Getting them to read (,) right (?)

 Getting them to read right. As in correct.

Getting them to read, right? Like, at all. 

Right now, our biggest hurdle is getting kids to read. 

• They are still reading the questions and scanning. 
• Or they are just reading the questions and choosing an answer. 
• Or they are reading, struggling to make it make sense.
• Or they start reading and get tired.
• Or they look at it, and realize they are bored already.

None of our lessons and reviews on TEKS and questions are going to amount to a hill of beans - or even cow patties - if they aren't even reading. On all the days ending in y or on the test day. 

Here's some ideas: 

Show me your screen: 

Have kids open up their screens and show you what they do first, second, and third. Have them show you what they do with the tools. Then tell them to stop all that crap, expand the text, turn on the damn line reader, and actually read the thing. 

Manage your energy: 

Look. On test day, we get tired. It makes sense to start with the hard stuff first. Use the next key to next all the stuff until you see the pencil. This is the icon that tells you that that passage has the long text you have to write. Start there. Read the second paragraph in the prompt and use that to set your purpose - reason - for reading. 

Then find the questions that ask you to use two passages. Now read the first passage and answer those questions. Then read the second passage and answer those questions. Then use both passages to answer questions about both of the passages. 

Then go back to number one on the test and do those parts after you take a break. 

Stop Boring Yourself

Guys, when I listen to kids read...it's torture. As teachers, we have to back up and teach people how to stay interested in a text by reading with prosody. The voice in their head - their reader's ear - can't be boring. There must be emphasis, tone, phrasing, soft and loud...an actor reading lines in their head, a grandma reading a story, a newscaster explaining a disaster, a podcaster on a true crime series, a youtuber unveiling a toy or doing a game walkthrough, some crazy-Texas-accented-eccentric-white-lady-who-overdoes-it-all... Something interesting. Anything but that monotone bored teenager in the seat and stuck in a room for five hours. Seriously, why would they torture themselves like that? Stop the madness. 

Point of Difficulty

There's a lot involved in reading. And kids need a strategy for each component when they struggle. 

Decoding - try breaking up the letters, three at a time and stacking them on top of each other

con

trib

ute

Say each line one at a time. Then put it all together. If it sounds like a word you know, you are good to go. If you don't know the word, have the dictionary tool say it for you so you can figure out the meaning that goes with the sounds. 

Purpose - Decide what genre it is. That helps you know what to expect and the voice you need to hear in your head. Are you grandma reading a story, a slam poet, or a documentarian? 

There's more to say...but our instruction has to help kids know what to do when stuff doesn't make sense.

Understand Why

Most kids think they have to do well to pass the grade or to graduate. That's actually not why. The real why is that Texas wants to know that they aren't releasing a giant population of fools into the world. And people who can't read something and use it to make decisions -well, they are easily fooled. The world will take advantage of folks like that. The point of all the assessment is to determine if learners are capable of making decisions that make their lives better. Sure - the test isn't really gonna make life better. But knowing the true purpose and showing competence to get the thing over with sure does make the retesting pain shorter. 

NOTE- I'm working with some specific lessons to resolve these issues with Unity Learning Communities - we'll be trying them out and reporting on the impact. 

Documenting Process for ULC: Assessing Learners in the Beta Group

Reading Test:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DZdSND6n3wvdwFBm3mDSDH2tSu8OZGmvfqyXt4kSPw0/edit?usp=sharing 

This used to be a purple ditto. Mom had it in her notebook of quick assessments she used at Humphrey's Highland. I have no idea where it came from. But... it's short. It's accurate when I've used it with longer comprehension assessments- and I have no idea why. 

Here's what I'm playing with. We give assessments to figure out what we are supposed to teach but we don't know. I'm not sure that is working. These errors/miscues tell us what they know about the reading process - their beliefs about what reading is. So - for the first time, I'm looking at the errors with a different lens. What do these behaviors mean in terms of their approach cognitively to reading? What do they actually think they are doing? Because they aren't TRYING to make errors. They believe something that causes these choices that aren't just related to what they don't know. 

G - 

3.8 - abo... (self corrected) approve

4.4 -hesitation, quite...I don't know. (quality)

4.8 - that's hard too! (grieve)

5.1 - k...I don't know how to say that (quarrantine)

5.2 - con...contay...looks up and moves on

5.3 - glol...gloltten...glulton

5.4 - ex...hah...uh...I don't know 

G is solid with decoding and vocabulary until about the fourth grade level (4.3). Her vocabulary seems to be at a similar level. Once she gets to multiple syllable words, g/c combos, and advanced vowel patterns, she doesn't seem to know what to do to solve the words. She stops and just explains that she doesn't know how to approach the word. She can begin the first three to four letters, but does not go much beyond the beginning for most words. 

For the spelling assessment, she spelled "tran" for train, "fram" for frame, "chouch" for couch, and "squiril", suggesting that she may be between within word and syllable juncture. 

Emerging theory of reading: 

• I don't expect words to make sense. 
• I don't know a lot of vocabulary. 
• When I come to a word I don't know, I don't really know what to do. Words baffle me. 
• I look at the initial parts of the words and scan through. If the initial sounds don't make sense, I realize that I did something wrong and move on. 
•  I hear and represent syllables and sounds in my writing, but I'm not sure about the letters for vowel sounds. 
• I remember visual things about some words and try to write them down like I remember them. 

Ae- 

1.6 - block for book; self corrected

4.1 - spilt for split

4.6 - yurge for urge

4.7 - collapson for collapse

4.8 - grinnive for grieve

5.1 - kwaratine for quarrantine

5.2 - corage - for contagious

glooton - glutton; implee for imply; three hold for threshold; eethics for ethics (SC); deslot for desolate

I should have stopped Am earlier, but she was so energetic and positive (3.9). She doesn't seem to understand that the words she is reading don't make sense - which suggests a lack of vocabulary as well as a theory of reading that things just don't make sense. She's using the initial visual and some of the ending of words. She is not smooth tracking through words, and misses the penultimate syllable, suggesting a lack of understanding of syllables as well. The lack of knowledge regarding syllables is also causing problems with vowel sounds. 

For the spelling assessment, she was able to spell all words except for the last one - sqirl for squirrel, suggesting that she may be between syllable juncture and derivational constancy. 

Am's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I know that words are supposed to make sense. 
• I don't know a lot of vocabulary. 
• I look at the beginning and end of words but skip the middle. 
• I don't know the sounds of some vowels. 
• When I spell, I try to represent all the sounds, but I don't understand how words are made. 

Ad - 

4.6 - yurg for urge; syllabication; vowel sounds, g2; vocabulary

4.7 - cospsand for collapse (SC) - There's some internal processing here to get from the s to the ll in the middle of the word; vocabulary

5.1 - quarnaty for quarrantine - syllabication; did he see the end of the word? sounds a bit like warranty - vocabulary? 

5.3 - glooton for glutton - syllabication in doubling; vocabulary

5.5 - im plee for imply - vocabulary; knows common y ending as in friendly

5.7 - cometery for contemporary - syllabication, initial and final; not smooth tracking through the whole word; vocabulary - perhaps he knows commentary

5.9 - thersold for threshold -reversals in tracking; sh in syllabication; vocabulary

6.2 - dis o late for desolate - vocabulary

Ad has an approach to words that suggests many gaps in word knowledge and sounds. (6.2?) He never misses three words in sequence. He has an approach to sounding out words, but does not seem to notice that they don't make sense, suggesting a problem with both vocabulary and his theory of reading.  

For the spelling assessment, he spelled fram for frame, struggled with hoping - marking out the e. He spelled squirrel as squrel. He also lets his descending letters sit on the line. This suggests a problem with visual acuity misconceptions during decoding print. Taken with the decoding assessment - Ad seems to be between syllable juncture and derivational constancy. Review for cvce words in syllable juncture is also warranted. 

Ad's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I have some strategies to figure out words, but the gaps in my knowledge are causing problems. 
• I don't know a lot of vocabulary, but I try to make unknown words match the words I do know. 
• When I write, I try to represent all the sounds in words, but I don't really know what to do with vowels. 
• I expect words to make sense, but I make a lot of mistakes and get the wrong idea about meaning.

Zi 

I didn't listen to Zi read words. 

He spelled "squrrel" for "squirrel" 

Au

4.4 - qu...hesitation...quality

5.2 - coura gioust for contagious

5.3 - glooton - for glutton

5.9 - theres hold for threshold

6.1 - ethic for ethics

6.2 - dis so lit for desolate

I should have stopped him after glutton but didn't. He topped out at 4.4, but was able to read several words successfully after that. It appears that he is trying to sound out words, pausing to think silently. He tries to say words that he knows, but they don't match the syllables. He has gaps in phonic and syllable knowledge. 

He spelled clouchk for couch, and spurall for squirrel. He doens't close the loops on the a. To make an f, he makes a t and then adds the curve. 

Au's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I know a lot of words.
• I look at the visual elements of the words until it sounds like a word I know. I do not always look through the whole word. 
• I expect words to make sense. 
• When I write, I try to make all the sounds. 
• I am still confused by the direction the q should go. 

Yi

2.4 - hisself for himself - probably dialect

4.1 - slip for split

4.8 - Griver for grieve

5.1 - hesitation - guarrn...quaranikity for quarrantine

5.5 - implee for imply

5.7 - contemporly - contemporary

5.9 - ther sold for threshold

6 - patience for participate

6.1 - emphasis for ethics

6.2 deslate for desolate

Sbe spelled squarl for squirrel

Yi's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I look at the word as a whole and make a guess about what I think the word it. 
• I don't expect the words to be ones I know. 
• I don't know a lot of words. 
• When I write, I try to use all the syllables and sounds.
• When I write, I do not know the letters for the sounds I want to use. I don't know how to represent syllables yet. 

Ka

3.8 approv for approve

5.3 - glooten for gluton

5.5 - apply for imply

5.7 - con...for contagious

5.8 - theo for theory

5.9 - three hold for threshold

6.1 - ee thics for ethics

6.2 - de sol ate - for desolate

She spelled sqruell for squirrel

Ka's Emerging Theory of Reading: 

• I don't expect words to make sense. 
• I don't know a lot of words. 
• I have strategies for some words, but words like contagious are overwhelming. 
• When I write, I try to represent all the sounds and syllables, but I get confused about the order. I know the letters that should be there, but I don't get them in order. 

Ke

3.5 - Flit - sc

4.7 h - collapse

4.8 h receive for grieve

5.1 quality for quarrantine

5.2 conjurious for contagious

5.4 extreff for exhaust

5.5 implee for imply

image SC

complementar - contempora

thers hold for threshold

h pur...?

enfluences vs ethics

desclorate vs desolate

He spelled fram for frame; chouch for couch; makeing for making; hopeing for hoping; nashioun for nation; sqirr for squirrel

Ke's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I don't expect things to make sense. 
• I look at the beginning and scan through to the end of a word and make up something that makes sense to me. 
• I don't know a lot of words. 
• I have gaps in my phonic and syllabic repertoire. 
• Sometimes, I don't pay attention to the initial visual and make something that seems to fit what I know. 
• When I write, I look to see what others are doing and copy them (Ga, chouch).
• When I write, I try to represent all the sounds, but I don't know the rules for syllables and some sounds. I leave off the ending of words because I scan over them and use all my energy on the beginning. 

Li

2.7 - spill for spell

4.7 collopset -collapse

5 resentir - residence

5.1 qalentin - quarrantine

5.2 - hogerous - contagious

5.3 gloo - glutton

5.4 excaust - exhaust

thero

ther should

paticoppit tate

exuslusive

deloalate

Decoding at 4.9

She spelled freme for frame; spruell for squirrel

Li's Emerging Theory of Reading

• I don't know a lot of words. 
• I don't expect words to make sense.
• I try to sound out words, but I say sounds that don't match the letters. 
• When I write, I still get my letters backward. I'm trying to do the sounds that match the letters. 

Is

1.3 reed for red

4.1 slip for spilt

5.2 conflu for contagious

5.3 - gloot for gluton

5.4 extinguish for exhaust

He spelled fram for frame; coach for couch, hopeing for hoping, going back to add the e after finishing the word; squirrl for squirrel

Decoding - 5.1

Is Emerging Theories of Reading

• I expect words to make sense. 
• I know a lot of words. 
• I try to sound out words, but the sounds get our of order and trigger other words that I think I know. 
• When I write, I try to represent all the sounds, but I get confused when we start to add endings. 

Changing Reader Theories/Beliefs of Reading: Scenario One: Text Structures of Assessment

I've been spending some time with 5th, 6th, 9th, and 10th grade folks. We talked. We laughed. I listened to them read and write. I watched them form letters with pencils. I watched them type. We talked about their thinking and how they made decisions. 

Basically - I learned their theories of reading. Their beliefs. And in almost every case, I can pinpoint an assessment practice, curriculum, or pedagogical approach associated with the timeline of legislation or the pendulum of popular thought on how we are supposed to teach. We - the political engine, the commercialization and big business of curriculum, the teacher-pipeline, the assessment-data-standards regime, war, and the cultural-historical approach to teaching how we experienced and were taught - we did this. So did poverty and trauma (Dr. Paul Thomas). And so did too much data. See previous post.

Enough on the problems. 

When you listen to a kid read, you get a pretty good idea of what they believe about reading. 

Scenario One: 

2024 English I STAAR

"H" read aloud for me...He began..."I must admit..." and immediately, I stopped him. You see, he - and every child we talked to that day - had skipped the italicized introduction. 

The italics ARE a key part of understanding the context and trajectory of the story he was about to read. 

In addition, "H" missed that"from"in the title meant that what he was to read was only a small portion of a larger text. "H" did not read the title; therefore, he had no context of the topic, genre, or importance of the text in general. Essentially, "H" does not understand the text structure of digital assessment and excerpts. Any problems with answering questions and overarching considerations about success on the multiple choice are now invalid. The data from his assessment don't mean much, and now his response has also skewed the collective item analysis for the whole data set. 

Most of the time during our data dialogues, we'd look at the items "H" missed and say that he needed work on 6A, 4F, 6D, 8A, 8D, 8B, 4E, 8E, 5B, including SCR, and Multiple Select items. 

Um. No. The gatekeeper to comprehension on this piece is the italicized context. The solution has nothing to do with teaching more lessons on any of those TEKS. The solution stems from contextualizing the characters, setting, and motivation of Mr. McGill. 

And we figured it out by asking some kids to read to us and show us what they do when they take the assessment. 

The Problem with Data is Itself

 STAAR, MAP, DIBLES, Dabbles, Dribbles...

The problem with data is itself. (Caveat - I do love a significant item analysis paired with their stimulus.)

There's just so much data. And we collect more of it before we can do anything with what we already have. 

And...none of it tells you why there's a problem. We never know what really caused the results. 

And...none of it tells you what we can do about it. 

Ah. Kid - you failed STAAR again. Kid, you passed that test, but you didn't show growth. Kid - you are a hopper -you moved from one data bucket to another: GOOD JOB.  Kid - you are in the low approaches bucket. Teacher - your kids aren't on track to pass this year. Let's have a data-dig-dialogue and talk about all the data that shows we aren't where we want to be. Teacher, looks like your kids need more on 13A.144.56F. What did you do wrong to teach that? 

Um. Y'all. This discussion is nuts. We waller around in statistical **** that doesn't tell us what we are using it for. (I've blogged about that before...for example, STAAR isn't meant to be a single TEK focused instructional tool. It's to be considered as a holistic view of whether or not a kid is on grade level.) 

If we haven't acted on the data we have, new data isn't really going to tell us something we didn't already know other than there are kids rising and falling for some invisible reason. We can't show causality or even correlation with instructional/programmatic/curricular actions. 

If the data don't tell us why, then we probably aren't making good instructional decisions for anyone. 

If the data don't tell us why, then we certainly can't tell how we should respond to individuals or collections of them. 

Honestly, the problem with data is that it is legion (Mark 5:9). Ubiquitous. And most of the time absolutely a waste of time and money. Unless you talk to the human that took the assessment. 

Only then, can the teacher as scientist and artist, master of the instructional craft and relationship with the learner, make powerful decisions about what that person needs next. Understanding why and how requires a transaction (Vygotsky - sociocultural acquisition) with the learner about their transaction with the text (Rosenblatt) and the author and their own learning processes (Hattie). Data can't do that. The master teacher - in relationship with the learner and with deep instructional pedagogical prowess - the teacher can do what no data can. 

(I'll be writing next about how we can listen to kids read, talk to them, and understand what causes their responses to reading, writing, and thinking.) 

Vouchers: A Conversation with Representatives

Follow the sequence with me. And then I'll share some insights. 

I posted this on Facebook:

Then I wrote to my representatives. 

Subject:
Vouchers: No

Message:
I don't guess you need a long email of reasons. I encourage you to go against anything about vouchers disguised as school choice. I encourage you to fund - fully fund all state mandates and support teachers and schools with living life in this century. Sincerely, Shona Rose, PhD Texas Tech, West Texas A&M, Unity Learning Communities

I received this response on Feb 10th. I did not hear from my senator. Probably because the bill has already left that side of congress.  

Dr. Rose,

 

Thank you for reaching out to our office and letting Representative Fairly know about your stance on school vouchers. I am sorry to hear that you are worried about the potential impacts of the bill, but I can promise you that Representative Faily is dedicated to the Panhandle and wants to make sure that if vouchers pass, they do not harm rural school districts. She understands the vast importance of public schools, and what they mean to local communities, the communities she represents most of all. We will make sure that she is aware of your position and your reasoning! Please never hesitate to reach out in the future, whether you have questions, a policy preference or anything else in between!

 

Take care,

 

Michael Davis

Legislative Director

State Representative Caroline Fairly

Capitol: 512-463-0470

Insights

Representatives are listening and responding. 

They are looking at your social media and digital presence. 

The language of "if vouchers pass" does not make me feel better. 

Page to Pixel: Reading Digitally; Assessment Success

 A while ago, I worked on a project with Sirius Education Solutions to explain some strategies that were helping kids read online. And, we looked at how we use some of those strategies for online assessment. 

There are several lessons, each with a description, lesson, video, and TEKS commentary. 

Here's what we have for you so far: 

Page to Pixel: Improving Digital Reading for Students Begins By Understanding How We All Read on Screens

Reading Pixels: A Canyon Metaphor (Addresses working memory.) 

Working Memory and Screen Components

Working Memory and Comprehension: Retrieving and Storing Memories

Working Memory: Background to Causing Memory

Feeding the Hippocampus: Causing Memory

Familiarity vs Fluency: Line Reader and Scroll Bar Tools

Working Memory: Familiarity and Fluency with the Hide Reveal Tool

Working Memory: An Experiment

Question Temptation

Digital Tracking of Words

Genre Characteristics: Apples, Oranges, and Grapefruits

Preparing the Mental Meal

Offloading Working Memory

The Scroll Bar, Comprehension, and Questions: Digital Tools

Genre Structure and the Notepad

We have more in the pipeline...do you need more? 

Documenting the Process: ACES Training and Social Media Posts

Paula Abbott presented a session to Unity Learning Communities to inform our program development. Those attending also felt that this information is critical to how we design our program AND imperative to supporting our community. As a presentation is difficult to replicate in other formats by simply sharing a presentation, we'd like to get this information out to the public in other ways. 

All Unity Learning Community Learning providers will have training in ACE, become aware of their own ACE scores and solutions, and learn instructional approaches to support learners. 

Unity Learning Community Learning will post a series of information on social media to build awareness. Additional community trainings will also be provided. 

Here is the draft of postings. 

Introductory Post: ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. Bad things happen to all of us...it's normal. But when children experience these things between 0-17, they may have long term problems with health, opportunities, and well-being. Even worse, some groups experiences these kinds of traumas more than other groups. It's important to know how we can stop these experiences from ever happening and to help folks heal once they have occurred.

In a series of social media posts and other activities, Unity Learning Communities will focus on sharing important ideas an solutions with our communities. 

Learn more about ACES here: https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html 

1: Adverse Childhood Experiences:  https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs 

Trauma comes from 3 major sources: The Household, The Community, and The Environment. We aren't "doomed" because we have experienced bad things. But it is important to be aware of where the difficulties arise so we prevent some of them and so we can seek ways to recover. 

2. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the houshold: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

• divorce
• incarcerated family members
• homelessness
• physical neglect
• emotional neglect
• bullying
• maternal depression
• domestic violence
• parental mental illness
• alcoholism and drug abuse
• emotional abuse
• sexual abuse

3. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the community: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs 

• discrimination
• violence
• lack of social capital
• lack of social mobility
• substandard schools
• structural racism
• poor water
• poor air quality
• lack of jobs
• substandard wages
• food scarcity
• poor housing quality
• poor housing affordability
• poverty

4. Adverse Childhood Experiences can come from the environment: https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs 

• climate crisis
• record heat and drought
• wildfires and smoke
• record storms, flooding, and mudslides
• sea level rise
• natural disasters
• tornadoes and hurricanes
• volcano eruptions and tsunamis
• earthquakes
• pandemics

5. Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACEs are surprisingly common — 64% of the 17,000 in the ACE Study had one of the 10 ACEs; 12 percent had four or more. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

6. Adverse Childhood Experiences: There’s an unmistakable link between ACEs and adult onset of chronic disease, mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

7. Adverse Childhood Experiences: The more types of childhood adversity, the direr the consequences. An ACE score of 4 increases the risk of alcoholism by 700%, attempted suicide by 1200%; it doubles heart disease and lung cancer rates. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

8. Adverse Childhood Experiences: ACEs contribute to most of our health problems, including chronic disease, financial and social health issues. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

9. Adverse Childhood Experiences: One type of ACE is no more damaging than another. An ACE score of 4 that includes divorce, physical abuse, a family member depressed or in prison has the same statistical outcome as four other types of ACEs. This is why focusing on preventing just one type of trauma and/or coping mechanism isn’t working. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.   

10. Adverse Childhood Experiences: Cautions: ACE experiences damages: 

• children's brains (neurobiology)
• can cause short and long term health problems
• can be passed down to our children in our genes (epigenetics) 

BUT: science shows that our brains are "plastic" and can heal. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.    

11. Our brains are plastic. Our bodies want to heal. To reduce stress hormones in our bodies and brains, we can meditate, exercise, sleep and eat well, have safe relationships, live and work in safety, ask for help when we need it. https://www.pacesconnection.com/pages/3RealmsACEs.    

12. Do you know your ACE score? Take a quiz here: https://americanspcc.org/take-the-aces-quiz/ 

13. ACEs are common. About 64% of adults in the United States reported they had experienced at least one type of ACE before age 18. Nearly one in six (17.3%) adults reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs.7https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

14. Three in four high school students reported experiencing one or more ACEs, and one in five experienced four or more ACEs. ACEs that were most common among high school students were emotional abuse, physical abuse, and living in a household affected by poor mental health or substance abuse.8https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

15. Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce many health conditions. Estimates show up to 1.9 million heart disease cases and 21 million depression cases potentially could have been avoided by preventing ACEs.1 Preventing ACEs could reduce suicide attempts among high school students by as much as 89%, prescription pain medication misuse by as much as 84%, and persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness by as much as 66%.8https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

16. Some people are at greater risk of experiencing one or more ACEs than others. While all children are at risk of ACEs, numerous studies show inequities in such experiences. These inequalities are linked to the historical, social, and economic environments in which some families live. 56ACEs were highest among females, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults, and adults who are unemployed or unable to work.7https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

17. ACEs are costly. ACEs-related health consequences cost an estimated economic burden of $748 billion annually in Bermuda, Canada, and the United States.9https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

18. ACEs can have lasting effects on health and well-being in childhood and life opportunities well into adulthood.10 Life opportunities include things like education and job potential. These experiences can increase the risks of injury, sexually transmitted infections, and involvement in sex trafficking. They can also increase risks for maternal and child health problems including teen pregnancy, pregnancy complications, and fetal death. Also included are a range of chronic diseases and leading causes of death, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and suicide.11112131415161718https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

19. ACEs and associated social determinants of health, such as living in under-resourced or racially segregated neighborhoods, can cause toxic stress. Toxic stress, or extended or prolonged stress, from ACEs can negatively affect children’s brain development, immune system, and stress-response systems. These changes can affect children’s attention, decision-making, and learning.19https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

20. Children growing up with toxic stress may have difficulty forming healthy and stable relationships. They may also have unstable work histories as adults and struggle with finances, job stability, and depression throughout life. 19These effects can also be passed on to their own children.202122 Some children may face further exposure to toxic stress from historical and ongoing traumas. These historical and ongoing traumas include experiences of racial discrimination or the impacts of poverty resulting from limited educational and economic opportunities.16https://youtu.be/8gm-lNpzU4ghttps://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

21. Adverse Childhood Experiences can be prevented and healed. Here's a resource of ideas: https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf  

22. Nurture and protect kids as much as possible. Be a source of safety and support. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

23. Move and play with your kids. Drum, stretch, throw a ball. Dance. Move inside or outside for fun and togetherness and to ease stress. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

24. Make eye contact. Look at kids (babies too). It says, "I see you. I value you. You matter. You are not alone." https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

25. Say, "sorry." We all lose our patience and make mistakes. Acknowledge it, apologize, and repair the relationships. It's up to us to show kids we are responsible for our moods and our mistakes. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

26. Give 20 second hugs. There's a reason we hug when things are hard. Safe touch is healing. Longer hugs are most helpful. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf

27. Slow down or stop. Rest. Take breaks. Take a walk or a few moments to reset or relax. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

28. Hunt for the good. When there has been pain or trauma, we look for danger. We can practice looking for joy and good stuff too. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf 

29. Be there for kids. It’s hard to see our kids in pain. We can feel helpless. Simply being present with our kids is doing something. It shows them we are in their corner. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf  

30. HELP KIDS TO EXPRESS MAD, SAD & HARD FEELINGS Hard stuff happens. But helping kids find ways to share, talk, and process helps. Our kids learn from us.https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf  

31. KEEP LEARNING Understand how ACEs impact you and your parenting.https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_ParentingPreventACEs_EN.pdf  

32. Read more about childhood trauma and the supports for healing in this book: https://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/books/childhood-disrupted/ 

33. https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_UnderstandingACEs_EN.pdf 

34. Stress Busters: https://www.pacesconnection.com/ws/Handouts_StressBusters_National_EN.pdf

35: Trauma and Parenting: Why is this important? 

Source: Paula Abbott

36: A high ACE score is associated with health problems: 

https://www.acesaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ACEs-Aware-July-Webinar-Slide-Deck.pdf

37: Trauma can impair cognitive development. It literally hurts the brain. 

Source: Paula Abbott

38: When children grow up in an environment where they are exposed on a regular basis to what they perceive as a threat, their nervous system is permanently in a state of fight-flight-or-freeze. They are more likely to struggle with emotional distress and regulation, impulsivity, learning difficulties, as well as physical, mental, and health problems.

Hand Model of the brain. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=912761219957023 

39: Healing from trauma is possible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa1lsafvxUQ 

40: Trauma isn't about what's wrong with you. It's about what happened to you. 

41: