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VIRTUAL�WHAT IS TRAUMA

Module Two

How many of you are in a building where you are actively talking about how teachers are taking care of themselves? Not many are.....self-care gets pushed to the side. It can seem a little ‘fluffy’ or we don’t have time due to other priorities. If you don’t take care of yourself, you end up dreaming of other professions.

The set up: is to make sure helping professionals understand the impact stress has on their lives, which includes the impact it has on the students they are supporting. Much of the beginning of this module is about helping them understand this isn’t new and trendy (the research around the impacts of danger/stress started in the late 1800’s). We want to set the stage that stress is real and it has real implications when we are working in education. We will cover some definitions to make sure we are all talking about the same thing, some stats on how stress impacts students and systems in the educational setting, the importance of reflection and how we can’t really talk about how to work with youth who have experienced trauma without talking about how the adult is functioning. This requires self reflection as part of the big picture and self reflection in the moment.

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Objectives

Be able to define trauma �
Explain the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study and be able to describe key findings�
Compare and contrast trauma informed responses and an uninformed response.

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TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

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Let’s Connect

What do you think of when you hear the word trauma?

Share yours

in CHAT

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WHAT IS �TRAUMA

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Definition�National Childhood �Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) �

“Trauma occurs when a child experiences an intense event that threatens or causes harm to his or her �emotional and physical well-being.”

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T

Trauma
Adverse Experiences
Chronic Stress
Toxic Stress

t

Let’s think about what Trauma is. Sometimes it is referred to as BIG T trauma, which might be things like natural disasters (e.g.: wildfires, hurricanes), mass shootings, sexual assault, housefire, physical abuse. Typically Big T traumas are things people recognize as being traumatic. While Little T trauma can also be traumatic and sometimes goes more unnoticed. Things such as: living in poverty and not knowing if will have food or place to live; living with or caring for an ill family member, bullying, loss of pet or close relationship

Other terms you may hear trauma referenced as are: Adverse Experiences, Chronic Stress, Toxic Stress.

The biggest point here is that we don’t get to define for people what is traumatic for people. The key to defining trauma is about how the body responds to the trauma rather than the event or severity of the event.

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What we are really talking about?

Extreme or chronic stress that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope & results in feeling vulnerable, helpless & afraid�

Can result from one event or a series of events
Event(s) may be witnessed or experienced directly
Experience is subjective
Often interferes with relationships; self regulation; & fundamental beliefs about oneself, others & one’s place in the world

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Under the Surface Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ-pU7ozt3g&feature=youtu.be

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We do not get to decide what is stressful or traumatic �for someone else.

“Everyone responds to stress differently.”�(Hans Selve)

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Let’s Connect

Share in groups an example of a time that you and another person experienced the same event and had completely different experiences.�
What has challenged or reinforced your thinking about trauma so far?�
Be ready to report out

Discuss in �Breakout:

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ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES)

The upcoming summary slides re: the ACE’s study can be referenced here: Summary of ACES Study

https://acestoohigh.com/2012/10/03/the-adverse-childhood-experiences-study-the-largest-most-important-public-health-study-you-never-heard-of-began-in-an-obesity-clinic/

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ACE’s ACTIVITY

First Activity

I will read the 10 ?s

Answer about yourself (in your head!)

Never asked about your results

Total Permission to “tune out”- Charlie Brown’s teacher

Second Activity

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ACE’s Questionnaire�https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/index.html�Prior to Your 18^th Birthday

Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt? No___If Yes, enter 1 __

Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? or Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?

Did an adult or person at least 5 years older than you ever… Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? or Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?

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Prior to Your 18^th Birthday

4) Did you often or very often feel that … No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?

5) Did you often or very often feel that … You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to get care?

6) Were your parents ever separated or divorced?

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Prior to Your 18^th Birthday

7) Was your mother or stepmother:

Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? or Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? or Ever repeatedly hit over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?

8) Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs?

9) Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?

10) Did a household member go to prison?

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ACE’s ACTIVITY

First Activity

I will read the 10 ?s

Answer about yourself (in your head!)

Never asked about your results

Charlie Brown’s teacher

Second Activity

Identify a student you are concerned about without sharing the name

Read ?s on your own

Do your best to answer questions (in your head) for student�

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Let’s Connect

Please write your own name in the chat box if your student had more than 3 ACEs. 4, 5, 6
What might it look like to do this with your staff?

Share yours

in CHAT

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Study Findings�Source: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Information available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ace/index.htm �

Adverse Childhood Experiences are common

Two-thirds reported at least 1 ACE
1 in 6 people reported 4 or more ACEs

Those with 4 or more ACEs were:

Twice as likely to smoke
Seven times as likely to be alcoholics
Six times as likely to have had sex before 15
Twice as likely to have cancer or heart disease
Twelve times more likely to have attempted suicide

Men with six or more ACEs

46 times more likely to have injected drugs than men �with no history of adverse childhood experiences

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Lifelong Impact

ACEs strongly correlated to risk for disease and well-being factors throughout life

Alcoholism or alcohol abuse
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Depression
Financial stress
Suicide attempts
Adolescent pregnancy
Poor academic achievement

Source: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study

Information available http://www.cdc.gov/ace/index.htm

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ACES Impact Learning

51% of children with 4+ ACE scores

had learning and behavior problems in school

Compared with only 3% of children with NO ACE score

Source: Burke, N.J., Hellman, J.L., Scott, B.G., Weems, C.F & Carrion, V.C. (June 2011). “The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on an Urban Pediatric Population,” Child Abuse and Neglect, 35, No. 6.

�

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What to Expect In Our Classrooms

13 of every 30 students in a classroom experience toxic stress from 3 or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Source: Washington State Family Policy Council

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Trauma, Typical Development &�Mental Health?�(and does it impact how we respond?)

(2010, March 23). Overlapping Behavioral Characteristics & Related Mental Health .... Retrieved October 11, 2017, from https://www.unh.edu/cpe/sites/unh.edu.cpe/files/media/Conf2014/F5%20Fetal%20Alcohol%20Syndrome%20FASD%20Overlapping%20Behavioral%20Characteristics%20&%20Related%20Mental%20Health%20Diagnoses%20in%20Children.pdf

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Let’s Connect

Does this reinforce or challenge your thinking? why?

Share yours

in CHAT

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Key Messages on ACEs

This test should not be given to students

ACE survey is not a screener.

The score will not change after an intervention

We don’t need to know the experiences to have a safe, predictable and consistent environment.

Trauma/adversity can happen after age of 18

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Neighborhood Violence
Social Injustices in the community
Transgenerational Trauma
Epigenetics
Structural Oppression
Mental Health Crisis at the border

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TRAUMA INFORMED RESPONSE

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Our Perception Matters

When we think “this student can do it and they just aren’t doing it” or we think “this student just isn’t motivated”, we tend to have heightened emotions and become dysregulated ourselves.�(e.g.: angry, inpatient).

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�The Needed Perspective Shift�(we need to change how we view our students)

What’s wrong with you?”

What has happened?

TO

“How can I help?”

Key idea: In order to understand and support students impacted by trauma, we need to change how we view them. (**This is not a question we are asking out loud to the student, but an internal question to ourselves to help us shift our perspective.)

We must stop seeing them as willfully acting out to disrupt the classroom or consciously refusing to engage with learning. Rather, we need see that

their responses are adaptive patterns based upon their personal experiences and may be maladaptive in school,
they are seeking to meet their needs,
they have difficulty regulating emotions,
they lack important skills to be successful in school, and
they believe that adults cannot be trusted.

Classroom supports and other interventions must address these issues.

The intent is not to intrude into the student’s personal life but rather to understand the student’s behavior. A student may choose to share part or all of her/his personal history or not.

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How Do We See Students?

Uninformed view

Anger management problems
May have ADHD
Choosing to act out & disrupt classroom (e.g., disrespectful or manipulative)
Uncontrollable, destructive
Non-responsive

Informed view

Maladaptive responses (in school setting)
Seeking to get needs met
Difficulty regulating emotions
Lacking necessary skills
Negative view of world (e.g., adults cannot be trusted)
Trauma response was triggered

Student needs consequences to correct behavior or maybe an ADHD evaluation

Adapted from Daniel & Zarling (2012)

Uninformed Response

Informed Response

Student needs to learn skills to regulate emotions & we need to provide support

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Illustration of Perspective Shift:� 2 Teacher Responses to Student Outburst

“Ashley just transferred into my 5th grade classroom after being placed in foster care. I wanted to make her feel welcome. I moved to put my hand lightly on her shoulder when I was explaining an assignment & she slapped my hand away. Then she stared at me defiantly.”

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Uninformed Teacher Response�Teacher Centered

“Why she just decided to slap me is beyond me. I was trying to be helpful & welcoming. Her reaction was totally out of proportion to the situation. Physical aggression simply cannot be tolerated or excused. She needed to learn that right away. There had to be immediate & significant consequences if I’m to maintain order in my classroom. When I tried to remove Ashley to the office, she just lost it. Instead of complying, she chose to struggle & started kicking me. I don’t like to see students suspended from school, but Ashley needs to learn that she cannot behave that way in school.”

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Informed Teacher Response�Student Centered

“I must have frightened Ashley without meaning to. It’s clear she does not want to be touched. She may have other triggers, as well. Right now she is hyper-aroused & feels cornered. If I put any extra demands or expectations on her right now, she could escalate & that will just make the situation worse. I told Ashley we would talk about what just happened when she calms down. I need to help her feel safe or she won’t be able to learn in my classroom. I know it’s common for kids in foster care to have multiple adverse experiences. I need to find out more about what her needs are, maybe from her school records or from her foster parents & the caseworker. If I need to, I’ll contact our Building Consultation Team for support.”

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Schools That Are Sensitive to ACES

Recognize the prevalence & impact of traumatic occurrences in students’ lives�
Create a flexible framework that provides universal supports, are sensitive to the unique needs of students & mindful of avoiding re-traumatization.

Adapted from Helping Traumatized Children Learn

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It’s a Journey

(from awareness to integration)

This is from a newsletter from Great Circle in St Louis.

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Reflect & Discuss

What is your current context?

Given your current context, what supports might your teachers need?

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Let’s Connect

If you were going to write your definition of trauma on a matchbook, what�would you write?

Share yours

in CHAT

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ADDITIONAL SOURCES

American Institutes for Research (AIR). (2019). Trauma-Sensitive Schools Training Package. Retrieved from: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/building-trauma-sensitive-schools

Brandi Simonsen, D. M. (2015). Class-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports . New York, New York, United States: The Guilford Press.

Craig, S. E. (2016). Trauma-sensitive schools: Learning communities transforming children'slives, K-5. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

DeWitt, Peter (2011). Ed Week: What Great Educators Do Differently: A Conversation with Todd Whitaker.

Kent McIntosh, S. G. (2016). Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Blending RTI and PBIS. New York, New York, United States of America: The Guilford Press.

OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (October 2015). Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Implementation Blueprint: Part 1 – Foundations and Supporting Information. Eugene, OR: University of Oregon. Retrieved from www.pbis.org.

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ADDITIONAL SOURCES

Nakazawa Jackson, D. (2015). Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal.

Siegel, D. J. & Bryson, T. P. (2012). The whole-brain child. New York, NY: Bantam Books Trade Paperback Edition.

Souers, K. & Hall, P. (2016). Fostering resilient learners: Strategies for creating trauma-sensitive classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014

Wolpow, R., Johnson, M. M., Hertel, R., Kincaid, S. O. (May 2016).

The heart of learning and teaching: Compassion, resiliency, and academic success. Washing State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.