CreatingaConduciveLearningEnvironmentthroughFosteringHealthyRelationships

LAUSD/UTLACourse#NA17-07(3SalaryPoints)CourseSyllabus

Inthiscourse,participantswilllearntheinterconnectionofrelationships,stress,andlearninginordertocreate,throughdefiniteactions,aconducivelearningenvironment.Thedevelopmentofthebrain,withitspartsandfunctions,willbetaught,particularlyasitrelatestosocialfunctioningandlearning.Attachmenttheorywillbediscussed,andclassroomrelationshipsevaluatedastowhethertheyenhanceordiminishthestudents’capacityforlearning.Stress’impactonastudent’sdevelopingbrainandcapacitytolearnwillbeexamined,aswellashowstudents’attachmentstylescanimpacttheirabilitytoregulatetheirownanxietyandcognitivefunctioning.Practicalwaystoimprovethehealthofrelationshipsinthesocialenvironmentoftheclassroomandschoolwillbeprovided,inordertoensuremoreoptimallearningandtopreventbullying(oneofthemostprevalentanddamagingexperiencesforstudents’health,learning,functioningandwell-being)andteacherburnout(aseriousthreattothequalityofeducation,sinceteachingissuchasociallydemanding,criticalrole).Thelastlessonisbright,withaspeechbyDr.SaraLawrence-Lightfoot,atalkbyRitaPierson,withanexaminationofmutualrespectandtheuniversalneedofstudents:theneedforachampion.Thecourseendswithacalltoaction:Let’sbeachampionforourstudents,modelingrespect,inclusion,tolerance,andthebestinhumanity,tobringoutthebestinthem.Thetopicsoflessonsareasfollows:IntroductionofCourse&Participants;PlagiarismTutorialSession1:UnderstandingHowtheBrainWorks:HowRelationshipsandStressAffectLearningSession2:Structure&FunctionoftheDevelopingBrain:theBasicsSession3:Stress&ItsImpactonHealthyDevelopmentandLearningSession4:AttachmentTheory:UnderstandingtheImpactofInsecureRelationshipsonLearningSession5:PsychosocialFactorsinCreatingtheOptimalLearningEnvironment(A)–ASecureBaseSession6:PsychosocialFactorsinCreatingtheOptimalLearningEnvironment(A)–AffectRegulationSession7:TeacherReflection–ARequirementforBuildingSecureRelationshipswithStudentsSession8:Bullying:Effects&PreventativeStrategiesSession9:TeacherBurnout:Causes,Effects,andInefficacyintheClassroomSession10:PrinciplesandPracticesofRespectasCentraltoLearning:PortraitureModelofEducationFinalProject(Research&onlinepresentationonchosenrelatedtopic)CourseConclusionEachlessonincludesreadingandmultimediamaterial,aquiz,andopen-endedresponses.