Trauma in the Classroom

“Looking at Student Behavior Through a Different Lens”

Sherry Franklin, LMSWSchool Social WorkerTrainer – National Institute for Resiliency and WellnessMecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District

Sources include:Micsak, John, MA, LLPC, CTC, National Institute for Resiliency and WellnessVaughn, Sandy, LCSW, PPCI, Prezi Ame Edstrom, Eagle Village, Power PointDr. Ormand Hook, MOISD, Power PointSouthwest Michigan Children’s Trauma Assessment Center, Kalamazoo, MIPerry, Dr. Bruce and Szalavitz, Maia, The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook--What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing

Learning Objectives1. Gain a basic understanding of

trauma and how it impacts:1. Brain Development2. Behavior3. Learning

2. Recognize and respond to symptoms of trauma

3. Learn what you can do to support and connect with challenging students with a history of trauma.

Our Kids and Families: Some Statistics

Osceola County

12% Unemployment Rate32% Food Assistance94% Health Insurance14% Special Education29% Living in Poverty20% Not Graduating on Time27% Confirmed Child Victims of Abuse or Neglect

Kids Count in MichiganMichigan League for Public Policy2010-2011 school year

Mecosta County

11% Unemployment Rate31% Food Assistance93% Health Insurance19% Special Education29% Living in Poverty31% Not Graduating on Time33% Confirmed Child Victims of Abuse or Neglect

Define “Trauma”

“Symptoms that can result from an event or series of events that pose a threat, or a perceived threat of death, serious injury, or violations to the physical safety of the self or others.”

(APA, 2000)

Types of Childhood Trauma:

Child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect.)

Poverty Victim/ Witness of Violence Domestic/Community

Violence Accidents/Disasters Traumatic Loss Immigration War/Terrorism Medical Procedures

Trauma During Childhood Leads to:Negative Beliefs

“The world is unsafe”

“People can’t be trusted”

“It’s my fault… I am bad.”

Piled Up Feelings

PowerlessHopeless

GuiltAngerFear

ConfusionWorthlessness

UnlovableSadness

WHY?

Let’s look at student behavior through a

different lens.

The Brain Research:

Survival BrainFight, Flight, FreezeArousal, Heartbeat, RespirationSleeping & Eating statesReactiveEmotional BrainAffect RegulationEmpathyAffiliation and ConnectionToleranceThinking BrainAbstract ReasoningProblem SolvingCreativityRespectCause and Effect ThinkingAnticipate Consequences

Emotional Brain (Limbic System)

Response to exposure to acute stress?1. Threat!!2. Emotional brain’s ‘alarm’ is activated/chemicals released3. Turns on sympathetic nervous system 4. Body is mobilized for “fight/flight”5. Activity in Thinking Brain (cerebral cortex) is suppressed6. Once threat is over – homeostasis/regulation

What if the exposure to traumatic stress is chronic/prolonged ?7. Chronic threats/stressors!!8. Ongoing physiological arousal in child’s fragile and undeveloped regulatory system9. The threat never ceases – homeostasis/regulation is never achieved10. Physically altered biological/neural system…the brain is physically and permanently changed11. Persistent “fight/flight/freeze” states can wear down the body12. Hyper vigilance state is persistent and always turn on

Humans are engineered to handle acute stress,

NOT chronic stress.

The Survival Brain Hijacks theThinking Brain

At School We Might Describe the Behavior We Observe Traumatized Students to Display as:

Zoned OutDisinterestedUnmotivatedWithdrawnGiving Up EasilyDisplaying a “Who Cares?” Attitude

Learning Disabled/DelayedTruantUnable to Stay in ClassPerfectionistsExcessively Compliant

Or as:HyperactiveImpulsiveActing outRisk takingOff taskDistractingDefiantAggressiveExplosiveOver reacting

Click icon to add picture

Common Adult Misperceptions:

Students don’t care

Students choose to be rude, disinterested, ‘bad’, bullies, unmotivated, lazy

Students’ disruptive behaviors erupt out of nowhere

Looking through a different lens, instead, we might describe the student as:

Having a physically altered brain chemistry

Exhibiting persistent fear response(Fight/Flight/Freeze)Existing day to day in survival modeAlways hyper-vigilantIn a continued state of arousal

Chronic trauma (abuse/poverty) physically/chemically “derails” functional brain development!

The brain is conditioned to interpret the world as threatening

The brain is in a chronic state of activation and scanning for danger

(triggered)The brain is hypersensitive and always

set on “alarm”The learning brain is used less frequently, resulting in delays in

learning, motor skills, social skills, etc.

WHAT OUR BRAINS MAY PERCEIVE…

Mack Amy B., LMSW and Wheatley, Denise, MA; Through a Child’s Eyes: The Impact of Traumatic Experiences, July 14, 2010

A TRAUMATIZED BRAIN PERCEIVES…

Mack Amy B., LMSW and Wheatley, Denise, MA; Through a Child’s Eyes: The Impact of Traumatic Experiences, July 14, 2010

WHAT CAN WE DO?

CONNECT!

Research Based, Data Driven, Clinical Studies Have Shown Repeatedly that Traumatized

Students Need: Respect

Information Connection

Hope Empathy

Relationships lessen the effects of brain chemicals which cause the arousal and fear

response.

Collaborative Problem Solving With Student

(such as Love and Logic)

Step 1 Empathic questioning and listening to elicit responses and to understand the student’s concerns.

Use open-ended questions, build rapport

“I’ve noticed you’ve been coming to class with a frown on your face.

What’s up?”

Collaborative Problem Solving

Such as Love and Logic

Step 2Define the problem

Working as a team with the student, what is the concern? Check for understanding.

“So you’re having a hard time reading in front of the class?”

(keeping your hands to yourself, etc.)

AT SCHOOL, WHEN A STUDENT IS TRIGGERED...

1. “Fight or flight” kicks in – there are no choices being made

2. Survival brain is in total control3. Thinking brain is off-line – It’s been Hijacked4. Attempts to reason or to give consequences are

usually futile, and often exacerbate the situation5. Brain energy is always being used to regulate

emotional and physical responses, depleting any energy available for cognitive engagement

TRIGGERSCommon Triggers that Dysregulate the Traumatized Brain:Unplanned changes or unpredictabilityTransitionsLoss of controlFeeling vulnerable, singled outLonelinessSensory overloadConfrontationPraise, intimacy, and positive attentionKinniburgh and Blaustein, 2005

Our body language…Many kids who have experienced trauma have

brains that react strongly to non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, body language, and facial expression

When approaching a triggered child take a deep breath and do a scan of your body.

Give the student physical space…3 feet.Know your own physical reactions when you get

angry. Does your voice become louder? Do you clench your jaw? Gesture?

Approaching a traumatized child with neutral body language will help her/him hear what you are saying instead of focusing on what your body language might mean.

When a student is triggered…

Do Don’t Work with the student, help re-

establish a feeling of safety and control

Use a calm and caring voice Use slow speech Speak more softly than the

student Use slow, neutral body

language Use empathetic communication

(What do you need to help you calm down?” “I can see you’re upset. I wonder if this makes you feel…?)

Make demands the student can’t meet (“Stop crying! Sit down! Just focus!”)

Use embarrassment or shame

Take it personallyMake the mistake of

thinking that when a student is triggered it is a good time for reasoning or for disciplining.

AVOID TRIGGERS BY PROVIDING CLASSROOM STRUCTURE

Predictable school and classroom routinesConsistencyExplicit preparation for transitions and changesAssume nothing! Always check for

understandingVisual schedulesUncluttered classroom appearanceEase transitions using grounding and breathing

exercises, stretching, etc.

AFTER THE STUDENT HAS CALMED DOWN…FIX IT

Invite the student to meet with you in a quiet space to problem solve collaboratively.

Help her/him to identify the trigger which precipitated the reaction

Teach your class specific coping skills: calm down breathing, requesting help,

disengaging from stimuli, etc.

There is HOPE for the Thinking Brain!!

A child’s brain is still developing and positive emotional states

produce neurological activity which can rewire the developing brain and increase it’s capacity for :

AttentionMemoryLearning

Wrapping Up…Trauma impacts your students

Trauma causes measurable physical changes in the brain

We are the key. Let’s look at student behavior

through a different lens.

Let’s look through theTrauma Lens.