As more research uncovers the harmful side effects of trauma, how it affects the developing brain and the student's academic and social development in the classroom, it is of our benefit to begin thinking how we can set our classroom up for success. How can we welcome students with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) into an environment that they can feel safe in? Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention read that "about 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs". From what the research tells us, students who have encountered adverse childhood experiences can have negative and debilitating side effects on their life, have a greater risk of developing health conditions later on in life and have less access to opportunities or overall well-being. However, just because a child has experienced trauma does not mean we need to assume their future regarding their physical and mental health. Also, we as educators, should not be giving the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and/or using that information to make potentially harmful assumptions about our students. As helpful as this study was to pave the way at understanding the effects of trauma on the developing brain, there are many other factors the study does not encompass (ex: length/duration of traumatic events, groups of people, experiences, etc.). We can create a trauma informed classroom or approach to classroom community without defining and measuring traumatic experiences for each of our students. How do we do that? How do we create a trauma informed classroom for our students that welcomes all learners and creates a safe environment for everyone?
As our classrooms become filled with more and more students encountering traumatic experiences beyond their control, we as educators have had to become more aware and ready to meet the diverse needs put in front of us. Often times, we are asked to meet these needs with little to no training, resources or supports.
As I reflect on my years of teaching and where I've come from, this list I'm about to present to you of trauma informed approaches in your classroom is something I have developed over time through the power of my students. As I referenced earlier, a trauma informed classroom really encompasses a safe environment. Who better to tell you what makes them feel safe than the students in your classroom? Too often we develop plans or environments for students as opposed to with students. I encourage you to ask them,
What do you need to feel safe in this classroom?
What helps you when you are feeling lots of emotions?
What can I say to you when you are feeling lots of emotions?
I have asked my students these question, done research and attempted many approaches. Here is my list of ways to create a trauma informed classroom:
Consistent/Predictable Routine: Do you feel your classroom is predictable? Do your students know exactly what is happening at each time or part of the day? The more predictable we can make the environment for our students, the more likely they are to engage in the predictable manner. What we often know is that many of our students with adverse childhood experiences live in a sense of unpredictability and inability to determine what may happen next. This creates a sense of chaos in their environment, bodies and brains. As they come to school, we need to recreate the idea that this environment is predictable and consistent. Students should expect to come to school and be made aware of their surroundings, what is to happen during the day and/or any changes that may come up.
So what can we do to support students who need this type of environment?
-Have a schedule up for students to reference.
-Make an announcements part of the board/wall for any changes that could affect student's daily schedule.
-Alert parents/caregivers/grown ups if an unforeseen schedule change may happen so they can talk to their child about it.
-Help students cope via social stories or classroom circles.
-Remind students schedule changes are temporary, when schedule changes are abrupt talk with your students and have them help you develop a way to be flexible so all needs are met.
Understand the Impact: One of the most important turning points in my life to becoming more trauma informed was understanding the impact trauma and adverse childhood experiences has on our students and their families. When you are constantly in a state of survival or the altered brain state of getting basic needs met, your brain is very unaware and unable to encompass or engage with new information in a school setting. Consider a time something traumatic happened in your life (trigger warning, please skip to the next paragraph if this begins to be too much). Someone passed away, you or a loved one became sick, there was a traumatic accident, financial issues, global pandemic, etc. Many times when life becomes stressful and we are stressed it is very hard for us to focus on other tasks at hand, put our full effort into the job and we can become easily tired, frustrated or constantly on edge. As adults we have learned to adjust and create self-taught coping skills to manage many of these emotions; however, we can't expect students who are constantly in a state of survival mode to be able to do that. If we can understand and create a sense of empathy, then we are more likely to understand the impact trauma has on our students. There are many books that explore the direct impact trauma has on the brain. If you are looking for a new read, here are my recommendations:
The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Dr. Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465094457/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d&tag=aiponsite-20&linkCode=ic6&ascsubtag=amzn1.ideas.3S0VIY36ABIL7
Eyes are Never Quiet by Lori Desautels and Michael McKnight: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948018411/?ref=idea_lv_dp_ov_d&tag=aiponsite-20&linkCode=ic6&ascsubtag=amzn1.ideas.3S0VIY36ABIL7
Validate/Acknowledge Feelings: One of the best ways we can create a safe environment and space for our students is letting them know their feelings are real and valid. I used to be guilty of allowing students to process or show their emotions only for me to respond with 'you're ok', 'you're fine', 'it could be worse', 'at least you are not (insert other scenario that could be worse)', etc. Ensure when you are responding to student's feelings that what you are saying will not minimize what they are feeling. If we want students to feel safe, we need to allow them to have an environment that showing and processing emotions is ok. They need to know someone will be there to validate those feelings they are having. Whether that person just listens, just knowing someone is there to help process their emotions. Here are phrases you can use when you need to validate a student's feelings:
-I hear what you are saying, and it sounds like you are angry about it. Am I right?
-How can I help you with these feelings?
-What can we do to make this better?
-Please help me to understand how you are feeling.
-I just saw (insert behavior), and I am wondering what happened and how you are feeling?
-I am listening to you.
Brain Building Mornings: When I began my teaching career, I developed morning work, fluency rings to read and intervention time as soon as students walked through the classroom door. Currently, we have 'brain building mornings' to get our brains ready for the day. As we process and empathize with much of what our students are going through in their external environments, I felt it was important that students walked into their school environment with a nurturing, brain-focused way that allows them to feel welcome and wanting to come to school each and every day. This slower start to our day with less academic focus and more social/emotional focus decreased morning behaviors and provided a bigger focus on meeting unmet needs to ensure students felt safe when they came to school. Also, how much more willing would you be to walk into school knowing your basic needs were going to be met? Here is what our brain building mornings consist of:
-Arrival to school
-Sensory bins and breakfast
-Social story time and check ins
-Morning meeting
-Story time and goal setting
You can read more about my Brain Building Mornings in this separate blog post that I wrote: https://theedqueentpt.wixsite.com/website/post/morning-routine
Build in Times for Regulation: As I spent more time in the classroom, I began to realize teaching students how to regulate was an acquired skill. However, for many of my students that takes time to teach and model. Many of us as adults are able to regulate. We can sense when our bodies are tired, agitated, nervous, angry and have developed self-taught coping strategies to regulate our bodies to manage our actions. Think about your self-taught coping strategies. What does your body need when you are feeling intense emotions? How did you develop these regulatory strategies? Often we have seen it be modeled and researched on what our body needs or have engaged in strategies via trail and error. One way to teach students to regulate is to build predictable, consistent times of regulation into their day. This looks like a 3-10 minute break (and it can be multiple times of the day) where students are not engaging in an academic demand but rather a 'brain break' or regulatory way to give their brain disengagement from the demands put on them. Currently, we have 4 brain breaks in our classroom that involve a variation of the following activities:
-Yoga video
-Mindful meditation led through a video
-Small, short films
-Time for creative outlets (coloring, drawing, tracing, etc.)
-How to draw video (many of these are on youtube)
-Breathing/stretching exercises led by the teacher
-Time to converse with classmates
-Classroom circle where we answer fun, engaging questions
-Sensory bins
-Play doh
-Listen to music
The picture below shows our sensory bins that we utilize on our built in regulation times. Students rotate through bins weekly. They independently grab their bins and are able to take a break from academics in a way that is still engaging.
Clear/Supportive Boundaries: I’ve found that providing clear, obtainable boundaries helps the students become successful in the classroom. Students who have often endured trauma can be triggered by a lack of clear boundaries or instructions in their environment. Clear supportive boundaries allow student's brains the time to not feel so stressed knowing the predictable amount of boundaries presented in the room. So how can we create supportive boundaries that are appropriate for our students? Do it together! Use a morning meeting time or regulatory time during the day to create a set of class rules. What is important to your students? What do they feel creates functional boundaries to help them be successful? Ensure all students contribute and/or agree on their boundaries they have set. We can also set procedures for when the boundaries are broken that affect the class and environment. We can discuss the disruption at morning meeting through validating feelings and restorative circles. Clear and supportive boundaries help to ensure all students have a place in ensuring their environment is encouraging for their needs and expectations.
Trust: Trust and follow through. One of the most important traits you can portray to your students is your ability to show that they can trust you. However, how can we show students they can trust us when they have come from environments of consistent breaking of trust from adults or caregivers they should be able to confide in the most? I always tell my students 'Mrs. P always does what she says' and ensure what I'm saying is truthful and I have the ability to be able to follow through with what I'm saying. Trust is build with time and patience. Our classroom needs to be built around the idea that this adult before me is different. This adult isn't like all the other adults in my life. I know I can trust this person. When we consistently show students that we follow through with what we say, set clear boundaries that students should engage in and create behavior plans with them that have predictable, natural consequences. To sum it up, show up each and everyday (unless you are sick or need a mental health day, then take a personal day). Create an environment where students can perceive a sense of trust in adults again.
Teach Social/Emotional Skills: Many students walk through our doors; we need to understand the impact trauma has on their brain. We realize that students who have endured traumatic events are now lacking the skill or developmental milestones. They have now developed skills gaps they otherwise would have attained if they had not endured the traumatic event(s). So just like any other reading, math or writing skill.. we teach it! Pick a skill to focus on that best fits the needs of your classroom. Do a weekly, biweekly or monthly skill focus! Introduce a skill or lesson and post it in the classroom to reference often. Create SEL coupons that you hand out when you see students engaging in the newly taught skill. Have students acknowledge when they see others engaging in the skill.
Co-Regulation: Two dysregulated people cannot regulate each other. When educators use harsh, abrasive ways to discipline with an unregulated brain we can imply more unnecessary damage and allow the student to furthermore believe the notion they cannot trust adults. We need to model for students the regulation we want to teach them. When students are yelling at us, we need to ensure our voice is not matching theirs. When students are utilizing their body against ours, we need to model safety through neutral body language. When I provide the exit strategy on a student (leave the room, building, safe space, etc.), I'm telling this student that I don't want them in my classroom. When I've taken away a child's recess, I've taken away the chance for them to regulate their brains and nervous system through physical activity. Before we begin to regulate others, we need to ensure we are regulated first. Take a deep breath, validate your emotions, count to 10, respond and don't react. Regulate before you dysregulate.
Relationships: "Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love" -Dr. Bruce Perry. Many times it is not the tangible things you create, implement or give to the child. Often times, creating a trauma informed classroom is more about what you are to this child. Do you feel you have a positive enough relationship to interact with this child in a way that is meaningful? Have you attempted to formulate a relationship that is based on trust? Just as Rita Pierson says, '...you don't learn from people you don't like'. This is 100% true about our students. Our students are more likely to learn from people they feel they can trust and feel safe with. A stressed brain is not able to learn. Relationships are the pillars of learning for our most troubled students. A student who has endured a traumatic event is just one supportive, positive relationship away from gaining resilience. What are you doing to build a healthy relationship with your students who need it the most? Here are some strategies I use in my classroom each and every day.
-2x10 strategy: Talk to the student for 10 days straight for 2 minutes about things of their interest.
-Ask questions: Each day ask a question to learn more about the student. If you could pick any food to eat everyday for the rest of your life, what would it be? What is your favorite part of the school day?
-1:1 Time: Look for ways you can spend one on one time with the student! Even if it's just for a brief period of time.
-Personal Stories: Share relevant personal information about your life to connect with your students. Show them your family, animals, events, etc.
-Enthusiasm: Show enthusiasm for your job and your classroom environment!
-Greet/Goodbye: Always ensure to greet each of your students in the morning and say goodbye before they leave.
-Follow up: When students mention things to you, follow up with them about it a few days later. This shows them you care about them and are invested in what they have to say.
-Listen: Always make time to listen to the things your students are saying.
As our students endure events beyond their control and emotional capacity and we as teachers encounter the never ending complexities of teaching, it's hard to comprehend the idea of adding one more thing to our plate. The journey of being trauma-informed is complex. A journey that involves creating healthy relationships and boundaries for our students to succeed. Teaching our students the ability to create strength, stability and nurturing connections that foster the idea of healing and developing resilience. We need to develop classrooms that accept and create safety for all types of learners regardless of the environmental factors that have impacted their lives. A trauma informed classroom is a way of education inclusive to all learners present.
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