Chapter 5: When Students Are in Danger: Supporting Students in the Trauma-Informed Classroom.
- Approximately one in eight children will experience some form of abuse or neglect in their own home (125).
- Recognize the people have many different forms of trauma in their lives (125).
- Loss of safety is a defining characteristic of trauma (125).
- When a student does not feel safe, they are unable to access the parts of the brain that control higher-level thinking, including the ability to learn (125).
- First step is to establish a safe place (126).
- Create a safe place in the classroom, where students feel comfortable to go to deescalate. This will signal that the student needs support (126).
- Provide predictable rituals and routines, being steady and consistent in your tone, and regularly checking in with students is helpful (127).
teacher tools:
Identify Your Allies:
Schwartz, Kyle. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016.
- Student’s having a supportive mentor can be powerful and change realities (133).
- Explain to your class what an ally is (133). Help students identify the allies they have in their lives (133). Have student identify adults that fit this role (134). Have students create a list of adults that are their allies – put your name on the board so they know they can count on you (134). This process may make it seem more official in the eyes of the students (134). “You don’t have to walk in a student’s shoes to support them, but you do need to be honest (137-138).”
- We cannot always guarantee something will be okay (138). Instead of promising everything will be okay try:
- "There are a lot of people who want to help you (138)."
- "I will always care about you (138)."
- "I am here to help you, it is my job (138)."
- "This is not your fault (138)."
- "What has happened to you is not fair (138)."
- "I am sorry you have to deal with this (138)."
- "You do not have to cope with this alone (138)."
- "It sounds like there are some really hard things going on that you wish would stop (138)."
- "There are a lot of people who want to help you (138)."
- Teachers should model self-regulation (139). For example, breathing exercises, music, positive self-talk, safe place, etc (140-141).
- In order to help our students, get through challenging times, we need to take care of ourselves and resolve our own issues as well (141).
Schwartz, Kyle. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016.