Term
Spring 2024
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAEd
Facilitator(s)
Trish Harvey
Content Expert
Christian Schnell and Jessica Westby
Abstract
This capstone project is a curriculum for adolescents in mental health treatment to address the impact of trauma on academic performance and determine interventions for the development of executive function (EF) skills, including metacognition, perseverance, planning, and organization. The project's central question explored how teaching these skills alongside academic standards can impact self-efficacy and academic performance. The project examined trauma's impact on EF and academics, emphasizing EF's role in academic success. Trauma can hinder EF development, affecting working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility critical for goal-oriented tasks. The project explored how academic motivation, influenced by mindset and resilience, drives student engagement. In addition, therapeutic strategies like trauma-informed frameworks and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) were determined to promote safety, trust, reflection, and resilience, supporting students with trauma histories in a learning environment. Utilizing theoretical frameworks, including Understanding by Design (UbD), the Tri-Phasic model of Trauma-Informed School Practices (TISP), and evidence-based learning strategies, the curriculum was designed for a nine-week cycle in a residential setting. Each week or module incorporated an EF skill, allowing the curriculum to build while providing introductory information for students to accommodate their time of admission within the cycle. Assessment methods of the curriculum encompass self-assessments, reflections, student-driven activities, and task completion tracking, aiming to promote academic engagement alongside therapeutic interventions. Limitations of the project included resource scarcity and scale constraints, specifically within the intersection of education, EF, and mental health, highlighting the need for broader implementation of trauma-informed approaches and EF skill development. This capstone project advocates for broader trauma-informed approaches in education, emphasizing the crucial role of executive function skills for academic success and student well-being.
Project Type
Curriculum
Keywords
Curriculum, Motivation, Executive Function, Trauma-informed
Recommended Citation
Jensen, Jamie, "Developmentally Appropriate Practice, Special Education, Staff Development, Teachers/ Teaching" (2024). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1033.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1033
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects