On this episode of Working Well we talk with Elvina Charley, Ed.S. She is a bi-lingual Diné (Navajo) school psychologist for the Kayenta Unified School District of the Navajo Nation of Northeastern Arizona. Kayenta educates over 2,000 kindergarten through 12th grade students; a majority of students are bilingual and speak the language of the Navajo people. Ms. Charley has been practicing mindfulness since 2013 as a way to heal from historical trauma, and integrates mindfulness into her work with children, youth, and adults. She talks with NCSSLE Training Specialist Melanie Goodman about her Navajo heritage, reducing stress through mindfulness practices, helping students and staff process their post-Covid trauma, the importance of self-healing, and more.
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Time Stamp |
Question / Topic Discussed |
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0:21 |
Introductions |
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1:12 |
Family and Cultural history |
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4:14 |
Decisions and path to becoming a school psychologist |
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8:25 |
School district support |
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10:24 |
Navajo Reservation and school setting |
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11:32 |
School psychologist role and approach to wellness |
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13:31 |
Teacher stressors and supports |
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16:00 |
Mindful schools and implementation |
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19:08 |
Post-pandemic implications and innovations |
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21:40 |
Advice for implementing mindfulness and whole school wellness |
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24:57 |
Post- pandemic awareness and self-reflection |
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26:52 |
Closing |
Working Well is brought to you by the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments at the American Institutes for Research. This podcast is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. For all questions or feedback, you can email us at NCSSLE@air.org.
Thanks for listening. Please note, the contents of this podcast do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does it imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education.
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To further support and promote staff well-being, we also created the Working Well Resource Directory for administrators, teachers, and other staff.