Upcoming Sessions

  • There are no upcoming sessions scheduled
See All Upcoming Sessions

Your Students, My Students, Our Students explores the hard truths of current special education practice and outlines five essential disruptions to the status quo. Authors Lee Ann Jung, Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Julie Kroener show you how to - Establish a school culture that champions equity and inclusion. - Rethink the long-standing structure of least restrictive environment and the resulting service delivery. - Leverage the strengths of all educators to provide appropriate support and challenge. - Collaborate on the delivery of instruction and intervention. - Honor the aspirations of each student and plan accordingly.   To realize authentic and equitable inclusion, we must relentlessly and collectively pursue change. This book—written not for "special educators" or "general educators" but for all educators—addresses the challenges, maps out the solutions, and provides tools and inspiration for the work ahead. Real-life examples of empowerment and success illustrate just what's possible when educators commit to the belief that every student belongs to all of us and all students deserve learning experiences that will equip them to live full and rewarding lives.   BOOK: “Your Students, My Students, Our Students: Rethinking Equitable and Inclusive Classrooms” by LeeAnn Jung, Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, Julie Kroener ISBN:  1416628096 or 978-1416628095           Read more

Helping teachers bust frustration before it even begins! Frustration is universal, even for the most effective and experienced teachers. The steady drip of forgotten pencils, classroom disruptions, and unrealistic expectations can chip away at our resolve, creating a chasm between our love of teaching and our ability to continue happily in our chosen profession. Even more, frustrated teachers pass their stress on to students, who can experience academic losses and instability from high teacher turnover. Author Katie Powell knows that there’s no “right” way to respond to specific frustrations. Instead, this book provides a process teachers can use to respond to difficult situations in healthy, effective ways that align with their own teaching style and goals. Frustration Busters helps teachers identify the source of frustrations, learn how to tackle them when they arise, and implement practices that will help prevent them from occurring in the first place. It’s filled with ideas for practical application that support a positive classroom experience.   BOOK:  “Frustration Busters: Unpacking and Responding to Classroom Management Challenges” ISBN-10: ‎ 195630603X ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1956306033 This course is free for SDEA members. Non-members may take the course for $50. You can earn either one graduate credit for $50 from Augustana University or 15 continuing education contact hours at no additional cost.  Read more

How does trauma affect a child's mind—and how can that mind recover? Child psychiatrist Dr. Bruce D. Perry has helped children faced with unimaginable horror: genocide survivors, murder witnesses, kidnapped teenagers, and victims of family violence. In the classic The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, Dr. Perry tells their stories of trauma and transformation and shares their lessons of courage, humanity, and hope. Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate, insightful strategies for rehabilitation, Perry explains what happens to children’s brains when they are exposed to extreme stress—and reveals the unexpected measures that can be taken to ease such pain and help them grow into healthy adults. Only when we understand the science of the mind and the power of love and nurturing can we hope to heal the spirit of even the most wounded child.   BOOK: “The Boy Who Was Raised as A Dog” by Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD and Maia Szalavitz,  ISBN: 978-0465094455     Read more

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world’s foremost experts on trauma, has spent more than three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments - from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga - that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain’s natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal - and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.   As our years as educators continue, we are seeing more and more students that are experiencing heavy trauma in more serious doses. But why? And is there anything we can do about it? This book helps to explain some of what happens to kids and why they struggle so much as they develop into adults. These struggles come due to changes in the brain and how it impacts them on social, emotional and physical levels. It explores the history of understanding trauma, what trauma is and what can cause trauma. Engaging, real-life stories are shared to help us understand what happens to our bodies due to the situations and experiences we have gone through.    The author also discusses the development of the ACE score (adverse childhood experiences) and why this came to be. Again, there are multiple real-life stories that accompany the scientific aspect to give us examples of the relationships between the body and mind.   In the last section of the book we get to explore the variety of therapies and solutions that doctors and mental health professionals have assembled to assist individuals in overcoming their trauma. Some that are mentioned that we can incorporate into school settings include theater and movement classes, yoga, and mindfulness strategies.    Teachers that have read this indicate that they recognize even more fully why they need to have patience and be patient with students. There was also a profound understanding that the world that we grew up in doesn’t exist anymore and that we can’t keep judging students through our lens because we are trying to help them navigate a completely different situation.    As educators that are making decisions in our buildings and with the knowledge that is found in these pages, we can help create a healthy culture of understanding and patience. This is what will make a difference to our students now. (https://uassp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/The-Body-Keeps-the-Score-Book-of-the-Month.pdf)   BOOK:  The Body Keeps the Score ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0143127741 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143127741 Free PDF Version: https://archive.org/details/the-body-keeps-the-score-pdf/page/n3/mode/2up "The Body Keeps the Score" audiobook from YouTube is included in this course.  Please be aware of who is with you if listening to this audiobook, as some case studies are graphic in their description of physical and sexual abuse.   Mispronunciation of some words is also obvious in listening to the audiobook, but does not effect the understanding of the content.   This book study is free for members or $50 for non-members. You can earn either two graduate credits from Augustana for $100 or 30 continuing education contact hours (CECH).  Read more

  Are you a teacher who struggles with emotional storms in your classroom? Do you wonder how this impacts your students' learning and wellbeing? And what about the impact these storms have on you? In today's world, many children struggle to manage their emotions at school, which can negatively affect the learning of others. But what if you could reduce stress and disruption in the classroom and instead support a calm and connected learning environment? Emotional Storms will increase your knowledge of the various causes of dysregulation. In this easy-to-follow guide, you'll learn simple, time-efficient prevention strategies you can use in your classroom every day. You will also gain ideas on how to turn the tide if a storm is imminent and minimize the impact of those that do occur. Your role in supporting and educating children is vital and inherently stressful, so this must-read book also provides crucial information on self-care and wellbeing. Teachers aim to change the world by educating young minds, and children learn best when they are 'safe and social'. Armed with the powerful information in this text, you can connect the two and benefit students today as well as the generations who follow. BOOK: “The Emotional Storm: Preventing Dysregulation in the Classroom” by Anne Maree Tadey   ISBN:  978-1922982728    This course is worth either 15 CECH (continuing education contact hours) OR 1 graduate credit from Augustana University ($50).          Read more

Joseph M. Marshall’s thoughtful, illuminating account of how the spiritual beliefs of the Lakota people can help us all lead more meaningful, ethical lives. Rich with storytelling, history, and folklore, The Lakota Way expresses the heart of Native American philosophy and reveals the path to a fulfilling and meaningful life. Joseph Marshall is a member of the Sicunga Lakota Sioux and has dedicated his entire life to the wisdom he learned from his elders. Here he focuses on the twelve core qualities that are crucial to the Lakota way of life--bravery, fortitude, generosity, wisdom, respect, honor, perseverance, love, humility, sacrifice, truth, and compassion. Whether teaching a lesson on respect imparted by the mythical Deer Woman or the humility embodied by the legendary Lakota leader Crazy Horse, The Lakota Way offers a fresh outlook on spirituality and ethical living. This course is free for SDEA members or $50 for non-members. You will earn one graduate credit from Augustana for $50.  Read more

Shopping Cart

Your cart is empty