COURSE TITLE:
NO. OF CREDITS:
3 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = 2.00 credits]
WA CLOCK HRS: OREGON PDUs: |
30 30 |
INSTRUCTOR:
Lori Gibson
loribgibson@hotmail.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Imagine looking out on your classroom and knowing that every student has a clear, receptive mind, is engaged, and is ready to learn. Unfortunately, this is rarely what we see in our classrooms. Instead, too many students seem preoccupied, isolated, withdrawn, nervous or overwhelmed.
It is estimated that 1 out of every 5 students in America suffers from a diagnosable anxiety disorder. And it is further suggested that, unchecked, anxiety can result in school failure, social isolation and missed opportunities. The purpose of this course is for educators to increase their understanding of anxiety and learn how to support students, and their parents, who are dealing with this disorder.
This independent study course is appropriate for Pre-K -12 teachers, administrators, support staff and parents. Note: The book, Growing Up Brave, was written for parents, however it is an excellent resource for understanding and supporting our anxious students and their parents.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.
HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participant’s their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), or Washington State Clock Hours or Oregon PDUs. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours and Oregon PDUs.
UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.
CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.
AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering determine with your district personnel, department head or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
REQUIRED TEXT
Required text, Growing Up Brave by Donna B. Pincus, 2012, is available used from Amazon.com for approximately $8.
MATERIALS FEE
Text, Growing Up Brave, is approximately $8 from Amazon.
ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Assignment #1:
Assignment #2:
Assignment #3:
Assignment #4:
The purpose of this assignment is to identify and reflect on the potential consequences of excessive anxiety. Based on your reading so far (especially pgs. 16-23), and if applicable to your own experiences with students who struggle with excessive anxiety, address the following in 250 – 500 words.
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #4’.
Assignment #5:
Please read Chapter 6: The Cycle of Anxiety from the course text. In a 250 – 500 word paper:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #5’.
Assignment #6:
ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
B. LEARNING APPLICATION
In this section you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you are not teaching in a classroom, please contact the instructor for course modifications. If you are a classroom teacher and start or need to complete this course during the summer, please try to apply your ideas when possible with youth from your neighborhood, at a local public library or parks department facility, (they will often be glad to sponsor community-based learning), or with students in another teacher’s summer classroom in session.
Assignment #7:
Please read Chapter 3: The Attentive Parent in the course text. One of the goals of this course is to learn ways to best support the parents of anxious children/adolescents. In order to do that it is vital that educators understand the different approaches that parents take and what research says about what is effective and what is not in helping their anxious child. Write 250 – 500 words in which you:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #7’.
Assignment #8:
Please choose one of the following assignments based on your particular work situation and interests:
Option A)
Please read Chapter 10: The Bravery Ladder in the course text. In 250 - 500 words:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #8-A’.
OR
Option B)
Create an intervention based on the course material that you can implement for one or more of your students who is struggling with anxiety issues. Please be sure to include the following in 500 – 750 words:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #8-B’.
Assignment #9:
Please choose one of the following assignments based on your particular work situation and interests:
Option A)
Read Chapter 11: Halfway to Adulthood. Write 250 – 500 words that include the following:
OR
Option B)
Read Chapter 12: Growing Up Brave Through the Years.
OR
Option C)
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #9-C’
Assignment #10:
Assignment #10: (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Assignment #10-A:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #10-A’.
OR
Assignment #10-B:
Use this option if you do not have a classroom available.
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #10-B’.
Assignment #11: (500 Level ONLY)
Option A)
Interview another educator about this class who has had experiences working with anxious students. Try to ascertain his/her perspective and thoughts on the topic of childhood/adolescent anxiety. As evidence of assignment completion submit a 250 – 500 word summary of your discussion which includes the following:
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #11-A’.
OR
Option B)
Interview the parent* of a student who struggles with excessive anxiety about the class you are taking. The purpose of this assignment is to listen to their experience with these issues so as to know better how to support students and their parents. Please organize your interview around one or more of the following ideas (as appropriate):
(*Please consult with your building principal to make sure that your district approves of this assignment if the parent has a child in your classroom/building and is not from the outside community.)
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #11-B’
OR
Option C)
Send to instructor: loribgibson@hotmail.com. Subject line to read ‘Helping Anxious #11-C’
C. INTEGRATION PAPER
Assignment #12: (Required for 400 and 500 Level)
SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)
Send to your instructor at their email address. Subject line to read "(put course name here) Integration Paper"
INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:
Please indicate by email to the instructor if you would like to receive comments on your assignments.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:
Lori Gibson, M.A., E.S.A. is a school counselor for Spokane Public Schools. She holds a Master's in Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University. She also has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Whitworth University. Over the past 28 years she has also held positions as a counselor for North Chicago High School in Illinois and the Lake Washington School District in Redmond, WA. Lori has taught workshops for The Heritage Institute for the past 18 years (most of them with her dear friend Jacquie Johansson Bernbaum). She is passionate about the opportunity to support her colleagues in their noble work in schools. In a time when high stakes testing seems to take precedence above all, she believes educators must work diligently to focus on the "whole child.” The challenges facing students can include learning disabilities, social difficulties, family stressors, generational poverty or entitlement issues, to name a few. Educators know these are challenges that can make it extremely difficult for some students to engage in the learning process. This necessitates teachers and administrators to be up to date on the latest research and have specific strategies to address the needs of their students. The purpose of Lori’s courses is to equip educators for these challenges in a respectful and encouraging manner.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
HELPING ANXIOUS STUDENTS