Professional Development
Go back and get that which we left behind .
Sankofa - Educational Leadership United and Sankofa Talented and Gifted North is a hub for Comprehensive Cultural Relevant Practices , diversity solutions and Equitable services .
In our work we acknowledge that African Americans, and other racial/ethnic groups have traditionally experienced historical, cultural, and intergenerational trauma, including racism, warfare, and other assaults such as banning traditional languages, healing practices and names that indicate an ethnic identity.
We recognize that these assaults that are experienced by families as they navigate society can magnify the trauma experienced in their present and past environments.
Our agency child and family assessments reflect the intersection of cultural awareness and sensitivity and consider the cultural background and communication styles of both the person doing the assessment and the family .
Evidence-based and trauma informed tools are often based on Eurocentric experiences and ideology hindering their effectiveness with diverse groups of clients. Practitioners must be equipped with the skills to adapt tools so they are effective and relevant to various cultures . Sankofa staff, will train other agencies and schools to become more culturally and linguistically responsive in their practice.
Those who participate in our professional development series will assist in promoting and expanding culturally sensitive work with the goal of increasing culturally relevant practices throughout the state.
Parent Psychoeducation Groups
Parenting is a challenge for every parent . There is no license for parenting. However, when you’re parenting Black children, raising them to be safe, happy and healthy can seem like an insurmountable task. Especially in political times like these. We’ve all seen the videos of Black children being treated unfairly by their schools, in stores, while waiting for buses or trains, selling water or hotdogs, going to the swimming pool and while otherwise trying to live a quality life while black .
Though these are some extreme examples, many parents lay awake at night worrying about how their daughter is really coping with being teased for her complexion , the texture of her hair and facial features on the playground. Other parents wonder how to fill in the gaps in their son’s education about his own culture and heritage. While many parents of Black children fear that their schools are treating their children unfairly, others worry about both the potentially harmful presence of police around our children in school buildings and the violent responses to youth culture. Regardless of your specific scenario, as parents of Black children, sometimes it seems as if there are no good choices.
Parenting Black children requires us to have conversations with our children that no one else does. Thanks to the world we live in, we have to deal with challenges and fears that other people don’t.
That may be unfair – but it doesn’t mean that it’s hopeless. That's why we created the Sankofa Parents United.
Sankofa Parents United is a 6 week course that meets 1x per week for 2 and a half hours for 6 weeks . Groups are usually offered on Tuesday nights . This group is offered 5 times per year and 15-20 families are recruited per cohort .
Our next group will begin in February , 2020. If your interested in being apart of our next 6 week parent training , please email info@sankofaelu.com for more information.
Some commonalities we find among families that participate:
- They want their children to be safe physically, emotionally and spiritually
- They want to prepare their children to effectively and confidently navigate common issues of race, culture and identity
- They want to raise healthy, optimistic Black children who are proud of their culture and heritage and who are able to participate in a diverse and multi-cultural world
- They don’t want their children to be uncomfortable in their own skin – but as parents, they may not know quite how to help them with any of that.
Surviving Motherhood Parenting Teens Group
Raising children is a task that requires extensive "on-the-job" training, which is why many women rely on new moms groups for parenting support and guidance. Often, however, as the kids get older, the mothers' friendships fall by the wayside.
Here at Sankofa ELU we know that social support isn't just valuable for mothers of young children, it's beneficial for moms of teens, too.
Our Moms of Teens psychoeducation group helps mothers to develop closer relationships with their teens.
"Having someone to talk to about your children is essential for maintaining positive parent-child relationships,"
However, this type of social support impacts parenting behaviors for mothers and fathers differently.
We focus our attention for this parents of teens group on mothers versus fathers because research has shown that for moms , social support plays a significant role in how they parent their teens, especially when mom’s feel overwhelmed and out of control in their lives.
Our Moms Parenting Teens group meets monthly for 2 hours the 3rd Tuesday of each month . If you would like more information on our Mom’s Parenting Teens group please contact us via email at info@sankofaelu.com
IEP Peer Support Advocacy
Sankofa ELU believes that all children deserve educational opportunities that foster success, service systems that are equipped to detect and effectively treat mental health issues, and communities that recognize and plan for their needs.
Above all, we believe that children belong at home with their families and that parents are the experts on their own child’s needs. They should be respected collaborators in the conversation related to the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the services at school and in the community in which their child is involved.
All people regardless of their barriers
are capable of, and desire, growth and improvement. We walk beside families to provide emotional support while helping them to navigate the complex service and treatment systems with which they are involved.
