Training Spotlight: Jen Alexander on her Becoming A Trauma-Sensitive Educator virtual course - Brookes Blog
Training Spotlight: Jen Alexander on her Becoming A Trauma-Sensitive Educator virtual course
October 18, 2022
Understanding and addressing the effects of trauma—both for students and the adults who teach and work with them—is essential to creating a safe school environment that supports learning and social-emotional well-being. Today we’re welcoming Brookes author and trauma expert Jen Alexander to talk about her virtual course on Becoming A Trauma-Sensitive Educator.
Q: How does trauma affect students’ learning, and why is trauma-sensitive education so important?
A: Trauma overwhelms staff and students, often causing the body to expend big energy on fight, flight, or freeze responses. Alternatively, trauma can be part of a nervous system shutdown. Both types of reactions can affect health, learning, and behavior in the short term, but there are long-term implications too. This is especially true of repeated trauma in a child’s earliest years of life, which can impact how the brain and body develop. This trauma, called developmental trauma, can hinder learning and school success.
Q: What are the main characteristics of an effective trauma-sensitive educator?
A: Trauma-sensitive educators commit to learning about trauma’s impact and how to promote safety, supportive relationships, healthy regulation, and learning. This course will teach you how to respond effectively to the needs of people who experience trauma both inside and outside of school at any point in time. It’s about how we work together to anticipate and meet needs collectively within our areas of expertise.
Q: What are the most important things educators will learn in your course?
A: Educators will learn how to better understand the effects of trauma—and what they can do about it within their school roles to co-create change. You’ll explore trauma-sensitive practices according to the four essentials of safety, connection, regulation, and learning. You’ll reflect on your own strengths and current practices and set goals for your next steps.
Q: Is your course more about the theoretical underpinnings of trauma-sensitive education, or will educators learn how to take action, too?
A: This course shares a plethora of real-life examples that will help you apply theory to practice in your PreK-12+ learning environment. You’ll also watch approximately 20 videos from educators around the world, sharing how they’ve applied their trauma-sensitive learnings to their own unique settings.
Q: Does trauma-sensitive education mainly apply to the teacher-student dynamic, or can it strengthen relationships between adults on the education team, too?
A: Trauma-sensitive education benefits everyone, youth and adults included. The course acknowledges the difficulties educators face and encourages collaboration to center not only student needs but also educator health.
Q: What are the long-term benefits of trauma-sensitive education for students and teachers?
A: Education is for every student. It’s crucial for educators to understand the needs of students who have experienced trauma as it impacts their success. These insights can help in tailoring teaching methods and addressing individual needs effectively.
Big thanks to Jen Alexander for being here today and sharing the benefits of her Becoming A Trauma-Sensitive Educator course. It’s a true game-changer for educators and an essential step toward building a safe, supportive school environment that helps all students learn and thrive. Take your next step today: learn more about the course and add it to your professional development toolbox at the link below!