know it is okay to talk about it.

This happens.

Let's talk about it.

We can talk about anything we need to related to the situation.

And just that they have supports there.

You know.

That they are going to have people that will be there to support them.

>> is there advice that you can give to parents to get a head start with themselves perform are before school starts.

There are things that the parents can do in the home now to help with the issues?

>> i think honestly, there is sort of a parent by parent issue.

I know just from my parents is very different from the way others are handling it.

>> and child to child within the same family.

>> within the same family.

Yes, i think it is it is hard to do that only because i do think it is important to talk about it and bring it up.

Ask questions, tell me how you feel about going to school.

To have a service so they know the conversations that are happening around them.

There not surprised or they're not feeling like they have been left out of the conversation.

You know address it with them and talk with them through it.

>> i think the best thing right now that parents can do is just talk.

Right.

>> and kids appreciate that.

>> they do.

They get to see that it is okay to be worried and concerned.

>> and we are, too.

>> and but i will say i feel so much better after hearing the presentation.

We didn't go through all of it.

Are you doing so much.

And the administrator and the superintendent, everyone.

To address this.

>> i think that's a valuable tool that we will implement.

>> and can i say one other thing?

>> certainly.

>> the support system that we're offering.

We'll have, we'll have registered behavior technicians they are ready and willing.

So, they're going to be available at a moment's notice.

They will be in the schools.

They will be present.

They will be there to help the teachers and help the students.

So we have, we have that backup.

>> that's incredible.

That's going to be important i think.

We need the support right now.

We don't know what it will loom like it is important to be prepared.

>> you can't be overprepared.

>> page, thank you for coming in with the valuable episode as the parents get ready.

When you get past july 4th.

I feel like school starts then because it is quick.

>> and they are coming back.

>> thank you for all your work.

It was well received by the board.

The parents will be really excited to see all that's going on.

>> we hope you have a great weekend.

Thank you for coming.

>> thank you.

>> we'll