What happens when a shy, young girl who hated being called on in class grows up to become a teacher—and then writes a children's book that helps kids face their fears?
This episode of Teacher Stories features Christine Devane, a former educator who transformed her childhood struggles with shyness into a powerful tool for connecting with students and young readers.
You'll hear how Christine's own experience with shyness led her to give students choices and help them find their voice. You’ll hear how an 8-year-old reader immediately related Christine's book to her own experiences at a waterpark and arts camp.
Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling, this conversation will remind you how the right book at the right moment can help children—and adults— gain important insights about themselves and the world around them.
Plus, you'll get a simple suggestion at the end to reconnect with a childhood book that made a difference in your own life.
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What happens when a shy, young girl who hated being called on in class grows up to become a teacher—and then writes a children's book that helps kids face their fears?
This episode of Teacher Stories features Christine Devane, a former educator who transformed her childhood struggles with shyness into a powerful tool for connecting with students and young readers.
You'll hear how Christine's own experience with shyness led her to give students choices and help them find their voice. You’ll hear how an 8-year-old reader immediately related Christine's book to her own experiences at a waterpark and arts camp.
Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling, this conversation will remind you how the right book at the right moment can help children—and adults— gain important insights about themselves and the world around them.
Plus, you'll get a simple suggestion at the end to reconnect with a childhood book that made a difference in your own life.
Relationships First: How One Teacher Becomes a Lifeline for a Student's Mental Health
Teacher Stories
36 minutes 57 seconds
2 years ago
Relationships First: How One Teacher Becomes a Lifeline for a Student's Mental Health
This story is about a high school teacher's extraordinary efforts to support her students and her belief that relationships must come first. It's about a parent who takes the time to acknowledge this teacher's commitment to her son. And it's a story about mental heath and the struggles so many young people face today – struggles that affect their schoolwork, their relationships with friends and family, and the quality of their own lives.
In the 10 years leading up to the pandemic, feelings of persistent sadness and hopelessness—as well as suicidal thoughts and behaviors—increased by about 40% among young people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
The pandemic, of course, only made thing worse. During the pandemic, 29% of U.S. high school students had a parent or caregiver who lost their job, 55% were emotionally abused by a parent or caregiver, and 11% were physically abused, according to the CDC.
Numerous other factors like online shaming and bullying have also contributed to the crisis. The good news is that there are steps schools can take to help address the problem. One, they can increase the number of professionals who are trained to recognize and treat students suffering from mental health issues. Too many schools across the country have virtually none of these professionals. Another step is for schools to incorporate social and emotional learning programs at all levels of the system – the kind of programs that can dramatically reduce bullying for instance. Unfortunately widespread efforts to promote these programs have been thwarted because social emotional learning programs have become a new target in the culture wars in education. But if parents are able to cut through the noise they will see the true, sometimes life-saving, benefits of these programs for their children.
Teacher Stories
What happens when a shy, young girl who hated being called on in class grows up to become a teacher—and then writes a children's book that helps kids face their fears?
This episode of Teacher Stories features Christine Devane, a former educator who transformed her childhood struggles with shyness into a powerful tool for connecting with students and young readers.
You'll hear how Christine's own experience with shyness led her to give students choices and help them find their voice. You’ll hear how an 8-year-old reader immediately related Christine's book to her own experiences at a waterpark and arts camp.
Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling, this conversation will remind you how the right book at the right moment can help children—and adults— gain important insights about themselves and the world around them.
Plus, you'll get a simple suggestion at the end to reconnect with a childhood book that made a difference in your own life.
