Practice: Application of Trauma-Informed Strategies

What Trauma May Look Like in the Classroom

According to Moshman (2021), "75% of kids aged 12-17 have experienced two or more forms of trauma" (para. 1). We have learned throughout this module that trauma has a huge impact on student learning, emotions, memories, and even executive functioning.

Moshman (2021) explained a lot of the behavior issues and learning delays we see in the classroom are actually the result of ACEs. The following are common situations listed by Moshman (2021) that are often the result of trauma:

  1. Aggression or bullying

  2. Stealing

  3. Lying

  4. Not feeling well

  5. Unexpected emotional reactions

  6. Disruptive behavior

  7. Memory issues

  8. Perfectionism

  9. Trouble absorbing new information

  10. Withdrawn or introverted interactions

trauma-informed Strategies

In the previous section, you learned about the following trauma-informed strategies:

  1. Principles for Interacting with Students with Trauma

  2. Know Your Students

  3. Social-Emotional Learning

  4. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding

  5. Students Who "Hide" In Class

  6. Conscious Discipline

  7. Mindfulness

  8. Clear and Consistent is Kind

Look back at the common behaviors that are often a result of trauma. Which strategy might be beneficial for each of those situations? Why? Record your thoughts on the module handout.



Practice: Apply Strategies to Real Life Situations

Ramsey (2019) put together a presentation including the following scenarios. With a partner or group (if possible), read each example carefully. Choose a strategy to use with each scenario. Brainstorm how you would use that strategy to help each student manage their reactions, behaviors, and emotions. Record your ideas on the module handout.

Maria, 13

Maria is a 13-year-old eighth grader. She most often appears disconnected and disinterested. She fidgets, avoids eye-contact, mumbles when adults ask her questions, and mostly doesn’t appear to care about anything. She seems to understand the material and sometimes does well on assignments but refuses to engage with others during the school day. Teachers complain that she often puts her head down and attempts to sleep during class. This gets increasingly frustrating for adults who keep prompting Maria to sit up and engage. These power struggles frequently end with Maria either leaving the classroom or putting her head down for the remainder of the period.

JAmie, 15

Jamie is a sophomore in high school and is constantly in trouble at school. He has a very short fuse and will quickly become aggressive when adults call him out on his behaviors and set limits. Jamie is particularly confrontational toward male staff. His pattern is often to begin by challenging a teacher during class—either questioning what they are doing or refusing to participate. From there, things often escalate, as Jamie becomes loud, paces around his desk, and is eventually ordered to leave the classroom. Once in the hallway, he becomes disruptive to other classrooms and has a lot of difficulty calming down.

Joshua, 5

Joshua is a kindergarten student. He acts out in the classroom throwing chairs and books. He also crawls around on the floor during circle time. He yells out at the teacher while she is trying to do circle time. As the teacher tries to redirect him, he begins to cry loudly and hits the teacher. When the teacher tries to restrain him, he becomes more violent and kicks the teacher. He then runs out of the classroom.

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