One example of trauma that the students might face is the trauma from Pandemic Exhaustion. With pandemic exhaustion,some symptoms students might start to manifest are feeling like this will never end and no matter what they do, the outcome of this pandemic will be the same. They could also feel like things that they have done to safeguard themselves and others may not have mattered. Students could become frustrated, angry, and or even depressed. We can see this especially when students are less willing to keep their masks on properly, not abiding by social distancing rules, and constantly comparing what they and their families are doing to other families who may or may not be as strict with the guidelines as their families. ____To respond to this, parents and teachers can make sure they are following the rules themselves. They need to set a good example and show their kids or students that these measures are important. Teachers can keep the line of communication open with the parents and even create a plan that expands not just the classroom, but also the home. Parents and teachers can also let the students know it is ok to feel like this. Set side a part from the lesson and have a discussion to see how the students are truly feeling. Let students know that you as a teacher are there for them anytime they need to talk about things like this and also their parents are there as well. Another thing parents and teachers can do is to make following the rules more fun. Parents can find masks with their child's favourite character on them and teachers can have hand santisers in different scents available. __These things may sound little, but sometimes it is the little things that make all the difference. By Daryl Walker

Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry

Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness

Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.

Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares

Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school

Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations

Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem

Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:

Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.

Health complaints

Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.

Bullying By Latoya Jones

Parents, teachers, and other trusted adults can help children or teens who experience traumatic stress from bullying. According to NCTSN's Effective Treatments for Youth Trauma, some approaches that help children and teenagers who have experienced trauma, including bullying, are:

Ensuring the child or teen is safe and seek ways to prevent future bullying experiences

Talking through what happened and why, to help clear up misconceptions about their role in the traumatic event

Teaching stress management and relaxation techniques, to help them cope

Prevention Ideas for schools

When a child is stressed they often respond by exerting negative behaviour. This is a way to release stress that they are feeling. They are not aware of any positive ways to release this stress. Solution 1) Take this child to a children's psychologist to get to the root of this problem. 2) Offer books to the child as a way to stimulate positive conversation. 3) Try physical activities as a positive way to use up some of the negative energy the child is feeling.

The amount of stress will have a negative affect on their concentration. The combination of exhaustion and their minds being stretched thin which makes it difficult for them to focus on their schoolwork. Solution 1) Talk to the parents about taking away some of the extracurricular activities that are redundant, or do not give the child any sort of pleasure or academic/social benefit. 2) Show the child the importance of prioritizing necessary activities and how they must take priority over others.

Children who are overschedules may not realize that schoolwork is the top priority. They return home extremely late from school and are too exhausted to focus on their schoolwork. Solution 1) See solutions on previous symptom. 2) Assist the student to see if they understand exactly what they need to do for their assignments. 3) Ask an advanced student to take time to assist the struggling student in their homework. Offer incentives for the advanced student to compel them to help.

If a student is overscheduled, they may not know how to handle any sort of free time. They will look to a teacher, parent, or other authority figure for direction as they never had to develop an imagination to pass time. Solution 1) Create Autonomy by creating tasks in the classroom that the student must take. Encourage the parents to do the same at home with chores. 2) Encourage the child to socialize more with the classmates. A lot of the root causes of a "needy" or "clingy" are due to not knowing how to interact with peers their same age.

Eating might be the only bit of free time that an overworked student has. This can lead them to eat large amounts over a larger period of time. This in turn can cause the student to gain weight which leads to ridicule from other students and ultimately turns to depression. This can become a vicious cycle.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

by Anastassiya Popova
Students living in a household where domestic violence is happening are identifies as “at risk” of harm suffered by seeing or hearing ill treatment of other others. This would include witnessing domestic abuse. The abuse children experience can result in emotional trauma, physical and psychological barriers to learning, and disruptive behavior in school.
Symptoms:
• Difficulty with concentration and task completion in school • Withdrawal and emotional numbing• School avoidance or truancy •Aggressive / bullying • Anxiety • Poor grades • Low self-esteem / poor social skills • Digestive problems • Headaches • Grief and guilt

Response Strategies:

• The teacher’s first responsibility is to follow school policies and procedures and refer the child to specialized professionals such as the school social worker or psychologist

• Supporting the healing process A child’s relationship with a caring adult such as teacher is critical for developing resilience and beginning the healing process. It is very important that students have an opportunity to talk about what they have witnessed and how they feel with caring teachers who can listen and understand.
• Responding appropriately to student’s disclosures A teacher’s willingness to listen to a child’s story can provide the foundation on which to increase resilience. The most meaningful assistance teachers can offer children exposed to violence is a safe and comfortable environment where children can talk.
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches to assist children to develop skills to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve positive goals, understand and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive respectful relationships, and make responsible decisions
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References:
1)F.P. (2018). Domestic Violence and Education: Examining the Impact of Domestic Violence on Young Children, Children, and Young People and the Potential Role of Schools. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6243007/

2) National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2008). Questions and answers about domestic violence: An interview with Betsy McAlister Groves, MSW. Available at: http://www.nctsn.org

3) T.N.C.T.S.N. (2019). Trauma-Informed Care for Children Exposed to Violence Tips for Teachers. https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/defendingchildhood/legacy/2011/09/19/tips-teachers.pdf

Real Simple (2014, August 29). 10 Signs Your Kids Are Overscheduled. Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/family/kids-parenting/overscheduled-kids

Dr. B. 10 Ways To Handle A Clingy Child. Mommy Shorts. https://www.mommyshorts.com/2011/07/10-ways-to-encourage-independence.html

Tai, Jenny. Signs That Your Kids Are Overworked and Stressed. The New Age Parents. https://thenewageparents.com/signs-that-your-kids-are-overworked-and-stressed/

Scholastic Parents Staff. 8 Warning Signs That Your Child Is Under Too Much Stress. Scholastic Parents. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/social-emotional-learning/social-skills-for-kids/8-warning-signs-your-child-under-too-much-stress.html

Students dealing with parental pressure for high achievement
Kenneth Parker

The competition for admission into the world’s top universities gets stiffer every year. Students are expected to rank in the top of their class, study endlessly, and consistently earn top marks in order to earn a place in the best universities. This not only effects high school students, but can impact the lived of the youngest students, as their parents send them to the best schools in hopes of putting their child on a track of academic excellence. Often, students are given very little choice as to what and where they will study, having most of the decisions made for them. Unfortunately, this can often burden a child’s youth with undue stress that comes at the cost of their emotion and social development.

Students dealing with a high degree of parental pressure can exhibit some of the following behaviors:

1. Anxiety over grades/examinations. Most students have test anxiety and want to perform well, but if students fear disappointing their parents, this can take come in extreme forms. Students might become emotional, or try to bargain/beg to have their grades improved.
2. Exhaustion. Students who spend a great deal of time studying (and stressing over grades) will often sacrifice sleep.
3. Reclusiveness. When students (and parents) prioritize academic performance at the exclusion of social development, students will find it difficult to make friends. Students with high levels of parental pressure often lack many personal relationships with classmates, and have difficulty interacting.
4. Improper hygiene. In extreme cases, students may neglect personal hygiene due to stress and exhaustion from overwork.
5. Depression. Students may become so stressed from the pressure to succeed that the no longer find school and learning enjoyable. The expectations placed on them become a burden that takes away the joy of youth and makes school life miserable.
   
   

How teachers can help:

1. Conference with parents and maintain a routine communication to manage expectations. If teachers notice that a child is suffering, relay this to the parents and suggest a course of action that might alleviate stress for the student.
2. Provide differentiated assignments for students suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. Teachers can offer opportunities for students to complete tasks that help relax or unwind, such as tactile activities, skits, or art.
3. Help students research universities that will suit their interests. Often, students apply to the top tier universities because of the name recognition. With a little additional research, students might discover universities that suit their needs and interests.
4. Encourage students to reflect on their stresses, anxieties, interactions, and routines in a journal. This can help students identify sources of stress in their lives and seek help in mitigating that stress.
5. Keep the parents informed. Often, parents are simply unaware of the amount of stress their child faces. If it is clear that other areas of a child’s development are being neglected at the expense of academic achievement, make sure parents are aware of the problem and involve them in the solution.
   
   

References

Weissbourd, R. (May 2011). The overpressured student. Educational Leadership. 68(8): 22-27. Retrieved 5 April 2021 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may11/vol68/num08/The-Overpressured-Student.aspx :

Palmer, B. (23 Feb 2005). Pressure for good grades often leads to high stress, cheating, professors say. Stanford News. Retrieved on 3 April 2021 from https://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/february23/cheat-022305.html
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Adelphi Psych Medicine Clinic. The pressure for high grades. Retrieved 3 April, 2021 from https://adelphipsych.sg/the-damage-parents-could-be-doing-by-pressuring-kids-to-get-high-grades/: