The Brain, ACE and Resilience

Nancy Riestenberg School Climate Specialist

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Agenda Introductions

The effects of maltreatment on the brain The ACE Study

Fostering resilience in schools

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Stress and Brain Development

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How the brain develops Scaffolding from back to front

Serve and Return education.state.mn.us

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We adapt to our environment

Predictable, moderate stress world

Unpredictable, continuous stress, dangerous world

All behaviors are adaptive • But the environment might require different skills…

Experience gets wired into our biology

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Stress 20 minutes of stress hormones….

….Or constant, toxic stress?

The Amygdala and Learning

Sens -ory Input

Amygdala

Amygdala

Fight, Flight or Freeze

Prefrontal Cortex

Conscious Response and Learning

Prefrontal Cortex

From The MindUp Curriculum 11

Toxic stress changes the brain Depending upon: the type of maltreatment, gender and age at time of maltreatment

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Behavior, affect, attitude, capacities may not be “choices”They may be responses to toxic stress during development.

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It can cause toxic stress; which results in anxiety, depression, anger, hostility, dissociation and drug use. Reducing toxic stress will help improve math scores and capabilities in science, technology and engineering. ©2013

Not: What’s wrong with you?

But: What happened to you?

Stand and Talk Think about a child whose story now may make more sense to you, given this information about toxic stress and brain development.

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Brain Science Summary • Brain Development is Sequential • Experience is Hard-Wired into Biology • Family Members Share More than Their Genes • Experience In One Period of Time Affects Members Differently (Age, Gender) • Behavior, Affect, Attitude, Capacities May Not Be “Choices”They May Be Responses to Toxic Stress During Development • Kind Affect and Slow Pace Matter in Working with Emotionally Difficult Children and Adults

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Historical Trauma Natural Disasters

Refugee Status ACE’s may be a framework for understanding…

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Adverse Childhood Experiences “the ACE Study”

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Students regularly involved in bullying as a bully, victim or bully/victim, share associated experiences, most of them negative.

The Minnesota Student Survey Bullying Analysis, 2010 Bullying in Minnesota Schools: An Analysis of the Minnesota Student Survey

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MSS Bullying Analysis

ACEs: • Intra-familial and extra-familial sexual abuse • Family drug use and family violence

Physical and Mental Health Outcomes: • Bullies, victims and bully/victims are twice as likely to be obese • More likely to report chronic physical and mental health problems • Harassment, physical assault in school

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ACE and School Performance Students dealing with trauma: • Are 2 and ½ times more likely to fail a grade • Score lower on standardized achievement test scores • Have more receptive or expressive language difficulties • Are suspended or expelled more often • Are designated to special education more frequently http://www.wfcn.org/pdf/ACE%20Presentation.pdf

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sexually transmitted disease

depression fetal death

alcoholism & alcohol abuse unintended pregnancy

liver disease

illicit drug use intimate partner violence suicide attempts

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease & ischemic heart disease ©2013

ACEs are common ACEs are highly interrelated ACEs have a cumulative impact

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Write; Stand and Talk Write down what you felt as you heard the ACE material.

Stand and talk: What stood out for you about this information on Adverse Childhood Experiences and health outcomes?

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Resiliency In Schools

Resilience is common and… arises from …normal rather than extraordinary human capabilities, relationships, and resources.

In other words, resilience emerges from ordinary magic. – Ann Masten, 2009

The Short List of Resilience Factors for Children and Youth

• Effective parents and caregivers • Connections to other competent and caring adults • Pro-social, competent peers and friends

The Short List • Problem-solving skills • Self-regulation skills • Positive beliefs about the self • Beliefs that life has meaning • Spirituality, faith and religious affiliations

The Short List • Socioeconomic advantages • Effective teachers and schools • Safe and effective communities

• Ordinary Magic, Ann Masten, U of M • http://www.pbs.org/thisem otionallife/blogs/ordinarymagic

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Universal Precautions for TRAUMA • “…each adult working with any child or adolescent (should) presume that the child has been trauma exposed…providing unconditional respect to the child and being careful not to challenge him/her in ways that produce shame and humiliation.

• “Such an approach has no down side, since children who have been exposed to trauma require it, and other, more fortunate children deserve and can also benefit from this fundamentally humanistic commitment.”

– Gordon R. Hodas MD . Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services , February 2006

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The Brain

It adapts to the environment and to experience. It is plastic. Modeling and practice can help make new neural pathways for Stress relief Empathy education.state.mn.us

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Modeling and practicing empathy helps to grow neural pathways in the brain; it strengthens relationships. From The MINDUP Curriculum

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Stress reduction practices: examples • Physical activity in the classroom (at least one PA break each class period) • Breathing: 3 times a day: beginning, just after lunch, just before the last bell and as needed • Circle or class meeting to build relationships: everyday/elementary, 3 X’s a week/middle school, 1X a week/high school • Singing as a group education.state.mn.us

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Restorative Measures

Building community and relationships Repairing harm

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Alternative to Expulsion: Family and Youth Restorative Conference Program

Minneapolis Public Schools Minneapolis Legal Rights Center Evaluation by the University of Minnesota

Participants • 83 students, 85 parents • 67% male, 33% female • 55% African American (33% general pop) • 12% American Indian (4% General pop) • 7% White (33% general pop) • 10 % Hispanic (19 % general pop) • 15% multi racial • Drugs, Weapons and Assault Violations

Evaluation: student engagement

Evaluation: family engagement

Evaluation findings • Program builds parent support for learning, increases parent child and parent school communication and parent connection to school

RCP interrupts disengagement • …from school; returns students to academic progress – Better attendance, grades – Fewer suspensions – Continued credit accrual – Slight increase in GPA – Increase in the number of students on track to graduate

High participant satisfaction • “…the program has …respectfully engaged parents as partners to resolve difficult challenges.” • Even the administrators were pleased: – Glad for disciplinary options – Like use of outside agency that all trusted – Shifted perceptions among school and family to view each others as allies rather than adversaries.

http://www.k12.wa.us/compassionateschools/heartoflearning.aspx

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Gratitude and Kindness

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In pairs, list examples of ordinary magic—things that adults can do to foster resilience in their community.

Make a 5-7 word slogan to encourage simple acts that foster resilience.

Personal practices to promote resiliency in my school: What is my list?

Smile at students. Call them by name. Nancy Riestenberg Minnesota Department of Education nancy.riestenberg@st ate.mn.us 651-582-8433 • Thanks!

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