Lori Gibson
M.A.
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.
Offered Courses
HELPING ANXIOUS STUDENTS
Course No. ED453i, ED553i
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 Instead, too many students seem preoccupied, isolated, withdrawn, nervous or overwhelmed.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 through grade12 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.
BOYS IN TROUBLE: Turnaround Strategies For Educators
Course No. ED452Y, ED552Y
Our boys are struggling. They are academically disengaged and facing social challenges alone. What will their place will be in the wider world once they leave high school (if they even make it that far)? Let's look at the troubling symptoms our boys are presenting, and then we will pull back the curtain on their inner lives. We will look at the cultural expectations they are under, cultivate new understanding of boys and their world, and much more.
“WHY ARE THEY PICKING ON ME?” Understanding & Responding to Social Cruelty
Course No. ED451Z, ED551Z
Are kids at your school mean to each other? Of course they are. When kids are cruel to other kids not only does it do direct harm to the victims, it also affects the learning environment for everyone.
“HELP ME BEHAVE”: Going Beyond Traditional School Discipline Plans
Course No. ED450H, ED550H
Traditional discipline plans usually frustrate chronically disruptive students and can be overkill for well- adjusted kids. Dr. Ross Greene's “Plan B” is a better approach for dealing with disruptive behavior. It assumes that even disruptive students want to succeed in school, but that they have obstacles in their lives which prevent them from being successful.
THE DOG ATE MY HOMEWORK: Helping Disorganized Students
Course No. ED450i, ED550i
How delightful would it be if every student came to class on time, had their assignments done and did their best work? Unfortunately this is not the case. While many kids are organized, many kids are not. These disorganized kids can be disruptive; they are stuck in a downward spiral of failure and let’s face it - they drag down your school’s test scores.
AUTISM PUZZLE
Course No. ED436U, ED536U
If you have students with one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and you don’t know what they’re thinking or feeling, your days will be difficult – and theirs will be too. Most Pre-K through 12th grade educators have worked with ASD students already, and the prevalence of ASD is increasing. This course is an essential introduction to this puzzling disorder.
