GED TO PhD! Every Broken Story Deserves a RESET!

Every broken story deserves a reset. Behind every graduation rate, discipline referral, attendance record, and test score are students whose experiences shape their reality. In this powerful and inspiring session, Dr. Craig J. Boykin shares his journey from earning a GED to obtaining a Ph.D., demonstrating how resilience, relationships, mentorship, and opportunity can change the trajectory of a life. Dr. Boykin faced significant challenges, such as dropping out, mother on drugs, absent father, and being a SPED student. Participants will explore how educators can move beyond the numbers to understand the stories behind student performance. Through personal narrative, research, and practical strategies, attendees will learn how to build meaningful relationships, foster student belonging, and create conditions that empower students especially those considered at-risk. While some may argue that teachers should concentrate solely on academic subjects, the truth is that effective classroom management is impossible if students are preoccupied with the weight of trauma and poverty. Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student. 

1. Recognize the impact of trauma on student success.
   Participants will identify how trauma, poverty, adverse childhood experiences, and relationships influence student behavior, academic performance, attendance, and overall school success.
2. Apply relationship-centered strategies to improve student outcomes.
   Participants will examine practical approaches for building trust, fostering belonging, and creating supportive classroom environments that increase engagement and resilience among students, particularly those considered at risk.
3. Shift from data-driven thinking to student-centered leadership.
   Participants will analyze how looking beyond test scores, discipline referrals, and graduation rates to understand students’ personal stories can improve classroom management, educational equity, and long-term student achievement.

In this session learn how to support your Students Without Losing Yourself in the Process. Educators are often expected to be counselors, mentors, motivators, and caregivers all while managing their own personal and professional challenges. As student needs continue to grow, many educators find themselves asking a difficult question: "How do I help my students when I'm struggling myself?" This engaging and reflective workshop explores the intersection of educator wellness and student success. Participants will examine the impact of burnout, compassion fatigue, trauma, and stress on teaching effectiveness while learning practical strategies for maintaining their own well-being. Through research, real-life experiences, and actionable tools, attendees will discover how healthy educators create healthier learning environments. Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student or themselves.  

1. Recognize the signs and impact of educator burnout.
   Participants will identify the effects of burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and chronic stress on educator well-being, classroom effectiveness, and student outcomes.
2. Develop practical self-care and resilience strategies.
   Participants will explore evidence-based techniques to establish healthy boundaries, manage stress, and prioritize personal wellness while continuing to effectively support students.
3. Strengthen educator effectiveness through personal wellness.
   Participants will apply actionable strategies that promote both educator well-being and positive student relationships, creating classroom environments where teachers and students can thrive together.

Across the nation, educators are carrying unprecedented levels of stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and emotional exhaustion. At the same time, students are arriving in their classrooms carrying trauma, anxiety, hopelessness, and unmet social-emotional needs. In this heartfelt and practical workshop, educators will learn how to safely and effectively navigate a “crash out” in the classroom. We encourage educators to prioritize safety, communication, and de-escalation while promoting educational equity. Participants will develop a clear crisis plan that helps set behavioral expectations, fosters positive interactions, and encourages a sense of belonging. This plan also highlights the importance of understanding students' individual needs, triggers, and potential reactions to stressful situations, often rooted in generational trauma. Dr. Boykin was once a crash out who repeated the 3rd & 5th grades, dropped out of high school, endured a mother abusing drugs, had an absent father, and was later shot by a gang member. Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student. 

1. Identify the underlying causes of disruptive and distracting student behaviors by examining the impact of trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), emotional regulation, and unmet social-emotional needs.
2. Apply evidence-based de-escalation, communication, and relationship-building strategies to safely respond to student “crash out” behaviors while maintaining a positive and supportive learning environment.
3. Develop a practical classroom behavior response plan that includes proactive prevention strategies, crisis response techniques, and post-crisis restorative practices to reduce disruptions and improve student outcomes.

Relationships—not programs—change lives. For students impacted by trauma, poverty, violence, instability, or chronic adversity, a caring adult can be the single greatest protective factor in their success. Yet many educators are never taught how to intentionally build the kinds of relationships that inspire trust, resilience, and hope. In this powerful and practical session, participants will discover the four essential “faces” on an educator’s Mount Rushmore—the foundational relationship-building practices that every teacher, counselor, administrator, mentor, and youth-serving professional should master to reach at-risk students. Using real-life stories, research-based strategies, and interactive discussion, attendees will learn how to move beyond behavior management and begin building meaningful connections that reduce conflict, increase engagement, improve attendance, and create classrooms where students feel safe, respected, and valued.

Participants will learn how to:

• Build trust with students who have experienced trauma and adversity.
• Understand how trauma influences behavior, learning, and decision-making.
• Use validation and empathy to de-escalate conflict and strengthen relationships.
• Create emotionally safe classrooms that encourage belonging and engagement.
• Maintain high expectations while providing compassion and accountability.
• Become the trusted adult who helps students believe in themselves and their future.

Trauma is no longer the exception in our classrooms—it has become the new normal. Educators are increasingly working with students who are impacted by adverse childhood experiences, community violence, family instability, mental health challenges, poverty, grief, and chronic stress. These experiences often manifest as disengagement, defiance, absenteeism, anxiety, or academic struggles. Knowing and understanding your students emotionally yields tremendous relational dividends, which is crucial for effective classroom management.  This powerful and practical workshop equips educators with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize trauma's impact on learning, behavior, and relationships. Participants will explore trauma-informed practices that help create safe, supportive, and resilient learning environments while maintaining high expectations for student success. Through research, real-world examples, and actionable strategies, attendees will learn how to shift from asking, "What's wrong with this student?" to "What happened to this student?" Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student. 

1. Recognize the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on student behavior, learning, emotional regulation, and classroom engagement.
2. Implement trauma-informed strategies that foster psychological safety, strengthen educator-student relationships, and promote positive behavioral and academic outcomes.
3. Apply practical classroom techniques to shift from a deficit-based mindset (“What’s wrong with this student?”) to a trauma-informed approach (“What happened to this student?”), while maintaining high expectations and supporting student resilience.

Many educators struggle with a common question: How do I support students emotionally without lowering expectations or excusing inappropriate behavior? One of the most powerful yet underutilized tools for resolving conflict is validation. This engaging and practical session explores the critical difference between validating a student’s feelings and condoning their actions. Participants will learn how trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and emotional dysregulation influence student behavior, and why traditional responses often escalate rather than resolve conflicts. This session is ideal for teachers, administrators, counselors, social workers, and anyone committed to creating supportive learning environments where students are both understood and held accountable. Dr. Boykin’s trademark slogan, 'GED to PHD,' serves as a concrete paradigm that educators should never give up on any student.

1. Differentiate between validating a student’s emotions and excusing inappropriate behavior while maintaining clear expectations and accountability.
2. Apply evidence-based validation and de-escalation strategies to reduce conflict, strengthen educator-student relationships, and improve classroom behavior.
3. Analyze how trauma, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and emotional dysregulation influence student behavior and implement trauma-informed responses that promote both compassion and accountability.