After almost three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, you have likely heard the term trauma-informed teaching, or may have been familiar with these practices long before 2020. No matter the subject matter or location of your teaching assignment,

<p>After almost three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, you have likely heard the term trauma-informed teaching or may have been familiar with these practices long before 2020. And for good reason. We know that traumatic experiences can significantly impact students learning and behavior. No matter the subject or location of your teaching assignment, every educator can benefit from learning more about trauma-informed practices to improve learning outcomes for all students!</p><p>According to the National Education Association (NEA) “What neuropsychologists have found is that traumatic experiences can alter children's brains. In times of great stress, or trauma, the brain activates its deeply instinctive, “fight, flight, or freeze” responses, while dialing down the areas of the brain where learning, especially around language, takes place.” Understanding the neuroscience of traumatic experiences can help educators to better understand and reach students, where they’re at.</p><p>It’s also important to understand trauma as it relates to the student population you serve. According to understood.org, “Trauma is a physiological and psychological response to any deeply upsetting or threatening situation. These situations can range from child abuse or neglect to a serious car wreck. Ongoing adversity such as discrimination, bullying, poverty, or community violence can also cause trauma. Most kids will recover from a traumatic event after a few weeks or months. But repeated trauma or chronic adversity can put the brain on high alert, looking for the next threat. This is called hypervigilance. It can cause kids to overreact to seemingly neutral events, like a teacher asking them to turn in an assignment.”</p><p>It’s important to keep in mind that all children respond to trauma differently. The pandemic is one such example, which has shown that all students respond differently. It is also imperative to note that students who have experienced trauma may be more likely to be referred to special education and that according to <a href="https://www.crosscountryeducation.com/sites/default/files/resources/is_it_adhd_or_child_traumatic_stress.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The National Child Traumatic Stress Network</a> trauma can often be misdiagnosed as ADHD due to the overlap of symptoms. Symptoms such as hyperactivity, restlessness, low executive functioning skills, and difficulty focusing can be indicative of either trauma or ADHD. Students exhibiting these symptoms should always be referred to evaluation to identify the underlying issue by an evaluator well-versed in trauma and learning disabilities.</p><p>So what can educators do to be a calming and safe space for students experiencing trauma? First, it’s important to note what not to do - which includes punishing the student for a medical disorder. <a href="https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-trauma-changing-childrens-brains" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">According to the NEA,</a> “Out-of-school suspensions are an inappropriate response and likely feed the school-to-prison pipeline.”</p><p>Trauma-informed educators can provide a safe space for students in the classroom by creating a calm environment. Use these strategies to guide you:</p><h4>Have flexible seating, like beanbag chairs or pillows.</h4><p>This gives students a comfortable place to relax and calm down.</p><h4>Keep the learning environment clean and uncluttered, with cool colors on the walls.</h4><p>This helps create a calming feeling for hyper-aroused children.</p><h4>Use teaching strategies and routines that are predictable:</h4><ul><li>a) Have clear agendas/visual schedules of activities posted and give advance warning for changes to the schedule.</li><li>b) Check for understanding directions that have been given; explain procedures using words and visuals, especially complex tasks.</li><li>c) Use visual timers that students can see to set goals and monitor activities.</li><li>d) Allow movement breaks during and between activities.</li><li>e) Greet students at the door each morning.</li><li>f) Build relationships with students by checking in with them, remembering their interests, and asking them questions about those interests.</li><li style="text-indent: 1em;">(i) Use the "two by ten" rule; talk to the designated student for two minutes a day for 10 days in a row about topics unrelated to academics or behavior.</li><li>g) Provide students with predictable attention</li><li style="text-indent: 1em;">(i) Respond to student behavior consistently</li><li style="text-indent: 1em;">(ii) Tell students when you will answer questions</li></ul><h4>Incorporate mindfulness practices:</h4><ul><li>a) Four-corner breathing involves inhaling deeply and exhaling deeply four times. Students can complete this breathing exercise by standing up and taking one inhale and exhale breath while facing each of the four corners in a room.</li></ul><h4>Use culturally responsive teaching strategies and make sure not to exacerbate the traumatic experiences students may have had.</h4><h4>Teach students to “change the channel”:</h4><ul><li>a) Frequent breaks are a common IEP accommodation, but this can also become a time for students to ruminate on stressors and negative thoughts.</li><li>b) Provide students with cognitive distractors or thought breaks such as “find the picture” for younger students, or activities like Mad Libs or trivia for older students.</li></ul><h4>Connect with the mental health professionals at your school to discuss how they can connect students and families with assistance!</h4><h5>Citations:</h5><ol><li>Flannery, M. E. (2016, May 17). How Trauma is Changing Children’s Brains. National Education Association. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from <a href="https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-trauma-changing-childrens-brains#:~:text=What%20neuropsychologists%20have%20found%20is,especially%20around%20language%2C%20takes%20place" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-trauma-changing-childrens-brains#:~:text=What%20neuropsychologists%20have%20found%20is,especially%20around%20language%2C%20takes%20place.</a></li><li>Kaufman, T., &amp; Schultz, J. (n.d.). What is trauma-informed teaching? Understood.org. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from <a href="https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-trauma-informed-teaching?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_term=trauma+informed+teaching&amp;utm_campaign=EN_GSC_EDU_Trauma_Informed_Teaching_NB&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HBbRyOAnf5j5kr79JxQZe3VjAnKzLc0T65MBYVfO5cVsSwMOkFTpigaAmlNEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-trauma-informed-teaching?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_term=trauma+informed+teaching&amp;utm_campaign=EN_GSC_EDU_Trauma_Informed_Teaching_NB&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA_P6dBhD1ARIsAAGI7HBbRyOAnf5j5kr79JxQZe3VjAnKzLc0T65MBYVfO5cVsSwMOkFTpigaAmlNEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds </a></li><li>Minahan, J. (2019, October 1). Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from <a href="https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/trauma-informed-teaching-strategies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/trauma-informed-teaching-strategies</a></li></ol><p>Learning for Justice Staff (2020, March 23). A Trauma-informed Approach to Teaching Through Coronavirus. Learning For Justice. Retrieved January 13, 2023, from <a href="https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/a-trauma-informed-approach-to-teaching-through-coronavirus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/a-trauma-informed-approach-to-teaching-through-coronavirus</a></p>

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