You are caring humans who have a passion for teaching the young adults who come to your schools. You are charged with teaching the children who come to you. Yet, you are not therapists, you are educators. The following information may give you some insight about some of your toughest kids. The dilemma

 Outward appearance shows no definite characteristics  Internal wounds are identified by behaviors, not physically

 Loss of pleasure in learning  Belief that they are not smart  Painful, burning memories of shaming experiences  Chronic, habitual anger toward teachers and those in authority  Low appetite for risk-taking academically  Over-attachment for the “right” answers

What can you do?  Begin to bring pleasure back into learning  Help students regain the belief they can learn  Understand the deep wounds of shame  Understand hostility and anger is at the system, not at you  Take small steps when involving risk  Less emphasis on “correctness” more on “learning”

 It’s best to understand that we CAN’T understand where many students are coming from  Do not judge wounded children  Wounded children have low self-esteem and poor relationships  Deliver meaningful discipline, not punishment

 Wounds need to be brought to the surface-this takes time-and is not our job  Let go of ego and control  Restore hope

 Language and Communication Skills  failing to understand directions  overreacting to comments from teachers and peers  misreading context  failing to connect cause and effect, and other forms of miscommunication

 Language and Communication Skills ◦ Organizing Narrative Material  Student may have been “raised in households in which rules and routines are subject to the whim of the parent”  They respond well to classrooms in which there are orderly transitions and clear rules and that offer them assistance with organizing their tasks.

 Language and Communication Skills ◦ Cause and Effect Relationships  these children have difficulty internalizing a sense that they can influence what happens to them.  can be left wary of the future, which feels to them both unpredictable and out of their control. This may cause some children to become extremely passive.

 Language and Communication Skills ◦ Cause-and-Effect Relationships  Break down events into very clear cause and effect logical sequences. Make no assumptions that students always understand what will come next.  Create opportunities for students to make choices, to predict aloud the possibilities of future events and why.

 Attentiveness to Classroom Tasks ◦ anxiety and fears for their own and others’ safety chronically occupy their thoughts. ◦ focused on “interpreting the teacher’s mood.” ◦ disassociates from the immediate environment

 Regulating Emotions ◦ “The lack of capacity for emotional self-regulation so critical to school functioning is probably the most striking feature of these chronically traumatized children.”

Hyper-vigilance… ◦ cannot shift away from distressing cues in the service of maintaining emotional regulation. ◦ Reassure a student about the distraction, prepare for it, explain the consequences of it

◦ Regulating Emotions  ability to identify and express feelings is often underdeveloped and poorly regulated.  express emotions without restraint and seem impulsive, under-controlled, unable to reflect, edgy, oversensitive, or aggressive.  overreact to perceived provocation in the classroom and on the playground.

◦ Regulating Emotions  Practice using words that describe emotions-new words: depressed, anxiety, peeved, irate, concerned- and give student opportunities to describe their own feelings.  Provide opportunities for students to begin to predict how they are going to feel and find alternative ways to deal with those feelings.

◦ Regulating Emotions  may appear disinterested, disconnected, or aloof.  disassociating—completely disconnecting emotions from the events with which they are associated.

◦ Regulating Emotions/Misdiagnosis  Many traumatized children who exhibit the symptoms of anxiety, hyper-vigilance to danger, and language- processing problems are diagnosed as having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  Research shows that ADHD and trauma often coexist, but because both disorders have similar symptoms, trauma may be overlooked when a diagnosis of ADHD is made.

Regulating Emotions  If a child is suffering from both ADHD and trauma, appropriate treatment can be provided that responds to both sets of problems.  Thus, it is important to assess whether a single diagnosis is masking the need to evaluate for trauma.

 Executive Functions ◦ executive functions are very important for achieving academic and social success and for establishing vocational goals. ◦ a bleak perspective, expectations of failure, a low sense of self- worth, and a foreshortened view of the future, all disrupt this ability to plan, anticipate, and hope. ◦ no “internal maps to guide them” and that, consequently, they “act instead of plan.”

 Executive Functions ◦ boys with severe abuse histories had particular difficulty with executive-function tasks that required them to refrain from taking actions that would lead to adverse consequences ◦ Children with severe executive-function deficits may benefit from small, structured classrooms where they can be carefully taught to understand the consequences of their actions.

 Reactivity and Impulsivity ◦ It is helpful for teachers to know what triggers might cause a traumatized child to become hyper- aroused or to re-experience a traumatic event in the classroom. ◦ Behaviorists may be able, through careful observation, to identify some of the child’s triggers. Often, however, the help of a mental health expert is needed to be sure of what may be triggering a particular child.

 Aggression  Defiance  Withdrawal  Perfectionism

Relationships with School Personnel  Traumatized children often vie for power with classroom teachers, since they know that they are safe only when they control the environment.

 Relationships with School Personnel ◦ Intense dislike of surprises or spontaneous events, which are perceived as dangerous or out of their control. ◦ particular difficulty with transitions during the school day.

Positive role models and ways of dealing with peers can play a major role in the healing process and lead to strong academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. Researchers point out that it is important for traumatized children to form meaningful relationships with caring adults.

 In cases where trauma is known, an understanding of its effects on learning and behavior will help educators plan the most effective responses.

Helping Traumatized Children Learn Massachusetts Advocates for Children: Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative In collaboration with The Hale and Dorr Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School and The Task Force on Children Affected by Domestic Violence Wounded by School-Recapturing the Joy in Learning and Standing Up to Old School Culture  Kirsten Olson Reaching the Wounded Student  Joe Hendershott