In light of all the challenges currently facing students, educators, and families, how can educators create healing, restorative ecosystems? In this two-part panel, you will learn with and alongside teachers around the state about the approaches that system leaders can take to create healing environments for teachers. Panelists will also share instructional practices they draw upon to cultivate healing learning spaces for their students. Topics and questions for this panel were informed by CCSC Youth Advisory Team members.
Watch the session recording:
View the session transcript
- Panel Slides
- Youth Voice Videos: Video One and Video Two
- Audiocast: Prioritizing Schoolwide Social-Emotional Learning for Staff and Student Well-being
- Audiocast: The Power of Culturally Responsive, Student- Centered Learning Environments
- The Power Of Storytelling: Harnessing the CCSC Audio Gallery for Professional Learning
Dr. Martin Canizales Cobos is a Spanish teacher for Mount Eden High School in Hayward, California. Canizales is from Monterrey, Mexico, where he graduated from the School of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon. He has three specialties and more than 10 years of experience in critical care and pulmonology. He is now a licensed teacher with four years of teaching experience, contributing to his community to promote changes that can provide opportunities for young people while they are learning in a safe and healthy environment. Dr. Canizales is also a writer, and likes running and traveling.
Kyley Hironaka is a sixth-year public school educator who currently works and lives in San Francisco. She has experience working in various communities with diverse racial, ethnic, ability, and socioeconomic needs. She spent four years in the classroom teaching kindergarten and 4th grade and has recently transitioned to teaching elementary physical education. Kyley has always been passionate about education and sociology and believes in lifelong learning. In her spare time, she enjoys good food with good company and traveling to new places.
Lavita Jones is a 4th grade teacher at Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) View Park. She has been with ICEF for over eight years and has had many roles including instructional aide, math coach, intervention specialist, behavior interventionist, and now teacher. She has her BA in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento and an MA in education from Alder Graduate School of Education. Lavita feels blessed to say that teaching is her passion and she loves what she does. Her goal is to give back to her community by serving as a loving and caring teacher who only wants the best for all students and their families. She is from Los Angeles herself and comes from a large family with seven siblings.
Bobby Pelz is an ethnic studies teacher at Watsonville High School. He earned a BA in English from the University of Washington, an MA in Education from the University of San Francisco, and an MA in Education Leadership from San Jose State University. He began his career teaching at Cupertino High School before taking a break from teaching to focus on investing and philanthropy. During this time, Bobby founded 25Books, a program that provides free books to kids. He has since returned to teaching and now enjoys both gifting books to kids in his district through the program and educating them when they get to Watsonville High.
Shazia Hashmi (she/her) serves as a Technical Assistance Provider for the California Center for School Climate. As a Program Associate at WestEd, Shazia translates and applies research on equitable, developmentally appropriate strategies to support state education agencies, district leaders, and educators in serving communities. She supports research and technical assistance projects that focus on improving practices in social–emotional learning, school climate, and community engagement. She currently develops professional learning to build statewide capacity for authentic, meaningful community partnerships as a part of CCEE’s Community Engagement Initiative.