0
If you’ve taken parts one and two of this course, you already know that according to the National Survey on Children’s Health, 35 million children in the United States have experienced one or more types of childhood trauma. Trauma-Informed Teaching and Trauma-Informed Schools strive to address this reality.
What research tells us is that trauma effects the brain and body in some intense and complex ways:
- Body development: Trauma can lead to living in a near-constant state of extreme stress or fear. This heightened stress response means the child or adolescent can seemingly overreact emotionally, behaviorally, and/or physically to something that another child may not consider stressful. Children who have been traumatized may also over-respond to stimuli and be extremely sensitive to light and sounds.
- Brain development: Trauma often leads to difficulties with language, communication, and processing new information. Reasoning skills are often delayed because of trauma as well.
- Emotions: Emotional struggles are common with a trauma history. Children or teens may have difficulties expressing and managing their emotions, quickly exploding and struggling to calm down once upset.
- Behavior: Trauma affects the ability to develop healthy attachments and relationships. Distrust, manipulation, argumentative behavior, and impulsivity can be common in youth who have been traumatized.
Before going on, comment below. Have you seen any of these symptoms in your students? How does it effect their ability to learn? How does it effect your ability to teach?
Responses