Teacher In-Services

Prevention Is Primary offers a variety of workshops for teachers. Each workshop is designed to increase the teacher’s use of prevention strategies in their schools and classrooms. The presentation time can be modified to meet the time constraints of the audience, but allotting 3 hours will allow the Prevention Is Primary staff to effectively impart information and engage the participants in activities.

• The Invisible Disability: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Effects
  Three and a half percent of American women drink at levels that pose a risk for fetal alcohol-related abnormalities. Some of these children prenatally exposed to alcohol may be impacting a classroom’s environment. This workshop will familiarize workshop participants with the physical, mental, and emotional characteristics of children with FAS and FAE. It will provide them with strategies which may be employed in the classroom to meet the learning and behavioral needs of this population.
  
  
• Positively Focused: Nurturing Resiliency
  Resiliency research shows that the link between protective factors in a child’s environment and that child’s healthy development is stronger than the link between specific risk factors and negative outcomes. During the workshop participants will consider how the school environment contributes to the accumulation of protective factors that can keep children from harmful involvement with drugs.  Personal traits associated with children who overcome risks in their lives will be examined. Participants will explore strategies for nurturing a child’s resilient nature in the schools and classrooms.
  
  
• Just the Facts: Alcohol and Other Drug Information
  What are the symptoms of inhalant abuse?  How does and addiction happen? Which drugs are most prevalent in today’s schools?  During this workshop the participants will have an opportunity to explore these and many other questions concerning alcohol and other drugs. The physiological, mental, and emotional aspects of drug use and addiction will be examined. Knowledge of accurate, up-to-date information is critical in helping students make healthy choices when faced with difficult decisions about drugs.
  
  
• Not As I Do: Children of Addiction
  The lives of 30 million children and adults in this country have been impacted by family alcohol addiction; many more by the abuse of other drugs. The lack of trust, feelings of shame, and unhealthy coping and communication skills they develop are not left at home when they enter the classroom. This workshop will familiarize the participants with the characteristics of an addiction-centered family, the survival roles children assume, and strategies that can be utilized in schools to encourage quality learning and behavior in school and society.
  
  
• The Rest of the Story: How Advertising Influences Audiences
  Alcohol and tobacco advertisers display a deceptive image of the consequences of drinking and smoking. During this workshop you will learn to recognize how forms of popular media promote drug use that has an impact on youth of all ages. You will be able to identify strategies advertisers employ to glamorize their product and learn ways to encourage your students to look critically at advertising.  You will have an opportunity to create a lesson plan to be used in your classroom.
  
  
• Opening The Door To A Promising Future: Building Protective Factors
  Developing resiliency is now recognized as a vitally important requirement for the health and well being of everyone. The single most important protective factor for children may be having two or more significant adults in their lives that care about them. Support staff that have daily contact with students have the opportunity to build caring, encouraging, constructive relationships with them.  They can be one of the significant adults in children’s lives. This workshop is designed for anyone who assists a teacher by interacting with students in a classroom setting (support staff, teacher’s assistants, personal aides, para-professionals). Participants will learn what resiliency is, its classroom connection, and how they can reduce risk factors while promoting protective factors.