Students Can Now Take ‘Mental Health Days’ Off From School In Oregon—Here’s Why
(CNBC)
As the amount of money companies spend on the mental health of their employees continues to rise, there has been a movement among workers and employers alike to make mental health a priority and even to destigmatize such issues with “mental health days” off for professionals. Now the trend seems to be making its way into schools too.
Oregon Allowing Students to Take ‘Mental Health Days’ Could Benefit Them in College, Experts Say
(Newsweek)
Last month, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a bill into law that expanded excused absences to include those taken for mental and behavioral health. The bill went into effect on July 1, in time for the beginning of the new school year.
A Brief Introduction To Python For Psychological Science Research
(APA’s Psychological Science Agenda)
Using powerful, open-source programming can streamline your research processes.
Florida Will Become the Third State to Require Schools to Teach Students About Mental Health
(People)
Public-school students in grades 6 through 12 will be required to have at least five hours of mental-health instruction each year.
A New Device For Treating ADHD In Children
(The American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology)
The FDA-cleared device produced a meaningful reduction in ADHD symptoms in a clinical trial.
Study: High School Stress Often Hinges On How A Student Views Intelligence
(Study Finds)
Let’s face it: school is stressful. While most of us tend to look back at our academic days through nostalgic sunglasses, the academic trials and tribulations that high school students face on a daily basis can be a lot to deal with. High school students especially are constantly reminded that their grades today will determine their success in the future.
How Should Students Take Notes?
(The Learning Scientists via The Learning Agency)
Taking notes by hand seems to be better than taking notes using a laptop because it requires students to put the notes into their own words. However, the research is nuanced! It is important to remember, too, that if laptops are creating distractions learning will suffer.
Netflix Needs To Do More Than Cut The Suicide Scene
(Forbes)
As the founder of a nonprofit that helped students and educators with bullying prevention and school climate improvement, I’ve seen first-hand how important it is to have young people feel safe seeking help for their struggles. That’s why, to me, the most disturbing scene in the first season of 13 Reasons Why isn’t the graphic suicide scene—it’s when Hannah seeks help from her school counselor and is told to ‘move on’ from her sexual assault.
Parents Who Belittle Their Children May Be Raising Bullies
(US News and World Report)
It’s a vicious cycle: Teens who are belittled and demeaned by their parents are more likely to be bullied and to bully others, a new study suggests. “Inappropriate interpersonal responses appear to spread from parents to children, where they spawn peer difficulties,” said study co-author Brett Laursen, a professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University.
Scientists Map Our Underappreciated ‘Little Brain’
(Medical Xpress)
Tucked into the base of the skull, the cerebellum plays a key role in higher-order cognition, such as language, working memory and problem-solving. It has also been linked to such mental disorders as schizophrenia and autism and to learning differences like dyslexia.
How Daily Meditation Helps Kids From Some of the Toughest Fort Myers Neighborhoods
(Fort Myers News-Press)
“It’s an integral part of what we do,” said Abdul’Haq Muhammed, Quality Life Center’s founder and executive director. “The genesis of the Q centers around our efforts to bring greater self-awareness to the lives of children and learn that they’re valuable and capable.”
Need a Mental Health Day? Some States Give Students the Option
(New York Times)
An expert called the laws in both Utah and Oregon a “win” and said students who are “quietly suffering” from mental illness will benefit most.
Autistic Kids More Likely to Be Bullied at Home and Schoool
(Psych Central)
The study revealed that, at the age of 11, two-thirds of children with autism reported being involved in some form of sibling bullying, compared to half of children without autism.
School Psychologists Develop Intervention to Reduce Hallway Disruptions
(Science Daily)
The intervention rewards classes of students for quickly transitioning from one room or activity to another. When implemented with three classes of students from grades one through six at a summer school program, disruptions during class transitions were reduced by up to 74 percent.
Secret to More Efficient Learning
(Science Daily)
A new study could hold the key to learning languages, teaching children colors or even studying complex theories.
The Playful Approach to Math
(Edutopia)
Math doesn’t have to be serious. One teacher believes play is the key to math comprehension for all ages.
The Classroom Management Problem
Filling the Pail
As with much academic commentary on behaviour management, it raises more questions than it answers. We are told what not to do. We are told to create safe environments. But the only guidance we are given on how to do this is by applying Universal Design for Learning or Inquiry Learning.
Decades After a Good-Behavior Program in Grade School, Adults Report Healthier, More Successful Lives
(Science Daily)
Researchers have found that the ‘good life’ in adulthood can start in grade school, by teaching parents and teachers to build stronger bonds with their children, and to help children form greater attachments to family and school.
Extrinsic Motivation: It Might Be Even Worse Than You Thought
(Edutopia)
In a recent study, attendance awards backfired, giving students a “license to miss more school” and actually driving absentee rates up.
Preschool Teachers Ask Children Too Many Simple Questions
(Science Daily)
When preschool teachers read books in their classrooms, the questions they ask play a key role in how much children learn, research has shown. But a new study that involved observing teachers during class story times found that they asked few questions — and those that they did ask were usually too simple.
Teacher Incentive Programs Can Improve Student Achievement
(Science Daily)
Teacher incentive pay programs with a hybrid structure involving both individual and group incentives can have good results. Multiple and understandable performance metrics, combined with regular feedback to teachers, may also make incentive programs more effective. Finally, rewards should be strong enough to entice teachers to adjust their teaching practices.
Finding Your Flow
(Inside Higher Ed)
Doing so can enhance your scholarly life and help you advance your career, says Victoria McGovern.
How Parents Can Model Better Screen Time Behavior for Their Kids
(KQED – Mind/Shift)
The mobile tech revolution is barely a decade old, and it brings special challenges to parents and caregivers, says pediatrician Jenny Radesky, who sees patients at the University of Michigan and is one of the top researchers in the field of parents, children and new media.
Want to Reach All of Your Students? Here’s How to Make Your Teaching More Inclusive
(Chronicle of Higher Education)
Besides teaching content and skills in your discipline, your role is to help students learn. And not just some students. The changing demographics of higher education mean that undergraduates come to you with a wide variety of experiences, cultures, abilities, skills, and personalities. You have an opportunity to take that mix and produce a diverse set of thinkers and problem-solvers.
Study Strategies Beyond Memorization
(Edutopia)
Using a metacognitive exercise helps students know what they should and shouldn’t study.
How Did You Get That Job? A Q&A with Program Manager Cassy Huang
(The American Psychological Association
The knowledge, skills and experience gained through your psychology training can successfully transfer to a variety of jobs. As a Program Manager at UC Berkeley’s Public Service Center, Cassy Huang supports leadership development and civic engagement of undergraduates. Learn how you can apply your education to a similar career path.)
Has College Gotten Too Easy?
(The Atlantic)
Time spent studying is down, but GPAs are up.
Math Challenges? A School Psychologist Could Help
(The Conversation)
If math learning is posing big challenges, school psychologist involvement can be helpful given that a one-size fits all approach does not apply to math learning. Skills are not developed in a bubble without outside influences: children have thoughts, feelings, behaviour, knowledge, skills and experiences that shape their classroom engagement.
Will Bright Kids Succeed Even if Not Challenged Enough?
(Psychology Today)
The longstanding debate about whether to help gifted kids resurfaces.
A Future Of Positive Change Without Standardized Testing
(Union Bulletin)
The idea was to grow the kind of people who could make positive changes to society.
College Depression and Anxiety Are Serious — Here’s How to Help Yourself or a Friend
(Good Housekeeping)
Student stressors can take countless forms including grades, deadlines, work, and finances.
It’s Hard To Delay Gratification. Just Ask Cookie Monster
(NPR Education Video)
Ask Cookie Monster to demonstrate self-control? Sounds like the setup to a joke. The blue, furry monster we grew up with was pure id.
