Becoming a trauma-informed school helps ensure your students feel safe. Many students who have experienced trauma have challenges with self-regulation and with learning. But, it’s not always easy to recognize a student who may be suffering. Frustration can mask symptoms, causing those students to act out and make that behavior easy to misrecognize. So, it’s imperative your staff know how to recognize the signs. Not sure where to start? Here are nine resources so you can start educating your team.
1. Starr.org’s National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC)
All around the world, TLC offers training courses, materials and conferences. Their mission is to provide all the tools that children, adults, families and communities need when getting through the devastating effects of trauma. The site also provides trauma informed training that includes certification just for educators.
2. Helping Traumatized Children Learn
These two incredible books—Helping Traumatized Children Learn and Creating and Advocating for Trauma-Informed Schools— discuss the impact trauma has on learning, behavior and school-wide relationships. Add them to your school library or, you can instantly download and handout to your staff.
3. Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
This toolkit from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has valuable information on the psychological and behavioral impacts that trauma has on students of all ages. It includes resources for parents and caregivers too.
4. The Heart of Learning: Compassion, Resiliency, and Academic Success
This handbook is one your staff will use on a daily basis as it’s filled with strategies to create compassionate classrooms and school-community partnerships.
5. Child Trauma Academy
This amazing web site/resource strives to improve the lives of high risk children. Bookmark it for ideas, new research and help when you’re feeling stuck.
6. The National Resilience Institute
The site includes a selection of infographics, videos, blog posts and more that breaks down what’s needed to become a trauma sensitive school. And, it’s filled with thoughtful advice on listen to children and understand their pain.
7. Trauma-Sensitive Schools
Susan Craig’s book Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Learning Communities Transforming Children’s Lives is a great choice for an a school-wide staff read. It has strong ideas for educators ready to create a school culture based on safety and resiliency. Plus, pass along the tips on helping children self-regulate their emotions to every teacher in your school.
8. Childhood Trauma: What Every Teacher Needs to Know
This important video highlights the five most important things that all educators know about helping their students through trauma and knowing when they have a student in need.
9. Childhood Trauma: Expert Answers to Tough Questions From Real Teachers
Trauma expert Dr. Caelan Soma, clinical director of the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children, shares her best advice. She answers questions on dealing with a myriad of traumas students face including divorce, death, suicide, foster care and more.
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