Situations That Cause Traumatic Stress In Students
Neglect (Brianna R):
Symptom: Acting Out. Looks like: interrupting teacher or other students. Screaming/ yelling indoors. Possibly violent towards self or others. Response: Positive reenforcement for good behaviour as much as possible. Extra one-on-one time with teacher to form a stronger connection. Redirecting to classroom "peace corner" or calm space until child is ready to rejoin the group.
Symptom: Stealing. Response: Going over classroom agreements. Connecting with the student to see if what/why they are stealing is because they are seriously lacking something essential in their lives (food, school supplies, toys at home etc) and finding ways to make sure their needs are met.
Symptom: Avoidance of certain activities (ex: coming to school, riding the bus etc) Response: Offer consistency and routine throughout the day so the students knows what to expect, what will happen when they return to school etc. Having the avoidant student buddy up with a friend they trust for activities they don't want to do will help show them that these activities are a part of the day and they are safe when they are with their friends from school.
Link to resource with different signs, symptoms and responses to different kinds of abuse: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/child-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20370864
Traumatic grief (Michael)
Refugee students (Nicole)
Physical, emotional or sexual abuse (Gamze)
Symptoms
Response Strategies
sad, withdrawn mood
feeling jittery, “on edge” or “on guard”
difficulty concentrating
Trouble forming relationships with teachers and peers
Poor self-regulation
Building positive relationships:It is important to make these students feel safe and trusting where possible, so they learn to develop social intelligence and seek out positive bonds with others.
Positive physical space: creating an open, warm, and relaxing environment can be used to build positive emotions. Consider how your furniture is laid out, bring plants, increase natural light, bring plants, create a mindfulness corner with squeeze toys, coloring books, etc.
Positive priming: Fostering positive emotions such through different ways; greeting them at the door with a special shake, turning transition routines into silent games, providing brain breaks to build calm emotions.
Using character strengths: Helping students identify their character strengths by including surveys, performing arts, drama, sports.
Building resilience: Helping students build resilience through role play, literature, poetry and songs.
Self Regulation: teaching students about their own stress-response with strategies to help them identify their own ability to self-regulate and readiness for learning.
Teaching de-escalation strategies: A teacher can make proactive steps towards de-escalation by creating a calm, routine, and predictable environment; consistently monitoring and identifying aroused stress states; and implementing interventions to maintain optimal states (Brunzell et al., 2015).
Dislike physical contact
Wear clothing that covers the body and that may be inappropriate in warmer months
children drawing unusual pictures involving children with no mouths or hands or explicit drawings of genitalia or sexual acts.
Any form of education for refugees gives them hope and a feeling things are getting better.
anxiety
Symptoms Wonderful video on some realities for children
Depression
Sleep disorders
PTSD
Visuals images-feelings of fear and helplessness
Lack of concentration
easily agitated
Somatic disorders such as extreme headaches and painful stomach pain.
Loss of interest in any form of pleasure..... example: laughter
Ensuring that the space is comfortable for the student.
Use an holistic age assessment policy
Respect their experiences and allow them to feel supported and loved. Do not them think actions are done out of pity.
Breaking down any barriers that are present
Mindfulness activities to help with agitation
Art and music should be a constant during lessons. The arts have been proven to help refugees who suffer from PTSD and anxiety. [Music helps refugee students)]
Routines believe it or not refugee students yearn for routine because everything they knew has been ripped from them. Giving them a routine allows them to feel that their life is getting back on track and their is a sense of their past which they miss. In most cases refugee students are hungry to learn and want the routine in order to excel.
Because of the years of uncertainty many of these children face going off a routine can send them into an emotional tailspin.
In these types of situations the child is no the only one who is traumatized. The whole family is to. As a teacher communication and showing compassion often motivates the parents and child. It also gives them hope for a better future if they lost it. Many refugees feel the world has forgotten about them. Be that teacher that proves them wrong.
If there is a language barrier always make efforts via translator or use any of the amazing applications for language translation. language is not a barrier unless we allow it to be. Smiles and body language can convey love along with some effort via technology.
Feeling lost and alone
Response
References
Cohen, J. A., & Mannarino, A. P. (2011). Supporting children with traumatic grief: What educators need to know. School Psychology Internationa, 32(2), 117-131. doi:DOI: 10.1177/0143034311400827
Children experiencing traumatic bereavement can recover with appropriate help and support. Educators can support children who are receiving treatment for traumatic grief by helping them to implement resilience-building stress management
skills in school settings.
Teachers, school psychologists, guidance counselors, and other educational professionals can implement and support relaxation, affective and cognitive coping skills in school settings. It is critically important to work as a team, in close collaboration with the child, child’s parent, school psychologist, and community-based therapist. This will assure that school personnel are providing interventions that coincide with what therapists and parents are providing in therapy and home, respectively, rather than confusing children with potentially contradictory strategies or messages.
NCTSN. (n.d.). Childhood Traumatic Grief: Information for School Personnel Teaching Military Children. Retrieved December 05, 2020, from https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/childhood_traumatic_grief_information_for_school_personnel_teaching_military_children.pdf
Symptoms
Increased arousal such as irritability, anger, trouble sleeping, decreased concentration, dropping grades, increased vigilance, and fears about safety of oneself or others; self-destructive or risk-taking behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, suicidality)
Negative mood or beliefs related to the traumatic death such as anger, guilt, shame, self-blame, loss of trust, believing the world is unsafe
Avoidance reactions such as withdrawal; acting as if not upset about the death; or avoiding reminders of the person, the way the person died, places or things related to the person, or events that led to the death
Physical or physiological distress such as headaches, stomachaches, symptoms mimicking the way the deceased died, jumpiness, trouble concentrating
Intrusive reactions such as upsetting thoughts, images, nightmares, memories, or play about the frightening way the person died
Lack of resilience (Brad)
Context: A few years ago I was a 1:1 teacher for a teenage boy, P, suffering from the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome - brain damage, stunted growth and gross / fine motor skill deficits. Sadly, it is not unusual for underlying health issues to be compounded by abuse (https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/6/e1504), in this case physical and emotional neglect - being repeatedly shut inside a dark room while a toddler. He was adopted out at age 5. Not surprisingly, he had a long and complex IEP.
Triggers: While 'shepherded' by me, he was often able to control his emotions and reactions - however he was perpetually overloaded (similar to some on the autistic spectrum) and any academic, physical or emotional hurdle could trigger a meltdown. These usually involved P screaming loudly and either running away (out of the room / building / school) or throwing himself on the floor. Violence towards others was another, although seldom, response.
Responses: While witnessing a teenager having a meltdown can be confronting (and threatening) for many, there are some techniques - borrowed from the autism literature - that helped P (to keep him and others safe). When able, we went to his 'safe space' (designated room); gave him space; kept instructions / directions simple, KEPT CALM.
Prevention: Put simply, a large part of my work with P was to anticipate and avoid / minimise potential triggers. It is not always possible, or even desirable, to completely avoid triggers, they are part of life - so we worked on (together with the MS counsellor) promoting resilience strategies.
Complex Trauma (Jess E-R)
Teacher Response
Effects
References: Introduction to Trauma-Responsive Educational Practices (TREP) Training at Bulls College Prep. August 31, 2020
Link to Resources on Complex Trauma: https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects
Attachment and Relationships
Physical Health: Body and Brain
Emotional Responses
Dissociation
Behavior
Cognition: Thinking and Learning
Self-Concept and Future Orientation
Long-Term Health Consequences
Economic Impact
Realize : Brain science, Intersections of Inequality and Trauma, Assumptions and Biases
Recognize : Signs and symptoms of trauma,
Student dysregulation, behavior is communication
Respond (with)
Resists: Re-traumatization of trauma-impacted students by decreasing the occurrences of triggers
Teacher self-regulation
Strengths-based approaches
Routines and rituals
Behavior guidance
Maintaining student engagement
Skill building of student self-regulation
Resilience: One of the main approaches to helping build resilience is talking about and modelling it. While I did not use the term, in essence it is about having a growth mindset and to help P develop, at least some, emotional awareness and self-regulation. Some good resources can be found here: https://schools.au.reachout.com/resilience
Exposure to Domestic Violence (Kate)
Symptoms
Teacher Response Strategies
References
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Domestic Violence and Children
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Office on Women's Health
Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2009). The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25(1), 53-63. doi:10.1007/s10896-009-9269-9
Increased Anxiety
Depression
Difficulty making friends and maintaining friendships.
Drug and alcohol abuse in adolescence.
Physical/ Somatic complaints such as headaches, sleep disturbance, and gastrointestinal issues.
Aggression and "Acting Out" such as arguing with teachers, defiance, and bullying.
Skipping school and increased absenteeism.
Engaging in high-risk behaviors such as unprotected sex, and drug use.
Create and maintain a classroom environment that is supportive, safe, and consistent. Children and adolescents who are living with unpredictable violence in the home will be better able to learn and begin to build resiliency if their school environment aims to provide the consistency and warmth they are not experiencing at home.
Listen to and validate the child’s physical and emotional needs and concerns. This is part of the child re-learning how to have a healthy and trusting relationship with an adult.
Encourage and proactively teach children and adolescents to express their emotions in a positive way. When a student is acting out in class, it is important for the adults in the room to express an understanding of the student’s frustration, while emphasizing that aggressive language and behavior are not acceptable in the classroom.
Provide opportunities for adolescents to set goals for their future. This creates a sense of hope for a life beyond their current situation, and encourages resiliency.
Community Violence -Steve Wood
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Poverty, High Unemployment, Gender & economic inequality, Weak economic safety nets
Illegal local drug trade, High crime levels, Inadequate victim support and cultural norms that support violence
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Build relationships with students https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oqpl1blEc0aFzvBEgeBJJzO3q8DUguDWeTgPfcAilWg/edit?usp=sharing
Creative a safe environment in the classroom
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References: (Bachelor, S. A., Armstrong, S., & McLellan, D. (2019). Taking stock of violence in Scotland. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/196440/7/196440.pdf), Community Violence (Peterson, S. (2018, March 23). Effects. Retrieved December 07, 2020, from https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/community-violence/effects)
Bullying
By: Laura Bonney
Symtoms/warning signs
Unexplainable injuries
Bullying deals with unsolicited and intentional actions done by one person towards another to inflict emotional, social, and/or physical pain on someone else. This could be done in person or online (Peterson, 2020).
Lost or destroyed personal posessions
Feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, skipping meals, binge-eating, or student leaves school hungry because they did not eat lunch
Declining grades, lost of interest in school, frequent absences
Noticing the student is avoiding social situations, or a sudden loss of friends
Self-harm, talking about suicide
Household Substance Abuse (Will J)
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Response strategies
Make sure that students know how to report bullying
behavior and that support is well publicized (National Children's Bureau).
Resources
Peterson, S. (2020, July 14). Bullying. Retrieved Fall, from https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/bullying
National Children's Bureau. (n.d.). Responding to bullying: Tips for teachers. Retrieved from https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/sites/default/files/field/attachment/responding-to-bullying-tips-for-teachers.pdf.
Keep a record of what has taken place and action taken (National Children's Bureau).
Courtney, P., Flynn, A., Henry, B., James, D., & Lawlor, D. (2002). Investigating and resolving bullying in school: Further steps for teachers. Drogheda, Co. Louth: Cool School Programme. doi:https://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Cool%20School%20Program.pdf
Burger, C., Strohmeier, D., Spröber, N., Bauman, S., & Rigby, K. (2015, September 03). How teachers respond to school bullying: An examination of self-reported intervention strategy use, moderator effects, and concurrent use of multiple strategies. Retrieved Fall, from https://arizona.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/how-teachers-respond-to-school-bullying-an-examination-of-self-re
about 1 in 8 children live in households with at least one parent who has had a substance use disorder.
About 1 in 10 children lived in households with at least one parent with alcohol use disorder.
About 1 in 35 children (2.1 million) lived in households with at least one parent with an illicit drug use disorder.
Substance abuse disorders are defined by the frequent use of alcohol or other drugs that make the user intoxicated.
Citations
Lipari, R.N. and Van Horn, S.L. Children living with parents who have a substance use disorder. The CBHSQ Report: August 24, 2017. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, MD.
Altobelli, C. and Payne, C. (2014) Noticing the hidden harm. BACP children and young people, March: 4-8.
Bogg, D. (2013) Parental substance use: the challenge for social work. Families upfront, 9: 18-19.
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Parents who misuse substances may not:
Be capable of organizing a household and looking after children's basic needs.
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paying for utilities or even basic goods like food and clothing.
keeping dangerous items such as needles and weapons out of reach from children.
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less responsive to their babies
less willing to engage with or parent their children
More likely to be physically abusive
ACE's Centred on Society : Poverty, Racism, Heterosexism, Transphobia
Symptoms of Community Violence:
PTSD in form of loss of short term memory and inability to concentrate on tasks,
heightened sensory experience associated with long term memory,
suicidal ideation,
nervousness and insecurity,
propensity to carry weapons,
propensity to abuse drugs and alcohol,
propensity to aggressive behaviour in response to adversity
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Look beyond behaviour - maintain a Positivist (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oqpl1blEc0aFzvBEgeBJJzO3q8DUguDWeTgPfcAilWg/edit?usp=sharing) view.
The terminology of ACE was first utilized over 20 years ago, and there is now an understanding that society can add to Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Teachers could privately ask students if someone is troubling them at school, or do daily private check ups with students who may be victims but make sure it is discrete as to not attract attention from other students.(Courtney, Flynn, Henry, James, & Lawlor, 2002).
Investigate reported situations of bullying. The teacher should not let situations "slide" and should quickly respond when these situations are reported or discovered. (Courtney, Flynn, Henry, James, & Lawlor, 2002).
Another way could be teachers keeping open communication about student behaviors and patterns that occur, as well as if a teacher is noticing a pattern, the teacher could connect with parents to find out further the student's behavior as well as inform the parents what has been going on in school (Courtney, Flynn, Henry, James, & Lawlor, 2002).
The teacher should be aware and observant of the social structures of the class, as well as, how students collaborate with each other and how students interact with each other in order to note possible levels of tension or specific behavior students have towards each other. (Courtney, Flynn, Henry, James, & Lawlor, 2002).
School environments can be traumatizing and re-traumatize students, despite individual efforts.
Schools must consider systemic racism, heterosexism and transphobia in their curriculum, classroom material, policies and code of conduct
NHS, Health Education of England, "Young Minds, Addressing Childhood Adversity and Trauma"
https://youngminds.org.uk/media/2931/addressing-adversity-infographic-poster-a3-final.pdf
REFERENCES
Gaffney, Carrie, When Schools Cause Trauma https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/summer-2019/when-schools-cause-trauma (Accessed December 6, 2020)
National Traumatic Stress Network, Schools Committee. (2017). Creating, supporting and sustaining trauma-informed schools: A system framework. Los Angeles, CA and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.
Curriculum, texts and assignments must be carefully chosen. Misrepresenting current/ongoing injustices as historic creates a culture of erasure and can re-traumatize.
There was a controversial assignment that made the news in Canada recently about an assignment asking students to list 5 positive stories/facts about residential schools. (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/residential-school-homework-assignment-1.5816491)
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Schools and teachers need to teach and use inclusive language and respect identity (pronouns) and comfort level of students. This would also include learning student's names and how to pronounce them.
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Schools need to provide spaces and systems that make day to day activities more comfortable and normal - for example having non-gendered bathrooms and using non-gendered language or having easy ways to ensure students have the materials they need for classes and activities despite cost.
Teachers should be choosing materials where their students are represented in texts and resources consistently so that their is room for diversity of experience. They also need to ensure events are portrayed without prejudice as much as possible..
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There needs to be a plan of action which includes ongoing training and support for teachers and administrators. This takes ongoing work.
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By Jen Watson
Food Insecurity (Claire)
Symptoms
-Anxious attachments
-Hiding food, possessive of food
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Using food as coping strategy;familiar foods feel safe.
-PSTD
-Toxic stress
-Physical and emotional harm
-Difficulting concentrating
-Low blood sugar
-Missing school
Response
- Provide resources for students who may be experiencing food insecurity (counselors, social worker, food assistance organizations, school nurse if needed)
-If possible, have granola bars stored in class
-Chat with parents, guardians, or caregiver
-Look at the situation holistically and take into consideration other outside barriers or challenges the student may be facing and/or experiencing
-Be aware and take note of any changes in the students behavior and well-being
-Create the classroom to be a safe space
References
Doktor, A. (2018, December 18). Parenting Aggravation Associated with Food Insecurity Impacts Children’s Behavior and Development [poverty.ucdavis.edu]. ACEs and Nourishment. https://www.acesconnection.com/g/aces-and-nourishment/blog/parenting-aggravation-associated-with-food-insecurity-impacts-children-s-behavior-and-development-poverty-ucdavis-edu
Healing from Food Insecurity: Beyond the Stash. (2020, August 13). The North American Council on Adoptable Children. https://www.nacac.org/resource/healing-from-food-insecurity/
Hecht, A. A. (2018, February 20). Using a trauma-informed policy approach to create a resilient urban food system | Public Health Nutrition. Cambridge Core. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/using-a-traumainformed-policy-approach-to-create-a-resilient-urban-food-system/940B1AEE368DE9AAA1D9B80C3B2915B4
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