Welcome to the The Pillowcase

Project Training for Presenters

Michael FrattiRegional Individual and Community Preparedness Manager , American Red Cross Mid-Florida Region

Dr. Sonia BhatiaVolunteer, Pillowcase Project

Welcome

Pillowcase Project

Pillowcase Project

Snapshot of the Day

• Overview of the Pillowcase Project

• 2014 Goals and Expectations

• Demonstration of the full presentation Lunch

• Practice sessions: present segment of material to this group

• Introduction to online training materials, Documentation,

• Forming relationship with school/agency

• Tips on classroom management

• Next steps, final questions

Pillowcase Project

Introductions

• Name

• What interests you about this project

• Your strengths pertaining to this project

• Know any kids 8-10?

• Write down questions/worries/concerns. One per sheet (Anonymous. To be revisited at the end of the day)

Pillowcase Project

Origin of the Program

• The Pillowcase Project was created by the Southeast Louisiana Red Cross Chapter and was implemented in New Orleans schools following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

• New Orleans CEO, Kay Wilkins, had learned that Loyola University students carried their valuables in pillowcases when they were evacuated for Katrina.

• This inspired Wilkins and her team to work with an art therapist to create a program in which children living in makeshift communities across New Orleans during Katrina recovery decorated pillowcases to hold their belongings.

Pillowcase Project

• Soon, their Pillowcase Project became a preparedness education program for elementary school students

• In just a few years had been adapted and implemented by several other Red Cross chapters with substantial success.

• In early 2013, the Walt Disney Company funded the design and development phase of a multi-year effort to build on this success by creating a standardized, state-of-the-art preparedness education program.

• Piloted in 19 regions in October 2013. Now a national program, expected to impact 300,000 students in calendar year 2014

Pillowcase Project

Target Audience

3rd – 5th grade audiences (8-11 year olds) in both school and after school programs.

•Excitement for learning and exploring

•A willingness to communicate messages to friends and loved ones.

•The target age group is also based on the experience of 2013 pilot chapters who found students on the older end of 3rd grade to be the best recipients of the presentation in most cases.

Pillowcase Project

Pillowcase Project: OverviewGuiding Principles: Using three key teaching steps to guide the curriculum delivery- Learn, Practice, Share- to educate students about personal and family preparedness, a local hazard of your choice, and coping skills

•Emergency preparedness skills and information specific to locally prominent hazards

•Age-appropriate Coping Skills for emergency situations

•Home and personal preparedness skills and tools

•A “My Preparedness Workbook” for students to continue learning and preparing after the presentations

•A student assessment

•Science of Safety Teaching Kit for teachers and program staff

Pillowcase Project

Learn, Practice, Share

• Learn: provide students with basic information about an emergency that is most likely to happen where they live and instruct them in the key protective actions.

• Practice: give students the opportunity to participate in a physical activity that reinforces what they have learned.

• Share: encourage students to share what they have learned through collaborative small-group, problem-solving and discussion activities.

Pillowcase Project

GoalsThe Pillowcase Project is a multi-year effort that aims to:

•Increase youth awareness of hazards and the importance of personal preparedness (our presence, taking the pledge)

•Build skills in hazard-specific protective actions to reduce the impact of emergencies on youth and their families (test smoke detectors, drills contact cards)

•Increase coping skills to manage emergencies and build resilience in youth (Breathing in Color, Symbol of Strength)

•Increase household preparedness levels (home kit, pillowcase kit)

•Incorporate preparedness education into the elementary school curriculum (teacher materials, our presence in classroom)

Slideshow of Orlando Pilot

Pillowcase Project

Pillowcase Project

What I learned from the pilot• Very important to meet the team-lead ahead of time, show the

materials and “sell the program”. Set expectations that they will be in the room the entire time, monitoring behavior.

• Practice the presentation in great detail several times until very fluent with it.

• Check and double-check that you have all the materials before you leave the house. Repack the suitcase the night before. (dark towel to hide my pillowcase kit)

• Create brief notes for myself, with time markers (:10, :20)

• Get to school 15 mins early, get to classroom 10 mins early.

• Keep a watch on the table to monitor the time.

• Range of “feel” of classroom. Loud, quiet, bright, distracted

• Rely on having some disruption – translator, students

• Kids in this age range are ADORABLE and ready to love you.

Pillowcase Project

2014 Goals and Expectations

• Our anticipated reach this calendar year: 3500 students

• Specific demographics: ____

• Documentation/tracking: Presenter Tracking Form

• Essential to report numbers accurately and on time to Michael, so they can be reported to National HQ on time, so they can be reported to National HQ and Disney on time.

Pillowcase Project

Curriculum Toolbox

Fantastic training website hosted by Young Minds Inspired

http://ymiclassroom.com/lesson-plans/the-pillowcase-project-presenters/

 

http://ymiclassroom.com/lesson-plans/the-pillowcase-project-managers/

Pillowcase Project

Pillowcase Project

Not relevant

Pillowcase Project

• Presenter’s Guide

• Local Hazards Material

• Be Prepared poster

• Coping skills poster

• Hazards map poster

• My Preparedness workbook

• Certificates for students

• Student thank you notes

• Take-home flyer

• Presentation Outline)

• 3 videos: Coping Skills, Symbol of Strength. (Separate link – on Program Manager’s Page: Full presentation using earthquakes as local hazard

Pillowcase Project

Online Presenter Training• A free, online, self-paced training module that all

presenters must complete before presenting the Pillowcase Project.

• This training was developed using Articulate software and will work on almost any computer operating system through Flash video.

• Covers the entire Pillowcase Project curriculum, including tips for presenting and handling different scenarios, and learning the history and context of the program itself.

• Interactive activities, quizzes, and videos showing example presentations from other Red Cross chapters and volunteers.

• It can be taken multiple times by any individual with access to the link.

• The training will take approximately 1.5 hours from beginning to end, but can be stopped and started at will by the presenter.

Pillowcase Project

http://ymiclassroom.com/lesson-plans/the-pillowcase-project-presenters/

Break: 10 minutes

When we come back:The actual presentation –

the whole thing!

Pillowcase Project

Pillowcase Project

The Pillowcase Project

As presented to a bunch of 8-10 year olds…

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Debrief

• As a kid:

•What was it like to experience this presentation?

•What parts did you especially like?

•What did you like about the presenter?

•What didn’t you like about the presenter?

Pillowcase Project

Debrief

• As a your current grown-up self:

•What are some of the qualities the presenter must have to make this successful?

•What are some things the presenter must not do?

•Questions/concerns?

Pillowcase Project

Getting ready to “teach back”

• You will be given 2 segments to prepare over lunch

• Use your Presenter’s Guideline handout

• Pair up with one more person, practice during lunch

Lunch! 30 mins

Pillowcase Project

Teachbacks

• Get a sense of what it is like to deliver this material

• Heck yeah this is awkward – you only met the material this morning!

• We are on your side

• Relax and absorb the learning!

Pillowcase Project

Home stretch

• Forming relationship with the agency – before, during, after

• You are an ambassador of the Red Cross – words, attitude, attire

• Tips on classroom management

• Next steps in training, assignments

• Review of initial concerns/worries

• Take the Pledge

Pillowcase Project

Forming relationship with agency

• Typically, you will be informed that we are schedule to present at a school/after school program/youth program. Given name and role of contact.

• Now the ball is in your court

• Call the contact person.

• Identify yourself as a volunteer who will be presenting the PP. Set up a time for 30 min meeting to tell them about the program and go over the materials.

• If face-to-face is not practical, ask if they have time to talk to you now about the program. If not, set up an alternate time.

Pillowcase Project

• We may have spoken to someone else at the agency for agreement to present PP at agency. Provide brief overview : “Red Cross project launched this national program this year, we are expecting to provide this information to 3000 students in our region, 500,000 nationwide.” Partnership with Disney.

• What the curriculum will cover: fire safety, coping skills, preparedness kit. Each student will receive a beautiful pillowcase to decorate, they will store their personal kit in it.

• Teacher will receive a Teachers’ Packet

• Confirm the 60 minute timeframe. Max 30 students/session

• Confirm that the teacher is to be present in the classroom the entire time, and is responsible for the overall discipline in the classroom.

Pillowcase Project

• Request that you would like to meet with the teacher for 10 mins after the presentation, to debrief the session and give them the Teacher’s Packet.

• Ask what “silent signal” is familiar to their students – raised hand, “if you can hear me clap once, if you hear me clap twice.”

• Confirm any special security requirements for entering the agency (names of all RC visitors to the school)

• Confirm parking restrictions, check-in/sign-in protocols, etc.

• Ask about any group dynamics and special considerations (ESL, special needs, any students with past experience with disasters or traumatic emergencies, etc.)

• Inform about additional staff or volunteers who will be attending

• Give them Take Home Flyers. If taking photos, Photo Release form.

Pillowcase Project

Photo releases formsTypically ,you will not be taking photos. But if you are:

•Do not take any photos without a RED CROSS photo release form. Agency’s photo release does not count.

•These ARC Photo Release forms must go on file at National HQ.

•Photos must be of high resolution, beyond smartphone quality. (lower quality OK for ARC’s Facebook page)

•Teachers like to receive the photos. They are authorized to have them.

•No personal use of photos if student is in photo. “For Official Use Only.” OK if it is just you posing outside the agency or in the classroom.

Pillowcase Project

Ambassador of American Red Cross

• Every phone call, every email, every contact.

• What qualities should you project?

• Attire, personal grooming, footwear

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Email

• Very helpful to have teacher or lead’s email address.

• “I am looking forward to presenting this wonderful program to your students. I think you will find that they really enjoy it, and it is very useful.”

• Thank you note afterwards.

• Always sign it with Thank you, Best Regards, Looking forward to seeing you soon and your name.

• Thank you notes: Coordinate how to receive them – pick them up or have them mailed to Michael.

Pillowcase Project

Before leaving home for presentation

• Check that you have all the materials you need – checklist of materials, provided

• Pack them in order of presentation

• Dark towel to keep your pillowcase disguised until the Big Reveal

• First time, plan to be there 30 mins before the presentation time: plan for traffic, getting lost, finding parking, composing yourself before you meet the students. No rush. Future sessions, be on-site at least 15 mins before start time.

Pillowcase Project

Classroom behavior management• Expect a range of attention, maturity. This age group loves to

share their experiences. They love to be socially responsible.

• In initial contact with teacher, inquire about any special-consideration students

• Set the expectation that you will be calling on students individually. Raise your hand if you want to speak

• I will take one more response.

• I need everyone to put everything away except a pencil. Close your books and put them away.

• Is everyone sitting up nice and tall? Great?

• That’s right! Yes exactly! Good job!

• I’m going to get to that later.

• You are on the right track. You are getting there.

• Repeat the question in different words.

• Ok everyone, eyes on me! If you can hear me, clap once. If you you can hear me clap twice. If you can hear me clap three times.

Pillowcase Project

Be aware of living situations, $

• Students live in many contexts: nuclear intact family, divorced families, single parent households, raised by grandma or aunt, group home, homeless.

• Outside meeting place, home fire drill. “The adults you live with.” NOT “your parents” “your family”

• Students may not have money to stock their kits. So give the option that they can DRAW the comfort care item. “Nice to have” a battery operated radio in the home kit, may not be likely.

Pillowcase Project

“My home got burned down when I was 6”

• Red Cross experts in disaster mental health advise that this curriculum has the potential to bring about reactions from children who have been impacted by trauma in their lives. This trauma may be emergency event-related or it may relate to something more personal that happened.

• It is not appropriate to ask children to share their personal feelings about past or future emergencies or traumas during this group activity.

• If a child brings up personal feelings, validate their feelings and then quickly redirect them back to the curriculum discussion or activity. “That must have been rough. I am glad that you are OK.”

• In addition, you should ask teachers to do an individual “check in” afterward with any child who appears to have had a reaction during the presentation

Pillowcase Project

• Once you enter the room, they won’t be able to concentrate much. Enter quietly, set up quietly.

• By showing you are confident and happy to be there, you are making this a safe place for the students.

• Smile, nod. A lot!

• Smile even when you are correcting. No put downs, sarcasm.

• Hand gestures: Raise your hand if you can tell me. Hands down.

• Additional suggestions for behavior mgmt?

Pillowcase Project

On the Day of Presentation• Arrive as early as the school/teacher will allow to set up

quietly.

• Introduce the Red Cross team and finalize any last minute changes, etc.

• Ask teacher or staff to remain in the classroom during the presentation

• Conduct presentation

• Collect student quizzes to return to chapter

• Thank site host, volunteers and students

• Clean up, pack up.

• Conduct a 10-15 minute debrief with school participants (teacher(s), administrators, parents/guardians, etc.) after the event .

• Leave all leave-behind materials with site staff after presentation (posters, teacher kit, thank you notes)

Pillowcase Project

Debrief

• Ask the teacher: “How do you think it went? What are your impressions of how the students received the information? “(attentive, distracted, interested, connected to current curriculum)

• Your concern about any student who showed a reaction to the information – possible previous experience with housefire? Difficulty with coping skill?

• Will any students require followups?

• Thank you.

• Maker arrangements to receive thank you notes, to send photos.

Pillowcase Project

Next steps: Next 10 days

• Getting ready to present

• Immersion: Take the online training

•Read all the materials.

•Practice, practice. Time it.

•Set up session with Dr. Bhatia to demonstrate the full presentation without a script in your hands.

•Shadow?

•When Dr. Bhatia signs off, you are ready to fly solo.

•Periodic re-demonstrations for quality control.

Pillowcase Project

Different parts of the pie

• Presenter

• Assistant to presenter: help hand out materials

• Office Assistance

•calling agencies to set up presentations

•monthly reporting

All pieces of the pie are equally delicious and necessary! What are you best suited for? How much can you help?

Revisiting the List of Concerns

Final Questions

Take the Pledge

Pillowcase Project

The Pillowcase Project Training for

PresentersMichael FrattiRegional Individual and Community Preparedness Manager , American Red Cross Mid-Florida Region

Dr. Sonia BhatiaVolunteer, Pillowcase Project