Shifting the focus from “what is wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?”
By: Morgan Macklin
introduction
Approximately 30% of Canadian youth face maltreatment ranging from neglect to multiple forms of abuse. Therefore as educators, it is vital to understand and utilize trauma-informed care when delivering information that reshapes the minds of youth. By gaining a better understanding of a student's history, educators can navigate the best approach at helping them without triggering past traumas. Furthermore, they can understand the root of the behaviour, social skills, and student relationships. While all children deserve the opportunity to grow academically and socially, without a cautious approach, it can be vastly challenging. Therefore, this blog will define trauma-informed care, why it is important to understand, and how to recognize trauma responses in your classroom.
what is trauma-informed care?
Trauma Informed Care takes an approach that assumes past trauma in an individual by creating an environment that is empathetic, safe, and avoids re-traumatization. It is a method that understands the symptoms of trauma and integrates techniques to create a smooth recovery in potentially triggering circumstances.
why is trauma-informed care important?
Students who are flagged as requiring emotional/social support are oftentimes a stressor for both educators and peers due to the effects of their constant state of fear. However, this approach takes a step back to look at each student as an individual who has had life experiences rather than someone who is a product of their actions. By doing so we can shift from asking the question, “what is wrong with you” to “what happened to you” therefore, limiting stress and instead turning it into empathy.
To better understand the role trauma can play among youth, Dr. Alex Sanderson explains its impact on the brain. Children who operate in toxic situations experience increased adrenaline due to the fear centre of their brain sending signals that their environment is constantly threatening. The enhanced adrenaline impacts the learning centre of the brain's ability to store memories, while also disturbing the decision-making centre of the brain. These effects on the brain's functionality unfortunately heighten the possibility for an adverse future. Childhood trauma can lead to disruption in relational development, poorer educational outcomes and greater risk for involvement in the criminal justice system. These long term effects outline the urgency of implementing this form of care in education systems.
As stated prior, because ⅓ of students may experience (or have experienced) trauma, this approach to education is essential to be mindful of. Of this group, 93% of youth do not report maltreatment prior to the age of 15 and 67% do not share their experience with anyone at all. Therefore, taking the approach of assuming that every student has trauma will ensure that all youth are set up for success even in the face of adversity. By addressing this at a young age, educators can rewrite the narrative and help navigate students to a thriving future.
signs of traumatic responses in the classroom
Dr. Alex Sanderson goes into depth regarding 4 common signs of trauma responses in youth that are commonly seen in the classroom. This goes into a more profound recognition of the fight or flight response by adding a supplementary fawn and flop.
When a student reacts with a fight response, it is their way of attempting to remove the trigger from their surroundings by taking out their anger on those around them. Flight is the opposite in which they pull into themselves or flee the situation entirely in order to remove themselves from the stressor. Flop involves the student shutting down, potentially even to the point of passing out from being so overwhelmed. Finally, fawning is a dependency approach in which the youth does anything in their ability to please others by relying on excessive approval and affection from others.
tips for implementing trauma-informed care
In any scenario, disassociating the student from the stressor will be essential to refocus and regulate their emotions. If it is possible, encourage students to determine their own solution to the problem and/or work together to create a coping mechanism for the future. To better understand what this approach entails, trauma Informed Care includes six core principles that are necessary to transform the way in which behavioural students are addressed:
closing
Overall, trauma-informed care is a critical approach when it comes to educating today's youth. Stressors within the classroom are a guarantee, but by understanding trauma responses and being empathetic, educators can mitigate their students' perceived fear by creating a safe and trusting environment. This will help students release their heightened adrenaline and start their journey to a flourishing life.
discover heroes trauma-informed curriculum
Impact Society delivers evidence-based youth mental health programs that place trauma informed care at the forefront. Our Heroes programs strive to give students the tools needed to live a flourishing life for all youth, especially those at risk. Learn more about how these programs can support you and your students by booking a discovery call today.