Fostering Resilient Learners

Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom (Written By: Kristin Souers with Pete Hall) Presenter: Amanda Mix District RtI Math/Science Specialist amandamix.weebly.com Amanda Mix@isd31.net Ext.: 44211

The Purpose Behind This Training/Book: “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do” -Carl Jung. “Accountability versus availability, alternating between pushing students with rigorous expectations and nurturing students with sensitivity and care. We needn’t choose one or the other. It is high time that we embrace both” (pg. 5). “We have a responsibility to educate every single child who enters our schoolhouses” (pg. 7). “Raise levels of academic achievement for every student” (pg. 1). Additional R’s our students must learn: Responsibility. Respect. Resilience. Relationship. One singular focus: “To help you equip your students with the skills to succeed” (pg. 1) ACEs: Adverse Childhood Experiences Not-OK Events: A euphemism for trauma and other damaging occurrences-affect students’ readiness to learn. Trauma-Sensitive Learning Environment: A location in which each and every students is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged through self-awareness, relationship, belief, and live, laugh, love.

Part 1: Trauma Fundamental Truths about Trauma (pg. 10): “Trauma is bigger than just a mental health issue-it’s everyone’s issue” (pg. 11). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Trauma is real. Trauma is prevalent. Much more common that we care to admit. Trauma is toxic to the brain and can affect development and learning in a multitude of ways. We need to support students, in our schools, who have experienced trauma. Even if we don’t know who they are. Children are resilient and can grow, learn, and succeed within positive learning environments. Reflective Time: 1. 2. Why did you choose this profession (Why are you here?)? What motivated you to enter the field, and what keeps you here (Why do you stay?)?

Understanding Trauma and the Prevalence of the Not-OK The definition of trauma focuses on the impact of the events, not the nature of the events. It is more beneficial for an educator to monitor the effect of the event on each individual, not to preoccupy themselves with the details of the event itself (they are more than their story). “Changing our focus enables us to concentrate on nurturing the whole child and creating trauma-sensitive learning environments for all students” (pg. 16). Initial Eight ACEs: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Substance abuse in the home. Parental separation or divorce. Mental illness in the home. Witnessing domestic violence. Suicidal household member. Death of a parent or another loved one. Parental incarceration. Experience of abuse (psychological, physical, or sexual) or neglect (emotional or physical).

More about ACEs Trend: “The higher an individual’s score, the more likely his or she could experience significant health concerning outcomes-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hepatitis, STD’s, intravenous drug use, depression, obesity, attempted suicide, or early death” (pg. 19). Effect of ACEs on Children: “Trauma exposure is toxic to the body (and brain)” (pg. 19). As of 2012, 35 million U.S. children have experienced at least one type of childhood trauma. As of 2013, a report of child abuse is made every 10 seconds. In 2010, suicide was the second leading cause of death among children ages 12-17. Look at Figure 1.1 on page 21.

The Manifestation of ACEs in the Classroom “If students aren’t in the learning mode (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological readiness to learn) they simply will not learn” pgs. 26-27. When students/adults enter survival mode (to manage stress) it can manifest into behaviors that are avoidant, disruptive, or disengaged (flight, fight, or freeze). Look at Figure 2.1 on pg. 29. “Stressed brains can’t teach, and stressed brains can’t learn” (pg. 29). Upstairs Brain (prefrontal cortex-logic) vs. Downstairs Brain (limbic system-emotion) “We cannot separate our lives from our work, so how can we expect those less developmentally advanced to do so?” (pg. 33) “The overall goal for us is to act with integrity, to be consistent and reliable, to remain logical and regulated in times of stress, and-when facing disruptive, defiant, and disrespectful behavior-to stay in our upstairs brain. By remaining in control of our own emotions, we are modeling appropriate ways to manage stress” (pg. 37).

Part II: Self-Awareness “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom”-Aristotle “It is our demeanor, our approach, our behaviors, our volume, and our presence that affect how our young people live, breathe, and perform in the classroom” (pg. 41). “It starts with us. It starts with you” (pg. 41).

Cement Shoes: Staying True to Who You Are By solidifying our “shoes” and “statement” Availability vs. Accountability “It’s crucial.that teachers not brush aside self-care as an unnecessary luxury.taking care of ourselves is what enables us to take care of our students” (pg. 44). Cement Shoes: Think about what key aspects of yourself cannot, no matter what, be taken away from you (Be true to you!). Our Mission Statement: Clarifies our core values, our unifying purpose, “our true north.” we will “behave and interact in ways that will make us feel proud, not remorseful” in times that are trying or emotional. We will be using our upstairs brain (pg. 49). Activity: Look at the questions on page 50. Pick one of the questions and discuss your answer with the person next to you (2-3 min.).

Stay Out of Oz: Remaining Grounded Amid Chaos “Students who experience chronic stress and trauma.LIVE in their downstairs brain” (pg. 56). “This is not an intentional attempt to hurt others; rather, it is the best tool they’ve got to manage the intensity of their reality” (pg. 56). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Beware of Tornadoes (stay focused) Avoid getting taken to the “Land of Oz” The Upstairs Brain Prevails Be the Good Witch! Be Preventative How to Maintain Composure: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Having a plan. Avoiding power struggles. KNOWING the students. Reinforcing the goal to stay out of Oz. KNOWING our own triggers.

When in Doubt, Shut Your Mouth and Take a Breath “Your breathing is your greatest friend. Return to it in all your troubles and you will find comfort and guidance.” -Buddhist proverb. “Peekaboo” breathing. Breathing and Self-Control: Using the Pause Button Baseline and Triggers: 1. 2. Determining our baseline energy level (our temperament, attitude, and life experiences) Identifying triggers (make us more susceptible to exhaustion, relating to previous bad experiences, challenges to our belief system, preconceived notions, fear (what if?)). “If it’s predictable, it’s preventable” (pg. 71).

It’s Not About You “Everything we say to and do with our students and families must be done solely for their benefit, not our own. It’s never about us. I repeat: it’s not about you” (pg. 76). What is my role? Who am I working for? What is about to drive my behavior? “Sometimes, our immediate need to make it better overrides our long-term goal of empowering students to problem-solve on their own” (pg. 78). Don’t Sew Their Pillows Analogy: “When we sew for them, we send two powerful devastating messages: 1. 2. You are incapable of doing this on your own. If you wait long enough and create enough of a fuss, someone will eventually do it for you” (pg. 79)

In Times of Crisis/Conflict, Effective Communication is Vital! 1. 2. 3. Listen: Listen deeply and pause after listening. Reassure: Let the person know that his or her perspective is important. Validate: The emotional state. Connect with the right (the emotional part of the brain) before redirecting with the left (logical part of the brain). 4. Respond: An explanation, not a defense statement of what actually occurred. 5. Repair: A heartfelt apology for whatever role you may have played in the miscommunication or strife (even if you don’t believe you were in the wrong). 6. Resolve: Coming to terms with what happened and collaborating to find alternative ways of acting to prevent future disruptions of the same type.

Part III: Relationship Activity: What is your definition of the term relationship? (Discuss this term with the person next to you.) Relationships require us to: 1. 2. 3. Listen more Understand others’ perspectives Develop empathy (NOT sympathy)

No One Said Relationship is Easy “Too much is asked of us as professionals. Guess what? It’s true!” (pg. 93) We must think of ourselves as “safe enough” and “healthy enough” for our students. ”Because for the most part, that is all our kids really need from us” (pg. 96). We must provide: Consistency Positivity Integrity “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship”-James Comer (1995). “Students don’t care to learn until we learn to care” (pg. 100). Trust is crucial in a healthy relationship because it gives an aspect of feeling safe. This sense of safety helps students who have experienced trauma to gain access to the “healthy parts of their brain” (pg. 102).

The Power of Relationship Safety First (pg. 103): School grounds/building are safe/secure School staff clearly share/implement behavioral expectations/procedures. Family is welcomed/communicated with. Assigned seating Check-in and check-out Posting of pictures Notes/calls home Rituals Discipline does NOT “fix these broken kids.” “We need to show them a window into a different way of managing how they handle their emotions” (pg. 105). “Explore alternative ways of managing that intensity, and help them see that they do have some control in their lives” (pg. 106). “It is these moments that give students hope and fresh insight into what their lives could be” (pg. 108). Be authentic and sincere.

Names, Labels, and the Need for Control We need to change our perspectives from “adult-centered and deficit-focused” to “student-centered and strength-focused.” We need to shift our perspective stemmed from a common fear-the perceived lack of control. Activity: Consider the following statistics on page 114. Talk with your neighbor on your feelings about one of these statistics. Sit on Your Pockets! Analogy “The kids who enter our classrooms are ours-every single one of them. We must do whatever we can to keep them in our classrooms, in our schools, and in school-period. Leaving is not an option” (pg. 115). “Most of us don’t teach with the intention of fixating on deficits, but we are trained to operate from that perspective” (pg. 122). I Can’t.But I Can Activity (pg. 121)

Doors and Windows: Remembering to Explore All Options “This is the last time I’m going to ask. If you don’t do X right now, I’m going to do Y.” Having the Patience Not to Eat the Chocolate Analogy What We Really Needed to Do Instead: “The more we learn about our students, how the human brain learns, and the many ways we can teach (and reach) our kids, the better we can keep our students engaged” (pg. 130) which is part of the whole-child approach. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Step back Assess the situation Analyze all the options available to you Widen your peripheral vision (to go back to our upstairs brain) Changing our patterns and trusting the process