Participants are responsible for obtaining their own copy of the book “Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom” by Kristen Souers and Pete Hall prior to the beginning of the book study.
Join MSTA’s first “Beyond the Book” Club Extended Book Study!
Participants will discover practical solutions to deal with real-life challenges and learn ways to create a culture of resilience in their classrooms. The goal of this year’s “Beyond the Book” Club Extended Book Studies is for participants to learn ways to minimize behavioral issues and increase classroom instruction by using effective methods to support ALL students. Participants
will discuss strategies on how to engage students, build relationships, and teach students the skills necessary to be successful all with a trauma-informed mindset.
“The book includes strategies to help education professionals:
● Understand what trauma is and how it hinders the learning, motivation, and success of all students in the classroom.
● Build strong relationships and create a safe space to enable students to learn at high
levels.
● Adopt a strengths-based approach that helps professionals recalibrate how destructive student behaviors are viewed and perceive what students need to break negative cycles.
● Head off frustration and burnout with essential self-care techniques that will help
professionals and students flourish.”
The Extended Book Study is facilitated by MSTA member Ursulla Wadley and JAG Specialist for Cape Academy in Cape Girardeau Public Schools. Ursulla has experience in coordinating a junior high at-risk program and teaching elementary classrooms. Her passion is to offer teachers the support needed to increase instructional time by using effective, trauma-informed interventions while building meaningful relationships with students.
The Learning Management System, Teachable, is used to house discussion board conversations and group materials. Guiding questions and tasks are posted in the Teachable course. These questions provide an opportunity for participants to share and reflect on the topics and ideas
presented in the reading. Teachable courses are by design asynchronous.
Application will be used throughout the course as participants complete Core Concept Assignments that will be reflective in nature. Assignment details are shared in the Teachable course and are intended for participants to apply concepts learned and discussed during the course to their own classroom. Once enrolled in the course, participants will continue to have access to the resources shared that support the learning in the book.
Beyond the Book Study Course Outline:
| Week 1 | 1 hour | Session 1:
Reading and Teachable Task
*Optional Introductory Zoom |
| Week 2 | 1 hour | Reading and Teachable Task |
| Week 3 | 1 hour | Session 2: Zoom meeting and reading |
| Week 4 | 1 hour | Reading and Teachable Task |
| Week 5 | 1 hour | Session 3:Reading and Zoom |
| Week 6 | 1 hour | Reading and Teachable Task |
| Week 7 | 1 hour | Session 4: Reading and Teachable Task |
| Week 8 | 1 hour | Reading and Zoom Meeting |