Trauma
Trauma is the inability of an individual or community to respond in a healthy way ( physically, and/or mentally) to acute or chronic stress. Trauma occurs when stress compromises the health and welfare of a person and his/her community.
ACE's - Adverse Childhood Experiences that may lead to Trauma Responses
ACE
Substance abuse in the home
Parental separation or divorce
Mental illness in the home
Witnessing domestic violence
suicidal household member
Death of a parent or another loved one
Parental incarceration
Experience of abuse( psychologically, physical, sexual) or neglect( emotional or physical)
Other
Criminal behaviour in a home
Terminal or chronic illness in a home
Bullying or victimisation
Natural disasters
Military deployment
Exposure to war
Homelessness
Big Idea -1
The compassionate Teacher: Self Awareness
Keep grounded in your core beliefs, your integrity and your life's mission.
When a child creates a tornado we can get sucked in too. Nothing good comes from an event were both adult and child are sucked in.
It's not about you. Students are driven by unmet needs. Stay focused on the student: what is your role? Who are you working for? What is about to drive your behaviour?
Be assertive in addressing inappropriate student conduct, however, avoid any controlling method that might resemble the behaviours of perpetrators of violence.
Provide unconditional positive regard in a safe and caring environment.
Maintain high expectations, reasonable limits, and consistent routines- leasing to stability and development.
Compassionate teachers observe their own and others responses and questions in a relevant way.
Provide opportunities for helpful participation - We all need to belong. Belonging gives an opportunity to be heard, to make choices, to have responsibilities, to engage in problem-solving.
Big Idea -2
The compassionate Teacher : Relationships
Strong relationships are the core of safe, predictable, trauma-sensitive learning environments.
Safety first - Know the student, Know yourself( know your triggers) Know what to expect.
Understand the child (History and reasons behind the behaviour)
Forget labels, Remember influence
What you can influence-
How you greet them, The attention you give the student before they begin to struggle, How you listen to the parent and hear their needs and concerns, The environment you provide and the willingness to look at the need versus behaviour of the student who behaves under stress.
Warnings and second chances are generally ineffective because they establish patterns of attachment are often not connected with wanting to please or establish relationships. Instead of warnings help the child comply with the request. eg - "I see you need help with that" and support them to engage appropriately.
Door and Windows : Sometimes there seem to be no win situation. Rember when doors are closed there is almost always a window.... find that window.
The intensity and challenging nature of the behaviour of traumatised children and young people can lead to unitary explanations being applied to their motivation and drives. This creates environments in which children and young people are more likely to be excluded from activities which can prove to be beneficial to them.
Strategies which promote adaptability in children are those which are able to maintain multiple meanings for behaviour and remain open to multiple options for intervention.
Clear, calm, simple instructions
Structure choices to Remain in Control ; Offering choices, any of which gets the job done, is a useful practice. Using them with humour and creativity also defuses the child's desire to fight.eg "Do you want to wear your coat or carry it to the playground"
Big Idea -3
The compassionate Teacher : Belief
Forever Changed....Not forever damaged. Childhood trauma is real, and significant for many students and it impacts them. Remind ourselves, other adults and children that we can and will persist, survive, continue and flourish, anyway`
It's OK to be not- OK. How can we give permission to be not - Ok And provide a safe place where the students can be 'where they are at?'
Big Idea -4
The compassionate Teacher : Live, Laugh,Love
Show grace- this involves showing or offering yourself and others forgiveness, a second chance or a free pass, even though they don't seem to have earned it. While the goal of consequences may be to shift the behaviour, sometimes offering grace may be more powerful. There are three potential benefits of showing grace:
Give the students a different way of seeing you
Fosters connection and a sense of safety
Receiving the gratitude of acknowledging we are all human and that this prevailed over the need to prove wrong.
Hand out cookies...... Reinforce the behaviour you want.......or put differently.... The behaviour you notice will increase. Additionally, self-acknowledgement is vital.
