STRESS REDUCTION in STAFF & STUDENTS

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This class will address the important topic of childhood and adult stress.  The impact of stress on any given child is significant and creates a tremendous strain on their academic learning. Though "stress" is often viewed as a negative impact on a life, this course will help each person to see the positive aspects of stress and anxiety. Recognizing that educators are in an excellent position to teach and impact each child, this class will give specific ideas to minimize the negative influence of stress/anxiety in the classroom. Specific strategies to help children to direct their stress into a positive arena and to learn critical coping skills will be taught.  Peer relations, chaotic family structures, generalized feelings of anxiety, failure and negative thought processes, as well as many other topics will be addressed. Each person will have an opportunity to examine their professional sphere of influence, their personal sphere of influence and their collegial sphere of influence. The goal of this course will be to help each person find a better balance in their own personal and professional lives as well as to be able to effectively teach the skills to help children find that balance. It will be geared to a broad audience, encompassing K-12 students.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

1. Learned how to implement stress management theory into their personal/professional lives.
2. Gained an understanding of the relationship between achievement, stressors, and balance of life as it relates to the educational process.
3. Developed an effective teaching plan for students and adults that shares intervention approaches.
4. Evaluated classroom stress, indicators and ways to evaluate external demands.
5. Examined principles of time management as they pertain to our personal and professional lives.
6. Effectively transfered programs and interventions across domains (school, home, community.)

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), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.

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.

1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments 30%
2. Completion of Learning Application assignments 40%
3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment 30%

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

None. All reading is online.

MATERIALS FEE

A course manual may be downloaded, from the instructor’s website at http://www.michaelsedler.com/ without charge, once you have registered for this course. Click on classes, from there scroll down the page and click on the orange lettering ‘Manual’ next to the class “Stress”. It will download as a PDF. While there is no fee for the manual, you may have to pay in order to order a book from the bibliography. Or, you may borrow one from a friend or check one out at the public library for free.

ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Assignment #1: Read the Manual.

Assignment #2: Read a Book.

Assignment #3: Complete Worksheets in Manual.

Assignment #4: 2 Week Journal.

Assignment #5: Plan for Success.

Assignment #6: Share Your Plan.

Assignment #7: Classroom Observation.

Assignment #8: Mentor a Colleague.

Clock Hours, PDUs, CEUs, and Act 48 participants must complete Section C - The Integration Paper to be awarded hours for this course.

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 #9: Student Candidate.

Assignment #10: Lesson Development.

Assignment #10:  You must choose either “A” or “B”  (Required for 400 and 500 Level) 

Assignment #A: (SEND commentary to Instructor)

• Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course.
• Implement your lesson with students in your classroom.
• Write a 2 page commentary on what worked well and what could be improved.
• Include any student feedback on your lesson.

(The following is encouraged but not required):

• Share what you’ve learned with other teachers taking our courses by also contributing your Lesson to The Heritage Institute Lesson Library located at https://www.hol.edu/lesson-plan-library

                                                               OR

Assignment #B:  (SEND lesson and summary to Instructor)  Use this option if you do not have a classroom available.

• Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
• Write a 2 page summary concerning any noteworthy success you’ve had as a teacher with one or more students.

(The following is encouraged but not required):

• Please refer to the guidelines on our blog https://www.hol.edu/blog prior to writing your article.
• Please email a copy to Yvonne Hall (yvonne@hol.edu) THI blog curator and media specialist. 
• Indicate whether or not you are OK with having your article considered for publishing on our website. 
• Subject line to read: (Course Name, Blog)

Send to instructor: mike@communicationplus.net, Subject Line to read Stress #10 (A or B.)ʼ

Assignment #11: (500 Level only)

C. INTEGRATION PAPER

Assignment #12: (Required for Clock Hrs, PDUs, CEUs, Act 48, 400 and 500 level)

SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments.)

1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
4. How, when, and where will you use what you have learned?
5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?

Send to your instructor at their email address. Subject line to read  "(put course name here) Integration Paper"

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:

Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:

Mike Sedler, D.Min., M.S.W. brings over 30 years of educational experience as an administrator, social worker, behavior specialist and teacher to each of his classes.  

He provides consultation services and seminars throughout the United States and Canada for schools, agencies and businesses.  He has been teaching “adult learning classes” since the mid 1980’s and has had the privilege of working for The Heritage Institute for over 25 years. 

He has a graduate degree in Social Work, a Doctoral degree in Ministry, a Counseling license, as well as his teaching certification (K-8).  His combination of classroom experience, behavior intervention approaches, and involvement in working with hundreds of families allows for an excellent blend in all his classes.

Mike is passionate about children and emphasizes the importance of avoiding power struggles, offering options/choices to children, setting clear boundaries and guidelines as well as finding a place of positive engagement and connection with each individual.  His heart for people and emphasis on positive communication are found throughout his seminars and classes.

All of Mike’s classes are practical and “field tested” in schools and classrooms. Educators have found ongoing success in implementing Mike’s clear and concise approaches.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

STRESS REDUCTION in STAFF & STUDENTS