By Kaela Farrise, CEI Program Assistant, Innovation & Research Support This is the fifth part of the special series Equity in Education. The true purpose of education is something that has been debated for hundreds of years without one ultimate conclusion—but one expert, Dr. Yvette Jackson, will tell you the purpose is to support students in reaching their full potential. Dr. Jackson, who is an internationally recognized leader in assessing the learning potential of disenfran

By Michelle Hull, CEI Intern Pamela Reed, an educator who has worn many hats during her 13 years of service in the Rutland City Public School system, has transformed the district’s posture towards trauma-skilled practices in the classroom. As a former special educator and classroom teacher at Shrewsbury Mountain School and Rutland’s Northwest Primary School, Director of Student Services for Rutland Central Supervisory Union, and Associate Principal at Rutland High School, she

By Michele Rivers Murphy, CEI Associate Director of Heart Centered Learning The expression, “Hindsight is 20/20” becomes more meaningful as we struggle and are challenged daily in the year 2020. Before COVID-19 hit, many school communities struggled with unspeakable trauma and stress at unprecedented rates, with no zip code immune to experiencing some type of significant loss, tragedy, or suffering. Before COVID-19, we (Mason, Rivers Murphy, & Jackson) wrote our companion boo

By Christine Mason, CEI Executive Director As educators return from their summer breaks and begin to establish routines this fall, we are tasked with many things. To help address the trauma so many are experiencing, we may want to add healing to our to do lists. Each of us has a potential role to play as a “healer” who supports self-healing and the healing of others, even in the midst of this pandemic and time of global strife and angst. What healing is needed? In Mindful S

By Dana Asby, CEI Director of Innovation & Research Support As students, families, and educators embark on the most stressful Back to School season in their lifetimes, they are looking towards mindfulness to bring a sense of peace, calm, and clarity in these times of uncertainty and fear. “Self-care” has become an even more prevalent buzzword since COVID-19 brought toxic stress into each of our lives—although to varying degrees of severity. We implore schools and families to

By Meghan Wenzel, CEI Researcher & Writer Uncertainty, change, fear, and loss can make anyone feel anxious, confused, and sad. In a short amount of time, COVID-19 has turned everyone’s lives upside down. Schools have closed, families are confined inside, jobs have disappeared, and loved ones have died. It’s important to check in with children and see how they’re doing during this difficult time. Children are trying to make sense of events around them and acclimate to the new

By Zenisha Shah, CEI Writer and Counselor at Innisfree House School One’s journey with music begins in the mother’s womb. We hear music before we see the world. Every culture throughout the world has music at its core. In addition to being a form of entertainment and celebration, music has numerous benefits. It alleviates mood and decreases stress, as well as having innumerable social, cognitive, and psychological benefits (Cherry, 2019). Music used as a therapeutic tool has

By Marla Hunter, Founder & CEO of Live. Love. Swim!, LLC @LiveLoveSwimLLC It all began the summer of 1985 at the Mason YMCA. I was 4 years old preparing for my first group swim lessons. According to my mum, before the lessons officially began I jumped into the 10-foot deep end and a lifeguard had to jump in after me. When I got home my mum remembers that my answer to my question of how the lesson went was, “I drowned today, Mummie!” I’m sure that if this had happened to any o