David Ifediba graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. This is where his passion as a change agent in the field of school psychology and advocate for African American youth emerged. Following graduation, he worked as a substitute teacher in Los Angeles and intern for the USA STEM Academy. David is currently pursuing his Education Specialist degree in School Psychology at the California State University, Long Beach. He aspires to pursue a doctorate degree and yearns to create educational interventions that bridge the gap between public and private school education among minority populations. |
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We collected baby wipes, baby clothes, and diapers for Valley Vista High School's Pregnant and Parenting Teens Program. We had another little friendly competition amongst the cohorts and this time, the second years came out on top donating the most items! Congratulations to the second years! :) All of our donations were greatly appreciated by Mrs. Richey and the parents! Thank you everybody!!!
First, I want to say I feel honored to write in this wonderful blog created by Christina! What a neat idea. My name is Dr. Lau and I was recently hired to teach the Developmental Risk and Resilience (EDP 603) course. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at University of California, Los Angeles and also completed three minors in Applied Developmental Psychology, Disability Studies, and Education. There was absolutely no need to do three minors but there is a lot of things in life you do not necessarily need right? I just really love school and learning new things (really, I do). If I could be paid to be a life-long student I would absolutely do it. After college, I went to graduate school at UC Santa Barbara in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology. I loved UCSB; I was truly able to take advantage of the combined aspect of the degree. My emphasis was School Psychology, but I was also interested in Clinical Psychology. As such, instead of completing a traditional internship within a school setting, I entered the APA and APPIC match process (an extremely competitive process for counseling, clinical, and school psychology PhD students applying for a pre-doctoral internship). I matched at a children’s hospital in Boston and loved it. I provided outpatient therapy services at a Boston Public School and the hospital. I also completed psychological and neuropsychological testing, and worked in the residential unit at the hospital. That, in a nutshell is my graduate training. I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trauma Clinic, and I also work at the TIES for Families, South Bay (based on the UCLA TIES for Families model) community mental health center, which focuses on adoption and foster-care specific treatment. I love the field, and truly am passionate about it and appreciate others who share the drive for the work we do. To de-stress, I teach Zumba on the side, which I love, exercise is important. So is self-care, so make sure you are all doing it. I am always happy to chat with students about any questions. [email protected] Jim Larson (author of chapter 80 in Best Practices V) gave a talk on “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a Tier 2 Treatment for Anger and Aggression” yesterday on February 10th. He was an amazing guest speaker and provided us with lots of knowledge and inspiration. Check out our Resources page for his Powerpoint slides.
Turning 30 has a way of clarifying your priorities, or so it was for me. As I approached that milestone back in 2011, I knew that the journalism field I had spent the better part of a decade in wasn't where I wanted to spend my life. I wanted out, but I wasn't sure what else I was qualified to do. It might sound hokey, but watching TV characters in mental health roles, like Kelsey Grammar on "Frasier" and Heather Graham on "Scrubs," ignited a spark that, with reflection and research, convinced me I belonged in one of the "helping" professions. With no psychology background at all, I quit my job and returned to school full-time, first as an undergrad to earn a Bachelor's in psychology. Only after that did I consider following another impulse by leaving my home in Georgia for a new life in California. In some ways, I think leaving my writing job was a bigger leap than moving across the country. At any rate, I did both, and haven't regretted either decision. I'm excited to be in a field where I can make a real difference in kids' lives, and love learning new things in a new field. Outside of class, I eat too much Chinese food and read too many political sites. I'm always up for a friendly Buzz Lightyear competition at Disneyland if anyone needs to blow off steam. SPSA just wrapped up a little friendly competition for a good cause! We collected gravy packets, canned green beans, and canned corn for the Long Beach Basket Brigade (LBBB). The cohort who donated the most items will win a special prize! AND THE WINNER IS.......THE FIRST YEARS!!! They should expect their prize tomorrow during Dr. Morrison's 524 class. Congratulations! The first years definitely took this challenge and ran with it. Many families will be grateful this Thanksgiving for the donations that SPSA has collected for the LBBB. The donations will be packed into baskets that will be given to families who are in need. The LBBB operates on this simple notion: "one small act of generosity on the part of one caring person can transform the lives of hundreds. It takes only one light to dispel the darkness, and even just one basket or a few, to bring hope!" By SPSA members coming together, we hope to have many baskets to deliver to those who need it most.
For more information on the LBBB, check out their website. Going into my internship I was terrified of the range of cases I would encounter, but I was pleasantly surprised with how prepared I felt once I started. There was a bit of a learning curve at the start of the year, but my experience in consultation, data-based decision making, and academic interventions set me apart from all the other interns (besides Charlotte of course). I will admit that I spend a lot of time conducting traditional assessments, but with the skill set we’ve learned in the program, I’m able to do so much more. I spend most of my time working with students in the general ed. addressing behavioral concerns and assessing and monitoring academic issues. At first, teachers frequently saw me as the means to special education, but after providing them with targeted academic interventions, I’ve changed my role in the school. It’s great to see that psychologists can move beyond their test-and-place role, even in a more traditional district. One of our very own second year students went and got herself married this weekend! Alisha's man put a ring on it and now they are off on their mini-moon. The wedding was beautiful and I don't know how she planned it during the busy-ness that is graduate school! Alisha is the sweetest person ever and she deserves all the happiness in the world. Congratulations to Alisha and Nate! SPSA thanks those who volunteered to go the COESA meeting as well as the COESA fall mixer last month. And remember, for first years on the grant, volunteering at the fall mixer will fulfill your requirement of
spreading awareness of School Psychology for the year. |