Schools

Gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse and high-risk sexual behavior and to experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment. In this session, social theory will be used to explain why kids join gangs. Participants will be educated on the latest trends associated with gang involvement and how to assess whether or not a student has gang affiliation. Finally, participants will be provided with effective strategies to address gang influence in the Classroom.

Children experiencing Sensory Integrative Disorder (SID) can be a puzzle because they “look OK” but then for no overt reason can become disruptive or have extreme reactions to everyday activities.  This workshop will focus on the development of children’s sensory processing and fine motor skills. Identification of common behaviors associated with sensory processing and fine motor skills that are seen in the school setting will be discussed. Workshop participants will understand and be apply to sensory and motor strategies in the classroom to support student participation and learning.

Engaging immigrant English language learners (ELL) in the classroom can be a significant challenge for educators. Research provides best practice models in which teachers can incorporate in the classroom to overcome the natural barriers of working with these students.  In this workshop participants will be provided with an overview of the Benet model of culturally sensitivity. In addition, participants will engage in “Time to Connect” activities that can be replicated in the classroom to help foreign born students assimilate to their new environment and become active participants in their academic settings.  Community-based resources will be provided to support students with their cultural assimilation experience.

LGBTQ+ youth are considered an at-risk demographic.  With increased research on and advocacy for gender and sexual minority persons we have come to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by queer and questioning adolescence.  This training will explore a framework for understanding gender and sexuality, discuss identity development, and explore how to support LGBTQ+ youth.  These things will be achieved in an educational environment that is safe and stresses progress, not perfection.

Online social networking presents both opportunities and risks, especially for today’s youth.  According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, more than 93% of both teens (12-17) and young adults (18-29) in the United States use the Internet regularly, and more than 70% use social networking sites. This workshop will examine the pros and cons of social media as it relates to positive youth development   More specifically, several advantages of social media will be discussed as well as risk factors associated with  social networking, particularly for youth with disabilities. Participants will be provided with resources specifically targeting online safety methods and tools.

The culture of poverty is a concept embedded in social theory that explains the cycle of poverty.  Although the title of this workshop points to urban settings, the culture of poverty is based on the concept that the economically disadvantage possess unique value systems that shape characteristics, behaviors and attitudes of individuals and families regardless of geographic location.  Poverty coupled with disparities associated with mental health and substance abuse treatment can create great challenges for individuals, families and communities.  This workshop provides participants with a conceptual framework for understanding poverty to enhance knowledge, skills and best-practices for working with impoverished populations.

Over the decades the structure of the “traditional” family has shifted.  With this shift children and youth are marginalized from fathers with lasting developmental effects.  The re-creation of fatherhood is one of the most urgent challenges facing America’s youth.  This workshop will examine changes in family typology, universal and structures of family that influence psychological development and identity formations of children/youth.  Understanding the impact of fatherlessness in a student’s life will be highlighted.  Research based-evidence will be presented to support father presence as an economic determinant of a child’s well-being. Workshop will provide participants with engagement strategies for improving father engagement.