The Neurosequential Model (NM)
“If you understand a little bit about the brain, you have a much higher probability of being an effective teacher.” Dr. Bruce Perry
Be Rhythmic-Luke Graner
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
Chapter 2 For Your Own Good
1. “Resilient children are made, not born.” How does the “right” amount and pattern of stress help children develop resilience?
After reviewing the first half of Chapter 2 discuss how appropriate challenges (moderate stress) works positively to strengthen the student’s ability to both learn and maintain self-control in the classroom.
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
2. How did Dr. Perry use his knowledge of the arousal continuum (see Figures at the end of the guide) in his therapy sessions with Sandy?
Why is it important for both teachers and students to understand the arousal continuum as it relates to learning in the classroom?
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
3. Discuss the difference between a stress response that is hyper-aroused and one that is dissociative?
Think of examples of students that fit each descriptor and discuss how teaching and discipline can be handled best in both cases.
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
Chapter 3 Stairway to Heaven
1. In this chapter, Dr. Perry gives this advice to the mental health agencies called on to serve the Branch Davidian children taken in by the state: “create consistency, routine, and familiarity. That meant establishing order, setting up clear boundaries, improving cross-organizational communication...” Why are routine and predictability so important after a traumatic experience has completely disrupted the usual pattern of a child’s life?
Why is it especially important that familiar and supportive people be involved, rather than a set of new professional helpers who may be better trained?
Discuss his advice as it relates to your school and your classroom and the traumatized kids you are serving.
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
2. Later in the chapter, Dr. Perry discusses the formation of a therapeutic web amongst those called in to treat the Branch Davidian children. How can your school improve the therapeutic web in place for your students?
What individual strengths can you identify in your staff members that others can take advantage of?
What strengths do you have personally that can be both valued and used in this web?
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
3. Dr. Perry on the power of relationships -“In fact, the research on the most effective treatments to help child trauma victims might be accurately summed up this way: what works best is anything that increases the quality and number of relationships in the child’s life.”
What is your staff doing now or what can your staff be doing in the future to increase the quality and number of relationships in a student’s life? Record some practical steps to making sure this happens at your school.
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
Chapter 4 Skin Hunger
1. “When two patterns of neural activity occur simultaneously with sufficient repetitions, an association is made between the two patterns.”
How can this oft-repeated principle of Dr. Perry’s be taken advantage of by the classroom teacher and school staff? (think pleasure, human interaction, and learning in concert)
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog
2. Discuss and detail the therapeutic style of Mama P. Find at least five key ingredients of her intimate and effective work with Virginia and Laura.
Then draw as many parallels as possible with how school staff members could combine to provide Mama P. style therapy for troubled students while they are in school.
Basics of Brain Organization and Structure
Neglect
Positive Interactions