Last week, two of my high school seniors approached me. The Supreme Court draft opinion that portended the overturn of Roe v. Wade - the landmark ruling which had made abortion a constitutional right in 1973 - had just been leaked, and they wanted to discuss what this meant. I teach comprehensive sex education and …
Continue reading Addressing the Future of Abortion With Students
It was early on in my career and I had just taught a class on consent. Most of the group had left, but one girl hung back. I asked her if she needed anything, and what soon came out was that the year before, after having a few drinks at a party, an older boy …
Continue reading Talking About Sexual Violence? Strive for a Trauma-Informed Lens
“What do I want my life to feel like on a daily basis and how do I get there?” I was asked this very question several years ago while attending a women’s yoga retreat in the Berkshires. It was the midway part of the weekend; we all had our journals in hand and were given …
I teach and live in a beautiful small town in eastern Kentucky where the mountains are breathtakingly scenic and spring is currently revealing its opening act. Our community is small, our students are close knit, and our faculty is like family. Even on our best day--when there is no global pandemic and when we can …
Continue reading Trauma Informed Practices Are More Important Now Than Ever Before
This blog post from Stephanie Kelln will hit home for many teachers who find caring for their students overwhelming at times. I know from experience that it's easy to let student trials and tribulations overshadow our own needs and those of our loved ones and if this continues it puts our own health at risk. …
Continue reading Put on Your Own Mask: Secondary Trauma in Education
In my health class I promote lifelong health and well-being but one area in which I could improve is understanding and fully appreciating the role of adverse childhood experiences, and the impact they have on health and opportunity. This week's blog post and questions specifically addresses this topic and comes from Tammy Wynard, a wonderful …
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