Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
First Year, Second Quarter, End of Week 8
Statistics - We are deep into multiple regressions with quantitative variables, categorical variables and interaction terms. Two more homework assignments and a take-home final. Thank goodness for a good textbook, weekly homework to keep me on task, Dr. Bridget Freisthler offering stats support, and good ol' Yool, our TA, and his homework review in lab.
Intervention Research - a lit review and two designs (randomized control trial and quasi-experimental design) addressing relevant internal and external validity threats and some other stuff. I will get to writing this paper very soon. It is marinating in my head, sort of.
Policy - Two written assignments about a social problem (I chose the achievement gap and education reform) under my belt. Now I am looking forward to a policy analysis paper and preparing for a debate about the pros and cons of entitlement reform. In the debate we are to: define the problem, develop two macro questions, argue the position from a rational approach avoiding value statements, create a schematic diagram and make 30-40 year predictions.
My daughter (8 years old) wants to be on the swim team. I take her to classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is cold outside but the water is warm. She looks so happy and confident in the water. It makes it so worth it to sit and shiver on the metal bleachers trying to study.
At work, a team of us submitted two federal proposals to develop multi-tiered school social work services at three elementary schools and two middle schools in South LA - two million dollars over three years and six school social workers. What a difference that will make.
Last Friday, I presented at a UCLA Resiliency Symposium about my experiences with universal screening and trauma-informed/trauma-specific evidence-based group interventions at South LA's Harmony ES. On the drive over, I wondered: Why do I get myself into these fixes? I was very intimidated by the line up of presenters (psychiatrists, researchers, clinical scholars, etc.). I made a valiant effort not to cry when talking about working with students and their parents - trying to offer alternatives to avoidant coping by facilitating their communication, attunement and connection. I got through it and received positive feedback from audience members and other presenters. A RAND researcher said my stories made him want to go back to school to become a school social worker! He was being nice I am sure, but I'll take it.
No wonder I need self-care. Things are scheduled - hair color, massages (yes, plural!), tennis on Tuesdays. I am also setting limits.
Good night, it's time for milk and girl scout cookies. Oh yea, my daughter sold 74 boxes and we're nearly done with deliveries. Whew. Thank you, Yesus.
Intervention Research - a lit review and two designs (randomized control trial and quasi-experimental design) addressing relevant internal and external validity threats and some other stuff. I will get to writing this paper very soon. It is marinating in my head, sort of.
Policy - Two written assignments about a social problem (I chose the achievement gap and education reform) under my belt. Now I am looking forward to a policy analysis paper and preparing for a debate about the pros and cons of entitlement reform. In the debate we are to: define the problem, develop two macro questions, argue the position from a rational approach avoiding value statements, create a schematic diagram and make 30-40 year predictions.
My daughter (8 years old) wants to be on the swim team. I take her to classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is cold outside but the water is warm. She looks so happy and confident in the water. It makes it so worth it to sit and shiver on the metal bleachers trying to study.
At work, a team of us submitted two federal proposals to develop multi-tiered school social work services at three elementary schools and two middle schools in South LA - two million dollars over three years and six school social workers. What a difference that will make.
Last Friday, I presented at a UCLA Resiliency Symposium about my experiences with universal screening and trauma-informed/trauma-specific evidence-based group interventions at South LA's Harmony ES. On the drive over, I wondered: Why do I get myself into these fixes? I was very intimidated by the line up of presenters (psychiatrists, researchers, clinical scholars, etc.). I made a valiant effort not to cry when talking about working with students and their parents - trying to offer alternatives to avoidant coping by facilitating their communication, attunement and connection. I got through it and received positive feedback from audience members and other presenters. A RAND researcher said my stories made him want to go back to school to become a school social worker! He was being nice I am sure, but I'll take it.
No wonder I need self-care. Things are scheduled - hair color, massages (yes, plural!), tennis on Tuesdays. I am also setting limits.
Good night, it's time for milk and girl scout cookies. Oh yea, my daughter sold 74 boxes and we're nearly done with deliveries. Whew. Thank you, Yesus.
Mindsight with Dan Siegel, Part 4: Integration
"What is emotion? Energy in motion. Emotion has no shared meaning! There is no common definition. Emotion links the body to the brain (neuroscientist definition). Emotion also links people in groups and people across generations."
"Linkage of different elements = Integration. Linkage of differentiated parts."
"Emotional distress = not linking; stuck & stagnant (rigidity); chaotic, unpredictable and random behavior; or both chaos and rigidity."
"Complexity. Complex system is flexible, adaptive, coherent, energized and stable."
"Self-organization moves toward maximizing complexity."
"The example of a human chorus:
1) all singing one note together = linkage without differentiation (monotony)
2) all singing own song = chaos, differentiation
3) all singing same song = integration, flexible, adaptive, coherent, linking differentiated parts leads to a feeling of harmony, integration and well-being."
"Promote integration in self, family and community. Shape internal world toward integration."
"Chaos or rigidity (in self, family or community) = integration impaired; information/energy flow is stuck; where is differentiation needed?; promote linkage."
"Focus flow of energy and information to catalyze integration."
"mindgains.org - organizational consultation and explains the science of integration."
"Linkage of different elements = Integration. Linkage of differentiated parts."
"Emotional distress = not linking; stuck & stagnant (rigidity); chaotic, unpredictable and random behavior; or both chaos and rigidity."
"Complexity. Complex system is flexible, adaptive, coherent, energized and stable."
"Self-organization moves toward maximizing complexity."
"The example of a human chorus:
1) all singing one note together = linkage without differentiation (monotony)
2) all singing own song = chaos, differentiation
3) all singing same song = integration, flexible, adaptive, coherent, linking differentiated parts leads to a feeling of harmony, integration and well-being."
"Promote integration in self, family and community. Shape internal world toward integration."
"Chaos or rigidity (in self, family or community) = integration impaired; information/energy flow is stuck; where is differentiation needed?; promote linkage."
"Focus flow of energy and information to catalyze integration."
"mindgains.org - organizational consultation and explains the science of integration."
Mindsight with Dan Siegel, Part 3: Attachment
"cultural evolution = changing meaning"
--this sounds like a social constructivist epistemology, that is, things have meaning because we give them meaning in our exchanges. Can we change the world/ourselves via reflection? By examining how we think about things and then choosing how we want to think about things?
"Compassion makes the brain healthier"
--spread this around!!! As if compassion weren't cool enough, it's good for you too!
"Everything on the planet is energy."
--I remember the wow factor in science class when I realized that even metals are moving constantly.
"Energy flow is data. When we communicate deeply, we share energy flow."
--can you feel it?
"If we are blind to the inner world/information of someone else, then when they cry it is just annoying."
--woa.
"Attachment research went from studying children to studying parents. The coherent narrative was the best predictor of attachment (Mary Main). That is, the way the parent told the story of his or her life predicted 85% of future attachment security of their children which underlies social-emotional skill development."
--the lottery of connections. Check out the Adult Attachment Interview published in 1985. Also check out A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development by John Bowlby.
"What is going on in the brain when you makes sense (deep visceral sense) of your life?"
"When crappy things happen to you, making sense of your internal mental world (mind) allows you to tune in clearly and responsively to your child."
"If horrible things happen to you and you don't make sense of it, then your child will suffer."
"Social membership is the best predictor of health."
"You relax knowing there is a being taking care of you."
--this sounds like a social constructivist epistemology, that is, things have meaning because we give them meaning in our exchanges. Can we change the world/ourselves via reflection? By examining how we think about things and then choosing how we want to think about things?
"Compassion makes the brain healthier"
--spread this around!!! As if compassion weren't cool enough, it's good for you too!
"Everything on the planet is energy."
--I remember the wow factor in science class when I realized that even metals are moving constantly.
"Energy flow is data. When we communicate deeply, we share energy flow."
--can you feel it?
"If we are blind to the inner world/information of someone else, then when they cry it is just annoying."
--woa.
"Attachment research went from studying children to studying parents. The coherent narrative was the best predictor of attachment (Mary Main). That is, the way the parent told the story of his or her life predicted 85% of future attachment security of their children which underlies social-emotional skill development."
--the lottery of connections. Check out the Adult Attachment Interview published in 1985. Also check out A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development by John Bowlby.
"What is going on in the brain when you makes sense (deep visceral sense) of your life?"
"When crappy things happen to you, making sense of your internal mental world (mind) allows you to tune in clearly and responsively to your child."
"If horrible things happen to you and you don't make sense of it, then your child will suffer."
"Social membership is the best predictor of health."
"You relax knowing there is a being taking care of you."
The Epistemology* and Ontology** of RTI***
How will we know that a few, some and all students are in need of something? What is that something and how will we know it?
How will we determine what a few, some and all students need and receive?
How will we know or measure if what we chose to do worked in helping students to accomplish their goals? What social-emotional and academic goals do we have for students?
We get to answer these questions. No one out there has all the answers. Collectively, we can approximate the best answers. At least, that’s what I think.
*Epistemology = the philosophy or science of knowledge (how do we know what we know?)
**Ontology = the nature of things (what is real?)
***RTI = Response to Intervention
How will we determine what a few, some and all students need and receive?
How will we know or measure if what we chose to do worked in helping students to accomplish their goals? What social-emotional and academic goals do we have for students?
We get to answer these questions. No one out there has all the answers. Collectively, we can approximate the best answers. At least, that’s what I think.
*Epistemology = the philosophy or science of knowledge (how do we know what we know?)
**Ontology = the nature of things (what is real?)
***RTI = Response to Intervention
Monday, February 22, 2010
More Mindsight with Dan Siegel
Part 2:
"Fear leads to decreased compassion."
--if fear closes us off, then does faith, hope and optimism open us up to each other?
"Cultural practices change synaptic connections."
--this makes me wonder if the rules and routines we hold so dear actually support our brain development from the cradle to the grave? Is the way we build our lives supportive of our brain and human connections?
"The mind is more than the activity of the brain and relationships shape the mind."
--are our relationships brain healthy and wise?
"The mind is a process that regulates the flow of energy and information. It is embodied and relational. Synaptic connections are formed by human connections. Relationships shape neural firing."
--the power of relationships never ceases to amaze me, it is everything.
"Mindsight - the ability to sense, within the body and relationships, energy flow and information. It embeds every branch of science, religion or art."
"Emotional Intelligence (EQ) - capacity to know one's own emotions and share them."
"Social problem solving requires knowing other people's emotions."
"Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) tells us that when you teach these skills to kids, they do better, across socioeconomic status (SES)."
"Individual therapist looks for the nut in the group. The family therapist looks for the process."
"Reflection = flashlight in that dark place."
--more reflection! need more light!
"Mind goes from unhealth to health when you teach your patients to monitor with more clarity and modify with more strength."
"Energy - the capacity to do work/stuff."
--this reminds me of Mr. Cordova's definition of Power = the ability to get things done.
"Fear leads to decreased compassion."
--if fear closes us off, then does faith, hope and optimism open us up to each other?
"Cultural practices change synaptic connections."
--this makes me wonder if the rules and routines we hold so dear actually support our brain development from the cradle to the grave? Is the way we build our lives supportive of our brain and human connections?
"The mind is more than the activity of the brain and relationships shape the mind."
--are our relationships brain healthy and wise?
"The mind is a process that regulates the flow of energy and information. It is embodied and relational. Synaptic connections are formed by human connections. Relationships shape neural firing."
--the power of relationships never ceases to amaze me, it is everything.
"Mindsight - the ability to sense, within the body and relationships, energy flow and information. It embeds every branch of science, religion or art."
"Emotional Intelligence (EQ) - capacity to know one's own emotions and share them."
"Social problem solving requires knowing other people's emotions."
"Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) tells us that when you teach these skills to kids, they do better, across socioeconomic status (SES)."
"Individual therapist looks for the nut in the group. The family therapist looks for the process."
"Reflection = flashlight in that dark place."
--more reflection! need more light!
"Mind goes from unhealth to health when you teach your patients to monitor with more clarity and modify with more strength."
"Energy - the capacity to do work/stuff."
--this reminds me of Mr. Cordova's definition of Power = the ability to get things done.
Mistakes & Creativity
"If you're not prepared to be wrong, then you're not prepared to be creative. Mistakes are essential in the creative process."
"Creativity is just as important as literacy in education and should be treated thusly."
"Some people have to move to think." (speaking about dancers)
--Sir Ken Robinson (check out his ted.com video - hilarious, insightful and inspiring)
"Creativity is just as important as literacy in education and should be treated thusly."
"Some people have to move to think." (speaking about dancers)
--Sir Ken Robinson (check out his ted.com video - hilarious, insightful and inspiring)
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