Universal Preschool: Use Innovation and Evidence to Make it Effective

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-e-slavin/universal-preschool_b_2773647.html

In his recent State of the Union Address, President Obama proposed to "make high-quality preschool available to every child in America." He referred to research that has demonstrated long term positive effects of attending high-quality preschool programs. President Obama's support has excited the early childhood community. Who could be opposed to expanding high-quality preschool opportunities? Yet this begs the question: What does "high-quality" mean in practice?

"High-quality" preschools are often defined by educators and economists alike as ones in which teachers are adequately paid, facilities are adequate, and the ratio of staff to children is low. These are indeed important elements of quality and they are serious problems, as preschool educators are often very poorly paid, poorly educated themselves, and lack decent facilities. The low salaries received by preschool teachers leads to a high turnover rate, which also reduces quality. So ensuring universal access to high-quality preschools when many current preschoolers are already struggling with quality and funding issues will be a heavy lift.

Leaving aside money issues, however, there is an important question about how preschool programs should be structured. There is lots of research showing the benefits of high-quality preschool in comparison to no preschool (as in the famous Perry Preschool and Abecedarianprograms). However, there is far less research showing different benefits of different preschool approaches.

The Preschool Curriculum Effectiveness Research initiative compared a number of promising approaches to each other and to groups using standard preschool teaching methods. The results are summarized in a review on the Best Evidence Encyclopedia. By the end of kindergarten, only a few of the programs showed child outcomes superior to those achieved by other programs. Structured programs that had a very strong focus on language and emergent literacy, giving children many opportunities to use language to work together, solve challenges, and develop positive relationships with each other, had the best outcomes for children.

Technology has so far played a modest role in early childhood education, but this may change as multimedia devices (such as interactive whiteboards) become more commonly used. Technology offers opportunities for teachers to enhance language development by engaging children with brief content that helps them understand how the world works. For example, children learning about health can see videos on how the body works and can be provided with video models of how to stay safe and healthy. Children can make choices and manipulate pictures and videos representing objects and processes. Further, classroom technology allows for linkages with the home, as parents increasingly have computers, DVDs, and other media available. Children can be shown exciting content in school and then take home DVDs or link electronically to specific materials that closely align with the content they learned that day. These electronic activities can be designed to be done with parents and children together, and can then inform parents about what children are learning in school. Also, in high-poverty homes children often have few if any books. Existing DVD or internet technologies can provide children with access to appropriate literature, which can be read to them by narrators or by their parents or older siblings.

Of course, technology will not replace the majority of early childhood teaching. Young children still need to manipulate real objects and learn to work with each other, sing songs, develop coordination and creativity, and practice appropriate behaviors. However, technology may add the capacity for teachers to show anything they want to their children and to link to the home in ways that have not been possible in the past, and this may result in enhanced learning at this critical age.

Expanding preschool access is a terrific idea, but it will take a lot of money and a long time to put into place. The possibility that it may take place should motivate immediate investments in innovation and evaluation, to develop new ways of ensuring that early education leads to enhanced preparation for success, especially for disadvantaged children.

Preschool quality should not just be seen as a question of per-pupil cost. Preschool educators and children need innovative, proven models that use modern teaching strategies and technologies that are appropriate to the developmental needs of four-year-olds. Innovation and research is needed to show the way as we head toward universal preschool.

Recalling Good Times May Reduce Depression

http://inthenews.springhillgroupcounselling.com/2013/02/28/recalling-good-times-may-reduce-depression/ 


There is a new strategy that was discovered to improve mood for the ”depress”, it is easier and costs nothing.  This is easy just the recollection of positive day-to-day experiences.  This can work for those who are not suffering from depression as well.  I’m sure this will change anyone’s mood.

Researchers suggest that recalling actual, detailed memories that are positive or self-affirming can help to improve the mood of people with a history of depression.

Sad to say, for people who suffer from depression, this kind of vivid memory for everyday events seems crippled by the victims.

In the new study, Tim Dalgleish, Ph.D., of the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and colleagues hypothesized that a well-known method used to enhance memory — known as the “method-of-loci” strategy — might help depressed patients to recall positive memories with greater ease.

The method-of-loci strategy consists of connecting vivid memories with physical objects or locations.  An example of which are buildings you see on your commute to work every day. To bring to mindall the memories, you just have to imagine going through your commute.

An article published in Clinical Psychological Science the study is further discussed.  In the study, depressed patients were asked to come up with 15 positive memories.

The method-of-loci strategy was used by one group to create associations with their memories and the other group was asked to use a simple “rehearsal” strategy, grouping memories based on their similarities.

The participants were asked to recollect as many of their 15 positive memories as they could after working on the techniques.

Both groups were able to recall nearly all of the 15 memories.  Although the method were equally effective after the initial memory test conducted in the lab, the strategies were not equally effective in the long run.

A surprise call was made by the researchers after a week when they are already at their own homes.  They then asked them to recall the 15 memories once again and the group who used the method-of-loci passed with flying colors while those who used the rehearsal technique did not do the same as the other group.

This made a conclusion and the researchers believe these findings suggest that using the method-of-loci technique to associate vivid, positive memories with physical objects or locations may make it easier for depressed individuals to recall those positive memories.

Recalling and focusing on positive memories, rather than negative projections, may help individuals elevate their mood in the long run.  And also for all of us this may help brighten each day so you may have a great day ahead!

Infant Research & Neuroscience at Work in Psychotherapy

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2013/infant-research-neuroscience-at-work-in-psychotherapy/

For decades, psychotherapy has been considered “the talking cure”: two people in conversation,
with a shared goal of relieving the suffering of the patient. From the early days of Freud to the
current popularity of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the spoken word has been the central focus in
the therapeutic alliance. In recent years, however, the advent of functional MRIs and other
brain-scanning technologies has led to new discoveries about the workings of the brain that may
afford clinicians innovative and exciting new ways of working with clients, beyond simply “talking.”

Judith Rustin’s Infant Research & Neuroscience at Work in Psychotherapy: Expanding the Clinical
Repertoire brings together many of these new discoveries. In her book, published by Norton, Rustin
summarizes key research in the areas of both infant behavior and neuroscience, and provides
easy-to-understand examples that help clarify how rather elusive concepts—such as implicit and
unconscious ways of remembering and communicating—can be applied in day-to-day therapeutic
interactions.

Rustin begins with a focus on infant research, stating that “the nonverbal modes of communication
discerned in the interactive process between infant and mother…can be used by the therapist as tools
or techniques in treating her patients.” After summarizing much of the major research on the
infant-mother interaction, including studies on eye-to-eye gaze, face-to-face play, and self- and mutual
regulation, she describes her treatment of a patient called “Jack,” detailing how she applies her
knowledge of infant research to their therapy relationship. Her description brings the reader into the
therapy room, and provides an excellent example of the research at work.

In each of the chapters that follow, Rustin continues to first explain the current research on the brain
and infants, then follow up with a clinical example of how she or another clinician has applied that
research to a specific therapy client. These real-life accounts, in addition to bolstering Rustin’s theory,
make the book more than simply a dry review of the scientific literature.

The book goes on to discuss studies on memory, the mind-body connection, the fear system, and mirror
neurons and shared circuitry. Since Rustin believes that focusing on the spoken narrative “can
sometimes limit our vision to other possibilities for understanding and intervention,” she illustrates in
each example how attending to bodily responses and emotions—both her clients’ and her own—can
provide insights that might otherwise be missed.

The ideas in Rustin’s book are not intended to replace traditional psychotherapy; rather, she says,
“they just provide additional pathways for understanding and intervening in a way that offers additional
sources of fluidity and elasticity to the therapeutic relationship and clinical process.” Rustin does an
excellent job of reviewing the literature and giving detailed examples of how to apply infant research and
neuroscience in a clinical setting with adults. She makes it clear that each therapeutic dyad is unique, and
that the examples she provides are just one of many ways that the research can be applied. By opening our
concept of therapy and demonstrating new applications of research, Rustin has contributed an important
 addition to a growing body of work.

Everyday Life’s a Struggle for 25 Years and Younger

http://inthenews.springhillgroupcounselling.com/2013/01/14/everyday-lifes-a-struggle-for-25-years-and-younger/


People under the age of 25 are ‘struggling to cope’ with everyday life, says the Prince’s Trust.  Their recent survey claims that one in ten young people are now struggling to deal with day-today life.

Over 2000 16-25 year olds were surveyed by prince’s trust across UK.  They have discovered that those who are jobless and out of school are the most discontented.  Due to this they are the most unhappy, these are the people who are likely to have grown up without anyone to talk to and converse their issues with.

“I used to apply for jobs but after getting knocked back, it hit my confidence. I’d wake up and just not know what to do with the 24 hours in the day”, says Leon White, 24.  He is currently living with his family but his father passed away ten years ago and he left school without receiving any qualifications.  He dreams of a career in music, but has only recently been able to secure a full-time job in a hotel, after taking a hospitality training course.

The survey indicated that almost three out of ten people that were questioned said they felt their career prospects had been permanently damaged by the recession.

Government said they are not satisfied with the rate of employment while the level of unemployment is at its lowest since 2009.

A spokesman from the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Youth unemployment has fallen recently, and excluding full-time students, there are now 626,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds – the lowest figure since early 2009. But we are not complacent about the scale of the challenge we still face.

“Through our Youth Contract we’re offering nearly 500,000 work experience placements, wage incentives and apprenticeships over the next three years to help young people gain the skills and experience needed to get a job.”

Counseling for Trauma Victims

http://springhillgroupcounselling.com/2013/01/09/counseling-for-trauma-victims/

Trauma is defined as “severe emotional shock and pain caused by an extremely upsetting experience” (The Cambridge Dictionary).  But trauma is also an extremely subjective experience because what may be traumatic for one person may barely affect another.

Generally speaking, when someone experience excessive stress that overwhelms ones emotional or physical ability to cope, this is being referred to as trauma.  Emotional trauma can be experienced by anyone even without the physical trauma but the two sometimes are often go hand-in-hand.  An example of this is when the wounds from physical trauma like the loss of a limb or a gunshot wound, while an obvious shock to the body, will eventually heal.  While all the emotional wounds and repercussions of the actual traumatic event are left to the person.

Symptoms of trauma 

Symptoms of trauma can vary from person to person.  A traumatized individual may suffer from one or several of the following symptoms. (list not complete)

• upsetting memories such as images, thoughts or flashbacks
• nightmares
• insomnia
• re-experience the trauma mentally and physically
• emotional detatchment (known as dissociation)
• individuals may turn to alcohol and/or drugs
• stress/anxiety disorders
• panic attacks
• anger
• despair
• depression
• loss of self-esteem.

Causes of trauma

• abuse
• violence
• threat of abuse or violence
• witnessing of abuse or violence
• catastrophic events (war, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes etc)
• witnessing/being involved in an attack
• accidents (e.g a car crash or explosion’
• divorce
• job loss
• death
• mugging
• armed robbery
• rape
• car accident
• illness
• failing an exam
• losing valuable things

Trauma like any other illness can be cured.  When someone suffered from a traumatic experience, he/she can undergo trauma counseling.  Trauma counseling is appropriate for people who experienced traumatic incident.  In fact any event, whether shallow or horrible events can traumatized a person, anything that a person regard as negative and that changes his view or himself or the world.

Trauma counseling will help you in identifying and coming to terms with the feelings and emotions you may feel during and after a traumatic experience.  And because people handle trauma in various ways these emotions will also vary from individual to individual, but the most commonly experienced emotions are anger and fear.

Here are some ways the trauma counselor may use to achieve your healing process

• Listening to what you are saying (and not saying)
• Supporting your coping mechanisms
• Exploring with you, and validating, your feelings and emotions
• Supporting you to make sense of the incident
• Preventing the use of suppression as a defense
• Integrating the event meaningfully into your life

To get your life back on track and to move you from being a victim to being a victor, you must admit to yourself first that you need help.  This doesn’t mean that you are going crazy or that you are weak.  Everyone deserves healing.

How to Know if Depress During and After Pregnancy

http://inthenews.springhillgroupcounselling.com/2012/12/17/how-to-know-if-depress-during-and-after-pregnancy/


Depression is actually the most common complication during and after pregnancy although exact number of women that suffers from this is unknown.  Perinatal depression, it is the depression that occurs during pregnancy or within a year after delivery.



You may not recognize depression because some normal pregnancy changes cause similar symptoms and are happening at the same time that is exactly why it was not treated.  Tiredness, problems sleeping, stronger emotional reactions, and changes in body weight may occur during pregnancy and after pregnancy and these are also symptoms of depression.  For a lot of women, joyfully anticipated pregnancy and motherhood bring depression as an unexpected accompaniment.  Depression is not only risky for mothers but for their children as well.  During pregnancy, depression may result in poor prenatal care, premature delivery, low birth weight, and, just possibly, depression in the child.  Depression after childbirth aka postpartum depression can lead to child neglect, family breakdown, and suicide.  A depressed mother may fail to bond emotionally with her newborn, raising the child’s risk of later cognitive delays and emotional and behavior problems.



If the depression is detected soon enough, help is available for mother and child.

Signs of depression during pregnancy:

History of depression or substance abuse
Family history of mental illness
Little support from family and friends
Anxiety about the fetus
Problems with previous pregnancy or birth
Marital or financial problems
Young age (of mother)
Signs of postpartum depression or after giving birth:

Feeling restless or irritable
Feeling sad, hopeless, and overwhelmed
Crying a lot
Having no energy or motivation
Eating too little or too much
Sleeping too little or too much
Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions
Feeling worthless and guilty
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
Withdrawal from friends and family
Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart beating fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing)
After pregnancy, signs of depression may also include being afraid of hurting the baby or oneself and not having any interest in the baby.
Postpartum psychosis (seye-KOH-suhss) is rare and is need to be treated by the doctor.  It occurs in about 1 to 4 out of every 1,000 births.  It usually begins in the first 2 weeks after childbirth.  Women who have bipolar disorder or another mental health problem called schizoaffective (SKIT-soh-uh-FEK-tiv) disorder have a higher risk for postpartum psychosis. Symptoms include:

Seeing things that aren’t there
Feeling confused
Having rapid mood swings
Trying to hurt yourself or your baby


The problem with some women is that they do not tell anyone about their condition because they embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty about feeling depressed when they are supposed to be happy.  They may think that they will be judge as unfit parents, bad and not together mom but this can happen to any mothers.  Remember that your child is also at risk.  Seek for help.

7 Ways to Be a Stress-Free Workaholic

Saying it's a crazy, complex world out there is putting it mildly. The rate of technological change is staggering.
The constant bombardment of information and communication has us all on overload. And we're constantly
slugging it out in a brutally competitive global market.

If it seems as if you're locked in a downward spiral of trying to do more with less, it isn't you. It's for real. That
surprising array of macro factors creates stress on all of our businesses and on all of us. We try to manage it
as best we can, but at some point, things break. Systems break. People break. That's the nature of stress.

If you're an entrepreneur, you're well aware of the constant pressure to keep your burn rate down and stretch
capital investments as far as they'll go. And should the stars align and you gain customer traction, then you've
got the not-insignificant challenges of high growth and scalability to deal with.

Either way, there are times when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. And that means stress, big
time. Having lived through several high-growth companies, a few successful and failed start-ups, and 20 years of
executive management, I have plenty of great strategies for managing stress.

Work your tail off when you have to, not when you don't. Business happens in spurts. Always. Whether you're
 developing a product or growing a business, those long hours don't go on forever. It's OK to kill yourself for a few
weeks or months, as long as you chill out for a while when it's over. If you do it constantly, you're asking for trouble.

Learn to give up--sort of. When you're overstressed, overworked, and the ideas just won't come, try giving up.
Seriously, just call it quits, go home, go for a run, whatever. Once you relax, that's when inspiration flows--usually
when you're lying in bed half asleep or in the shower.

Strategize and plan. Here's a method for managing stress you're not likely to see anywhere else. When things seem
overwhelming, they're often the result of day-to-day inertia. To thwart the evils of the status quo, take a step back
and gain some perspective. Get some time away from distractions--just you or with your team--and brainstorm,
strategize, and plan. Have a nice dinner out. You'll be amazed at the results.

Mix business with pleasure. Whenever you're going through high-stress times, take your team out for dinner. Have a
few drinks. Take breaks and goof around. Yes, it probably takes longer to get things done that way, but I would argue
 that higher morale increases effectiveness.

Don't leave things for the last minute. Yes, I know you can't always control this, but if you can--and you can more often
than you think--give yourself a buffer. You'd be amazed how much more relaxed you'll be if you plan to finish your pitch
a day early or get to the airport a couple of hours before the flight.

Don't take it out on others. Leaders and managers, listen up. Maybe you can function at a high level, but if you're
simultaneously demotivating your team, then what's the point? And if you take it out on family and friends, you're just
going to end up lonely and depressed. If you can't handle the stress, find an outlet that doesn't include taking it out on
other living things.

Lots of outlets work--pick one or two. Caffeine can boost your mood and performance during the day. Wine can bring you
down and help you sleep at night. But you can't keep that sort of cycle up for too long. Learn to exercise, meditate, get
outdoors, build things, play Scrabble, talk to someone--whatever works, do it.

Look, if you want to be a workaholic, that's fine, be my guest. But at least learn how to be a high-functioning one,
meaning don't just run yourself and your team into the ground. If you're practical, you'll be effective.

Above all, learn to recognize the signs of burnout in yourself and your people. Downward spirals are hard to break out of.
And, if you're a leader, you'll take everyone, and maybe the entire company, down with you.