Building TRAUMA SENSITIVE Schools

Your Guide to Creating Safe, Supportive Learning Environments for All Students

Contents

• About the Online Materials vii
• About the Author ix
• Foreword x
• Acknowledgments xii
• Introduction xiii

1 UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA

• 1 Trauma and Its Effects 3
• What Is Trauma? 4
• Trauma Defined 5
• Prevalence of Childhood Trauma 6
• The Effects of Trauma on the Body 8

2 The Role of Attachment in Development

• Healthy Attachment 25
• Attachment Issues 30
• Attachment-Trauma 34

3 Trauma’s Impact on Youth at School

• Faces of Trauma in the Classroom 42
• The Effects of Developmental Trauma at School 44
• Triggers in the Classroom 51
• Common Approaches to Trauma in the Classroom 56

II BUILDING TRAUMA-SENSITIVE SCHOOLS

• 4 The Trauma-Sensitive School Framework 63
  • What Is a Trauma-Sensitive School? 65
  • Trauma-Informed Response to Intervention 70
  • Trauma-Sensitive Educators 74
• 5 Paradigm Shifts 81
  • What Happened to You? Versus What’s Wrong With You? 82
  • Can’ts Versus Won’ts 85
  • Needing Attention Versus Seeking Attention 89
  • Time-In Versus Time-Out 90
  • And Versus Or 91
• 6 Essentials of Trauma-Sensitive Schools 95
  • Essential 1: To Help Students Feel Safe 98
  • Essential 2: To Help Students Be Connected 99
  • Essential 3: To Help Students Get Regulated 102
  • Essential 4: To Help Students Learn 104
  • The Four Essentials in Action 109

III IMPLEMENTING TRAUMA-SENSITIVE STRATEGIES

• 9 The PACE Approach to Working With Traumatized Students 173
  • Follow, Lead, Follow 175
  • Playfulness 176
  • Acceptance 179
  • Curiosity 184
  • Empathy 187
• 10 Trauma-Sensitive Discipline Practices 197
  • Restorative Discipline Practices 199
  • Trauma-Sensitive Consequences 205
  • Ending on a Positive Note 215
• 11 Self-Care for Educators 217
  • Job-Related Stress 221
  • Final Lifeguarding Lessons 224
  • Self-Care Plans 225
  • In Closing 229

About the Author

Jen Alexander believes that we can make a positive difference with kids, one relationship at a time, which is why she is a passionate leader in the movement to build trauma-sensitive schools. Jen loves helping others help kids and has done so in schools, as a volunteer for the Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN), and when facilitating her own trainings for educators.

Introduction

During a visit, as we played together on the floor, she said, “Sometimes I wish that you could be my mom.”

“Well, kiddo, the truth is, I do get to be your mom when you’re ready for that.”

“I’m ready! I’m ready now!”

Learning how to help traumatized children as both an educator and a mom has been a bit like a trek down the rabbit hole in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Carroll, 1865). It is a process calling for personal introspection, heartfelt worry, and, at times, downright fear. Most importantly, it demands profound hope. Experts say that the most shattering of traumas happen within relationships, and thus it is only within relationships that any healing can occur.

PEPPER'S STORY

Chapter 1 introduces you to Pepper. Her story is woven into the entirety of this book. Although fictional, she is like one of many traumatized students in every school district across the country. Educators pour their hearts and souls into children like Pepper each year. Teachers do everything they can and more to connect with and teach students like her.

WHAT IS YOUR WHY?

If this sounds like a big responsibility, that is because it is. The goal is to help each and every educator better understand the needs of students like Pepper in order to build trauma-sensitive schools. Why is this so important? This movement is about sparking awareness in teachers that brings hope for kids.

TRY THIS

Think and talk about your personal why for working as an educator. On a blank piece of paper, write, draw, or find another creative way to express your personal why.

ONE STEP AT A TIME

In the chapters that follow, the effects of trauma, neglect, and caregiver absence or abandonment on children’s brains, as well as emotional, social, cognitive, and moral development, are explored. Information regarding trauma-informed and attachment-focused practices is explained.

All suggestions for building trauma-sensitive school environments outlined in the following chapters align with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA; 2015) recommendations regarding trauma-informed care.

SAMHSA states:

• Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand potential paths for recovery.
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system.
• Respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices.
• Seek to actively resist retraumatization.

Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.