Kathy Magnusson owner of Wildewood Learning As a trainer, coach, and speaker, Kathy has worked with educators and youth service professionals worldwide. She is a licensed public school teacher, social and emotional learning specialist, and certified Sources of Strength trainer. She has supported young people and the professionals serving them for over 25 years. Kathy has a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota and advanced training in adverse childhood experiences, creating trauma-sensitive practices, non-violent communication, and strengths-based education and leadership. She supports educators and youth service professionals in cultivating trauma-sensitive strength-based environments for all learners. Still works in schools 1/day a week.
Trench story: has been in edu a long time. When she was a science teacher MS/HS was in a small school with a 60-mile commute. Was burnt out, needed to do something different. Adopted her kids. Changed her job. Was hired PT to do “conflict resolution” grant opportunity @ elementary. It leaned into her strengths. Had to learn to talk about her feelings, didn’t do so growing up.
What does being trauma-informed looks like in education or at school levels? Will tie in resilience to that. How to build resilience w/in yourself and your students. Making schools a happier and healthier place. Post-traumatic growth. Kids who are now coming into preschool born in ‘19/20 didn’t have daycare experience necessarily. Parents weren’t necessarily involved to the fullest. Look for successes at the older levels. We’re so deficit-focused in edu system. Don’t spend too much time on weaknesses. Start w/ small wins, then they’ll become more positive.
How can you practically bring trauma-sensitive and strength-based practices into a school or organization? How do trauma-sensitive and strength-based practices support the resilience and wellbeing of our staff or students? How to tap into your employee’s strengths to increase wellbeing and resilience. We need to create a safe space in the CR, routines, etc. before diving into academics. Even in HS, start class w/ a connection circle. It helped w/ behaviors & trust of t’s. It takes time up front but pays off in the end.
A focus on protective factors to grow the strengths of youth When she talks about resilience, she talks about the individual skills you learn, grow & explicitly teach. Trusted adults. There’s research done around positive childhood experiences. Also creating belonging through culture & community connections. Trusted adult may be a coach, mentor, custodian. Then they have a person they feel comfortable going to. In Sources of Strength, they work w/ peer leaders. They find kids in the school who can be trained as leaders. Wide, diverse group of kids is best. Making it OK to ask for help. Keep up peer leader connection throughout the year. Have the buddy connect w/ them w/in the first couple days of school.
Strategies to navigate the waves of change *Could be title of podcast episode*: workshop topic she’s had. Talk about conferences you will be speaking at in Mar/Feb: MN association of children’s mental health. She does workshops online for free. 1 hour webinars. Guest speakers have also come on. Polyvagal theory in edu, etc. Is on her newsletter, if you subscribe, you’ll have access to these workshops.
She has a free giveaway: 5 ways to access the learning brain. Do this as part of a routine, give kids options. Then you have tools there. https://wildewoodlearning.com/learning-brain/
This link is a free download with 5 ideas for creating calm and connection in the classroom. When students feel safe and connected within the classroom then focus and learning can occur.
Out of everything:Strength piece about being brilliant. As an educator- how are you bringing that brilliance out? Click To Tweet
Where can ppl find you? www.wildewoodlearning.com
YouTube/FB @wildewoodlearning LinkedIn@kathrynmagnusson
View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6ccFqbe2YxQ
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