Trauma Informed Teaching 3 0

Building a Safe Space in the Classroom
Teach For America Professional Development

April 22, 2015
Adam Segal, 2013 Corps Member
Nikhita Navani, 2013 Corps Member
Session Objectives: CMs Will
increase awareness of the prevalence of trauma in
American youth
learn skills and practices for supporting survivors of
trauma in and out of the classroom
gain information about Detroit resources that could be
offered to survivors of trauma
increase awareness of secondary trauma, and will
brainstorm and plan personal self-care
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Prevalence & Statistics
Strategies for Supporting Students
Additional Obstacles
Resources
Vicarious Trauma and Self Care
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Introductions
Name
Grade/Content Area
School/Placement
Most Embarrassing Online Handle
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Trigger Warnings
Possibly triggering content or discussion
Current events and media coverage
Giving students space and control

Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Definitions: Trauma
The experience of violence and victimization including sexual abuse,
physical abuse, severe neglect, loss, domestic violence and/or the
witnessing of violence, terrorism or disasters. (NASMHPD*, 2006)
PTSD: DSM IV-TR (APA, 2000)

Persons response involves intense fear, horror and
helplessness
an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious
injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others
*National Association of State
Mental Health Program Directors
Prevalence and Statistics
More than 68% of children or adolescents had experienced
a potentially traumatic event by the age of 16.
Nearly 50% of them had experienced more than one

traumatic event.
*National Child Traumatic

Stress Network
Of subjects under 17 years of age*:
28% had experienced physical abuse
16-25% had experienced sexual abuse
15% had experienced neglect
13% witnessed violence against their mother
27% came from a household where substances were

abused
*cdc.gov/ace
Centers for Disease Control
Adverse Childhood Experiences
Nationally, 1 in 4 children have witnessed a violent event, 1
in 10 have witnessed violence between family members.
(NatSCEV)
Among urban school students*:
30% had witnessed a stabbing
26% had witnessed a shooting
3-33% of males reported being shot or shot at
6-16% reported being attacked with a knife
*National Child Traumatic
Stress Network
In poor urban communities..
1/3 urban youth display symptoms of mild to severe Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (Bruce Perry, PhD)
Twice as likely as soldiers returning from Iraq

(Duncan-Andrade, 2011)
CPTSD: Complex PTSD Instead of post traumatic, the

traumatic stress is consistently reoccurring.
Sexual Abuse
1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men were sexually abused before
the age of 18
73% of survivors do not tell anyone for at least a year
45% do not tell anyone for at least five years
Many never disclose
*Dr. Senter, Washington University

Paradigm Shift
It is statistically certain that individuals in your
classroom, and individuals in this room (or in any group
of a certain size), have experienced trauma.
32%25 = .0000000000004%
(4 ten trillionths)
(chance of no survivors of trauma in a classroom of 25)
72%25 = .02% (no Physical Abuse survivors in a classroom of 25)

84%25 = 1.2% (no Sexual Abuse survivors in a classroom of 25)
Trauma and Achievement Gaps
Your Content Area(s)
Survival Reflex
Trauma and Achievement Gaps
A student with 4 or more adverse childhood experiences
is 32 times as likely to be labeled with a learning or
behavioral problem compared to students with none
(Bayview Child Health Center, 2013)
One Minute Reflection
Paradigm Shift
Its not about what if
Its about what when
Its about what now

Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Trauma Informed Care
Understands, anticipates, and responds to issues, expectations and
special needs of survivors
Meets each individual where they are
Is neutral, objective, and supportive
Facilitates healing
Is respectful
Offers resources as options
Eliminates coercive practices
Focuses on the mental health of the person providing services
Strategies Invitational Skills
Attending Body language, full attention
Active Listening Nodding, nonverbal, clarify
what you are hearing
Attentive Silence You dont need to fill in every
silence, sometimes pauses can be really helpful
Door-Openers Can you tell me more about
Attending Body language, full attention
Active Listening Nodding, nonverbal, clarify
what you are hearing
Attentive Silence You dont need to fill in every
silence, sometimes pauses can be really helpful
Door-Openers Can you tell me more about
2 minutes practice (with and without)
When to use Invitational Skills:
All the time?

or
When a student says they want to talk?
Strategies Intervention Skills
Open ended questions > Closed questions
Why questions often come off as accusatory
Mirroring Language Shows you are listening
Validating/Normalizing Feelings
Facilitate Brainstorms
Cheerleading Empowering, positive feedback
Which strategies do you think would be comfortable
for you? Which are you wary of?
Strategies - Roleplay
Last weekend, there was a shooting on a block between
school and Paulos house. Paulo usually walks home at
the end of the day, but today he stays later than usual. He
comes into your classroom and tells you he is afraid to
walk home, but at the same time he is mad at himself for
being scared because he feels he should get home quickly
to be there for his sisters.
Strategies Intervention Skills
Its okay not to have answers for everything
They know their situations/experiences better than
you do
Must be able to make their own decisions
(empowerment and control)
Offer resources as options, gauge interest
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Mandatory reporting of suspected abuse or neglect
to (855.444.3911)
Many policies have good intentions, but sometimes
unintended consequences (privacy)
Job can be at risk if protocols are not followed
Extremely limited resources and services for youth
Most of our students are dependent on networks of
other people (often including abusers)
You are a teacher. Right now might be the first and
only training you have had regarding trauma.
Some situations are complicated or just
overwhelmingly bad.
You cannot fix everything. It is not your job. It is
not possible.
What can you do (for yourself or your students)
when you feel helpless? (2 min)
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Resources
YWCA of Metro Detroit
DCHC Detroit Community Health Connection
HTCCC Healthy Teens Community Care Center
Wayne SAFE
CHASS - Community Health and Social Services Center
La Vida
Access (Dearborn)
MCEDSV (links to other resources)
National Hotlines
Resources
Again, resources are best provided as options,
not prescriptions.
Letting a survivor make the final choice is
usually more empowering and productive.
You can offer and recommend, but respect and
support their final decision.
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Vicarious Trauma
"All of the trauma work that we do, hour after hour, day
after day, week after week, contributes to inner changes in
the self of the (advocate). Its an inevitable part of the
workbecause were entering into a very dark world, and
if were open emotionally, in the way we need to be to be
effective helpers, were going to be impacted.
Laurie Anne Pearlman
Definitions: Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious traumatization is a process through which the
therapists inner experience is negatively transformed through
empathic engagement with clients trauma material
DSM V Traumatic Stressor:
Indirectly, by learning that a close relative or close friend was
exposed to trauma.
Repeated or extreme indirect exposure to aversive details of
the event(s), usually in the course of professional duties.
Trauma and Ability to Teach
Your Content Area(s)
Survival Reflex
Symptoms
No time or energy for oneself
Disconnection from loved ones
Social withdrawal
Increased sensitivity to violence
Cynicism
Generalized despair and hopelessness
Nightmares
Feeling of failure
Addressing VT: The ABCs
Awareness
Balance
Connection
Self-Care
Self-Care!
Very self-monitr
Self-Care
Taking care of yourself
Importance of taking time to monitor and address

personal mental health
Self-care differs from person to person, everyone has

different activities that relax or center them.
Self-Care
Now: Brainstorm 15 things you can do to relax, unwind,
de-stress, or take care of yourself.
People you can talk to?
Music, TV, Movies, foods?
Creative pursuits?
Activities or chores?
(3 min brainstorm, 2 min share)

Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Real life situations?
Before we start roleplaying or discussing fictional
situations
Take a moment to discuss the real situations you might
already be dealing with in your classrooms.
If you are concerned about the privacy of students, use
fictional names (or dont use names).
5 min pair-share, feedback and support
Share out
Roleplays/Scenarios
One of your students has been doing substantially less
work in your class for the past two weeks. After class
today, the student comes to speak to you privately and
discloses to you that their aunt is really sick. They feel
distracted and afraid, and they have not been sleeping
regularly. They just want everything to go back to
normal.
Roleplays/Scenarios
In your HS ELA class, a student has just shared a piece
they wrote about having been sexually abused when
younger. The student who has shared seems to feel
relieved to have shared it, but many students in the class
are looking uncomfortable and dont seem to know how
to react.
Roleplays/Scenarios
After school, a student discloses to you that they are
experiencing regular physical abuse from a parent. You
are the first person they have told. The student wants to
end the abuse, but doesnt feel like they have any options.
They ask you if you think running away would be a good
idea.
Roleplays/Scenarios
One of your male students tells you his mother is in an
abusive relationship. The partner has never acted
violently toward him personally, but he is worried for his
mother and wants her to be in a better situation. He also
is concerned for his younger siblings who dont seem to
understand what is happening.
Roleplays/Scenarios
A student, Jamila, comes to you concerned about a friend
in class, who she will not name. Jamila says her friend
has been disclosing a lot of intense information and
details regarding violence in their home. Now both
Jamila and her friend are losing sleep, and Jamila is really
worried about her friend.
Roleplays/Scenarios
Angela was chased by dogs last night when she was
walking home from a friends house. She wasnt hurt, but
she couldnt sleep at all last night and she still seems
really on-edge. Even small sounds in the classroom cause
her to jump up. Later, when she talks to you about it, she
says she is frustrated with herself and embarrassed. She
doesnt want to tell any of her peers because she didnt
even get bitten, and it doesnt make sense that she feels
this way.
Agenda
Introductions
Trigger Warnings
Resources
Roleplays
Debrief and Wrap Up
Wrap Up
While it is a dark path, it is a spiritual journey, into the darkest
recesses of peoples private experiences, and one which deepens
our humanity in increasing our awareness of all aspects of life.
In this way, it is indeed a gift, a reward of doing this work.
Wrap-Up
What 3 self-care activities are you going to
do this evening/week?
Acknowledgements
Kim Webb, MEd Washington University in St. Louis,
Sexual Assault and Community Health Services
WUSTL Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Helpline
St. Louis Safe Connections
http://edsource.org/today/2013/schools-focus-on-trauma-informed-to-
reach-troubled-students/51619#.UqKJSfRDvIv

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Building a Safe Space in the Classroom

Teach For America Professional Development

Current events and media coverage

Giving students space and control

PTSD: DSM IV-TR (APA, 2000)

Nearly 50% of them had experienced more than one

*National Child Traumatic

15% had experienced neglect

13% witnessed violence against their mother

27% came from a household where substances were

Twice as likely as soldiers returning from Iraq

CPTSD: Complex PTSD Instead of post traumatic, the

*Dr. Senter, Washington University

72%25 = .02% (no Physical Abuse survivors in a classroom of 25)

Its about what when

Its about what now

All the time?

Importance of taking time to monitor and address

Self-care differs from person to person, everyone has

(3 min brainstorm, 2 min share)

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