BUA Parent Education Series

The Boston University Academy Parent Education Series offers parenting-specific virtual workshops from a variety of experts in their fields.

Upcoming Events:

“Navigating AI: Responsible Tech Use for Teens”
with Dr. Jill Walsh
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | 7:30-8:45 p.m.
Zoom: https://bostonu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcsd-uhrj8jE9YKdunCAjy6e9G76R515U5W 

With the rise and rapidly changing landscape of AI and Chat GPT, what are ways in which it can be used in academically enriching ways and how can we model and talk about productive tech use with our children?  Additionally, how can we steady ourselves, and model for our kids, responsible tech use?

Bio:

Dr. Jill Walsh is a sociology professor at Boston University. She is also the founder of Digital Aged, a consulting group that educates students, families, and educational institutions about positive technology use. She earned a PhD in Sociology from Boston University, a Masters in Public Policy from Brown University and a BA from Harvard University. Before going to graduate school, she taught 9th-12th grades at an independent school in the Boston area.

Her research looks at the way that digital media use impacts psychosocial well-being and development. Her book Adolescents and their Social Media Narratives: A Digital Coming of Age was published in 2017 and she publishes academic research on youth development and emerging media. Her research interests include social media and identity work, parasocial relationships, and the links between technology and mental health.

Previous Events:

“Growing Up Mindful: Navigating Anxiety, Stress, and Mental Health with
Real-Life Strategies for your Busy Students”
with Dr. Chris Willard

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | 12:30-1:30 p.m.

BUA is honored to host Dr. Chris Willard for a special Parents Day edition of our Parent Education Series. Dr. Willard is a clinical psychologist, faculty member at Harvard Medical School, author, consultant, and a leading practitioner on implementing mindfulness programs that enhance emotional regulation and resilience in schools. This event, will take place on Parents Day, Tuesday, October 24 from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the GSU Auditorium, and is a unique chance to hear from an expert in the field of mindfulness and meditation while you wait for your parent-advisor conference.

“Raising Resilient Teens”
with The Resilience Project, a Newton-Wellesley Hospital program

Tuesday, April 25, 2023 | 7:00 p.m.

Parents have a pivotal role in building and supporting healthy habits, resiliency and positive coping in their children. We recognize the powerful ways parents shape their children, as well how difficult it sometimes is to be a parent: managing conflict, having difficult conversations, knowing when and how to set limits, even worrying about how to best support a child. The Resilience Project, an innovative school- and community-based initiative based at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, is designed to complement schools in providing education and support to parents in their efforts to raise healthy, resilient children.

“Behind their Screens: What Teens are Facing (and Adults are Missing)”
with Dr. Carrie James and Dr. Emily Weinstein, authors of Behind their Screens

Tuesday, January 17, 2023 | 7:30-8:45 p.m.

As new information emerges about the impacts of social media and screens on young people, so do new strategies to guide and protect teens. But what do adolescents themselves have to say? Harvard University researchers Dr. Emily Weinstein and Dr. Carrie James interviewed over 3,500 teenagers for their latest book, Behind Their Screens: What Teens are Facing (and Adults are Missing). Much of what they found — from the teens’ own fears and concerns, to the unique ways in which they use technology — is surprising.

“Inclusion and Belonging in High Schools: Recent Trends and What Parents Can Do”
with diversity and inclusion strategist Dr. Derrick Gay

Thursday, November 17, 2022| 8:00-9:00 p.m.

Dr. Derrick Gay is a Diversity and Inclusion Strategist who consults with schools and organizations, both domestically and abroad. He has consulted with BUA on a number of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives, and has spent time with our students and faculty. Dr. Gay will share an update about recent trends and the role of parents and guardians in fostering inclusion and belonging.

“Anxiety in Adolescence: Evidence-Based Ways to Support Your Child”
with BU Child Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders doctoral students Alicia Fenley and Kristine Lee

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Alicia Fenley and Kristine Lee, doctoral students and researchers at Boston University’s Child Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, will share clinical insights and research on anxiety and how parents can best support their teenage children.

“The Science of Diverse Communities”
with Stanford University Professor of Psychology Dr. Claude Steele

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Drawing on stereotype threat and social identity threat research, this talk will address the why, what and how of diverse learning communities: why they are important, a working hypothesis about what is critical to their success and what research reveals about how to achieve that success. The talk’s practical aim is to identify features of diverse learning communities—schools, universities and academic disciplines—that while good for all students, are especially helpful for minority students generally, and for women in STEM fields. The talk will also explore the psychological significance of community and its role in learning.

“Helping Teenagers Manage Anxiety, Stress, and Other Powerful Emotions”
with clinical psychologist and author Dr. Lisa Damour

Monday, January 31, 2022

In this virtual presentation, Dr. Damour will address: teens’ heightened emotional concerns in the context of the pandemic; how to best support psychological wellbeing; how parents can help teens manage emotions effectively.

“Teenagers and Technology: Best Practices in the Pandemic”
with Dr. Jill Walsh

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Screen time presents opportunities and challenges for students and parents alike. Up until now, resources and a generally agreed-upon set of best practices have been available to parents in setting limits around their adolescent’s screen time. During the pandemic, however, when technology has become critical for children’s academic and social experiences, that guidance has been turned on its head. So what do best practices look like now? Dr. Walsh will address these questions with a particular focus on thinking about quantity vs. quality of technology use, and address challenges like multitasking and managing digital socializing.
“The Double-Edged Sword: Reframing Diversity to Drive Equity and Inclusion”
with Dr. Derrick Gay

Thursday, February 18, 2021

The murder of George Floyd served as a watershed moment, highlighting longstanding racial injustice in the United States. This increased awareness manifested in independent schools last spring, when students, faculty, and alumni shared sobering personal experiences of racial and other forms of discrimination in independent schools. As schools aim to create more inclusive environments, what conversations should parents and guardians have with students to advance inclusion in meaningful and enduring ways? During this session, Dr. Derrick Gay will share insights gleaned from over 25 years advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in independent schools and across a number of industries.

“Parenting in a Pandemic”
with Dr. Rob Evans and Dr. Michael Thompson

Thursday, January 7, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit families hard. Many families are dealing with disruption to routine, threats to employment, and the loss of social supports; parents are worried that their children will emerge traumatized from this long disruption. In this talk, Dr. Evans and Dr. Thompson will address the issues and fears affecting families and will offer psychologically sound suggestions for steadying their children and themselves in this difficult time.