Ricky Robertson is an educator, author, and consultant. He has had the privilege to work with students from pre-K to 12th grade who have persevered in the face of adversity and trauma. He began his career in education as a New York City public high school teacher, teaching in one of the city’s highest-performing public schools. He then went on to work as a teacher, behavior specialist, and, eventually, as an administrator in traditional and alternative schools supporting students with significant mental health and behavioral needs. Ricky is the co-author, along with Victoria Romero and Amber Warner, of the Corwin bestselling book, Building Resilience in Students Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences: A Whole Staff Approach. The model that he and his co-authors developed in their book was included in the Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, & Health as an example of best practices for schools to support children and families impacted by toxic stress and trauma. Ricky continues to work with state and federal policymakers as an adviser on trauma-informed care in public health and education policy. As a consultant and coach, Ricky works with schools, school districts, education service districts, and state departments of education across the country to develop systems of support that foster achievement, well-being, and resilience among staff and students. His work has been featured in podcasts, online media, books, magazines, national conferences, as well as a trauma-informed teaching video series developed by the National Education Association, WETA, and AdLit. Ricky finds inspiration in the resilience of young people and the heart and hard work of educators.
"""This book positively teems with care for all people in the educational field—from first-year teachers to veteran teachers, custodial staff to principals, paraprofessionals to department chairs—everyone is addressed with a deliberate level of care and the assumption that all parties are professionals who truly want what is best for their colleagues, their communities, and their students."" -- High School Social Science Teacher ""Given the current educational landscape, where many educators are struggling with burnout and psychologically unsafe schools, the insights and strategies presented in this book hold significant value. Its practical guidance and emphasis on creating a psychologically safe school align with the collective aspirations of educators seeking not only success in their classrooms, but also a fulfilling and sustainable career in education."" -- Meghan Love, MEd"