Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1426376
Alli McCart holds PEACE project papers and props that students have written. Jessica MacCaskey and Jennifer Ortiz co-teach 10th graders. A L L I M C C A R T T E A C H E S fourth graders at John Morse Therapeutic Center, a school for students who have emotional disturbances. Many suffer from chronic trauma, says the Sacramento City Teachers Associ- ation member. " They have dealt with heavy life experiences I don't think the average adult could handle. Home life for my students ranges from living with family to extended family, appointed guardians and foster care. Some have experienced grief, neglect, abuse and PTSD. Some were bullied at another school and started displaying bullying behavior." Behaviors include crying, anger, yelling, shutting down and depres- sion. However, McCart learned that projects that foster empathy improve behavior, self-image and academics. She created the PEACE Project (Positivity, Encouragement and Com- passion Everyday), which asks students to write positive notes to peers and staff members. Notes range from "I like your shoes" to "I saw you crying this morning and I'm hoping your day gets better." This expanded to PEACE props, where students give each other a "shout-out" in the cafeteria for doing something positive, like helping someone who fell down, solving a prob- lem or telling the truth. "When students get into an argument, we stop and refer back to the PEACE Project. We have a 'think sheet' where kids work through problems," McCart says. " They write down what happened, what they were feeling and thinking, and how they could have changed things for the better." Her students sent PEACE papers with encouraging words to wildfire victims and students in Parkland, Florida, the site of a school shooting. Students make blankets for medically fragile babies and children experiencing hard times. Helping students focus on helping others has improved the overall campus atmosphere. "Many said they never knew they had the ability to make someone else feel happy. They are absolutely amazed by this." Would you prefer one marshmallow now? Or wait an hour and have two? I T S O U N D S L I K E a trivial question, but it's not, explain co-teachers Jessica Mac- Caskey and Jennifer Ortiz to 10th graders at Anaheim High School. In the famous "marshmallow test," Stan- ford researchers followed participants for decades. Children who waited patiently for the second marshmallow were more successful in life — with higher education and incomes and happier marriages — because they could delay gratification. Resource teacher MacCaskey and English teacher Ortiz co-teach students of differing abilities near Disneyland, the so-called happiest place on earth. Many students — mostly Hispanic and born into generational poverty — have experienced chronic trauma and are at risk for drop- ping out, joining gangs and risky behavior. The Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association members have embraced new strategies to help students focus on long-term goals. They ask students to understand how traumatic events nega- tively impact them and explore positive ways of coping. It's done through building community, relatable literature, essays and humor. Students are less truant and try harder, which makes it all worthwhile. "Many students said they never knew they had the ability to make someone else feel happy. They are absolutely amazed by this." 4. Foster empathy 5. Focus on the future Continued on p. 34 33 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 / J A N U A R Y 2 0 21