PDTCA 2022

The impacts of trauma can be far-reaching, long-lasting, and impact students' ability to access their education. Trauma-informed approaches in school provide students with the emotional tools to build their capacity for healthy relationships, more focused learning, and greater stability and happiness. A trauma-informed lens is a perspective of how the instructor can view the child and classroom as a means to consider alternatives as to why a student might be acting in a certain way. Evidence shows that teaching students about stress responses and resilience can help them better recognize their emotions, cope with trauma, and reach out for help before they act out; freeing them from emotional roadblocks so they can learn more readily and thrive in classrooms.
The aim of this presentation is to provide informative, best practices guidelines for implementing a trauma-informed approach to achieve positive results in schools. It will focus on what the latest scientific findings from the fields of traumatology, neuroscience, and positive education to create a foundation for how to best help students who are affected by trauma. Realistic and concrete classroom strategies to make our classrooms more friendly and supportive to students managing the impacts of trauma will be introduced. Strategies to be woven into the classroom for underdeveloped neural pathways, emotional regulation, and interpersonal connections will be provided. Resources to help teachers better understand the developmental, emotional, and social challenges that students who are impacted by trauma face at school will be provided.