Shifting to trauma-informed practices

"Being a safe person is the most important thing you can offer a child who has not experienced safety before."         
                                                                       Allison Edwards, LLC

In this information age, the students we serve are constantly bombarded with reminders of how unsafe this world is. In a typical school, it is likely that at least 40% of students have experienced some sort of childhood trauma (National Traumatic Child Stress Network). Prompted by this and the ever-increasing need for schools to provide social-emotional support for students, my district, Maury County Public Schools, began our 2nd semester with a Mental Health Summit for all faculty and staff. One speaker, Allison Edwards LLC, emphasized the importance of providing a safe place for students and gave practical ways to respond to students using trauma-informed practices. As I processed her presentation, I realized three shifts I should make as an educator. 

Instead of reacting to behaviors, be proactive about relationships...
If my first interaction with a student is in reaction to disruptive behavior, then I am going to be ill-equipped to respond in the best way. As an educator, I must be pro-active in relationship building. In the classroom, that might be achieved through morning check-ins, student conferences, and frequent personalized writing prompts. As an administrator, lunch duty can be an excellent time to engage in conversations with students. By being proactive with relationship building, I will have laid a foundation for more effective conversations when addressing disciplinary issues. 

Instead of assuming "defiant", recognize "flooded"...
In her presentation, Edwards explained that when the amygdala (the fear center of our brains) is activated, all of the blood rushes to that area from the parts of the brain that control thinking and learning.  Behaviors that might present as defiance could actually be a student in trauma. Many times, as a teacher, when a student refused to do work, I assumed he or she was just being disrespectful. I would then try to coerce the student into completing the assignment at that moment. I also remember insisting a student look me in the eye when I was talking and immediately explain his/her actions. My focus was in addressing the "what", the behavior that occurred, rather than the "why", what was motivating the behavior.  If I had known how the brain works, I would have perceived that the student's brain was "flooded" at the moment, and my course of action would have been to help the student transition into a more productive state before attempting to address the behavior. 

Instead of seeking a response, seek to reset...
Many times when addressing student behavior, I have pressed for a response from the student. A trauma-informed approach requires me to recognize the student's mind is in a flood state, and provide grace and space for him or her to reset. This could mean providing a quiet corner in the room that would provide sensory calming materials, or giving the student the opportunity to take a short walk. Edwards describes the process of resetting as going from uncooked spaghetti to cooked spaghetti. If a student is given time to reset, often a more transparent, productive conversation will follow.

All to often schools will include the words "safe" in their mission statements. They will establish protocols and procedures to insure that schools are physically safe, but we must be equally mindful of the emotional safety our schools provide. In our quest for effective instructional strategies, we must increase our knowledge of practices that address the social-emotional needs of the students we serve. We must provide them a safe place to grow. 

All tears have a purpose: the power of letting yourself and others feel

• "Why are you crying?" 
• "That's not worth crying over."
• "You're just too sensitive"
• "Why do you have to cry?"
• " Dry it up"!
• "Don't start that crying"

I've been on the receiving end of these phrases many times in my life. I'm a passionate expressive person. It's just how I'm wired. I cry when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm mad. I have tried every tactic you can think of to turn off my waterworks ---to make myself not feel. I've looked away, walked away, faked a smile, covered my face with a tissue pretending to blow my nose, but no matter how hard I try, my tears come and are easily detected.  I have uttered many apologies to people "I'm sorry I'm crying...."I hate that I cry when I am angry"..."Please forgive me for crying".  

One night a few years ago, my youngest son and I were piled up in my bed each reading our own book. Something in the book I was reading moved me and I started to cry. Johnny looked at me curiously, so I hurriedly wiped away the tears and said, "It's ok....it's ok...these aren't sad tears. This book just reminded me of some tough times I've grown through and that made me cry happy tears."  Johnny replied, "Mom, don't worry....all tears have a purpose" and then he went back to reading his Big Nate book.

I've reflected on the truth in his words for the last few weeks. All tears have a purpose...all feelings have a purpose, and if I approach the emotions of others and myself with acceptance and openness to learning, then they can lay the groundwork for serious growth.  

• Helping Children Regain their Emotional Safety after a Tragedy
• Emotional Support in a Crisis
• Creating an Emotionally Healthy Classroom Environment
• 20 Tips to Create a Safe Learning Environment