tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post1063741833127435355..comments2024-03-24T11:39:28.574-04:00Comments on NYC Public School Parents: Unanswered questions about DESSA, the DOE's social-emotional screener, and what parents should doPatrick Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10631038958645725010noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-2268369013376295682021-12-02T17:56:05.189-05:002021-12-02T17:56:05.189-05:00I was not notified of this and just found out toda...I was not notified of this and just found out today from another parent, over a month later. I do not consent to this. Bit it may be too late.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-48520501382966699492021-11-11T15:49:55.325-05:002021-11-11T15:49:55.325-05:00While there may be better tools out there, SEL pro...While there may be better tools out there, SEL programming that helps students identify themselves as the locus of control is a GOOD thing - it is a mentally healthy way to approach the world. That is what gives individuals a sense of control over their own emotions, reactions, and decisions. If students (or anyone) attributes their emotional state to outside forces, they are at the 'whims' of their circumstances. This "I am a victim" mentality is in HUGE conflict with the ideals of resilience. On a different note, this tool does seem to require too much teacher time and seems susceptible to false negatives since it relies solely on the teacher perspective. I would like to see something that allows students to report their own perspective of strengths and challenges.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-53343772055157282362021-11-05T16:53:01.320-04:002021-11-05T16:53:01.320-04:00Thank you for this piece! I am surprised by how l...Thank you for this piece! I am surprised by how little coverage this is getting. As a social worker that studies trauma and SELs, I am so disappointed by the amount of money the city has invested in Aperture's SEL instead of investing in trauma-informed, anti-racist modalities. SELs use such ambiguous language that leads many to assume that they are appropriate tools for addressing trauma, when in fact it is not in their stated goals or foundational to the approach. NYC schools kids are dealing with trauma and loss from systemic causes, and SELs approach the child as the locus of control, which places many at risk of being labeled with "SEL deficits" when in fact they may be having an appropriate reaction to a messed up world. I opted-out of this for my kids and have requested meetings with school staff at their schools in hopes of bringing awareness to some of the less talked about dangers of this type of approach.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09810470095808402125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-23386012195739186662021-10-29T10:30:17.301-04:002021-10-29T10:30:17.301-04:00P.S. One poster to the listserv linked to this blo...P.S. One poster to the listserv linked to this blog post, so it's being spread widely! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01429983001051623296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2586988941850907367.post-43335382591718554192021-10-29T10:29:23.121-04:002021-10-29T10:29:23.121-04:00There has been an active thread on the listserv Pa...There has been an active thread on the listserv Parents of NY Teens and Young Adults on whether or not to opt out of the DESSA. Many parents are writing in with their reasons for opting out. Leonie, do you know if any parent communication with their schools about their reasons for opting out are going to the DOE (likely not)? Is there a way to collect the comments from the listserv and register them with the DOE? FWIW, here is what I posted:<br /><br />"I'm opting my kids out, for all the reasons mentioned, including these: <br /><br />The several hours teachers are required to spend training, testing, and reviewing and norming would be *time* better spent in the classroom, with the kids, as well as in PD that trains teachers to integrate assessing and responding to students' mental health needs into the course of the school day. <br /><br />The *money* spent to purchase the standardized (and potentially biased) screener and to pay teachers for additional time would be better spent on reducing class sizes and lightening advisors' caseloads, which would allow for teachers/advisors to build deeper relationships with each student--and family!--and do the above much more efficiently and effectively. <br /><br />For teachers who are lucky/skilled enough to have been able to have built relationships with their kids (after 2 months of school), the DESSA and all it entails seems to be a waste of time." <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01429983001051623296noreply@blogger.com