Empowering Children through

Awareness and Advocacy:Knowing our kids and helping kids know themselves

Debra N. Brosius, Psy.D.debrabrosius@gmail.com

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, VA & FLBoard Certification Eligible- Neuropsychology

Overview

• Empowerment• Opening clinical example• Self-awareness in the learning environment • Predictors of success• Delay of gratification and transparency• Harnessing discipline to meet educational

goals• Developing maturity in our youth

Process of Empowerment• The power to move beyond

resistance at all levels• To allow for greater

autonomy• A capacity for greater choice

making• Enhancing our inherent

mental capacity• A multidimensional process

allowing people to gain greater control over their lives

• Viewing the individual as the primary agent of change

Clinical Example

• N is a 14 yo male adolescent entering 10th grade at an international school.

• Caucasian expat; native English speaker• Struggling in new curriculum (science)• Bright 115 FSIQ (V<P)• WM 85; PSI 91• LM scores (A<V)• Previous hx of: ??

Awareness

• To perceive, to know or to be cognizant of….

• Awareness begins with self- examination

• Addressing deficits early lead to better prognosis and is less costly over time (National Association of

School Psychologists, 2008).

How to?• Analysis:

– My student…– Is aware of his/her academic strengths– Is aware of his/her academic weaknesses– Is aware of his/her non-academic strengths– Is aware of his/her non-academic weaknesses– Is aware of his/her special talents and abilities– Is aware of his/her feelings, opinions, and values– Is able to match activities to strengths– Understands his/her specific learning disability– Accepts his/her learning disability– Is able to "compartmentalize”– Uses strategies to work around the learning disability– Set goals for the academic year

How to?

• My student…– Is aware of how his/her emotional reactions affect

behavior– Is aware of situations that cause stress, frustration

and emotional upset– Has developed strategies for avoiding or reducing

stress– Is able to recognize the onset of stress– Knows when outside support/help is needed

Success(Raskin et al., 1999)

• 20-year longitudinal study described successful LD kids and families (N=41 of 200+):– Self-awareness– Proactive– Perseverance– Utilizing goal setting techniques– Utilization of support systems in the environment– Emotional coping strategies

Developing Self-Awareness

• Greater awareness through observation and constructive feedback

• Formative assessment• Strengths and weaknesses: helping to tolerate

areas for growth/weaknesses• Challenges to overcome: Late bloomers• Building of resiliency- a life skill• Openness and acceptance by student (and

parents)

SOS: An academic example of formative assessment

• PROCEDURE: • Write a statement (one which can be argued from

two points of view) on the board.• Give students five minutes to agree or disagree

with the statement by listing facts, data, reasons, examples, and so on that they have learned from the discussion, reading, or media presentation.

• Collect the S-O-S summary to assess student understanding.

• Adjust next day’s instruction according to information gleaned in the formative assessment.

Developing Proactive Students (not aggressive and entitled)

• Encouraging students to become their own advocate

• Collaboration and ownership by student, instructor and parent

• Empowering students by giving them reasonable choices throughout the day (negotiable vs. non-negotiable).

• Assuming responsibility for actions and consequences

Perseverance

• With adversity comes character building opportunities

• “I am not a quitter; I can do hard things” and when things are not working, learning how to shift strategies (mental flexibility)

• Opportunities for vicarious learning, reframing and role modeling by mentors

Goal-Setting

• Planning, organization and time management• Successful individuals generally set goals that

are specific but flexible so they can adjust to context and unforeseen circumstances.

• Prepare, evaluate, readjust• Realistic • Attainable• Careful not to overinflate abilities or

weaknesses

Executive Skills Dawson & Guare, 2012

• Many students in middle and high school often struggle in this area:– Task initiation– Working memory– Organization (time management)– Goal directed persistence– Response inhibition– Sustained attention– Planning– Flexibility– Setting up a management system

Using tools and providing structure

Use of Effective Support Systems

• Multiple sources and resources:– Family– Friends– Teachers– Mentors– Peers

• Gradual movement away from dependent systems

Emotional Coping Strategies

• LD kids often experience: stress, anxiety, depression

• Components of successful emotional coping:– Causes of stress– Physiological indicators– Accessibility to resources

(internal and external); developing distress tolerance

Transparency

• Open and facilitative communication by parents of children with special needs.– Spectrum of behavior– Culturally mediated– Social stigma & insecurity

• Multidisciplinary approach yields the best outcome.

Delay of GratificationMischel, 1972

• Inhibition control: Biology and a learned skill.

• Marshmallow Study Revisited: Teaching self-control in the context of reliable and predictable parenting.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsQMdECFnUQ

Delay of Gratificationin Classrooms

• Cultivate something (i.e., plants)• Simple and variable opportunities for an end

of day award• Visual savings: jar of marbles• Tasks that are graded for effort not outcome• Write down goals and hang them up• Offer choices with a greater reward for waiting

Harnessing Willpower to Meet Educational Goals (APA, 2011 & Brooks & Goldstein, 2009)

• Self-discipline is more important than IQ in predicting academic success.– Strategies:• Avoid temptations; small goals in everyday life• Make a plan• Consider your motivations• Positive thinking: “I can do this”• Fuel the willpower• Focus on one specific goal at a time

Developing Maturity in Our Youth: Our Challenge (Elmore, 2011)

• IY generation.• More knowledge but less interpretation.• Lack of emotional maturity– Interventions:

• Keep commitments• Ability to handle compliments and constructive feedback• Logical decision making• Humility and openness to learning• Ability to put others before themselves

Conclusion

• Questions?• Further Clinical Examples• Clarification

References• Brooks, R & Goldstein, S. (2009). Raising a Self-Disciplined Child. Mc Graw Hill; New

York.• Dawson & Guare (2012). Coaching Students with Executive Skills Deficits. Guilford

Press; New York.• Elmore, T. (2011) Artificial Maturity: Helping Kids Meet the Challenge of becoming

Authentic Adults. Jossey-Bass.• Levine, M (2001). A Mind at a Time. Simon & Shuster; New York.• Levine & Clutch (2001). Jarvis Clutch Social Spy. EPS; USA.• Mischel, W, Ebbesen, E. B., Zeiss, A. R. (1972). Cognitive and attentional mechanisms

in delay of gratification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 21, 204-218. • Raskind, M. H., Goldberg, R. J., Higgens, E. L., & Herman, K. L. (1999). Learning

Disabilities: Research and Practice, 14, (1), 35-49.• To, T (2004). Risk markers for poor educational attainment in young children: Results

from a longitudinal national survey. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 158, (7), 643-649.

Resources

• Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD)P.O. Box 40303Overland Park, KS 66204(913) 492-8755Fax: (913) 492-2546

• Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300Arlington, VA 22201(703) 620-3660Fax: (703) 264-9494Toll-free: (800) 328-0272

• International Dyslexia Association (IDA)Chester Building, Suite 3828600 LaSalle RoadBaltimore, MD 21286(410) 296-0232Fax: (410) 321-5069

• www.socialthinking.com• www.growingleaders.com