Angie Woodhead, LSW, a social worker at The Maine Children's Home for Little Wanderers, proposes ten ideas for building a trauma informed classroom. These ideas are listed and expanded upon below:
"Use the Power of Connection"
Greet your students at the door, mind the volume and tone of your voice, be aware of your facial expressions, use positive discipline, and be conscious to praise all students' behavior and character.
Use these "Back Pocket Words & Phrases" from the Council for Exceptional Children
"Take an Interest in Students' Lives"
Practice active listening when your students are talking to you. Genuinely listen to your student, be prepared to ask questions, and engage in a discussion with them. Ask about their goals, interests, how their day was-- keep in mind, you might be the first person, possibly even the only person, to inquire about them today.
Surveys, opinion writing, reflections, and passion projects are a few options for gaining insight into your students' thought patterns and getting to know them through classwork. These projects also build self-confidence and self-importance because it comes from the student alone.
Make time for informal check-ins with your students. Online fillable forms, morning meetings, and journal entries can be effective ways for your students to communicate what's going on in their lives currently.
Have your students journal regularly in a notebook that they know you will be reading. Occasionally have the students journal directly to you about their thoughts and ideas, or more generally about whatever may be taking up space in their thoughts.
"See Behaviors as Survival Strategies"
When your student displays undesirable behavior, "think of it as an opportunity to help them regulate."
View misbehvaior through the lens of survival strategies instead of outright or intentional disobedience.
Most acts of defiance originate in need, necessary to survive in some area of the student's life. Don't allow your classroom to become (or remain as) one of these areas.
"Give Students a Voice"
"Offer choices," "offer compromises," and "ask for re-dos"
Choices: Allow students to choose what they learn/do in class, how they show their learning (choice boards), the order they complete their assignments in, etc.
Compromises: Allow extensions, ask for feedback, and incorporate the students' feedback.
Allow, and even encourage, respectful and appropriate disagreement/protest from your students. If they think an assignment is too long or too difficult, ask why they think so. Engage in a discussion about what they think would be fair/effective. It is your job as the teacher to have sound reasoning for why an assignment is the way it is -- and to be prepared to back it up.
Re-Dos: Ask students to "re-do" what they've just done or said. Invite them to restate a question/request more respectfully, or invite them to repeat a procedure correctly. Allow opportunities for students to fix their behavior.
"Practice Self-Regulation Skills"
"Try dysregulating activities like dancing in place, ball toss etc., then practice self-regulating or calming activities, such as deep breathing, pressure points, wall pushes, or chair sit-ups. Help students identify their level of alertness by using 'engine plates' or 'zones of regulation'."
"Be Proactive"
Teach and practice rules, routines, procedures, and self-regulation before they're needed. Set routines for checking in with the students. Set expectations verbally from the beginning and encourage students to rise to those expectations.
"Keep the Environment Predictable"
Establish and practice routines and procedures from the beginning of the year.
Announce transitions with time warnings and lableing, and announce any changes to the schedule; if it's raining outside, inform the students as soon as possible that recess will be inside today so they can prepare for the change.
Routines & Procedures to Consider: how to enter and exit class, participating during a lesson, getting/putting away materials, going to the restroom/nurse/etc., using/borrowing supplies, and any other routines that you find to be necessary in your classroom.
Don't be afraid to add routines as needed! Most routines and procedures should be established proactively from the beginning of the year; but sometimes, adding reactive routines is necessary if you find a weak point in your classroom.
"Say Yes to Water and Snacks"
Water bottles + snacks = stable blood sugar & hydration
When your students' basic needs are taken care of, they're able to focus better during class.
"Be Mindful of Sensory Needs"
Some of your students may be sensitive to bright lights, loud noises, or specific tactile sensations. Some students may crave brightness, noise, and specific tactile sensations.
Noise cancelling headphones, fidgets, soft lighting, weighted blankets/stuffed animals, and alternative seating options are just a few options for helping sensory overload.
Be aware of your students' sensory needs as well; if they need kinesthetic stimulation, incorporate a brain/movement break. If they have auditory or sensory needs, do what you can as a teacher to help them meet those needs.
"Play!"
"Last but not least …HAVE FUN! Playfulness disarms the fear response in children."
Incorporate fun into the students' learning. Strive to make your activities engaging and exciting for them!