Trauma information for schools

1. Supporting children’s behaviour
With a focus on children who have experienced trauma in their lives…

2. We know that trauma’s specific impact on the
stress response can quickly cause students to
become highly dysregulated in classroom
environments (Downey, 2007).

3. Vanderwegen et al. (2013) define trauma as event/s in
a child’s life ‘that are overwhelming; lead to strong
negative emotions such as shame, helplessness, and
fear; and involve some degree of experienced or
witnessed threat to self, whether that threat is physical,
mental, or emotional...it is subjective, developmentally
bound, and individual.

4. In a study of 50 young children in an acute post-
traumatic period, findings showed that the
children’s adaptive stress responses were highly
activated. For example, their heart rates were
significantly elevated with rates far exceeding
60-80 beats per minute persisting up to six
months after last exposure. (Perry et al., 1995;
Perry & Szalavitz, 2006).
These children have an “altered baseline…”

5. Stress impacts learning and behaviour
• Too little and we lose our ability to sustain
attention and focus.
• Too much and we become overwhelmed and
unable to concentrate and learn new things.
Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.

6. Does stress affect the classroom?
Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.

7. Kids explaining stress…

8. How does stress affect you?
Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.

9. Where does stress affect you?
Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.
Feeling Stress
When I’m stressed, where do I feel it?
Example: Heart beating very fast
FRONT BACK

10. Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.
Mapping your
day resource:
Recommended
by the Berry
Street Education
Model and the
Australian
Childhood
Foundation

11. Mapping your day…
Morning Afternoon

12. 3 steps to De-escalate

13. Step 1: Proactively create a calm, routine and
predictable environment.
Consider:
• Physical Space:
• Routine and predictability
• Peer interactions
• Curriculum and pedagogy
• Self-belief

14. Step 2: Consistently monitor and identify
aroused stress states
• Explicitly teach and remind students about the
nature of the stress response.
• Develop systems of self monitoring
• Watch for signs of stress in your students
• Use the escalation/de-escalation maps daily
for a week to identify “hot spots”.

15. Make safety plansSafety Plan / Focus Plan
Date:
SAFETY PLAN
This Safety Plan will assist ………………………………………………………………….
to become ready to learn
I get angry, frustrated or anxious when this happens:
When I get angry, frustrated, or anxious, my behaviour can look like:
My physical response is often:
Some things that I can do to help myself de-escalate are:
Take a deep breath
Listen to one of my favourite songs
Ask for time out
Go for a walk
Ask to talk to a friend or teacher

16. Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015, Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom
Strategies, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.

17. Step 3: Implement interventions to maintain
optimal states
• Work with in-school staff to identify students
and families/carers requiring extra assistance
to manage stress and intense emotion. Share
the strategies…
• Develop a script to deal with highly stressful
situations to ensure you deliver a de-
escalating and confident response in the face
of difficult circumstances.

18. Avoid power struggles…
It is important that the authority figure in the
classroom (the teacher) does not engage in
power struggles with students.
It is best to redirect a “power-seeking”
student’s behaviour by offering some
position of responsibility or decision making.

19. Address the behaviour, not the
character of the student.
The teacher has the power to build or destroy student
self-concept and personal relationships.
Good communication addresses the
situation directly, letting the student
decide whether their behaviour is
consistent with what they expect of
themselves.

20. Prevent escalation…
Students who are displaying hostile or aggressive behaviour
should be given time to ‘cool off’ before an attempt is made to
resolve the situation.
Giving the student time to calm down, talking (and listening)
with the student privately, and rationally discussing the problem
behaviour enhances the possibility of a constructive resolution.
Confrontation with an unwilling, hostile or aggressive
student could lead to the escalation of an issue.

21. Revisit classroom expectations…
A consistent, repeated message can make the
world of difference.
Don’t be afraid to keep the bar high!
When children are aware and own their
expectations and values of the school, they are
far more likely contribute positively to the
classroom and broader school environment.

24. References:
Making SPACE for Learning: Trauma Informed Practice at School, 2012,
Australian Childhood Foundation, Ringwood, Victoria.
Baim, C & Morrison, T 2012, Attachment-based Practice with Adults :
Understanding strategies and promoting positive change : A new practice
model and interactive resource for assessment intervention and
supervision, Pavilion, Hove, UNITED KINGDOM.
Bath, H 2008, 'The Three Pillars of Trauma-Informed Care', Reclaiming
Children and Youth, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 17-21.
Beck, K & Cassidy, W 2009, 'Making Schools Different: Alternative
Approaches to Educating Young People', SAGE Publications Ltd, London.
viewed 2018/03/27, <http://sk.sagepub.com/books/making-schools-
different>
Bell, H, Limberg, D & Robinson, Em 2013, 'Recognizing Trauma in the
Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators', Childhood Education, vol. 89,
no. 3, pp. 139-145.

25. Berardi, A & Morton, BM 2017, 'Maximizing Academic Success for Foster Care
Students: A Trauma-Informed Approach', Journal of At-Risk Issues, vol. 20, no. 1, pp.
10-Risk Issues, 2017, Vol.2020(2011), p.2010-2016.
Blodgett, C 2013, 'A review of community efforts to mitigate and prevent adverse
childhood experiences and trauma', Washington State University Area Health
Education Center: Spokane, WA.
Brunzell, T, Norrish, J., Ralston,S., Abbott, L., Witter, M., Joyce, T., & Larkin, J. 2015,
Berry Street Education Model: Curriculum and Classroom Strategies, Berry Street
Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.
Chafouleas, S, Johnson, A, Overstreet, S & Santos, N 2016, 'Toward a Blueprint for
Trauma-Informed Service Delivery in Schools', School Mental Health, vol. 8, no. 1, pp.
144-162.
Cole, S, Greenwald O'Brien, J & Gadd, MG 2005, 'Helping traumatized children learn:
Supportive school environments for children traumatized by family violence', Helping
traumatized children learn: Supportive school environments for children traumatized
by family violence.
Davis, M, Scaglione, CA & Gonsalves, R 2016, Trauma-Focused Training Program for
Teachers,

26. Downey, L 2009, From isolation to connection: A guide to understanding and working
with traumatised children and young people, Child Safety Commissioner,
Downey, L 2012, Calmer classrooms: A guide to working with traumatised children,
Child Safety Commissioner,
Knoster, T 2018, 'Commentary: Evolution of Positive Behavior Support and Future
Directions', Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 23-26.
Martin, SL, Ashley, OS, White, L, Axelson, S, Clark, M & Burrus, B 2017, 'Incorporating
Trauma-Informed Care into School-Based Programs', Journal of School Health, vol. 87,
no. 12, pp. 958-967.
Mcintyre, E, Overstreet, S, Baker, C & Nastasi, B 2017, Teacher acceptability of trauma-
informed approaches following professional development training,
Mitchell, RM, Kensler, L & Tschannen-Moran, M 2018, 'Student trust in teachers and
student perceptions of safety: positive predictors of student identification with
school', International Journal of Leadership in Education, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 135-154.

27. Morgan, A, Pendergast, D, Brown, R & Heck, D 2015, 'Relational ways of being an
educator: trauma-informed practice supporting disenfranchised young people',
International Journal of Inclusive Education, vol. 19, no. 10, 2015/10/03, pp. 1037-1051.
O'Neill, L, Guenette, F & Kitchenham, A 2010, '‘Am I safe here and do you like me?’
Understanding complex trauma and attachment disruption in the classroom', British
Journal of Special Education, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 190-197.
O'Neill, L, Guenette, F & Kitchenham, A 2010, '"Am I Safe Here and Do You Like Me?"
Understanding Complex Trauma and Attachment Disruption in the Classroom', British
Journal of Special Education, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 190-197.
Perry, BD 2001, 'The neurodevelopmental impact of violence in childhood', Textbook of
child and adolescent forensic psychiatry, pp. 221-238.
Reading, R 2006, 'The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in
childhood. A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology', Child:
Care, Health and Development, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 253-256.
Richter, MM, Lewis, TJ & Hagar, J 2012, 'The Relationship Between Principal Leadership
Skills and School-Wide Positive Behavior Support:An Exploratory Study', Journal of
Positive Behavior Interventions, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 69-77.

28. Sailor, W, Dunlap, G, Sugai, G & Horner, R 2009, Handbook of Positive Behavior Support,
Springer US, Boston, MA.
Simonsen, B & Myers, D 2015, Classwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports : A
Guide to Proactive Classroom Management, Guilford Publications, New York, UNITED
STATES.
, 2006, 'When students have “relational power”: The school as a site for identity formation
around engagement and school retention', Annual meeting of the Australian Association
for Research in Education. Adelaide: AARE.
Smyth, J & Hattam, R 2004, " Dropping Out," Drifting Off, Being Excluded: Becoming
Somebody Without School, Peter Lang,
Tishelman, AC, Haney, P, O'Brien, JG & Blaustein, ME 2010, 'A framework for school-based
psychological evaluations: utilizing a ‘trauma lens’', Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma,
vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 279-302.
Vanderburg, J, Overstreet, S, Baker, C & O'Brien, L 2017, Creating positive attitudes about
trauma-informed schools: Examining the influence of a professional development training
on teacher attitudes,
Vanderwegen, T, Furman, GC, Gates, G & Kingrey, J 2013, Complex childhood trauma and
school responses: A case study of the impact of professional development in one
elementary school,