Creating Trauma Sensitive

Classrooms

Terri CooperSEDNET Region 13

Cooper_s1@hcsb.k12.fl.uswww.sednetregion13wiki.wikispaces.com

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Who is SEDNET ?The Multiagency Network for Students with

Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities

• Works with other agencies to create and facilitate a network of stakeholders committed to providing quality care to children with or at risk of E/BD.• Created by the Florida Legislature in

1984.• A statewide discretionary project funded

by the Department of Education.• 19 regions across the state.• www.sednetfl.info

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DOE Indicators for SEDNET• Indicator 1

• Increase Graduation rate for Students with EB/D

• Indicator 2• Decrease Drop-out rate for Students with EB/D

• Indicator 4• Reduce Out of School Suspension for Students with EB/D

• Indicator 14• Improve Post-School Outcomes for Students with EB/D

• Continuing Education

• Employment

• Continuing Education and Employment

KUDs

• Know – the definition Trauma and examples of Trauma facing our students

• Understand – how Trauma affects the Brain, Learning, and Behavior

• Do – provide supports to students that have experienced Trauma

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Essential Question What positive outcomes can we expect

for our students as a result of creating Trauma Sensitive Classrooms?

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When these kids go to school they……

• Feel Safe

• Feel Secure

• Feel Supported

• Have the ability to “ Regulate their Emotions ”

• Experience Academic Success

• Have Positive Self-Esteem

• Goal Oriented

• Have Hopes and Dreams

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When these kids go to school they….• Feel Insecure

• Feel Uncertain

• Feel Nervous

• Feel Scared

• Have Poor Self-Concept

• Struggle in School

• Can’t “Regulate their Emotions”

• Feel Helpless

• Feel Hopeless

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“One out of every four children attending school has been exposed to a traumatic event that can affect learning

and/or behavior.” The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

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Lake County School Enrollment

• 41,000 students•10,250 students at risk for trauma•3,588 at risk for mental illness

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What is Trauma?

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What is Trauma?Any stressful event that is prolonged, overwhelming, and unpredictable

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What is Trauma?

• Accidents

• Physical, sexual, emotional abuse

• Neglect

• Foster Care

• Adoption

• Loss

• Natural Disasters

• Frequent moves

• Bullying

• Loss of a caregiver

• Domestic violence

• Witnessing violence

Any stressful event that is prolonged, overwhelming, and unpredictable

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A condition in which, following an identified traumatic event, a person demonstrates symptoms, lasting more than one month, of hyper-arousal, re-experiencing, and avoidance. (DSM-IV-TR)

Trauma is not a new concept

• Trauma is a common way of life for many children.

• What is new is our way of understanding it and responding to it.• Bessel van der Kolk

• Bruce Perry

• The ACE Study

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What Stressful Events Create Trauma?

The Center for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente are collaborating in a large (over 17,000 participants) longitudinal study that began in 1995.

The purpose of the study is to look at the relationship of childhood traumatic events and health and well-being later in life.

This study identified nine Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) that lead to trauma.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

1. Childhood physical abuse

2. Childhood sexual abuse

3. Childhood emotional abuse

4. Physical neglect

5. Growing up with a mentally ill, depressed, or suicidal

person in the home

6. A drug addicted or alcoholic family member

7. Witnessing domestic violence against the mother

8. Loss of a parent to death or abandonment

9. Incarceration of any family member for a crime

The more ACEs a child experiences, the greater the risk for developing physical, mental or behavioral health issues.

• Illegal drug use• Alcohol abuse• Tobacco use• Obesity• Liver ,heart ,and lung

disease• Depression• Suicidal thoughts• High-risk sexual behavior• Unwanted pregnancy• Physically abuse others

ACE Score

Uses a simple scoring technique to determine the degree of exposure to childhood trauma.• There are ten questions

• One point is scored for each “Yes” answer

• Points are added up to get an ACE score

• You can see this test at.....

http://www.acestudy.org/

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The ACE Test

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People with an ACE score of 4 are……

• 2 x more likely to be diagnosed with cancer

• 4 x more likely to suffer from emphysema

• 6 x more likely to have had sex before the age of 15

• 7 x more likely to be alcoholics

• 32 x more likely to have learning/behavior problems

• More likely to have a shortened life expectancy by up to 20 years

Adverse Childhood Experiences

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“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Benjamin Franklin

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Speed Date

Summarize the information you

have learned about trauma.

• Describe Trauma in your own words.

• Why is understanding trauma and it’s effects on children important?

• How can understanding of trauma improve classroom and/or student outcomes?

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What was….

• Interesting?

• New?

• Profound?

• Unsettling?

Trauma and Brain Functions

• The brain of a young child develops in reaction to the way it is stimulated.

• Research shows that trauma impacts brain development and the way the brain functions.

• The effects of trauma over-stimulate some parts the brain and alter the child’s ability to cope in stressful situations.

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Fight or Flight

Flight or Fight

• When we are experiencing stress, the limbic part of our brain kicks into the “flight or fight” mode.

• Normally, this is a useful brain function.

• But, for a child experiencing trauma this area of the brain gets overused.• A child may respond as if they are in danger even when

they’re not.

• Other parts of the brain are being underdeveloped.• These are the parts of the brain that support learning.

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“ Flight or Fight and the Little Boy ”

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The little boy is an elementary student in Circuit 5 participating in general education classes. He is in foster care. He has mostly passing grades. He had acceptable behavior until just before the end of school when he was suspended 5 days for “acting out” behavior.

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Examiner’s Report

“Given his history of ongoing exposure to domestic violence, this little boy is hypersensitive to situations in which he perceives others are “screaming/yelling” at him. Through early exposure to domestic violence, this little boy’s brain has been trained to be hypervigilant for signs of possible impending physical threat, which has included yelling/verbal escalation. Thus, he has a very sensitive “radar” when in situations during which people, particularly adults, are “raising their voices” and is at risk for interpreting an emphatic comment as a warning sign of “an adult ready to lose control.” This little boy will tend to respond to such perceived “warning signs” with self-protective acting out, whether it was warranted or not.

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A Possible Examiner’s Report

Through early exposure to _________________, this child’s brain has been trained to self-protect.”

This child will tend to respond to such perceived “warning signs” with self-protective acting out, whether or not it was actually warranted.

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Flight or Fight: A Review• Nerve cells fire /chemicals are released.• Their respiratory rate increases/heart beats faster.• Blood rushes to their muscles and limbs.• Their pupils dilate and sight sharpens.• Their awareness intensifies. • Their impulses quicken. • Their perception of pain diminishes. • They search their environment looking for the enemy.“•Their rational mind shuts down , they are in "attack" mode. •They overreact. •Their fear is exaggerated. •Their thinking is distorted. •They narrow their focus to those things that can harm them. •Fear becomes the lens through which they see the world.•They do everything they can to survive.

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Children may respond as if

they’re in danger even when

they’re not.

Think, Pair, Share

Think of a situation in the past when a child’s behavior may have been the result of the Flight or Fight Response.

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A Closer Look at the Brain

Amygdala

Function Effects of TraumaThis part of the brain helps manage fear and panic. It assesses how upsetting or dangerous a situation is.

When the Amygdala is over stimulated, anxiety, hyperarousal, and hypervigilence occur. Children have melt downs, a hard time calming down and might overreact to mistakes. Overexposure to stress reduces the ability of the Amygdala to function correctly.

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Hippocampus

Function Effects of TraumaEncodes and retrieves information. High levels of stress lead to

forgetfulness and problems with the ability to retain academic information. MRIs in traumatized individuals show a decrease in the size of the Hippocampus in direct proportion to the degree of trauma experienced.

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Prefrontal Cortex

Function Effects of TraumaThis is the “Higher Thinking” part of the brain that impacts language, abstract thinking, decision making, planning, memory and attention.

Severe stress causes this part of the brain to shut down and lets the limbic area of the brain take over. This leads to poor impulse control and poor decision-making.

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3D Brain(Free App)

Trauma affects the brain!!!!!! It can lead to ….

Sleeping difficulties

Behavior issues (impulsivity, aggressiveness, withdrawal)

Physical symptoms /medical issues

Sensory sensitivity

Reckless and risk-taking behavior

Disengagement from school

Poor social interactions

Other mental health issues

Learning problems

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How Does Trauma Affect Learning ?

• Speech and language difficulties

• Difficulty concentrating

• Poor relationships with peers and teachers

• Lower academic achievement

• Lower test scores

• More likely to repeat a grade

• More likely to be placed in special education classes

• Suspended and expelled more often

• More likely to drop out of school

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Some Good News

• Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.

• Neurons in the brain can compensate for injury and disease and adjust their activities in response to new situations or changes in the environment .

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So, What can we do about it ?

• According to research, schools can provide effective supports to traumatized students.

• All successful children possess three common traits (protective factors, assets) whether or not they had experienced trauma.

• Good cognitive skills/initiative• The ability to “Self-Regulate”• A strong adult-child relationship

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Trauma is NOT the event

Trauma is our REACTION to

the event

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Risk Factors

Protective Factors

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Important Things We Can Do

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Positive School and Classroom Environment

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Relationships

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Bhaerman and Kopp (1988)

A student is less likely to drop out of high school if an adult in the school knows and uses their name in a positive way. It is best if this adult is not one of their teachers.

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Teach Students The Impact of Stress

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The Impact of Stress

Google these articles…..

• How to Teach Students About the Brain

Judy Willis

• The Powerful Impact of Stress

Victoria Tennant

Books

• MINDUP Curriculum

• The Zones of Regulation

• Stress Really Gets on My Nerves (elementary)

• Fighting Invisible Tigers (secondary)

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Self-Regulation

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Self-Regulation Strategies

• Deep Breathing

• Counting

• Positive Self Talk

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Calming Videos/Music

http://behaviordoctor.org/material-download/

• Calming Area/Change of Scenery

• Physical Activity

• Be a Role Model

My Amygdala Made Me Do It !

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Self-Regulation Strategies

• Deep Breathing

• Counting

• Positive Self Talk

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation

• Calming Videos/Music

http://behaviordoctor.org/material-download/

• Calming Area/Change of Scenery

• Physical Activity

• Be a Role Model

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A Dilemma: How do we know a child is suffering from a traumatic event?

• Symptoms of trauma can look a lot like ADHD, ODD, Conduct Disorder, etc.

• The strategies used to support children suffering from trauma can benefit all students.

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When teachers, school administrators, service providers and communities

have a better understanding of trauma we can create environments…….

• where kids feel cared about and safe.

• where kids can learn and experience academic success.

• where kids thrive in their communities.

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“ Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start and make a brand new ending.”

- Carl Bard

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Essential Question

What positive outcomes can we expect for our students as a result of creating Trauma Sensitive Classrooms?

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Questions ???

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Look for My Wikispace at….

www.sednetregion13wiki.wikispaces.com

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Ticket Out The Door

Share two things you will do this school year to create a Trauma Sensitive Classroom.

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References• Cole M.Ed, S. (Ed.). (2009). Helping traumatized children learn. Boston, MA:

Massachusetts Advocates for Children.

• Hodas MD, G. (Ed.). (2006). Responding to childhood trauma: the promise and practice of trauma informed care. Pennsylvania: Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network Toolkit for Educators (October, 2008)

• Wolpow, R. (Ed.). (2011). The heart of learning and teaching: compassion, resiliency and academic success. Washington: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

• http://www.acestudy.org/

• Neimark, N. (n.d.). The fight or flight response. Mind/Body Education Center,

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• www.NCTSN.org

• Essentials of Asset Building Training of Trainers workshop. Copyright © 2008 by Search Institute, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org/training

• Perry B. , & Szalavitz M., (2006). The boy who was raised as a dog. New York, NY: Basic Books.

• Bailey B. (2001). Conscious discipline. Oviedo, Fl: Loving Guidance,Inc

• Forbes H.,& Post B., (2010). Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control. Boulder, Colorado: Beyond Consequences Institute, LLC

• Craig, S. E. (2008). Reaching and teaching children who hurt. Hampton, N.H.: Paul H. Brookes.

Thank You for your Participation

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Terri CooperSEDNET Region 13

Cooper_s1@hcsb.k12.fl.uswww.sednetfl.info

www.sednetregion13wiki.wikispaces.com

The Multiagency Network for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (SEDNET) is a special project funded by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Public Schools, Bureau of

Exceptional Education and Student Services, through federal assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B.