Art for Others

As teachers and administrators, all we want is for our students to feel safe, happy and protected. After the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14th, one of their art teachers is on a mission to rebuild her student's faith. She's asking teachers and students from all over the country to send art so she can fill the school with joy and creativity. We are incredibly proud of our student Shayna Feinberg for taking the initiative to ask if our students can send some of their work to help the Parkland community. Thank you to all the students who are sending work, and to everyone who is making it possible for us to help our peers in a time of need.

Creative Learners VS. Organization

How to know if you have a creative learner

    Creative learners have many great traits, but some of those characteristics make it difficult for them to focus and stay organized. Some creative characteristics are that they are sensitive, intuitive, artistic, athletic, musical, and think about the big picture. Some of the drawbacks of being a creative learner are that they are often procrastinators, daydreamers, disorganized, poor test takers, and struggle to put ideas into words. Unfortunately, traditional education styles often label creative learners negatively as “problem students” when they just aren’t being catered to adequately.

How to help them at home

    Make sure students have a singular place to put all school work divided by subject, either a three-ring binder or an accordion folder. Having one place to put work and notes helps to keep items from getting lost, and not to miss important information when its time to study for a test. Creative learners often don’t turn in homework, and it's not because they don’t do their homework, but because they can’t find it to turn it into their teachers.

Using red and green folders can help students organizes homework during the day and at home. The red folder is for homework and assignments that haven’t been completed, and the green folder is completed work that needs to be turned in.

   

Use a planner to keep track of homework, projects, and test dates. Students should cross off items as they are completed, and make sure to keep their planner with their folder to keep everything relevant together. If you encourage your student to mark social events and holiday on their calendar, it will eventually become second nature to write everything down.

   

Creating a positive environment is essential for studying and homework, which is an easy way to help your student without being overbearing. Having a fan or music without lyrics can help students focus because many creative learners prefer to have background noise while working. Make sure to keep students from studying in bed, being in bed tells a person's brain it is time to sleep, making it harder to concentrate and retain information.

Above all, the most important thing your creative learner needs is understanding. However frustrated you may become watching your child struggle, I guarantee they are twice as upset and frustrated. Taking the time to talk to your child about their frustrations and possible solutions show how much you care about their feelings, and that will go a long way with a creative learner.

Dealing with Teens and Depression

Depression is a complex illness because unlike the flu or rash, the symptoms of depression can be difficult to spot and may appear slowly over time. As a parent, the idea that your child is struggling with an illness that takes more than just medication to treat can make us question how well we have done our job. If you think there is a possibility your child has depression here are some indicators you can look for.

Feeling Hopeless- This is one of the most common indicators of depression because it trickles down into other aspects of someone's life. Feeling hopeless can lead someone to start internally asking the question ‘why bother?’ or ‘why does this matter’ about everything in their life. The hopelessness can start to make them think things like their friends, school, and family aren’t important, which can lead to poor grades and fighting with loved ones.

Irritability or Hostility- A person with depression is dealing with a tsunami of hopelessness and sadness, so when they are forced to do mundane tasks that in their minds are unimportant they can have a hostile reaction. As a friend or family member, it is important to try and remember that the hostility is coming from depression and not the actual person.

Extreme Fatigue- Sleeping all day and night, or being constantly tired is a sign many doctors look for when diagnosing someone with depression. Sleeping frequently stems from hopelessness and leads to people thinking ‘what’s the point in getting out of bed because nothing matters.

Other Signs And Symptoms

•    Changes in eating habits

•    Drug or alcohol abuse

•    Reckless behavior

•    Restlessness or agitation

•    Thoughts of self-harm

What do you do?

As scary as all these things may seem, living with teens with depression can lead happy and healthy lives, it just takes work. One of the most significant challenges for parents of teens with depression is the desire to find immediate solutions, but the truth is an instant solution is unrealistic. It is essential to try and understand your loved one's situation and put yourself in their shoes. Ask questions about how your loved one is feeling, and focus on letting them know that you accept them and just want what is best for them.

Treating Depression?

 Studies have shown the best ways for teens to deal with depression is a combination of finding a medication that works, and being able to have an open dialogue about their feelings. Finding the right medication can take a long time, and be a frustrating process, but finding the right one can be the key to helping a teen with depression live their best life. It is essential to talk to your family doctor about symptoms, and if necessary allow your child to speak to the doctor alone and ask any questions they need.  If your teen is too uncomfortable talking to you about their problems, you can ask your doctor for recommendations for a counselor or psychiatrist who works with teens and kids. If those are not an option for you financially, try speaking to your school about your teen speaking with a guidance counselor or school psychologist.

What To Remember?

    Battling depression is not something that happens once, and the problem is fixed, it takes a little effort every day, but eventually, it will just become second nature. Try to find things you and your teen can be involved in that helps them to focus on stuff besides themselves. Often getting involved in volunteering, music, or clubs can help teens to not focus inwardly.