# Building TRAUMA

## SENSITIVE Schools

### JEN ALEXANDER

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

---

The information provided in this book is in no way meant to substitute for a medical or mental health practitioner’s advice or expert opinion. Readers should consult a health or mental health professional if they are interested in more information. This book is sold without warranties of any kind, express or implied, and the publisher and authors disclaim any liability, loss, or damage caused by the contents of this book.

Purchasers of *Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools* are granted permission to download, print, and photocopy the forms and worksheets in the text for educational purposes. The forms and worksheets may not be reproduced to generate revenue for any program or individual. Photocopies may only be made from an original book. Unauthorized use beyond this privilege may be prosecutable under federal law.

## Contents

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

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

2. The Role of Attachment in Development 23  
   1. Healthy Attachment 25  
   2. Attachment Issues 30  
   3. Attachment-Trauma 34

3. Trauma’s Impact on Youth at School 41  
   1. Faces of Trauma in the Classroom 42  
   2. The Effects of Developmental Trauma at School 44  
   3. Triggers in the Classroom 51  
   4. Common Approaches to Trauma in the Classroom 56

---

## BUILDING TRAUMA-SENSITIVE SCHOOLS

4. **The Trauma-Sensitive School Framework** .....63  
   1. What Is a Trauma-Sensitive School? .....65  
   2. Trauma-Informed Response to Intervention .....70  
   3. Trauma-Sensitive Educators .....74

5. **Paradigm Shifts** .....81  
   1. What Happened to You? Versus What’s Wrong With You? .....82  
   2. Can’ts Versus Won’ts .....85  
   3. Needing Attention Versus Seeking Attention .....89  
   4. Time-In Versus Time-Out .....90  
   5. And Versus Or .....91

6. **Essentials of Trauma-Sensitive Schools** .....95  
   1. Essential 1: To Help Students Feel Safe .....98  
   2. Essential 2: To Help Students Be Connected .....99  
   3. Essential 3: To Help Students Get Regulated .....102  
   4. Essential 4: To Help Students Learn .....104  
   5. The Four Essentials in Action .....109

## 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. Most know Jen as Ms. Jen.

This book includes the knowledge she has learned from transformative relationships, especially one profoundly powerful relationship with her daughter, who experienced years of early life trauma before moving in with her at age six.

## Introduction

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

The goal is to help each and every educator better understand the needs of students like Pepper in order to build trauma-sensitive schools. This movement is about sparking awareness in teachers that brings hope for kids. It is crucial to create or rekindle hope for educators.

## TRY THIS

Consider these questions as a place to start:
- Why did you go into the field of education in the first place?  
- Why have you stayed?  
- What might help you connect with and/or rekindle your hope and passion for meeting individual student needs?

Building schools that meet the needs of traumatized students like Pepper will be a challenge. This book can serve as a framework that embraces and begins the process of designing trauma-informed schools.