I live in California – the state where people live in sunshine more days than they do not. Where access to free and outdoor activities abounds. And, where this past week a serious threat to a local Pasadena high school was thwarted – thanks to the efforts of astute community members and law enforcement.
It isn’t yet September and we are talking about school violence as if it is an eventuality this new school year and no longer “breaking news”. How can this be?
Read about school violence facts here from CNN
So, I want to start a dialog and invite all respectful readers to join the conversation by answering this one complicated question with only ten words:
How can we make our schools safe for our students?
Hopefully I get more than 10 words to answer this great questions, Louise! ;O) We can make school safe{r} for our students by teaching them to “dis-arm” themselves when they’re about to “lose it.” By that I mean we need to teach them to manage their destructive emotions by calming themselves down (re-centering breathing actually works!). When they’ve walked themselves back from the edge of any emotional precipice they are in a much better place to think things through. The result? From that “clearer thinking” place, they are more likely to do and say things they will feel proud of and they will be contributing to a more positive school climate.