Module 4: What Can Be Done in the Classroom and School to Incorporate
Trauma-Informed Practices and Policies
What Can Be Done at School to Help a Traumatized Child?
As a teacher and educator you have the power to help a child recover. Your comfort, support, structure, and reassurance can make students feel safe and secure, guide them through their fears and grief, and prevent them from suffering lasting psychological stress.
Help Students Identify Areas of Competence
According to the AFT, students who experience trauma often suffer from low self-esteem and low self-image. Having students experience success is essential to helping them develop confidence and a sense of agency, meaning they realize that they can influence what happens in their lives. They need to know they are good at something and that they are valuable. After asking students to identify what they do well, examples might include reading, playing soccer, taking care of my little brother, being a good friend, etc., not necessarily schoolwork.
Ways to help students identify areas of competence:
Teach Tolerance and Resilience
Students and new situations are constantly occurring due to the traumatic migration that has occurred over the recent months. Developing tolerance and resilience will help develop an inclusive culture. To build this tolerance mindset, these tactics can help your students.
As a teacher and educator you have the power to help a child recover. Your comfort, support, structure, and reassurance can make students feel safe and secure, guide them through their fears and grief, and prevent them from suffering lasting psychological stress.
Help Students Identify Areas of Competence
According to the AFT, students who experience trauma often suffer from low self-esteem and low self-image. Having students experience success is essential to helping them develop confidence and a sense of agency, meaning they realize that they can influence what happens in their lives. They need to know they are good at something and that they are valuable. After asking students to identify what they do well, examples might include reading, playing soccer, taking care of my little brother, being a good friend, etc., not necessarily schoolwork.
Ways to help students identify areas of competence:
- Teach responsibility by encouraging contributions.
- Teach decision-making and problem-solving skills to reinforce self-discipline.
- Help students deal with mistakes.
Teach Tolerance and Resilience
Students and new situations are constantly occurring due to the traumatic migration that has occurred over the recent months. Developing tolerance and resilience will help develop an inclusive culture. To build this tolerance mindset, these tactics can help your students.
- Use role play to help students act out skills such as setting boundaries and verbalizing their feelings, all while in the safety of a classroom. Literature, poetry, and song lyrics can help students identify examples of resilient thinking.
- Use simple priming techniques to foster positive emotions such as contentment, pride, awe, and wonder in class with brain breaks, warm greetings, and playful transitions.
- Build positive relational trust through smiling, sharing parts of your life with your students, getting to know your students as individuals, and using yourself as a role model of a reliable and regulated adult.
- Use character strengths to help students learn about their own strengths surveys (if their literacy skills allow), strength cards, and strengths spotting exercises.
- Promote self-awareness and encourage self-management by teaching students about their body's own stress activation response and help them find techniques to regulate their heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure.
- Maintain a positive physical space by increasing natural light/soft lighting and use of plants (if viable) can enhance an open, warm, and relaxing environment.
Educator's Transition Language and Actions
Scientists tell us that a child's brain changes when they witness war, violence at home, or in their communities, or experience poverty, eviction, and hunger. Educators of these children will notice frequent "fight, flight, or freeze" responses to stress.
Transitions are a time of "stress" in the classroom. One way to create a physically and psychologically safe environment is with the management of transitions.
Strategy
Advance Notice
- "In two minutes, I will ask you to begin working on your essays independently."
- "In five minutes, we will begin working on our essays independently."
Pre-Correction
- "We are going to begin working on our essays. When I say, "go ahead", please take out your writing notebooks. If you do not have yours, please raise your hand and wait for me to conference with you."
Transition
Circulate
- Teacher moves throughout the classroom, monitoring for compliance and instructions.
Positive Affirmation
- "I see that Maria and Julian have their notebooks out and I already see their pencils moving. Thank you."
Non-Intrusive Redirection
- [Privately to student] "I see that you don't have your notebook out; what can I do to get you started?"
Scientists tell us that a child's brain changes when they witness war, violence at home, or in their communities, or experience poverty, eviction, and hunger. Educators of these children will notice frequent "fight, flight, or freeze" responses to stress.
Transitions are a time of "stress" in the classroom. One way to create a physically and psychologically safe environment is with the management of transitions.
Strategy
Advance Notice
- "In two minutes, I will ask you to begin working on your essays independently."
- "In five minutes, we will begin working on our essays independently."
Pre-Correction
- "We are going to begin working on our essays. When I say, "go ahead", please take out your writing notebooks. If you do not have yours, please raise your hand and wait for me to conference with you."
Transition
Circulate
- Teacher moves throughout the classroom, monitoring for compliance and instructions.
Positive Affirmation
- "I see that Maria and Julian have their notebooks out and I already see their pencils moving. Thank you."
Non-Intrusive Redirection
- [Privately to student] "I see that you don't have your notebook out; what can I do to get you started?"
Communication Strategies for Caregivers and Family Members
We will use "parents" and "caregivers" interchangeably to include biological, adoptive, foster parents and families, legal guardians, and anyone else the student defines as playing a role in their upbringing and education.
During crisis and trauma events, it is even more important for schools and teachers to strengthen communication, transparency, and trust with caregivers and family members. Communication is critical to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what needs to be done, by whom and how, and for caregivers and family members to feel engaged in their child's education. Here are communication strategies for caregivers and family members.
We will use "parents" and "caregivers" interchangeably to include biological, adoptive, foster parents and families, legal guardians, and anyone else the student defines as playing a role in their upbringing and education.
During crisis and trauma events, it is even more important for schools and teachers to strengthen communication, transparency, and trust with caregivers and family members. Communication is critical to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of what needs to be done, by whom and how, and for caregivers and family members to feel engaged in their child's education. Here are communication strategies for caregivers and family members.
- Assess communication needs. What tool(s), how often, what kind of communication will be shared, and what are the safeguards for privacy and confidentiality should all be detailed and determined. All school communication with caregivers and family members should be responsive to their needs, schedules, and preferred forms of communication, utilizing more than a single method of interaction.
- Communicate clearly and coherently. It is important to be consistent with parents and communicate on a regular basis, not just for necessity. Communication should be clear, and contain key information.
- Provide up-to-date information and address concerns. Identify the channels for levels of communication to update information and address concerns.
- Promote information sharing. Call and reach out to caregivers and family members, and make sure to ask about other things besides schoolwork or behavior. Ask about positive things in the home, which can help keep people motivated and feel connected to the entire school community. Teaching parents and caregivers simple ways to calm their own central nervous system and help them remain calm at home and they can help their child(ren) regain calm also.
- Involve caregivers and family members in the classroom. This could be as a guest reader, or as an expert on a particular topic, this can foster community.
- Organize seminars and workshops. When applicable, organize seminars and workshops on particular topics of interest to the school community.
Self-Care for Teachers: Signs of Secondary Traumatic Stress
Trauma takes a toll on children, families, schools, and communities and you as their teacher. Educators who work with students impacted by trauma can experience secondary traumatic stress, also referred to as "compassion fatigue".
Symptoms include:
- Isolation
- Anxiety
- Appetite changes
- Difficulty focusing
- Insomnia
- Excessive drinking
- Aggression and irritability
- Denial
- Burnout
Self-Care for Teachers: Recommended Self-Care Skills
Tip 1: Engage in a Moment of Silence
Tip 2: Establish a Stable Social Network of Support
Tip 3: Rediscover Old and New Hobbies
Tip 4: Recognize Compassion Fatigue as an Occupational Hazard
Tip 5: Focus on What You Can Control
Trauma takes a toll on children, families, schools, and communities and you as their teacher. Educators who work with students impacted by trauma can experience secondary traumatic stress, also referred to as "compassion fatigue".
Symptoms include:
- Isolation
- Anxiety
- Appetite changes
- Difficulty focusing
- Insomnia
- Excessive drinking
- Aggression and irritability
- Denial
- Burnout
Self-Care for Teachers: Recommended Self-Care Skills
Tip 1: Engage in a Moment of Silence
Tip 2: Establish a Stable Social Network of Support
Tip 3: Rediscover Old and New Hobbies
Tip 4: Recognize Compassion Fatigue as an Occupational Hazard
Tip 5: Focus on What You Can Control
