Grief Responsive Teaching: Supporting Students and Ourselves in Times of Loss (An Introduction)
Workshop and Book Club
Workshop
An Introduction to Grief-Responsive Teaching: Supporting Students and Ourselves in Times of Loss
March 9 • 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. PT / 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET (view your time zone)
Over 1.5 million children around the world have lost a parent or caregiver guardian to COVID-19 (Levin 2021), yet fewer than 1% of educators receive training related to grief support during their preservice training (Densen, 2012). Through authentic discussion, interactive activities, and a review of research and actionable strategies for classroom practice, this workshop provides space for connection and reflection regarding the presence of loss (in its various forms) in the learning environment, as well as how teachers, counselors, instructional coaches, and administrators can preserve their own wellbeing in times of loss. In this workshop, we will:
- Explore the impacts of loss on the brain, body, and behavior, as well as actionable strategies for using this knowledge to scaffold learning environments and assignments that are grief-responsive.
- Examine interpersonal, environmental, and curricular aspects of grief-responsive teaching to create conditions supportive of all learners (and teachers!).
Book Club
Learning From Loss
March 31, April 28, and May 26, 2022 • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. PT / 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET (view your time zone)
We’re thrilled that Brittany is also leading a Learning from Loss book club! Open to all (you don’t have to have attended the March workshop to join), join Brittany and your colleagues to explore environmental, interpersonal, and curricular grief responsive classroom strategies. Together we’ll explore tiered strategies (environmental, interpersonal, and curricular) and highlight educator well-being and a whole-school approaches.
- Session 1 on March 31, 2022: Creating a grief-responsive classroom environment
- Session 2 on April 28, 2022: Fostering grief-responsive relationships with students and colleagues
- Session 3 on May 26, 2022: Looking at curricula through a grief-responsive lens
*You’ll need (and want) to grab a copy of Brittany’s book for this club: Learning from Loss by Brittany R. Collins. A Trauma-Informed Approach (need financial support for the book purchase? Fill out this form and we’re happy to help you out).
**We strongly ask for you to attend all three sessions of the book club if possible!
***You do not need to have attended the 101 workshop to join our book club.
Accessibility
The workshop and book club sessions will offer live-captions provided by Zoom.
Faculty
Brittany R. Collins is an author, educator, and curriculum designer dedicated to supporting teachers’ and students’ social and emotional well-being, especially in times of adversity. Her work explores the impacts of grief, loss, and trauma in the school system, as well as how innovative pedagogies– from inquiry-based, idea-centered learning to identity development curricula– can create conditions supportive of all learners.
Brittany is the author of Learning from Loss: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Supporting Grieving Students (Heinemann 2021). Her articles have appeared in such outlets as The Washington Post, Education Week, Edutopia, We Need Diverse Books, English Journal, and Literacy & NCTE of the National Council of Teachers of English, Inside Higher Ed, Brevity blog, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Thrive Global, among other outlets. Brittany has designed and delivered curricula and educational programming for students of all ages through PBS Learning Media; Smith College; Boston University; Race Project Kansas City; Write the World; and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Learn more about her work at www.griefresponsiveteaching.com or @brcollins27 on Twitter.
