Impacting Students Who Are Struggling

Michael McKnight, author and special education expert, describes how education has moved from a time without brain science to now, when there is a better understanding of how trauma affects students who are often labeled difficult. McKnight shares how humans are resilient and the importance of teaching everyone how trauma impacts the brain, then affects behavior and learning. He believes it all starts with a teacher who is calm and regulated, in order for them to respond instead of react to negative situations.

Part 2 of the interview between Hailey Kisner, education major, and McKnight delves even deeper into the importance of creating connections with students. He shares that having solid, positive relationships is powerful for teachers. Creating quality relationships is critical to having a successful outcome, especially for students exposed to trauma. He offers specific examples of how teachers can integrate building a relationship into their daily classroom experience.

Listen to Part 2