Education and Learning
How about over 60,000 videos about teaching?! WatchKnowLearn is a true potpourri of information… most videos are less than ten minutes and cover a wide variety of topics, from how to give “brain breaks” to ideas for enhancing “Daily Five” routines.
Public Schools
Note that all public school employees are considered mandated reporters and are required to have Suicide Prevention Training. DHHS offers training and information for mandated reporters. You can also read the actual statute.
Susbstitute Teaching
The process for becoming a substitute teacher seems to change frequently! It is shared by the Maine DOE (Department of Education), the local District, and a company called Identigo for fingerprinting. I now recommend that substitute teacher candidates contact the district superintendent’s office of the district in which they want to work. Districts may have their own requirements and preferred processes.
While not specific to education, Turning Pro: The Difference Between Amateurs and Professionals will get you thinking!
Ed Techs
Unlike substitute teachers, educational technicians are more regulated. There are three levels, and the requirements vary by level. The answers to most general questions regarding becoming an ed tech can be found on this page of the Maine DOE website.
Home Schooling
Mental Health and Hygiene
For a complete list of Hotlines and Helplines, visit the Maine DHHS Website.
Netsmartz.org is a fantastic website and resource geared primarily to educators, but also has particular tabs for parents and law enforcement. Everything you wanted to know about online safety (including cell phone use)… curriculum, videos to show kids, almost endless resources.
Mental Hygiene
Watch Guy Winch’s video How to Practice Emotional Hygiene. If not, it will create a solid foundation in an entertaining, “non-clinical” way that will have you laughing.
Emotional First Aid is another of his videos offering practical strategies for treating emotional injuries such as failure, rejection, and guilt. Left untreated, these can worsen and dramatically impact our quality of life.
Suicide Prevention
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential, 24/7 hotline that connects individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, mental health crises, or emotional distress with trained crisis counselors.
Text “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor 24/7 and receive free support. The Crisis Text Line also offers chat and “WhatsApp” access. Discover the power of the data from this nationwide Crisis Text Line by listening to founder Nancy Lubin describe it: How Data from a Text Line is Saving Lives.
SeizetheAwkward.org is a great resource featuring tutorial videos, information on warning signs, conversation starters, tips for sustaining a conversation about mental health, and personal story videos.
The Bridge Between Suicide and Life Kevin Briggs doesn’t include a lot of psychology in his TED presentation, just some very plain talk by a retired state trooper who is credited with talking hundreds of people off their suicidal perch on the Golden Gate Bridge.
FAQ about the Workshop I teach in conjunction with the Substitute Teacher Workshop.
Substance Abuse
DrugRehab.com includes this article, which I’ve linked to directly, that reviews the connections between substance abuse and suicide. The site contains information about substance abuse and various treatment and support programs.
Check out ADDitude Magazine for some great resources, including a free e-newsletter with all sorts of tips and techniques.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is a bit “scholarly” but also loaded with resources, including links to other sites they sponsor, including “The Cool Spot,” designed specifically for young teens who may be experiencing peer pressure to start drinking.