Workshop for teachers and educational professionals on some of the reasons why children don\'t do well academically.

1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
Susannah J. Schuilenberg, PsyD, MA, MREd, RPC, MPCP
Clinical Coordinator & Supervising Psychologist
Soor Center for Professional Therapy & Assessment

2. COMPROMISED CAPACITY
(c)SJS 2011

3. Error Messages
• I'm not going to write about the sea. My baby brother is
always screaming and being sick, my mom keeps shouting at
my dad, and my big sister just ran away so I can't think what
to write." (Amy, age 6)
• "My dad is sick, and sometimes he gets angry. When he does,
it's very bad. This morning he threw things at my mother, said
bad words to my sister, and punched me in the head. I have to
go home after school and it's all I can think about. Now the
teacher is mad at me and says I could do this math if I wanted
to and I need to change my attitude. What does she know
about attitude? I just can't make my brain work
today." (Ahmed, age 14)
(c)SJS 2011

4. Context
Trauma: injury, any physical damage to the body caused by
violence or accident or fracture etc.
an emotional wound or shock often having long-lasting effect(s)
Sleep deprivation
Neglect
Separation Anxiety
Attachment Disorder
Physical/Sexual/Psychological abuse
Domestic violence (vicarious trauma)
(c)SJS 2011

5. Psychological Blocks to Learning
• Family dysfunction
• Chronic illness
• Trauma/abuse
• Grief
• Depression
• Undiagnosed LD Adrenalin, whatever its
source, is toxic to the neural
• Inability to communicate pathways of the brain. (c)SJS 2011

6. Adverse Childhood Event
~ACE~
The single largest statistic for traumatized children is
"...betrayal (physical, sexual, &/or psychological) by
adults who a child must rely on for basic needs and
survival." When all forms of trauma are included
almost 2 in 3 children worldwide will experience some
impairment in daily functioning as a result.
(c)SJS 2011

7. Trauma Response
• Insecurity (separation anxiety, entrenched mistrust)
• Withdrawal depression
• Explosive/unpredictable anger
• Catatonia (i.e, elective mutism)
• Regression (psycho-social immaturity)
• Insomnia &/or hypervigilance
• Perfectionism
• Learned helplessness
(c)SJS 2011

8. "Surviving Chaos"
~Sedrick Huckaby~
(oil on canvas)
Avoidance behaviours Violent reactions Inappropriate
emotional affect Startle reflex Jangled nerves Mentally
absent Slow Lazy Unfulfilled "potential" Irritability
Agitation Forgetfulness Disorganization Defiance Apathy
Anxiety Paranoia (c)SJS 2011

9. Anatomy of an Emotional Hijack
• Child is NOT in his/her "right mind" (cognitive) during a hijack
and might be catatonic, violent, hysterical...and quite DEAF.
• The body cannot distinguish physiologically between anger,
excitement, fear, etc. Any strong emotion may produce a trauma
response.
• Response is autonomic - it is not a 'choice' made by the child in the
moment - it is the coping mechanism of an overwhelmed psyche.
(c)SJS 2011

10. Reasons to Care
• Success at school becomes vital to
the child's developing sense of self
• Trauma, family dysfunction &/or
on-going abuse make going to
school a life-saver
• Can help child keep hold on
reality and the here-and-now
• School can offer a small respite
every day from the mental,
emotional, and psychological
chaos
(c)SJS 2011

11. Emotional Crisis or... Temper?
• Fear primary emotion (fight or flight) • Anger primary emotion (my
• Can't hear/feel way or the highway)
• Cause not always obvious • Manipulative
• Inconsolable
• Identified source/cause
• Requires comfort/recovery time
• Worse when tired
• On/off at will
• "Triggers" must be identified • May be bribed or distracted
• Changed through time, security, &
patience • Worse when tired
(c)SJS 2011

12. Safety First! Then Containment
• Non-violent restraint
• Environment!
• Cognitive reconnection
• Processing
• Collaborative cooperation
Research covering 40 years and encompassing 27 different
cultures documents conclusively that family dysfunction or
disturbance will always have the most influence on the
child, no matter how focused, well-intentioned, or well
funded the interventions may be. Without care-giver
collaboration, behavior modification programs cannot
work. (c)SJS 2011

13. What YOU Can Do
• Demonstrate Unconditional Positive Regard - don't take
the child's behaviour personally
• Create an atmosphere of acceptance
• Learn to recognize cues of an impending hijack
• Build in techniques and interventions to create "space" to
process
• Temporarily modify expectations - go back to a task/skill
the child has already mastered
• Reward the child as soon as there is responsiveness
(c)SJS 2011

14. Toolbox
• Modified Brain Gym
• Deep breathing exercises
• Visualizations
• "Quiet zone"
• Cycle interruption
• Safety net
• Mini review of previous successes (remembering an event well-ended)
• Token Economy
• Time constraint modifications
• Psycho-education
(c)SJS 2011