WHAT TRAUMA CAN LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM (AND SCHOOL)

CHILDREN EXPOSED TO TRAUMA STRUGGLE TO:

• Accurately perceive-safety (over perceive danger:)

• Self-regulate (attention, behavior, emotion)

• Hold a self image that includes the belief that they matter

• Succeed academically and or socially at school

TRAUMA MAY:

• Disrupt the ability to process verbal information and use language to communicate. (May make it difficult to follow instructions.)

• Be less skilled in using language to forge social relationships and more skilled using language to build walls between themselves and those perceived to be dangerous or threatening.

• Have limited problem solving skills.

• Struggle with sequential ordering and therefore not be able to organize (thoughts, feelings, if-then events, multistep tasks) which in turn results in difficulty reading, writing and with critical thinking. Interfere with a student's understanding of behavior and consequences.

• Not have internalized cause and effect relationships. This means that they cannot easily predict events, sense their power over events or make meaning of "consequences."

• Struggle to see the world from the point of view of another.

• Struggle to focus and attend to what is happening in the classroom because their brains are preoccupied with ensuring safety /warding off danger.

• Struggle to self regulate their own attention.

• Struggle to self regulate and recognize emotions. This results in poor impulse control, trouble reading social cues, and lack of a predictable sense of self. (Self regulation is a predictor of academic success)

• Have low executive functions.

• Be slow to trust adults or peers

• Struggle to engage with academic material effectively

YOU MIGHT SEE:

• Inability to focus

• Deep withdrawal

• Very wary, suspicious, not trusting

• Apparently random body movements (getting out of seat) and blurting out

• Lack of impulse control

• Inability to sit still

• Repetitive behaviors

• Appear anxious (twirls hair, sucks thumb)

• Clingy/Needy

• Lack of boundaries (hugging strangers)

• Over-reaction to peer movements

• Extremely acute awareness of any negative body language

• Misinterpretation of events, where the child feels that their actions caused the problem

• Explosive behavior that does not have clear cause

• Trouble with transitions

• Trouble with any change in schedule

• Pains, body complaints, nurse visits Aggressive (physical/emotional/verbal)

• Avoidant behavior (not coming/refusing to participate or go places)

YOU MIGHT TRY:

Taking time to teach routines

• Posting schedules

• Practice transitions

• Pay attention to which parts of transitions are hard for the student and work together to create solutions. (Non verbal signals, advance warning etc.)

• Lead classroom respectfully (Kind and Firm)

• Establish clear agreements about classroom behavior with your students Teach the students how to follow them by regularly checking in with them about how they are doing and asking them to silently make improvements. ("How are we doing on our agreement to have quiet during reading? Thumbs up/sideways/down. Take a breath and notice if there is one thing you can quietly do to make it better. Please do it. Thank you")

• Warning the student of potential "surprises" including fire drills, guests, substitutes, schedule changes, new seating arrangements

• Connecting with the student each day in a similar fashion

• Small connection rituals (hand shake/high five)

• Give the student control where possible. {I'm changing the seating chart, do you have a place in the classroom that feels best for you?)

• Whole class activities involving patterns of motion

• (Regular motion/rhythm/music helps re-establish helpful connections in the lower brain.)

• Keep your mood relatively stable. If you are having a bad day explain why to the students ( or they may think you are mad at them)

THINGS TO AVOID:

• Inconsistency, irregular behavior

• Allowing bullying, name calling

• Requiring students to present from the front/read aloud to all.

• Punishments or threats

• Angry outbursts in class

• Surprises (even "good" ones)

• Not keeping promises or appointments

• Not following through

CONSIDER THE CONTEXT:

• What do you know about this student's family?

• What do you know about this student's history at school?

• What do you know about his/her culture? (Unspoken rules about eye contact, personal space, gender roles, role of the individual vs. group)

STUDENTS EXPOSED TO TRAUMA MAY HAVE ALTERED BRAIN GROWTH:

• They may be missing a sense of: Basic Trust

  • Self-regulation

  • Ability to delay gratification

  • Causal thinking (poor if/then thinking)

  • Ability to focus or concentrate

  • Relationship skills

• Often have altered stress response

MANY CHILDREN EXPOSED TO TRAUMA HAVE:

• Decreased perception of safety (misperceive threats)

• Poor impulse control

• Decreased self regulation

• Decreased self concept

• Are withdrawn or aggressive

• Struggle with transitions

REBUILDING THE FOUNDATION OF THESE SKILLS. CREATES A STABLE PLATFORM FOR ACADEMIC GROWTH:

SAFETY

• Routines

• Consistency (of routines, mood of class leader)

• Posted schedules

• Solutions instead of consequences

• Brain in the Palm of the Hand

• Self-regulation

BELONGING

• Connect before correct

• 2x10 rule

• Mirror neurons

• I messages

• Relationship/relationship/relationship

SIGNIFICANCE

• Focus on strengths

• Remember the student's story

• Understanding the brain (teach mirror neurons, Brain in the Palm of the Hand)

• "I made a mistake" vs. "I am a mistake"

• Teaching repairs, how to make amends

• Find way for student to contribute, helping)

Vicarious Trauma

Lesson Plans

Article: What is TIPS

The Belief Behind the Behavior - A Key for Mistaken Beliefs