Last week, I was able to attend the first annual Institute on Best Teaching Practices for Equity, Poverty, and Diversity at James Madison University with the Office of Opportunity and Achievement. This conference was truly enriching as it was interesting to view the information as a student. I encourage the teachers of Virginia Beach City Public School to take into consideration the following concepts stressed during the event.

Of the keynote speakers was Dr. Allison Sampson-Jackson, licensed clinical social worker. Her presentation focused on the traumas that many of today’s youth has witnessed. Dr. Sampson-Jackson cited the Adverse Childhood Experience Study (ACEs) as the cause of many physical and emotional ailments and tendencies such as smoking, obesity, depression, drug use, alcoholism, anxiety etc. It is also the basis of disrupted neurodevelopment and social, emotional, and cognitive impairment.

This information lead Dr. Sampson-Jackson to believe that teachers must consider these factors when teaching as they play an important role in comprehension. She pointed out that these children aren’t dysfunctional, but merely learn different than their peers because of the trauma affecting the left side of the brain.

The closing keynote was Dr. Chris Emdin, Associate Professor at Columbia University and author of the New York Times bestselling book For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood … and
the Rest of Y’all Too. Dr. Emdin was truly an animated presenter as he incorporated the concepts of his book. His main sentiment was that teacher are giving “fast food” teaching for “soul food” children, meaning that teachers are not emotionally investing students into the curriculum causing them to quickly forget the material. He used engaging movements, African American Vernacular English, and personal experience to catch the attention of the audience. Similarly, he called for teachers to engage with their students and in their own, unique way.

The majority of students of Virginia Beach City Public School are minorities. Therefore, events like the Institute on Best Teaching Practices for Equity, Poverty, and Diversity are important for educators and students alike.

“Violence Prevention.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Apr. 2016, www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/about_ace.html.

Below are the stories featured in Volume 3, Issue 3 of The Roaring Gazette.

Students will soon need fewer SOLs to graduate by Aniyah Lewis

2018 Leadership Workshop coming soon! by Cassidy O’Neal

Marching Lions receive a Superior rating by Sotiria Bessinas

The Great Tallwood Divide: Has the academy split Tallwood in two? by Noelani Stachurski

Meet a Lion: Mrs. Yuzhbabenko by Chris Purkiss

Lion Voices: What would you change about Tallwood? by Frances Summers

Teachers’ homework policies vary by Frances Summers

CIEE offers great travel opportunities for students by Bethany Hansel

Ms. Adams is here for all your school store needs by Ashley Archila-Ventura

The homework surplus by Finley Brakke

Virginia schools must aim to teach ALL students by Marissa Goodall

“Jigsaw” a disappointing entry in the “Saw” series by Ashley Malinson