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Classroom A Framework for Creating Sustaining and Assessing the Trauma Informed Classroom Heather T Forbes LCSW with Deanna Maki BEd SPED Beyond Consequences Institute beyondconsequences com

Copyright Beyond Consequences Institute LLC All rights reserved Except for brief quoted excerpts no portion of this book may be reproduced distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher ISBN 978 0 9978501 0 9 Book design by Bobbi Benson Wild Ginger Press Published by Beyond Consequences Institute beyondconsequences com

CONTENTS Foreword by Richard D Lavoie MA MEd xi Introduction 1 Organization of Classroom180 Field Testing This Book sidebar The Evaluation Tool Classroom180 Rubric Overview of Help for Billy sidebar Trauma Informed Is for ALL Students One Last Thought Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture 15 1 Family Culture 19 Establish and Teach Hierarchy Set Love Based Limits and Boundaries Demonstrate a Forever Commitment Hold Regular Family Meetings Establish and Display Classroom Values Establish Traditions Post Pictures of Students 2 Teacher Student Relationships 33 Smile and Be Authentic Welcome Students into the Classroom Address Students by Name Create Dedicated Connection Times Ask Students What They Need Let Students Get to Know You Protect and Respect Their Dignity Relate to Students Beyond Academics Interact with Students Outside of Class Increase Cultural Competence 3 Student Student Relationships 46 Establish and Enforce a No Bullying Policy Create an Inclusive and Judgment Free Environment Create Intentional Student Student Relationship Building Activities Use Relationship Based Language to Identify Classmates Distinguish Between Laughter with and Laughter at Model Nonjudgmental Behavior

4 Teacher Parent Relationships 53 Take Initiative to Build the Teacher Parent Relationship Use Various Communication Channels with Parents Respond Promptly Explain Education Processes Explain Acronyms Refer to the School Social Worker When Needed Domain 2 Regulation 61 5 Physical Environment 64 Be Well Organized and Clutter Free Create Soft Lighting Use Calm Colors Offer Flexible Seating Create a Calm Corner Play Background Sounds Use Background Sights Use Aromatherapy Decorate with Nature and Pleasing Textures Keep Pets 6 Universal Proactive Supports 72 Hold to Predictable Schedules and Routines Use Visuals to Decrease Stress Use Pleasing Sound Signals Incorporate Regulatory Strategies That Focus on the Body Incorporate Regulatory Strategies That Focus on the Mind Manage Sensory Surprises Use Various Communication Styles and Learning Activities Chunk Content and Manage Workload Give Students Their Voice and Encourage Questions Circulate Among All Students Convey Teacher Readiness 7 Transitional Support 87 Provide Support Before the Transition Provide Support During the Transition Provide Support After the transition 8 Individual Interventions 91 Provide Nourishment Provide Water Encourage Using the Calm Corner Offer Weighted Options

9 Offer Movement Options Offer Multisensory Options Offer Sensory Decreasing and Soothing Options Chunk Individual Assignments Offer Breaks from the Classroom Provide One on One Teacher Student Interactions Awareness 102 Monitor Students Well Being with Emotional Check Ins Give Students Permission to Have Their Feelings and Express Them Use Open Responses to Embrace and Validate Students Perspectives 10 Window of Stress Tolerance 108 11 Teacher Self Regulation 109 Teacher Models Self Regulation to the Students Teacher Uses I Statements to Model How to Own Feelings Teacher Is Self Validating and Confident Teacher Avoids Power Struggles Teacher Demonstrates an Awareness of Her Own Triggers and Reactivity Teacher Asks for Assistance When Needed Domain 3 Language of Trauma 125 12 Communication Shift 128 Interpret Negative Language Understand the Lens of Fear Take Mindful Steps Before Responding 13 Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation 134 Relate to Students Perspectives Use Nonjudgmental and Nonblaming Language Give Attuned Responses Use We and I Statements Respond Instead of React 14 Affect Tolerance 142 Feel with the Student Stay Open and Receptive Exhibit Confidence Stay in a Discovery Mode with the Student 15 Nonverbal Communication 148 Use Body Language That Is Congruent with Spoken Words Be Attuned to Students Reactions to Body Language Relax on Requiring Eye Contact Be Cautious with Hand Gestures

Be Aware of Tone of Voice Maintain a Posture of Certainty Notice Misinterpretations of Facial Expressions Match Tempo of Speech with Students Processing Abilities Be Aware of Perceived Speech Volume Use Touch Cautiously Gauge Proximity Based on Students Signals 16 Positive Language 153 Conversations Daily Weekly and Incident Reports Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans Behavior Intervention Plans Report Cards Domain 4 Safety 171 17 Universal Safety Practices 174 Establish Safety as the Number One Rule Practice Mantras Establish the School as a Safe and Distinct Environment Openly Discuss Suicide Protocol Develop and Follow a Disclosure Response Plan Develop and Practice a Room Clear Plan 18 Identification of Individual Safety Issues 185 Identify Students with Known Histories of Aggression Identify Students Patterns and Triggers Tune In to Students with Safety Concerns Empower Identified Students with a Safe Place Plan 19 Responding in a Moment of Crisis 189 Focus on Safety Shift from Being Empathetic to Businesslike Offer Students without a Safe Place Plan an Immediate Exit Strategy Use Mantras Implement a Last Resort Physical Intervention Plan Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment 197 20 Regulatory Based Discipline 201 Be Free of Corporal Punishment Be Free of Emotional Negativity Be Free of Seclusion Room Punishment Be Free of Behavior Based Tracking Systems

Be Free of Threats to Call Home to Get Students to Behave Have an Internal Focus Ensure Teaching Moments Happen After the Incident Use Time Ins Instead of Time Outs 21 Consequences with Relational Support 216 22 Repair and Healing 220 Give Students a Voice through Conversations Use Restorative Practices for Classroom and Small Group Conflicts Use Mediation for One on One Conflicts 23 Developmental Deficits 224 Identify Skill Deficits Address Language Deficits Address Cognitive Deficits Address Lagging Organizational Skills Address Listening Skills Address Strategic Thinking Skills 24 Grades 234 Separate Out Grades for Students Effort and Achievement Identify Supports and Resources to Improve Test Scores Refrain from Grade Shaming Refrain from Comparing Students and Their Grades and Achievements Assist Students in Forming a Plan for Improving Grades Refer Students with More Severe Needs for Testing and One on One Services 25 Social and Emotional Learning 240 Teach Basic Feeling Words Model Emotional Expression Allow and Encourage Social Emotional Expression Address Social Skills Deficits Coach Students on How to Socially Interact in Real Life Incorporate SEL and Brain Science into the Curriculum Implement and Modify a Comprehensive and Systematic SEL Program 26 Self Image and Identity Development 254 Use Affirmations Offer a Sense of Purpose Cultivate Hope 27 Reflection and Ongoing Growth 270 Be Reflective Seek Out Professional Development Opportunities Inspire Others Find the Joy

Using the Classroom180 Rubric 277 Step 1 Learn the Classroom180 Framework Step 2 Gather the Evidence with a Classroom Observation Step 3 Consolidate the Evidence Step 4 Debrief and Finalize the Rubric Step 5 Complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan Appendix A Classroom180 Rubric Resources 295 Classroom180 Framework Room Scan Classroom180 Rubric Running Record Post Observation Debriefing Template Levels of Scoring for the Classroom180 Rubric Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions Appendix B Classroom Tools 321 Emotional Target Domain 2 What to Say Cheat Sheet Domain 3 Beyond Consequences Sequence Domain 5 Let s Work Through This Domain 5 Peace Path Domain 5 Clip Left Clip Right System Domain 5 Monkey Feelings Domain 5 Plutchik s Wheel of Emotions Domain 5 Notes 335 About Us 339 Index 341

FOREWORD The only antidote to fear is trust EPICTETUS S everal years ago I was on a cross country speaking tour and had a brief layover at Chicago s O Hare airport My connecting flight had been delayed and I was hustling to Terminal 2 I would barely have time to make my next flight so I hopped on the fabled people mover a horizontal conveyor belt with annoying new age music I was frazzled As I boarded the conveyer I immediately regretted my decision Once you board the belt it is impossible to get off and my path was blocked by a young man surrounded by his luggage He was studying his boarding pass as we moved along I shifted my weight from my left foot to my right heaved several audible sighs and cleared my throat loudly but he failed to respond to any of my nonverbal signals I was becoming increasingly frustrated The fairly simple social convention of stand to the right walk to the left seemed lost on him Suddenly I looked down and saw that his right leg was encased in an oversized walking cast My mind immediately recalled the two months that I had spent negotiating airports wearing a similar apparatus My mindset shifted immediately I went from being anxious and apprehensive to being accepting and accommodating I asked him if I could help him with his luggage when we got to the end of the walkway Thanks man he responded with a relieved smile I had no idea how I was going to get all this stuff to the gate I successfully got him to his gate parted with a handshake and made my flight Karma That incident represents a paradigm shift I viewed the situation very differently based on new information I went from thinking that the young man was a problem to recognizing that he had a problem In Classroom180 Heather Forbes asks you to make numerous paradigm shifts and provides you with the knowledge and techniques you will need for the journey A followup to her acclaimed Help for Billy series this book provides detailed readable and remarkable advice for teachers of children who have experienced trauma Heather is viewed as one of the pioneering leaders in the trauma informed TI movement FOREWORD xi

In the spirit of candor I was not a TI believer when I was first introduced to the concept I have toiled in the vineyards of special education for nearly fifty years and have become somewhat skeptical of the fads and quick fixes that abound in our field Every time a new one size fixes all strategy is launched the proponents feel duty bound to discredit and dismiss any and all theories that came before them and they claim to have THE answer A colleague of mine once developed a do it yourself terminology generator wherein you could select any word from Column A and match it with two random words from Columns B and C to create an acceptable term for your new miracle approach Column A Column B Column C Authentic Oriented Instruction Input Articulated Strategy Concept Structured Teaching Field Correlated Program Behavior Directed Guidance Output Based School Resource Modulated Process Holistic Integrated System Value Compensated Curriculum Discovery Centered Learning As a result of this trendiness that haunts education I have difficulty taking these crazes seriously A few years ago a colleague mentioned the trauma informed movement to me and spoke very highly of it I have come to have great faith in her judgment and I began researching the trauma literature I was favorably impressed by its scholarly approach and its emphasis on the whole child I was intrigued The name Heather Forbes kept appearing as I did my internet search and a year or so later Heather phoned my office She knew of my work in learning disabilities and xii C L A S S R O O M18 0

felt that my approach would be compatible with hers She asked if I would be interested in speaking at a Beyond Consequences event We agreed to exchange a packet of our books and materials I took the Billy series on a cross country plane trip and devoured it The series innovative and empathic approaches were extraordinary I eagerly accepted Heather s invitation to speak The conference was held in St Louis with attendees from across North America I have addressed audiences in all fifty states over my forty year speaking career and cannot recall a more astute attentive or knowledgeable audience I went from being intrigued to being fascinated My fascination morphed into true belief when I recently spent a day with the staff of a West Coast school where several staff members were TI trained I walked the halls of the school and observed countless interactions between and among the students faculty staff leadership and parents The school faces innumerable challenges and difficulties that are beyond the staff s control but the welcoming empathic spirit is evident in the classrooms hallways and playing fields The children who call the school their other family are in good hands As the author of the Foreword I have the task of presenting the skeleton of the book and adding my own perspective and experiences to the book s content The format of Classroom180 is designed to acquaint readers with the five domains that undergird the framework of the trauma informed classroom model The domains are interactive and interdependent They are not presented as a hierarchy as each domain rests on the shoulders of the others The domains are divided into twenty seven components each presented in great detail The presentation is crisp and imminently readable The TI philosophy is evident in each domain and component The care and concern for all aspects of the child s developmental growth mental health and safety are obvious Beyond merely having a philosophy trauma informed is a philosophy Reading each domain I am continually reminded of incidents and situations that I experienced throughout my career I have no doubt that you will have the same experience FOREWORD xiii

Domain 1 Family Culture Each family has its own unique culture It is akin to a nation with its own constitution language culture monetary system and foreign policy A child who has experienced trauma often comes from a troubled home where the government of the family is ineffective and inefficient This dysfunction may be the cause or the consequence of the trauma I conduct a seminar for troubled families entitled Life on the Waterbed A family of five is similar to five people lying side by side on a waterbed When one person moves all five feel the ripple Therefore when a professional works with a traumatized child she must also interact with the family She must be aware that the child s worldview is greatly impacted by the daily family interactions that the child experiences Why can t I yell at you That s the way my dad talks to my mom It has been said that the three most important words to remember when working with troubled kids are relationships relationships and relationships They are the new 3 Rs of twenty first century education Domain 1 explores the dynamics of the various relationship pairings in the classroom teacher student student student teacher parent To deal effectively with these complex dynamics the teacher is advised to create a positive supportive and safe family culture in the classroom Such an environment is comforting and familiar for Andy and provides Billy with a positive model of functioning within family life This classroom culture must ensure that each student feels welcomed and accepted Bullying intimidation isolation and rejection are not options All members of the nation must recognize his responsibility to maintain and protect the positive dynamics of the TI classroom I recently saw an interview with Emmy and Tony Award winner Jason Alexander He recalled that he was an overweight uncoordinated isolated nerd from Long Island when he entered seventh grade The curriculum required him to take an afternoon elective He reluctantly signed up for Drama Club because he had a pleasant singing voice On the first day I nervously stood center stage and struggled through the required audition solo When I was done the president of the club an eighth grader put his arm around me and said Nice job We re glad you re here Nobody ever said that to me before and it made all the difference Domain 2 Regulation This domain explains the significance of classroom design Many teachers view the classroom as their turf Actually an effective TI classroom is designed mindful of the students needs not the teacher s xiv C L A S S R O O M18 0

I often advise teachers to view the classroom setting through the eyes of the students Suppose for example you are a first grade teacher It is the day before the August arrival of the students and you have spent the week arranging and decorating your classroom At the end of that day before you go home walk around the classroom on your knees Look at it as if you were three feet tall Is the pencil sharpener low enough to accommodate the smallest child Is the construction paper on a lower shelf Is each child s name clearly featured somewhere on the walls Then you can go home One of the outstanding aspects of Domain 2 is its emphasis on structure Structure is often misinterpreted to mean harsh or militaristic Actually the opposite is true Classroom structure is comparable to orderly consistent and predictable Such an environment is comforting to the troubled child and greatly enhances the efficiency of your classroom day Domain 2 also illustrates and demonstrates that the traumatized child has a far lower tolerance for stress and anxiety than his classmates It is crucial to be mindful of this at all times I have often used an analogy to demonstrate how two students can respond differently to the same stimuli based on their susceptibility to anxiety Suppose for instance that two men walk into the woods Tom has a severe pollen allergy His friend Jim has no allergies After twenty minutes in the woods Tom is coughing sneezing and having difficulty breathing Jim is fine They are inhaling the same air but because Tom is vulnerable to pollen he is struggling Some students have anxiety problems which cause them to react or OVERreact to stimuli changes in schedule classroom disruptions etc that do not impact their classmates Domain 2 directly addresses the importance of self regulation for teachers You cannot be an effective helper unless and until you feel confident and competent Hence the flight attendant s caution to put on your own oxygen mask before attempting to assist others Work on developing and nurturing your own support system Domain 3 The Language of Trauma One of my great areas of interest is paralinguistics This is the study of nonverbal language and its impact on social interactions It has been posited that 90 percent of our conversational communication is via nonverbal features facial expression tone of voice posture and body language For example suppose I was concluding a speaking engagement and I leaned on the podium crossed my feet at the ankles scanned the audience with a scowl on my face and said sarcastically Boy you were a great audience tonight Even FOREWORD xv

though my words linguistics clearly stated a positive message my facial expression tone of voice and posture sent an entirely different and quite negative message Struggling students may also have difficulty with proxemics and artifactual systems Proxemics is the understanding of how the use of space communicates Students may stand too close or too far way they may fail to adhere to touch boundaries Artifactual systems refers to the understanding of how accessories mode of dress and hygiene can communicate Students may dress without consideration for their age gender weather activity and so on Many traumatized children have marked difficulty with social language and adjusting their language to a given situation They may misinterpret or misread your messages e g they don t know when you are joking or serious They often send inappropriate language signals by sounding angry or combative when they are actually experiencing another emotion Domain 4 Safety Primary among a teacher s duties responsibilities and sacred trusts is to ensure the safety of the children in her charge The teacher plays the crucial role of in loco parentis in the place of the parent the moment a child enters the classroom Because many traumatized children experience a lack of personal safety in their homes or communities a safe and supportive classroom becomes of paramount importance A disciplined classroom is a place where each child is safe and successful This presents a high bar for the TI teacher and requires careful planning and an insight into the patterns and triggers of her students The safety and success of the students is also dependent upon the teacher s ability to respond effectively to inevitable crises disruptions and outbursts Classroom180 provides valuable information that will enable the teacher to prevent and handle crises and establish safety as rule number one Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment Adults tend to believe that today s children have a great deal of power In reality they do not They are virtually powerless in fact Children can t choose where they live who they live with or where they go to school They cannot even choose their own names hence the middle school ritual of calling one another by nicknames in order to gain a small modicum of power At age ten or eleven children develop a natural and understandable need for a degree of power and control over their lives This may be particularly true for traumatized children xvi C L A S S R O O M18 0

Domain 5 explains how students can be granted some power without diminishing the teacher s power and control The most noteworthy aspect of Domain 5 is the emphasis on the rights of childhood I am a great believer of the work of 1930 s educator Janusz Korczak of Poland His strong belief in the unalienable rights of children closely mirrors the freedoms outlined in Domain 5 Korczak once famously said that children are not the people of tomorrow They are people today and deserve dignity and respect I am reminded of Korczak s sage words when I consider this domain s reminder that children should be free from corporal punishment emotional negativity seclusion tracking systems and threats Who among us would be willing to be treated in such a harsh judgmental and unresponsive manner The Help for Billy series is an invaluable and unparalleled guide for teachers who struggle to understand the unique nature and needs of traumatized children Basically it answers the who and why questions Classroom180 answers the next logical query How How can a teacher design implement and maintain a classroom that accommodates the unique needs of a child who has experienced trauma How can safety be ensured How can I deal with parents effectively How can I facilitate kindness in student interactions How can I create a setting that provides the comfort and soothing that the child might need How can I gain the child s cooperation How can I enhance the child s confidence and self worth How do I adjust the curriculum to accommodate the child s attentional issues How do I create a family dynamic in the classroom How can I prevent crises by recognizing triggers How can I develop plans and procedures to deal effectively with crises Answers to these questions and many others lie in these pages The knowledge and wisdom in this book can move our schools closer toward the day when professionals stop asking What s wrong with you and start asking What happened to you In her Introduction Heather promises you a roadmap In reality she provides you with a roadmap as well as a compass GPS walking stick canteen and some snacks along the way If you are looking for a magical mystical quick fix look elsewhere It is a great deal of hard work to teach in the way that Heather suggests She is not telling you that it is going to be easy she is telling you that it is going to be worth it Richard D Lavoie MA MEd FOREWORD xvii

INTRODUCTION F I understand the ACE study and I get the brain science but now what do I do or the past several years I have been traveling around North America conducting trainings and conferences for educators on the impact that trauma has on students Despite participants understanding of brain science and the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences ACEs at the end of each day without fail the question But now what do I do continues to be asked This reoccurring theme of wanting to know what to do is indicative of one very basic concept Creating a trauma informed classroom is far greater than implementing yet another educational initiative or pushing through the latest and greatest technique that promises to fix it all Becoming trauma informed is far more reaching To implement a trauma informed platform within a classroom it takes a paradigm shift in thinking It requires a reworking of almost everything within the boundaries of a classroom from the way the teacher approaches teaching to the design of the classroom to the way discipline is implemented to how a student s behavior is perceived and much much more Implementing a trauma informed platform spins everything that has traditionally been done 180 degrees hence the title of this book Classroom180 This massive shift in thinking to implement a trauma informed classroom is required because the basis of becoming trauma informed is to move from a fear based platform to a love based platform It is about moving the pendulum from the edge of fear power and control to the higher order of love relationship and regulation Moving away from what we have always known including how we were raised what we experienced in school growing up and what higher education has taught us requires the peeling back of multiple layers little bit by little bit This unraveling of the well engrained fear based blueprint each of us has acquired over the last thirty forty or fifty years is impossible with a one and done training Looking at statistics of how many ACEs our students have had by the time they reach our classrooms and printing out an impressive PowerPoint handout of how the brain functions when under stress are only the start in the journey to creating a trauma informed classroom Classroom180 was designed to give teachers a comprehensive roadmap of what it means to fully create implement and sustain a trauma informed classroom from INTRODUCTION 1

kindergarten through twelfth grade It is the complete answer to the reoccurring question But now what do I do Additionally Classroom180 can be used as a self evaluation tool for teachers as well as a coaching guide for counselors or other specialists supporting teachers as they shift their classrooms from a traditional platform to a trauma informed platform Administrators can also use the Classroom180 Rubric located in Appendix A to do walk throughs to determine at what level a teacher is on in her journey to becoming trauma informed Classroom180 is based on the foundational material from my best selling book Help for Billy A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Challenging Children in the Classroom I highly recommend that you first read Help for Billy It is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of the foundational information from Help for Billy before jumping into Classroom180 and using the Classroom180 Rubric An overview of Help for Billy appears on pages 7 11 but it is just that only an overview Organization of Classroom180 Classroom180 consists of five domains Each of the domains has clearly defined components with a total of twenty seven components in all see Table 1 This book is developed around a comprehensive explanation of each of the domains their corresponding components and the supporting indicators for each component The process for creating a trauma informed classroom begins with Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture The process of becoming a trauma informed classroom is sequential as illustrated in Figure 1 starting with Domain 1 and moving through each domain to Domain 5 and then moving through each domain on a continual basis as this is an everevolving and growing process The success of each domain and the components within each domain is dependent on the establishment of the previous domain This takes the guesswork out of the question But now what do I do If you are just beginning the journey of becoming trauma informed it is easy start with Domain 1 This keeps the process from getting overwhelming the other components in the other domains can come later If you have already started working to create a trauma informed classroom I advise going through the Classroom180 Rubric in Appendix A and using it as a self assessment This will help determine at what stage you are in the process Once a baseline is established looking at Figure 1 will then give direction as to the next steps Throughout Classroom180 the teacher is referred to in the feminine and the student is referred to in the masculine to avoid clumsy construction and to distinguish between the two 2 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Table 1 Classroom180 domains and components Domains Components Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture 1 2 3 4 Family Culture Teacher Student Relationships Student Student Relationships Teacher Parent Relationships Domain 2 Regulation 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Physical Environment Universal Proactive Supports Transitional Support Individual Interventions Awareness Window of Stress Tolerance Teacher Self Regulation Domain 3 Language of Trauma 12 13 14 15 16 Communication Shift Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation Affect Tolerance Nonverbal Communication Positive Language Domain 4 Safety 17 Universal Safety Practices 18 Identification of Individual Safety Issues 19 Responding in a Moment of Crisis Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Regulatory Based Discipline Consequences with Relational Support Repair and Healing Developmental Deficits Grades Social and Emotional Learning Self Image and Identity Development Reflection and Ongoing Growth There will be times however when the process is not completely sequential Life happens so exceptions will be made For instance if you are working to establish Domain 4 Safety you might also need to go back to Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture to strengthen that domain Or you might be focusing on Domain 2 Regulation yet also need to start incorporating some of the components in Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment Sometimes it will require breaking the sequential order of the process INTRODUCTION 3

Figure 1 Sequence of becoming a trauma informed classroom Each of the twenty seven components is supported by indicators which are suggested action steps and strategies It is important to recognize that these indicators are only that suggestions It is not necessary to implement every indicator to be an advanced trauma informed classroom In fact some classrooms may execute only one of the indicators listed but implement it so well that the evidence of accomplishing the corresponding component is at the advanced level For instance take Component 5 Physical Environment in Domain 2 Regulation see Table 2 It is highly likely that no classroom will have all of the indicators What is more some school districts may have policies restricting things like pets and aromatherapy Yet if the classroom is well organized and clutterfree the classroom has the potential to be a sensory calming and relaxing environment with this one indicator in place Additionally when teachers understand why a physical environment is important to consider when becoming trauma informed they will find other creative ways and strategies which are not listed to create a supportive physical environment Thus the list of indicators in each section is by no means comprehensive At the end of each domain is a list of reflective questions These questions came about as a direct result of my field testing the contents of this book As I was sitting in each classroom putting myself into the shoes of a student to feel what it would be like I 4 C L A S S R O O M18 0

began to ask myself questions from the student s perspective Some of these included Do I want to be in this classroom Would I be missed if I wasn t here Can my teacher handle me Table 2 Component 5 with the supporting indicators Component 5 Physical Environment Supporting Indicators Be Well Organized and Clutter Free Create Soft Lighting Use Calm Colors Offer Flexible Seating Create a Calm Corner Play Background Sounds Use Background Sights Use Aromatherapy Decorate with Nature and Pleasing Textures Keep Pets To create a classroom that can support our students impacted by trauma it is vitally important that we see things from their perspective We must get into their shoes to experience what they are experiencing Hence the questions at the end of each domain are designed to help us understand each component at a deeper level and to help us relate to the daily experiences our students are having in their classrooms These reflective questions are also grouped together in Appendix A FIELD TESTING THIS BOOK Classroom180 is based on the science of the developing brain and the knowledge we now have about the impact that trauma has on children This book is the product of years of my experience of working in the field of trauma with educators mental health professionals parents and of course with the Billys of our classrooms Additionally everything contained in this book has been field tested with emphasis on testing the Classroom180 Rubric Field testing occurred at both the elementary INTRODUCTION 5

and secondary levels by the contributing editor school administrators school support personnel contracted school specialists and me During the field testing it quickly became obvious to me that the time needed to evaluate a classroom was much shorter than expected This was not a conclusion that was derived from checking off boxes a cognitive analysis or an observation of the teacher It was instead simply by the reaction of my body Upon walking into a classroom my body would quickly detect whether the classroom was an emotionally safe and regulated environment or not As the evaluator I immediately sensed that my body s nervous system would either relax or tighten up within thirty seconds of stepping into the classroom being observed As someone with a strong mind body awareness I found it remarkable how my body was responding or reacting to each new classroom I entered To test out whether my body s signals were accurate I then went through each page of the Classroom180 Rubric to identify which indicators were evident for the components that were observable and made the appropriate notes As with any evaluative tool having concrete and measurable evidence is needed so I continued through each page and intellectually did the scoring The correlation between my body signals and rubric observations was then compared Unsurprisingly for every classroom there was a 100 percent match between my body s initial signal and the cognitive scoring I gave on the rubric The same held true for the other evaluators conducting field tests This process truly was a wonderful and supportive experience to show that being trauma informed requires and demands that we are mindful and that we are connected at the mind body level This mind body connection is required because students impacted by trauma are acutely aware at the body level As a protective mechanism their bodies are automatically on high alert always in a protective stance Therefore the entire point of a trauma informed classroom is for it to be an environment that helps students settle their bodies and ultimately their brains so that they are in a regulated state ready and able to absorb academic instruction The field testing confirmed this beyond measure 6 C L A S S R O O M18 0

The Evaluation Tool Classroom180 Rubric The Classroom180 Rubric is the evaluation tool that follows the Classroom180 framework discussed in detail within this book Contributing editor Deanna Maki was instrumental in helping to create and develop the Classroom180 Rubric Deanna s background as a special education teacher at all levels elementary middle and high school added K 12 classroom insights to each component and indicator As an education consultant with Educational Impact she gained firsthand experience in effective ways to train teachers through engaging professional learning activities Through this role she also gained extensive knowledge of teacher evaluation by working closely with school districts as they put teacher evaluation rubrics into practice These teaching and training skills were brought to the Classroom180 Rubric and shaped the development of an evaluation tool that is clear well organized and concise A full discussion on how to use the Classroom180 Rubric is in the last section of this book and the Classroom180 Rubric evaluation tool and the accompanying resources are located in Appendix A O V E R V I E W O F H E L P F O R B I L LY Help for Billy is based on the comparison of Andy and Billy two fictitious but typical students in our schools The comparison of these two children continues throughout Classsroom180 Andy is the student who has grown up in a loving nurturing stable and predictable home with positive and emotionally secure experiences Andy begins his academic career ready to learn because his early childhood experiences have prepared him to focus learn and stay attentive Andy has a well developed regulatory system and can handle the stress and demands of the academic environment Andy s natural love for learning is intact and his sense of curiosity is ever expanding Billy on the other hand is the student who has had adverse childhood experiences in the past or present or both Billy shows up to school in a highstress state unable to focus and unmotivated He either overreacts to small and inconsequential situations or shuts down and disconnects from what is going on around him Billy is the student who continues to challenge a school s disciplinary policies as he does not respond positively to punishment and continues to get INTRODUCTION 7

worse Additionally Billy does not even respond to positive reward systems They too seem to only keep Billy spiraling downward Window of Stress Tolerance A student s window of stress tolerance is defined by his ability to withstand pressure overwhelm and fear without becoming dysregulated and without reaching his breaking point Each one of us has a certain level of stress from which we operate as well as a point at which we reach complete overwhelm where we essentially blow Figure 2 shows the average level of stress both Andy and Billy typically live with their internal baseline of stress when they start each day We see that Andy s internal baseline of stress is low while Billy s internal baseline of stress is high The point from this baseline to a student s breaking point creates the window of stress tolerance Figure 2 Baseline levels of stress for Andy and Billy Figure 3 shows the large window of stress tolerance for Andy and the small window of stress tolerance for Billy When a child has a large window of stress tolerance he has the ability to function well in life and at school Working within the window he can maintain himself in the classroom because he has more tolerance when stressed In this state his executive functions are intact and he can thus be flexible have self control focus organize and be logical 8 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Figure 3 Window of stress tolerance for Andy and Billy With this understanding it makes sense why Andy can remember to bring his homework home keep his backpack organized show self control when a classmate steals his pencil and initiate a helping hand to his teacher Andy has a much larger window which gives him a large emotional range and emotional flexibility He can navigate his way through his academic day with ease and flexibility Billy has a very small window He lives only moments away from his breaking point He is short on patience is impulsive has difficulty staying focused and cannot comprehend consequences His executive functions are not online because he is too stressed out to think clearly and rationally He is living from a much deeper emotional place of internal chaos fear and survival He has a much smaller emotional range and struggles by expending a tremendous amount of energy to navigate his way through his academic day Regulation vs Dysregulation Two words help define the trauma informed model regulation and dysregulation Regulation is the ability to maintain stress within one s window of stress tolerance to remain balanced and in a place of homeostasis even when life becomes challenging Andy due to his present situation and life history comes to school predominantly in a state of regulation He can behave because he can remain regulated despite the pressures and stressors of the academic environment Dysregulation is the experience of stress outside of one s window of INTRODUCTION 9

stress tolerance Dysregulation is being stressed out and in a state of overwhelm Billy due to his present day life and or his history has a compromised regulatory system and comes to school more often than not in a state of dysregulation Many of our Billys live in a chronic state of dysregulation and are unable to easily shift back to a state of balance In fact their new normal is dysregulation If a student is dysregulated his behaviors will reflect this through negative behaviors such as being noncompliant disrespectful and defiant Yet if a student is regulated his regulation will manifest into appropriate behaviors such as being cooperative polite engaged and focused Referring to a student as being dysregulated instead of being bad is a much more loving and nonjudgmental approach and it offers more possibilities for the student For if a student is dysregulated then the next line of action is to help him get regulated Hence the trauma informed model is a regulatory model not a behavioral model Top Down vs Bottom Up Control The difference in the brain of a student who grows up in a healthy environment like Andy is remarkably different from the student who grows up in a stressful environment like Billy Andy has had safe and predictable experiences that have hardwired his brain with more capacity to successfully function in an academic environment Top Down Control Neocortex Midbrain limbic system Reptilian brain Figure 4 The regulated brain operates with a top down control system 10 C L A S S R O O M18 0

For a student with healthy brain development the neocortex has control over the survival impulses of the lower two parts of the brain The student is able to control his brain from the top down see Figure 4 The neocortex keeps the brain in check and can control the limbic system the center for our emotions and the reptilian brain often called the lizard brain because its functions are very primal The neocortex is the part of the brain that processes language as well as logical and rational thinking This part of the brain is responsible for morals ethics judgment and other areas of our higher order thinking When a student lives under high amounts of stress or has had an intense history of trauma this top down control system fails and the lower parts of the brain become more dominant Decisions for students like Billy are made from a bottom up control system whereby the midbrain is in charge Life happens in the next fifteen seconds there is no future and there is no past see Figure 5 This is the part of the brain where both the fear receptor and the pleasure seeking part of the brain reside It is also the part of the brain that is all about win or lose Bottom Up Control Neocortex Midbrain limbic system Reptilian brain Figure 5 The dysregulated brain operates with a bottom up control system Throughout Help for Billy Andy and Billy are referred to in the masculine tense in order to avoid clumsy construction However Andy and Billy could be a student of any sexual identification INTRODUCTION 11

Trauma Informed Is for ALL Students While the trauma informed movement is intended to help our most challenging students it is also a movement that can help ALL students Every student is in his developing years whether he is an Andy or a Billy Therefore all children need help developing healthy blueprints of how to handle stress express themselves emotionally be empowered to have a voice engage in developing healthy relationships and excel to their highest potential academically It is not a matter of dividing a class up between those who are impacted by trauma and those who are not When the five domains and their components are successfully implemented they help all of our students become the very best they can be One Last Thought Trauma runs deep and there is nothing pretty about it Our students impacted by trauma are working to unravel experiences that have pushed them to levels of emotions far beyond what many of us will ever experience The journey back to love and balance is hard and scary Some students will respond immediately to the changes being made to support them others may need more time In fact the negative behaviors of some students may actually increase in intensity This is good news These students are finally feeling Our students impacted safe enough to let go of some of the bottled up trauma that has been building up in their fragile by trauma are working systems for years They are letting go of what needs to be released for them to move to the to unravel experiences next stage of healing It takes trusting in the that have pushed them process Many of our students have had years and years of perpetual trauma It cannot be to levels of emotions far undone overnight Children are designed to find their way back beyond what many of to love and it is their journey not ours Our part us will ever experience of their journey is to provide the pathway for them to follow to scaffold them up in a way that gives them just enough hope and reassurance to take that first step forward They have to overcome a tremendous amount of fear and we have to allow them the space to find the courage to do so Our loving influence is what they need not fear based demands with our expectations of their time line 12 C L A S S R O O M18 0

As teachers and adults in their lives we must recognize that even the most advanced trauma informed classroom is still only an offering Whether a student can accept the offer of emotional safety unconditional acceptance and loving support will be up to him There are no guarantees and there is no magic purple pill It is not even about being patient It is greater than that It is about trusting in the power of love to overcome with the knowledge that sometimes it takes time When we know this down to the depths of our hearts and souls then patience will naturally come to us We need to learn to stay in the moment settle our nervous systems and trust in the process knowing that love is an unconditional offering with no expectations and no requirements Press on INTRODUCTION 13

Relationships and Family Culture 5 1 4 2 3

DOM A IN 1 DOMAIN 1 Relationships and Family Culture D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 15

R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 1 Family Culture 2 Teacher Student Relationship 3 Student Student Relationship 4 Teacher Parent Relationship

DOM A IN 1 DOMAIN 1 Relationships and Family Culture A s human beings we are social creatures When we are connected we are happy and able to function at our highest levels Unfortunately today s students are growing up in a world where there is a tremendous amount of disconnect Many factors contribute to this but certainly technology and a heightened level of stress within families play a large role The result is that our students are coming into our schools more disconnected than ever While parents and families form the first level of a child s relationships it is the school that forms a child s next level of relationships Community entities such as after school programs agencies YMCA Girls and Boys Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters etc religious organizations medical facilities child protective services CPS and law enforcement form the third level of relationships The radial diagram in Figure 1 1 illustrates this concept Figure 1 1 Radial diagram showing the three levels of relationships children experience D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 17

When families are overly stressed or when there are patterns of trauma or even singular incidents of trauma in a child s life it is highly likely that the child will come to school stressed out overwhelmed and or dysregulated As shown in Figure 1 2 the school holds the next level of responsibility to help this child get connected to others and experience the stability he needs to get back into alignment Although schools were originally established to help children solely at an academic level this worked for most students because their family systems were able to provide the connection and stability that these students needed But times have changed and our children are needing their schools to operate from a broader perspective Figure 1 2 Radial diagram showing that when families fall apart the school is the next line of connection for children The trauma informed movement provides this broader perspective It is a movement based on the need for children to be in strong and loving relationships not only from their families but also from their schools This concept also follows the growing field of human social neuroscience that stresses the importance of social interactions for mental health Additionally brain science is explicitly showing that when children and adults are connected and feeling emotionally secure they can think more clearly their memory systems are intact and most importantly their love for learning is back online Relationships are thus at the heart of the trauma informed movement and it is within the classroom that the strongest relationships are developed When the classroom becomes more than purely a place to expand a child s intellect but also offers relationships to provide 18 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 for the whole child s development everyone wins It takes expanding our perspective to see the school classroom more like a family a place where every student is accepted and supported unconditionally When we create classrooms to function as a family and we support the needs of students from a holistic perspective as a healthy family would children want to come to school see Figure 1 3 They want to learn and they are more neurologically equipped to do so They feel accepted loved and validated Not only do they feel like they belong they know they belong to something bigger than themselves they have a place in this world They develop a greater sense of empathy for themselves and for those around them and ultimately academic test scores increase as well Figure 1 3 The response a teacher This concept of the classroom becoming received from one student when the family is especially significant for students she asked all her students What impacted by trauma because one of the do you need me to know to make school better biggest fallouts from trauma is rejection and abandonment Nothing can ever replace a child s family but school is the next line of contact with children so it can have a powerful and healing impact on them Belonging is a fundamental need for every child and it is essential to every child s overall well being especially for our Billys who are typically missing this dynamic When creating a trauma informed classroom the following relationship based components need to be developed 1 Family Culture Teacher Student Relationships Student Student Relationships Teacher Parent Relationships Family Culture Children are molded by their family culture By creating a family culture within the classroom teachers can help mold guide and strengthen their students in a positive direction By creating a family culture the classroom becomes an environment where D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 19

students will not be judged or bullied It becomes a place where students are free to define their own identities where prejudice is replaced by pure unconditional acceptance It is an environment where the teacher and the students are aware of and respect the emotions of others It is a place where students are empowered encouraged and stand up for each other Figure 1 4 shows a sign hanging in a middle school classroom to give a visual reminder to students that their class is a family Whether a teacher is setting up a family culture to resemble and reinforce a healthy family system similar to Andy s or to redefine what a healthy family should look like for Billy classrooms dedicated to creating a family culture will find themselves better able to Figure 1 4 Sign from a meet the emotional social behavioral equity middle school classroom psychological and academic needs of their students Intentionally creating a family culture within the classroom will require implementing many of the following strategies Establish and Teach Hierarchy One of the most notable characteristics of a healthy family is that there is a clear sense of hierarchy among the family members Within the nuclear family adults are in charge of the children The adults take care of the children and they make the decisions The children in turn understand this hierarchy Although they may resist this structure on occasion they accept the flow of this hierarchy This hierarchy of the family system will vary from culture to culture Hispanic Chinese Native American etc but the basic premise is the same The adults are in charge Additionally the adults may be defined as a single parent or two parents heterosexual couples and same sex couples But again the same basic premise holds The adults are in charge For illustration purposes Figure 1 5 shows the hierarchical structure of the traditional American family In this family system Andy grows up with a clear definition of where he fits into his family He is equal to his siblings He knows his parents are there to set rules and guidelines but also that they are there to take care of him to nurture him and to create a loving 20 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 Figure 1 5 Andy s family structure represents the hierarchy of the traditional American family Andy knows he is loved unconditionally He understands that his parents set rules to create a supportive environment for him and his siblings environment for him and his siblings This type of healthy family system affords Andy the ability to build trust with his parents He believes in them and they have his back They follow through with their promises They are there to support him in good times and in bad times He learns that no matter what happens he is loved loved unconditionally Andy comes to school with a solid blueprint of hierarchy and understands the concept of having adults in charge Andy easily fits into the classroom and does not question why the adults make and enforce the rules He is able to transfer the blueprint of his family into his classroom and thus functions obediently safely and cooperatively because he trusts the teacher just like he trusts his parents Figure 1 6 shows that the hierarchy of Andy s classroom looks remarkably similar to that of his family Billy on the other hand comes from an entirely different family than Andy His family might be the same structure as Andy s see Figure 1 7 yet his parents have not Figure 1 6 Andy s classroom structure mirrors his family structure Andy comes to school able to transfer the positive blueprint of his family structure into his classroom D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 21

been nurturing loving and kind Billy has gotten hurt in his family by acts of physical emotional and or sexual abuse or possibly neglect passive abuse Figure 1 7 Billy s family structure is the same as Andy s but Billy s family has not been loving Billy has been hurt and he comes to school with a negative blueprint for those in charge Billy s blueprint for those in charge is negative He does not trust and he does not ever want to get hurt again When trauma happens it makes a child like Billy keenly committed to never allowing himself to be put in the same or similar position again ever As seen in Figure 1 8 this means that when Billy walks into the classroom and sees the teacher in charge he automatically assumes she is unsafe His thought is You are not and will not be in charge of me I will not get hurt ever again This makes it very challenging for the teacher to not only keep the classroom in order but to keep the class safe as well Unfortunately this is often perceived to be that Billy has problems with authority instead of realizing Billy s issue is fear of authority based off his past experiences Figure 1 8 Billy s classroom structure is the same as Andy s but because he does not trust and does not want to be hurt again he assumes his teacher is unsafe 22 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 Another typical scenario for Billy is that the hierarchical family structure from which he comes is out of balance in another way Oftentimes Billy has a parent who is overwhelmed to the point that Billy has to take charge Figure 1 9 demonstrates this Perhaps Billy s parent is working two jobs to make ends meet or she is absent and on a drug run the scenarios are endless but the family system and dynamics are the same Figure 1 9 Billy s family structure is out of balance Billy often takes on the parent role to keep the family functioning In this scenario Billy is parentified having to care for his siblings not only is he in charge of his siblings he is frequently in charge of his parent Billy takes on the parent role to keep the family functioning This presents an enormous issue when Billy walks into his classroom All of a sudden he is in a system that is unfamiliar to him where the teacher is now in charge Billy s rebellion against the teacher is not because of defiance disrespect or disobedience It is a system issue not a behavioral issue When Andy transfers over his family system into the classroom it matches so Andy is able to be compliant But when Billy transfers his family system into the classroom there is a major conflict as illustrated in Figure 1 10 Billy tries to take charge of not only the teacher but of all his classmates In frustration teachers often say things like Billy you are not in charge of everyone here I am the teacher and I am in charge Now sit down Billy s reaction is to go into a power struggle He is working to hold on to his power because that is what is familiar and that is the only system in which he has ever felt safe When a teacher pushes against this with Billy it often turns to aggression and violence If Billy cannot maintain his power through verbal means he will easily take it over physically This is the nature of survival mode The solution to helping Billy is certainly not to add more control and overpower him with consequences This is like adding fuel to a fire it only ignites a student s survival D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 23

Figure 1 10 When Billy transfers his dysfunctional family system into the classroom he tries to take charge of his teachers and fellow students in order to survive instincts and activates the lower part of his brain from which he will determine what self protective action to take next Instead the solution comes by methodically and intentionally teaching Billy about the hierarchical structure of the school Billy needs to be given a clear understanding of the chain of command within his academic environment When new employees are hired at a large corporation one of the first items they receive at their orientation is an organization chart This helps them better understand Figure 1 11 Organizational charts of the school or district afford students the opportunity to see how they fit into the overall structure giving them a sense of belonging 24 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 the structure of the company so they know how they fit into this new and unfamiliar organization The same is true for Billy We can no longer assume that Billy understands the system of the classroom or school in which he belongs Showing Billy a diagram of the organization of the school building is much more effective than just discussing it verbally see Figure 1 11 Set Love Based Limits and Boundaries The teacher absolutely has to be in charge of the classroom to keep the classroom safe and orderly With the teacher in charge Billy will have to abide by the rules and allow the teacher to have the power and control However this is a scary requirement for many of our Billys In many cases Billy s blueprint is that the adults in charge are not there in his best interest and therefore he is not safe Yet to be able to sustain order in a school the adults from the administrator down to the classroom teacher have to be in charge and this needs to be done in a relationship based and loving way This idea of holding strong boundaries while being emotionally safe is best explained by combining the personas of both Mister Rogers and General Patton see Figure 1 12 Mister Rogers exemplifies relationship kindness and understanding General Patton represents the strength of holding limits and boundaries and giving students the message that I can handle you as well as I m never giving up on you The problem in the past was that schools exemplified too much of a General Patton stance with a zero tolerance policy This offered no understanding and no guidance for The Fred Rogers Company used with permission Getty Images used with permission Figure 1 12 Mister Rogers left and General George S Patton right D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 25

students The result was a national trend that became infamously known as the school toprison pipeline Then in an attempt to become loving and trauma sensitive some schools swung in the other direction and the result was not enough structure Combining both relationship and limits is an art and it requires teachers to be sensitive while holding the line to give students the security they need when boundaries and limits are established Demonstrate a Forever Commitment Too many of our Billys have had educators give up on them They have been moved from school to school to school due to their negative and bad behaviors The only logical conclusion for a student who lives in an egocentric world especially our Billys is I m unlovable I m bad and no one can handle me We have to work to change this for our Billys if we are going to help them change in the long term The message Billy needs to hear and feel from his teacher s is I will never give up on you Ever This is the message of a message to students healthy family Family is all about unconditional love Families are about forever Families do not that says I will never give up on their children so neither should the never give up on you classroom teacher give up on her students A forever commitment needs to be fostered it helps them learn in the trauma informed classroom The message to every student from the teacher needs to be I to trust will never never give up on you Likewise the message to every student from the school needs to be We will never never give up on you Every child wants to be loved even if they appear to reject every attempt from adults to do so It is about fear We must overcome their fear with unconditional commitment and unconditional love When we create a message to students that says I will never never give up on you it helps them learn to trust For many students this message will reduce their stress and allow them to settle into a less protective stance They no longer have to fight for themselves When we give them the message that we are together with them not apart from or against them their need to fight will be reduced and their emotional safety will increase While this type of message will work for some students impacted by trauma for others who have been more severely impacted by trauma it will result in a higher level of stress and in some cases will ignite even more acting out behaviors at first These students When we create a 26 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 have such deep relational trauma that they do not trust anyone or anything anyone says They will not accept such a message at face value They will have to test these words out through their actions People who they trusted in the past also made similar promises only to let them down repeatedly It will be part of these students healing process to test the adults in their lives who tell them they are there for them unconditionally These are the students who will exhibit a higher intensity of negative behaviors when given this promise Taking the time to have of forever It is important to understand this dynamic and not write behavioral reports with closure with a student words such as Student is testing the teacher Yes indeed he is testing the teacher benefits not only the The solution is to hold the course with these student being moved students If they become disruptive and even unsafe more on safety in Domain 4 every action but all the students must be taken to curb the violence and not merely pass these students along to a different school who remain in the class Many times just staying the course with these intense Billys through their fear of being given up on will eventually help them to change their behaviors and be successful in the classroom Other times however there will be students who cannot be in a particular class and maintain safe behaviors There will definitely be times when Billy will need to be moved to a more contained classroom However the old message of Billy moved to another class school because he couldn t behave needs to be replaced with Billy moved to another class school because he needed more than what I am able to give him He is still a part of our class family and we will welcome him back when and if the time comes Healthy families do not give up on their children so too should class families never give up on their students In cases when Billy does need to be permanently removed from a class outreach measures are required to ease the transition for Billy Simply moving him without any type of closure only reinforces Billy s already deep wounds of rejection The class can create a card or sign saying they miss him and love him The teacher can connect with Billy in his new classroom to let him know she has not abandoned him When Billy is permanently removed from a classroom this also raises fears in his classmates who remain Their stress increases and they wonder What will happen to me Am I next We have always thought that this kind of fear is good for children D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 27

that it makes them behave and stay in compliance This may be true for the Andys of the classroom but fear does not work to move Billy into compliance It only heightens Billy s negative reactivity Taking the time to have closure with a student benefits not only the student being moved but all the students who remain in the class When the other students know that Billy is getting the help he needs and was not being rejected based on his behavior it sends a powerful message that they are safe unconditionally An analogy to better explain this can be seen in the case of a student in the class who breaks his arm That student gets sent out of the classroom and to the hospital He may be out several days and continue to miss some school because of physical therapy during the One of the goals of healing process When this happens the other students are not afraid they will be sent to the being trauma informed hospital too They understand the situation and know that the student is being taken care of is to stop stigmatizing Similarly they must know that students who students because of are so dysregulated will need to be sent out of the classroom to be in an environment where behavioral or mental they too can be supported When we switch to a trauma informed health issues approach and present Billy s situation in the same fashion free of judgment criticism and shame the other students will ultimately be able to value their school and value being in a classroom that is there to support them rather than punish and scare them One of the goals of being trauma informed is to stop stigmatizing students because of behavioral or mental health issues These invisible issues should be handled no differently than physical issues Thus the new message in the trauma informed classroom is that every student will have his or her needs met no matter if they are physical regulatory or behavioral just as in a loving and healthy family where all family members know that their needs will be taken care of Always Hold Regular Family Meetings One strategy that enables families to connect with one another reflect on the past week s events and set goals and or address problems is to hold weekly family meetings This strategy can effectively translate over to a classroom family as well The classroom family meeting allows students to have a voice and be heard When students are able to 28 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 contribute to what is going on in the classroom they have more buy in and can take more responsibility for their actions Having meetings in the classroom builds and strengthens a classroom family It helps students relate to one another which fosters more trust among classmates too Meetings can be held as little as once a week on a regular schedule for about twenty to thirty minutes Students sit in their chairs in a circle or on the floor as pictured in Figure 1 13 and follow a set format One student each week is chosen to lead the meeting with the teacher there to provide guidance as a coach If needed the teacher ultimately has the power to direct the meeting Besides weekly scheduled meetings the family meeting can be used to bring the students together after a challenging incident For instance if Billy had an explosive and disruptive incident the teacher could call a meeting to talk about what happened to allow students to process the event and to brainstorm ways of doing things differently to prevent such Figure 1 13 Family meeting of a middle school classroom chaotic moments in the future discussing challenges they are having with an assignment This gives all the students a sense of safety and it reconnects the entire classroom family together which can ultimately strengthen the bonds within the classroom environment Although these meetings take time it is time well spent to help students recover and get re regulated after challenging moments unfold in the classroom Classroom family meetings can also be used in the realm of academics In Figure 1 13 the teacher had the students join in a circle to discuss the challenges they were having on their research assignment A talking stick was passed around in a clockwise direction to give each student the opportunity to share or not share what issues he or she was facing in the discovery part of the research Once the talking stick made a full circle the teacher had the students discuss solutions as a group It was an exercise where each student was heard acknowledged supported and empowered to move to the next level D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 29

in the assignment Using these types of circle meetings on a regular basis makes them a familiar process In the event that such a meeting needs to be called due to a difficult or uncomfortable situation that arises having already practiced these meetings adds a level of comfort for the students Establish and Display Classroom Values Establishing foundational values facilitates building the norms of a classroom family and it sets the tone for how students are to behave Displaying these values prominently allows them to serve as a reference point see Figure 1 14 Merely displaying them on a poster is not enough They should be reviewed often and used to help guide students interactions and behaviors Remember many of these values will be new to Billy and in direct contrast to his family of origin Establishing classroom values is also a way to avoid having a long list of rules with what to do and what not to do Anything that has the title of rules will automatically ignite a rebellious reaction from Billy All students whether Andys or Billys want to have a sense of autonomy and be empowered to think through their behaviors rather than be controlled For instance if the value is We are respectful to ourselves to others and to the teacher then there does not need to be a rule that says Do Figure 1 14 Classroom Values sign not interrupt others Admittedly getting some from an elementary school of the Billys who can be concrete thinkers and have difficulties with inferences to understand what being respectful means will take time but it is a way to get these students to have more buy in and to empower them The sign shown in Figure 1 14 has some generalized class values The Be kind value can easily take care of a long list of rigid rules For instance if Billy is bugging his classmate while they are supposed to be working on an assignment the Be kind value covers this instead of having a rule that says Do not bug others If Billy is saying something mean 30 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 the Be kind value covers this behavior too instead of having a rule that says Do not talk badly about others If Billy is skipping in line the Be kind value covers the rule of Do not skip others in line A small list to remember is much less threatening and less overwhelming and it gets students to be expansive in their thinking Plus it just feels better and is more calming to the overall feel of the classroom Establish Traditions Most of us can recall our favorite family traditions from growing up The feelings associated with these memories give us warm fuzzies Family traditions provide families with regular times to connect and create a unique sense of identity as well as times to Creating and create positive memories This same concept can be transferred into the classroom Creating establishing classroom and establishing classroom traditions can help students become better connected and deepen traditions can help their sense of identity and belonging Some students become better traditions can be done every day starting each day with a two minute meditation or a positive connected and deepen mantra each week having a family meeting or having Flashlight Friday reading under the desk their sense of identity with mini flashlights or monthly the last Friday and belonging of the month is movie day with an educational movie Additionally the class can have a unique tradition when it is someone s birthday to sing a silly or fun song to the birthday boy or birthday girl even for the older students There are two important points to be aware of when establishing classroom traditions First make certain the tradition respects all students at a cultural level Second activities celebrating a tradition should not be used as rewards or punishments Participation is for all students regardless of their behaviors because the goal is to promote connection and create a strong identity for the whole class If Billy has been exceptionally dysregulated during the day telling him he cannot participate in Flashlight Friday due to his negative behavior defeats the purpose of having this tradition If Billy is struggling then adding additional regulatory supports will be needed Perhaps he participates in Flashlight Friday but does it alongside the teacher or teacher s aide having a regulatory adult with him during the activity can help him to have a positive experience despite his dysregulation D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 31

Recognizing society s traditional holidays in the classroom can also create a sense of tradition for students Selecting holidays that are culturally inclusive such as President s Day Martin Luther King Jr Day July Fourth Halloween and Thanksgiving is important An easier approach might be selecting only the four seasons spring summer fall and winter Recognizing the four seasons can give students a sense of grounding too Post Pictures of Students Upon walking into the typical family home there will be pictures of family members on the walls or the mantel Pictures are a tangible way to say You belong here You are one of us Figure 1 15 is from an elementary school classroom Notice too the Halloween decorations intertwined among the pictures of the students In another elementary classroom the teacher dedicated space at the top of the front wall to recognize the birthdays of each student see Figure 1 16 Figure 1 15 Pictures of students in an elementary school classroom Figure 1 16 The birthday wall recognizing the day the world was blessed with each of the students in the classroom 32 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 Although these strategies are more easily transferred to elementary school classrooms than secondary schools taking a group picture of each class at the middle or high school level can easily be done on a smartphone and then displayed on the wall Every student no matter the age has an inherent need to know that they are a valued part of their classroom Being recognized visually can positively impact a student to feel I belong 2 Teacher Student Relationships One of the most effective strategies to help students find success in all areas of their lives including their academics is to connect with them While great curriculums and interesting lesson plans are vitally important the foundation for all great learning comes through the teacher student relationship If classrooms consisted of only a few students at a time this would be a simple task to accomplish However the reality is that most classrooms are much larger so finding the time to connect with each and every student in an in depth and intimate way is impossible Fortunately there are ways to find meaningful connections with students despite common time and energy obstacles as discussed below Smile and Be Authentic The old education adage Don t smile until December is counterproductive to creating strong relationships with students Not smiling is actually one of the most ineffective ways of maintaining control of the classroom Good behavior from students comes from a teacher s influence and relationship with her students not from the power and control she has with them solely by her role as a teacher In fact great teacher student relationships are critical to effective classroom management When someone smiles they become more inviting and hence more emotionally safe Teachers often spend an amazing amount of energy creating a less stressful classroom by selecting the right chairs paint colors fidgets calming music and so on but they forget one of the easiest cheapest and most engaging strategies of all a smile Smiling reduces stress because it triggers the brain to release neuropeptides that help the cells of our body to relax Smiling also gets the brain to release feel good chemicals neurotransmitters like dopamine endorphins and serotonin involved in calming the nervous system and improving mood which will ultimately give teachers a larger window of stress tolerance with students Some say to fake it until you make it Yet when working with students impacted by trauma this technique is sure to backfire Billy is tuned up and lives in a state of self D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 33

protection His radar is perpetually activated to feel how others are feeling This sixth sense is overdeveloped in Billy as a way to protect himself never to be taken off guard when danger is about to strike If Billy senses the teacher is getting upset or is unhappy but she has a smile on her face this incongruence makes the teacher more unsafe for Billy The dichotomy of the two will increase his anxiety and put him into a deeper fear state Teachers should smile when it is authentic but if the teacher is not feeling happy she should own her emotional state by saying something like I m a bit dysregulated but you all are safe I m working through it and nobody is in trouble because of my mood The bottom line is that the teacher has to be genuine and authentic otherwise any effort she puts forth to connect will not be effective Welcome Students into the Classroom When students enter the classroom they need to be welcomed every time every day Billy needs to feel included and wanted He typically has a history of feeling rejected unlovable and not good enough Welcoming students making eye contact with them and addressing them by name inherently says We are so glad you are here today and a part of our class family Billy Standing at the door as students come into the classroom see Figure 1 17 also sends this message along with You re so important to me and I ve been anticipating your arrival so here I am to greet you Welcoming students through a trauma informed lens also requires an understanding as to students high sensitivity to physical closeness and contact Certain hand gestures that Figure 1 17 Teacher giving a morning are meant to be friendly could easily be greeting to each of her students interpreted as threatening For example if a teacher raises her hand to high five Billy but Billy was slapped the night before from an angry adult at home or slapped several years ago he will likely be triggered and feel as if he is in danger Trauma from the past continues to keep students in a place of 34 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 interpreting everything from a lens of fear Giving students a choice of how they want to be greeted can prevent this type of reactivity and it also is a way to give back some decision making power to them Figure 1 18 gives two elementary school examples of a good morning or goodbye choice board Figure 1 18 The Morning Greeting The Core Coaches thecorecoaches com Used with permission For middle school and high school classrooms simply standing at the door to welcome students with a warm verbal greeting as they walk in can be hugely effective However this type of one on one connection even though it is brief may stress some students out at first Billy is not used to being noticed except for when he is doing something wrong His internal blueprint tells him that being noticed means he is in trouble He may look down and may not be able to maintain eye contact It will take time but eventually Billy will be able to adjust his interpretation of this welcoming as a positive gesture from his teacher Address Students by Name Addressing a student by name either in class or outside of class acknowledges that the student exists and is an important part of the class and school Using a student s name sends the message that I care about you and I care about your success For instance if a student raises his hand to answer a question calling on the student by name Billy what do you think is profoundly more connecting than just pointing at him and nodding D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 35

Students who have experienced neglect often have the feeling of being invisible Acting out remedies this feeling quickly If Billy does something against the rules the teacher may say Billy stop that Then Billy no longer feels invisible Whether the attention is negative or positive does not matter it is still attention Initiating connection by using a student s name or nickname the teacher is proactively solving Billy s invisibility issue Dale Carnegie is known to have said A person s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language Saying Hi is very different from saying Hi Billy Likewise calling on students by name is much more engaging Getting to know all the students names can be an overwhelming task at the beginning of the school year for P E teachers and other teachers who have almost all the students in an entire school but Giving students time making it a priority sends a powerful message to share and be heard Individual name pronunciation is also crucial If a teacher calls on a student by is an important part of name but mispronounces it the student will immediately think That s not how you say my getting them prepped name rather than think through the question at hand Resistance automatically builds Be for academic learning sure to ask students the correct pronunciation of their names The act of asking is a great way to show interest in and build trust with students Additionally pronouncing names properly builds a strong culturally inclusive atmosphere in the classroom reinforcing the message I respect your culture and I am taking interest to know more Create Dedicated Connection Times With the overload of academic requirements on a teacher carving out time within the school day to connect with students beyond academics may seem impossible and even unnecessary However the irony is that when time is taken to connect and listen to what is going on in students lives students are more open to academics and more willing to focus on the lessons at hand Giving students time to share and be heard is an important part of getting them prepped for academic learning There are various ways this can be done depending on the classroom grade level the needs of the students and other factors A few examples follow Morning circles There are a variety of names to call these circles listening circles connection circles dialogue circles and of course morning circles Morning circles 36 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 can be scheduled as often as every day or as little as once a week typically on a Monday morning If possible chairs are arranged in a circle where everybody is facing each other allowing all participants in the circle to feel equal Circles are led by the teacher to help transition students into a learning mode and to check in with students on how they are doing emotionally Starting the circle with a mindful moment sets the tone eases the transition into learning mode and settles students A talking stick can be used so that the person with the stick is the only person talking while everyone else is listening These structured circles facilitate a sense of belonging and community They allow students to become more mindful of their emotions and more self aware They build stronger relationships teach better social skills of how to listen and be respectful and they build trust and a sense of safety for all the participants All of these factors then translate to students being able to achieve higher academic success Although not practical for every classroom in middle and high school morning meetings can happen during homeroom or advisory periods if these are a part of the students typical day Closing circles It is easy for classrooms to become chaotic by the end of each school day Teachers feel rushed to finish up the last few items on their list Students are tired often hungry and ready to be done It is also true that the way each day ends sets the tone for how Circles are led by the next day begins Therefore efforts should be made to end the day on a positive note A closing the teacher to help circle brings everyone back together in a mindful transition students into way and helps to end the day with a sense of belonging It is also a way to help students get a learning mode and re regulated and prepped for the transition home Due to Billy s trauma making transitions is to check in with hard Transitions can actually trigger visceral students on how they reactions because of the rise in anxiety and fear So much of trauma happens during transitional are doing emotionally times so the blueprint of change equals pain activates especially at the end of the day when Billy is physically spent and tired Helping students prepare for this transition and bring closure to the end of the day can decrease after school disciplinary issues on the bus and during after school social times It is every teacher s responsibility to help Billy leave the classroom as regulated as possible to give him the ability to make the next environment he enters successful D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 37

Classroom polling Technology is a way to engage students academically by using game based learning platforms such as Kahoot that allow teachers to do real time quizzes and polling Technology is not only a great academic tool but it can also be used to build community and connection within the classroom especially at the middle and high school levels Getting to know every student in the classroom especially large classrooms is time consuming and unrealistic for teachers With classroom polling teachers can pose fun questions which can be answered anonymously to create safety that help define the class with its likes and dislikes as well as its opinions on particular topics Starting every class with a fun or silly but relevant question that takes only a few minutes can get students connected and ready to learn Examples might include Do you think we will win the homecoming game and What will you be doing over the holiday break This gives every student a chance to have an individual voice while visually seeing how they are a part of the greater whole of their classroom family Figure 1 19 shows the results of a poll given to students regarding the food in the cafeteria Figure 1 19 Poll results on students favorite lunch served in the cafeteria Taking class polls enables the teacher to know her students better For instance she will understand that when the cafeteria is serving ham and cheese sandwiches the 38 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 mood is very likely going to be different before and after lunch than on the days when pizza is being served This is especially true for many children impacted by trauma as food is typically a weighted issue If a student has a history of not getting enough food mealtime is incredibly important so the stakes are high as to whether or not they like the food being served Ask Students What They Need Another resource largely untapped that provides a deeper understanding of our students is the students themselves Some of the best solutions for students who are struggling actually come from asking them the basic question What do you need Classroom polling as described above can help teachers get an idea of what students need in order to make school better Another idea is to distribute I Wish My Teacher Knew Cards see Figure 1 20 with the option for students to include their name or remain anonymous Or as an easy alternative pass out index cards for students to write a response Figure 1 20 Cards that allow students to express what will make school better for them D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 39

Let Students Get to Know You Students cannot be asked to do something that we are not willing to do ourselves If we want students to be vulnerable and open themselves up to us then we need to do the same for them For our Billys this is typically the only way to get them to start letting go of their self protective walls We have to be open with good boundaries about who we are and allow them to see us as human fallible and with flaws Figure 1 21 shows how a secondary teacher Mr J decorated his desk area to give his students a glimpse into his personality and personal world Figure 1 21 A secondary teacher lets his students get to know him by decorating his desk with items that demonstrate his personal interests and family outside of school Being vulnerable means we have nothing to hide which in turn makes us incredibly safe for Billy there are no surprises lurking in us that might be a threat to him Remember trauma happens by surprise so the less we have to hide and the more real and open we are for Billy within professional boundaries of course the more he has the capacity to build a relationship with us Protect and Respect Their Dignity Students impacted by trauma have an extremely low sense of self In fact many of the Billys in the classroom truly believe they do not even deserve to be on this planet This will make them incredibly sensitive to all the dynamics in the classroom so it will take 40 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 teachers being mindful of this ultra sensitivity It is important for teachers to respect all students but especially those impacted by trauma by listening to them being as patient and understanding as possible reassuring them that all is well and taking their concerns seriously Billy should never be compared to Andy or any other student Moreover Billy should never be ignored when he is vying for attention even if he has been misbehaving to get the teacher s attention nor should the teacher raise her voice in anger or use sarcasm Relate to Students Beyond Academics The traditional classroom is structured in such a way that when students walk in the door they are expected to drop everything and relate to the teacher to the lesson plan and meet the academic expectations Most of all students are expected not to bring their own personal life into the classroom The unspoken rule is to leave it at the door This Our students are model does not work anymore Our students are calling us to be more interactive and relational calling us to be more with them especially our students impacted by trauma The Billys of the classroom do not have interactive and the capacity to get outside of themselves and relational with them jump into the shoes of the teacher Their lives are too overwhelming and all too consuming to especially our students leave everything outside of the classroom This is the nature of survival When students grow impacted by trauma up in dysfunction in environments that do not meet their childhood needs they remain in a place that says It s all about me I come first I need to know I m alright lovable and valuable before I can move out of this perspective and into anyone else s perspective no matter where I am This is not all bad Changing how we relate to the Billys of the classroom is making the world a much more lovable place and it is benefiting everyone It takes more effort yes but it is helping us as a society to connect with each other in a deeper and more meaningful way For teachers this requires finding ways to first relate to Billy prior to expecting Billy to relate to us or our academic lessons Get into Billy s world Teachers can find out what her students enjoy and then either make conversations around these likes or relate examples of particular lessons to these interests Some teachers have described giving an All About Me assignment D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 41

at the beginning of the year In some cases an assignment like this can be too personal for some of our Billys Asking students impacted by trauma to open up to that level of vulnerability may make it worse for the teacher student relationship Most children s identity comes from their family of origin Billy might be in foster care away from his family or perhaps his mother or father might be in jail Shame and embarrassment of his family could lead him to avoid the assignment and thus earn him a zero from the start of the year Modifying such an assignment to ask lighter questions that are less likely to create negative feelings can still reveal ways for teachers to safely relate Remember what they told you Teachers have so much going on that it is easy for them to forget what every student says and what their interests are However Billy s high sensitivity is going to make sure that what he says is heard Growing up in unhealthy family situations typically puts children in a place where what they say does not matter nor is it taken seriously Hence if you ask how Billy s soccer game went yesterday but the game was the day before Billy might become reactive and retort with a comment like It wasn t yesterday I told you it was the other day You never listen to me While teachers can try to remember details and specifics they will forget something That s Most children s why it is important to remember that if Billy becomes reactive over an error a teacher makes identity comes from his reactivity stems from a much deeper place But with a loving reply from the teacher such their family of origin as Oh you re so right Well how did it go I ve been thinking about you and was hoping it went well Billy s sensitivity will eventually decrease In addition the teacher can guide Billy through his reactivity with some of the components listed in Domain 5 so he can learn how to curb this kind of reactivity in the future Interact with Students Outside of Class We have all had an experience when we were younger of seeing a teacher in the grocery store or another place outside of school At first it felt awkward but then there was this realization Oh she s really just a normal person A barrier is lifted when teachers can connect with students outside of the classroom either on campus or during extracurricular school activities off campus Interact during recess Recess can be one of the best times to connect with students While many teachers may need this downtime away from students going out to 42 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 recess once in a while at random times can do wonders Joining students in their world playtime helps them join the teacher in her world academic time Running around and playing tag with students can give teachers some exercise to get regulated as well It is a wonderful time for teachers to show their students that they enjoy their company Contrary Recess is a wonderful to traditional belief students will have more respect for teachers when the roles reverse once time for teachers to they are back in the classroom and the teacher show their students is once again in charge of them Check in at breakfast Many students go that they enjoy their home every evening to unstable and disruptive family situations When they arrive back at company school the next morning their windows of stress tolerances are small and they are often so dysregulated that it is hard for them to transition into the demands of their academic day If the school provides breakfast carving out the time to check in with students during breakfast can set the tone for a more connected day A simple Hey Billy I m so glad you re here today or How s it going Billy I came down here to check in and say hi can help to shift a student back to a place of learning prior to him entering the classroom Eat lunch with students When teachers pull students out of the cafeteria to have lunch with them in the classroom or another calm environment several positive outcomes can be achieved First it gives the teacher a chance to connect with the students Second it gives the students the opportunity to calm their nervous systems down during the middle of the day instead of going into a loud and socially stressful cafeteria Third if the teacher has several students together for a lunchtime connection it gives her the opportunity to simulate a family meal Many of our students have missed the ritual of having family meals in their homes Family meals teach children the art of communication which includes developing their listening skills improving their patience and ability to take turns and improving their concentration skills During family meals children have a voice and have a time to be heard This builds their self esteem The inherent message is What you have to contribute to the conversation is important therefore you are important and I value and respect you Fourth family meals help children learn how to banter and laugh with each other Many of our Billys take comments from others personally and from a combative framework due to living in a state of survival Having a teacher present can help ease this reactivity and teach Billy how to have playful conversations D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 43

Connect with students in the bus loading zone Whether before or after school having teachers welcome students to school or say goodbye to them at the end of the day sends a strong message of We care about you It also helps when teachers intervene with students who might be dysregulated prior to them entering school or getting on a school bus This proactive measure may prevent in the moment incidents from happening later Check in with students in the ISS room When students are given time in the in school suspension ISS room they still need the connection of their regular teachers When a teacher stops in and says Hey Billy Just wanted you to know we missed you in class today and can t wait to have you back tomorrow it lessens the shame Billy might It is the time spent experience when he walks back into the class the next day If he knows he is missed and is with students doing welcomed back the re entry is a positive one a something that homecoming of sorts Attend practices events and games everyone is passionate Many of our Billys do not have parents who can or will attend their practices for sports drama about that generates choir band and more nor do their parents attend deeper and warmer their performances events and games Being in the audience and cheering them on can translate relationships into them being more respectful connected and motivated in the classroom While the time commitment for this is more than many teachers can commit to even stopping by for five or ten minutes can have a positive impact Alternatively making sure there is one caring adult in attendance a mentor another adult in the school who has a strong connection with Billy or someone from a community organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters of America can be as effective Lead a club or extracurricular activity Leading a school club or running an extracurricular activity is a great way for teachers to get to know their students on a more personal level It is the time spent with students doing something that everyone is passionate about that generates deeper and warmer relationships A strong association between participation in extracurricular activities and student success has been shown in better attendance higher levels of achievement and aspirations to higher levels of education Although the activity itself may partly influence this success it is highly likely that the relationships built during these activities lead to this success too 1 44 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 All of this translates into students who are more respectful to their teachers students who have something to look forward to at the end of the day and students who have a deeper sense of self because they are engaged in activities that align with their interests and passions Increase Cultural Competence One of the most notable aspects of building a relationship with someone else is having the capacity to put yourself in the other person s shoes This requires knowing the other person s familial blueprint and cultural background Thus it is important for teachers Refugee students will to be culturally competent to know about their students cultures or be willing to expand and greatly benefit from learn about the diverse cultures their students bring into the classrooms trauma informed Culturally inclusive activities and discussions classrooms should be integrated into the class curriculum to expand students understanding of the similarities and differences between cultures Including questions and prompts throughout assignments that both help students discover the world outside of what they know and expand their appreciation for listening and learning from others encourages a strong family system that celebrates diversity Refugee students will greatly benefit from trauma informed classrooms Helping these students assimilate into the classroom is not only about supporting them through all the vast changes they have to make but it is also about preparing the existing students to receive their new classmates Teachers must help the existing students understand the refugee students cultures and make certain there is a welcoming and inclusive energy within the class family for all students joining in from other parts of the world Explaining the differences between immigrants and refugees will assist the existing students in developing an open heart and empathy for their new classmates Barbara Law described it best in her book More Than Just Surviving Handbook ESL for Every Classroom Teacher An immigrant leaves his homeland to find greener grass A refugee leaves his homeland because the grass is burning under his feet 2 When students can expand to understand the challenges their new classmates must overcome even the Billys of the classroom who are also going through their own challenges will be able to relate to and offer them a warm welcome D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 45

3 Student Student Relationships Most resources on becoming trauma informed focus primarily on teacher student relationships While this is indeed important there is another very powerful relationship focus that has been missed student student relationships The support that a teacher offers a student will always have a dynamic of fear at some level This is because the teacher has a higher hierarchical role over the student as discussed earlier in the Establish and Teach Hierarchy section The trauma impacted student invariably carries the thought somewhere Focusing on developing in the back of his mind that the adult has power over him and power means there is always a emotionally safe and chance that he can get hurt in some way by this positive relationships person This fear never goes away completely Student student relationships however are free within the classroom from this power dynamic Many times it can be Billy s peer who is able to help him far more among students is an than any adult in the entire school Focusing asset that has not been on developing emotionally safe and positive relationships within the classroom among harnessed enough students is an asset that has not been harnessed enough Proactive measures throughout the entire school year to foster healthy student tostudent relationships can decrease behavioral outbursts between students as well as create an environment where students help protect and support one another The following true story is given to demonstrate how incredibly powerful this concept of creating a class family can be to change the dynamics within the classroom A second grade teacher worked the entire year to create a strong sense of family within her classroom All year long she kept this as one of her main focuses and the students developed a tight bond with one another Then at the end of the school year they were getting ready to start their end of the year class party One little girl Billy was extremely stressed out about the school year ending She was more anxious than usual and was finding it hard to stay focused The teacher was on the other side of the room getting ready for the party when she looked over at Billy only to 46 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 notice that Billy was standing there urinating on the floor The teacher immediately started to go into her own rapid fire thoughts of Oh my gosh This is awful Billy is in front of all her peers This is incredibly embarrassing for her this is going to ruin her entire successful school year As the teacher continued her negative internal diatribe another student realized what was happening and immediately took action He grabbed the Mountain Dew that was sitting on the table with all the other sodas and spilled the Mountain Dew at Billy s feet Yes he was covering up for her to make sure she was not going to be made fun of Out of all the sodas he had the wherewithal to pick the Mountain Dew Had this second grade classroom not been bonded and connected like a family where student student relationships were mindfully developed it is highly likely that Billy would have been made fun of and laughed at by her classmates This intense amount of shame could easily have slipped her into an aggressive and violent state to protect her self worth and project her shame onto her classmates Instead the complete opposite happened She was loved and cared for despite one of the potentially most embarrassing moments of her young life Aligning activities both academic and nonacademic to build student student relationships will ensure that students in the classroom feel as if they belong Activities can go far beyond just discussions of being a class family They give the experiential piece that is critical to solidifying this concept The following activities are examples of how to develop and build student student relationships Each teacher depending on the nature of the class curriculum and age of her students will easily find additional ways to help connect students in their classrooms Establish and Enforce a No Bullying Policy In a healthy family system nobody is threatened maliciously picked on or made fun of Bullying creates division and can be life scarring Teachers must endorse and enforce a zero tolerance no bullying policy within their classrooms This starts with the teacher taking a strong and vocal stance to say We are a class family and bullying will not be tolerated Ever Additionally a step by step protocol for students to follow when they need to report bullying incidents should be established and disseminated Merely talking about not partaking in bullying is not enough Students who are bullied as well as bystanders require clarity about what constitutes bullying and what to do when they D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 47

experience such cruelty The step by step protocol must ensure privacy for each student and the teacher must make and keep a promise that she will never reveal who came forward with the information In a healthy family system some sibling rivalry at the level of light bantering and motivating competition can be a good thing Beyond that it is hurtful divisive and damaging The same is true in a classroom between classmates Monitoring the level and intensity of sibling rivalry among students is the teacher s responsibility She must take swift and decisive action to stop it and address it when it is either reported or when she witnesses it The old adage of Oh kids will be kids is no longer acceptable There is too much at stake to ignore it especially with students impacted by trauma They have already been emotionally hurt so any type of bullying is going to magnify their reactivity to it Thus the goal is to create a supportive peer culture within the classroom It is worth noting that Billy will often be overly sensitive to interactions that would not supportive peer culture normally constitute bullying Perhaps another student merely looks at Billy with a slightly within the classroom disdained look whether intentional or not and Billy rebuts with a verbal assault onto the student Due to Billy s high sensitivity to rejection the teacher must intervene with Billy as if it were a real bullying incident because in Billy s mind it is real This does not mean that the other student is in trouble It means that the teacher needs to connect with Billy instead of saying something to minimize his reaction such as Billy you re just overreacting I saw what happened and it was nothing Settle down Instead it is essential to connect with Billy s perception first and help him process his reactivity He will not let it go on his own it will only fester and build Connecting with him in his reality will help prevent the situation from escalating later in the class or outside of the classroom The goal is to create a Create an Inclusive and Judgment Free Environment Along with endorsing and enforcing a no bullying policy for extreme behaviors there should also be intentional care to create an environment for all other behaviors and interactions between students to be free of judgment where children are taught to be tolerant and accepting of one another as in a healthy family Differences are celebrated and students are encouraged to define their own identities There is no room for prejudice or racist remarks Students are free from the fear of being stigmatized and 48 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 ostracized There is no tolerance for prejudice toward students based on racial or cultural background physical characteristics behavior issues sexual orientation or academic artistic or athletic competence Students impacted by trauma have such a deep blueprint of rejection that they can quickly react verbally or physically when they feel as if they are being judged or criticized Creating a judgment free zone in the classroom is paramount to curbing outbursts On the flip side many students fear of rejection shuts them down to the point that they will not participate in class discussions either When teachers can set the tone in the classroom to let students know that there is no such thing as a stupid question it lessens the fear of speaking up Additionally teachers must ensure that other students do not make fun of their peers for not knowing an answer or giving an answer that is off base from the correct answer Swift action from the teacher to stop such behavior is required while reminding students that the class is family where everyone is treated with respect and dignity Continual reminders need to be given that We are a family We support each other and take care of one another The actions taken in the classroom are to help each and every student have a sense of connection The message is You belong and are a part of us instead of You are not one of us The following examples are ways to build cultivate and reinforce this You belong culture within the classroom Call out prejudicial talk Call out coded language related to racism or judgment Celebrate diversity I love hearing all the different perspectives Swiftly stop put downs shaming or other critical comments Foster mutual respect Let s all listen so Billy feels important Create Intentional Student Student Relationship Building Activities School is a highly social environment no matter the grade level Social interactions are organically developed during nonacademic times such as on the bus before school in the halls at lunch and after school When teachers can also include student student relationship building activities into the classroom it is a win win for everybody Teachers will have more control over stopping the negative social undercurrents that find their way into the classroom and affect how students treat each other When teachers influence these social connections students can experience relationships that are more positive and emotionally safe While this may seem like one more task to burden a teacher whose time D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 49

is already severely limited taking a few moments to incorporate building student student relationships into the curriculum can add to the positive energy and emotional safety within the classroom which will decrease academic stress and increase academic success Shout outs and acknowledgments It is one thing for a teacher to tell a student You re doing a great job but it is far more powerful when a student says this to another student Throughout the day or within a class period a teacher can take sixty seconds to ask students to identify someone who is doing a good job or working hard to solve a challenging problem This helps the class focus on the positive as well as build admiration among peers Teachers can also get students to clap it up for another student when the student answers a question or makes a positive contribution to the class discussion Positive adjectives One teacher took a sheet of paper for each student and wrote We are thankful for ________ with the name of each student on the blank line Each student took his or her sheet of paper and had classmates support this statement with adjectives of appreciation The pictures in Figure 1 22 are examples of such an exercise Group salutes A group salute is a teacher prompted interaction that is used when students are doing group work Before starting work in a group or once the activity is Figure 1 22 Students supportive statements of a fellow classmate 50 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 complete the teacher prompts her students to do either a physical gesture like a high five or a social gesture such as an expression of gratitude to their group members This type of group connection was researched among professional basketball teams and showed that teams whose players touch the most high fives fist bumps etc early in the season had the best records later in the season Figure 1 23 shows two students doing a mind body exercise together with them high fiving each other at the end Figure 1 23 Students engaging in a mind body exercise and ending it with a teacher prompted high five Use Relationship Based Language to Identify Classmates Building camaraderie in the classroom can be done by choosing relationship based language For instance when the teacher wants the students to discuss a question related to a discussion if she says Turn to the person next to you this does not induce a warm connection Using the identifying words of the person misses the opportunity to connect students with each other It is more like Turn to the stranger next to you Instead the following is a list of more inclusive language that can foster greater connectivity between students Check in with the friend next to you Turn and talk to your neighbor Discuss your ideas with your table partner Work on these three questions with your shoulder partner D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 51

Distinguish Between Laughter with and Laughter at There is a huge difference between laughing at someone versus laughing with someone Students impacted by trauma will automatically default to thinking a classmate is laughing at them instead of being able to playfully understand when a classmate is laughing along with them Trauma often moves children to have a paranoid outlook toward others They assume everyone is against them It is one of the fallouts from viewing the world through a fear based lens Yet humor plays an incredibly powerful role in what bonds families and siblings together Humor fosters community and it positively impacts a classroom In fact a classroom without humor is sure to fall prey to high levels of stress and overwhelm Helping the Billys of the classroom learn how to laugh at circumstances how to banter with each other and how to ultimately laugh at themselves is key Many conflicts between students derive from Billy s lack of ability to laugh off jokes or to recognize when a classmate is including him in a joke from a friendly perspective rather than a critical angle For instance Andy starts laughing and says Did you see Billy last period He had it going Billy automatically assumes There is no specific Andy is throwing shade on him criticizing worksheet or technique him rather than understanding that Andy was giving him a compliment Billy stands up with to teach students how a defensive posture ready to fight Andy The typical response from a teacher is likely to be to learn to laugh Billy sit down You always overreact Andy was actually complimenting you Give it a rest Now we have a situation where Billy has two people to defend against the teacher and Andy Instead the teacher needs to recognize that students impacted by trauma find it hard to laugh and banter This takes self confidence internal security and an outlook free of fear In this example the teacher could first acknowledge Billy s hyper aroused state and take ownership of the next steps I ve got this Billy I ll be over there in just a second Class I need you to finish the questions on page fifteen Then she can head over to Billy s desk and check in with him Andy s comment isn t feeling good is it The conversation could ensue to validate Billy s feelings in his interpretation but once he is regulated the teacher can help him see how Andy was actually admiring him with the comment There is no specific worksheet or technique to teach students how to learn to laugh It takes addressing moments where Billy misinterprets as in this example and a continual building of a safe and loving family classroom environment 52 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 Additionally laughter should never be allowed in the classroom to degrade or demean another student For instance it was reported in one school that a Billy was having difficulties following a teacher s directive to close his laptop Billy finally complied but when he closed his laptop he also growled in frustration The other students noticed his struggle along with his growl and snickered at him Instead of the teacher being glad that the student complied her focus should have immediately shifted to the snickering Never is it appropriate to tolerate this type of mean spirited laughter from classmates toward another student No longer was this situation about the defiant student Setting a strong boundary for not allowing students to laugh at other students is essential to the coherence and building of a strong classroom family Model Nonjudgmental Behavior The teacher sets the tone for the entire class family Her ability to avoid using humiliation sarcasm ridicule anger impatience or shame is critical This will require the teacher to work on her own regulation throughout each day With a classroom full of Billys it is easy to run low on patience and respond to students in a sarcastic and ridiculing tone For example Billy Jones finally puts his phone away and the teacher says Nice of you to join us Mr Jones Being mindful ensures that comments like these do not slip off the tongue The teacher always models what it means to be in a classroom that is nonjudgmental and emotionally safe 4 Teacher Parent Relationships The most amount of time children spend in their lives is in two places home and school When these two environments are disconnected children are also more disconnected But when these two worlds can come together and present a united front children thrive When these two environments are well connected it means children move back and forth with more fluidity and consistency The merging of their two biggest worlds gives them a sense of stability and predictability that sets them up for success happiness and growth It is typically easier for the parents of our Andys to become involved in their child s education They have fewer barriers and there is less fear They themselves typically have a good blueprint of when they were in school Plus they have a better understanding of the significance of being involved in their child s school experience They understand the message this sends to their children being that I care I care about your success and I m here to support you you re not alone in this Andy s parents have a positive generational D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 53

experience to support them so it makes it much easier to become directly involved in their child s education The same is not true for the many parents of our Billys They themselves were Billys while in school as a result many of them experienced an educational system that was void of understanding but plentiful of punishment and judgment Consequently many of our Billys parents have a negative and sometimes angry and resentful attitude toward school Their own experiences absent of love and acceptance left a deep seated level of distrust There are a many other reasons that parents do not get involved with their child s education Some feel unwelcomed as if they are outsiders The educational world is one they do not understand Some are embarrassed or feel threatened by their own lack of higher education Their discomfort may stem from language barriers and other It is well documented cultural differences For others their lack of involvement comes down to time and financial that when parents are constraints Parents who work nights can find it hard to attend open houses and parent teacher involved with their conferences Other parents receive nothing but negative reports from the school regarding their children s education children Thus they see no reason to visit the their children are more school in person to hear the same bad news and be reminded of their child s poor academic likely to be successful standing The bottom line is that the unknown and unfamiliar situations are hard for all of us in school A trauma informed approach recognizes that it is time now to break the cycle for these parents It is well documented that when parents are involved with their children s education their children are more likely to be successful in school 3 The teachers of today may not have been the ones who created this negative blueprint for parents but it has been handed down to them nonetheless Teachers will most likely start off with a huge disconnect with many of our Billys parents It will take perseverance tenacity unconditional acceptance and open and loving invitations to break down these walls but we owe it to the Billys of our classrooms to take this action The starting point to accomplish this goes back to the basics of the trauma informed movement it starts with relationships Just like when students feel better connected and 54 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 are more likely to respond positively the same holds true for parents When parents feel connected accepted understood and welcomed they too are more likely to connect respond and be involved Take Initiative to Build the Teacher Parent Relationship To reiterate one of the best predictors of a child s academic success is parent involvement and engagement Parent engagement increases attendance improves classroom test scores and grades and improves graduation rates 4 Thus a trauma informed classroom needs to not only focus on teacher student relationships but also on teacher parent relationships Building the teacher parent relationship is the first step to getting parents involved in their child s classroom especially for those parents who would typically shy away from school When parents feel involvement These are usually the parents who only receive negative notes about their children proud instead as a result they can easily feel judged inadequate of ashamed or and put off by educational institutions Sending positive notes home about Billy can begin to break embarrassed they the ice with parents When parents feel proud instead of ashamed or embarrassed they are are much more likely much more likely to connect with their child s to connect with their teacher Teachers can also openly reach out and invite child s teacher parents to participate It cannot be assumed that parents know they are invited Teachers can create a list of the opportunities for involvement and allow parents to choose which best fits their schedule comfort level and strengths In addition teachers can invite parents to share their culture if different through foods stories or the like There is always a way to break through any barriers that might be in the way of getting parents involved Use Various Communication Channels with Parents While many schools are already embracing technology as a means to communicate with parents teachers can be proactive and ask parents which means of communication is best for them Not all parents may have access to a computer so sometimes it takes offering what might seem an old means of communicating like notes and letters Accessing school portals may be too overwhelming for some parents Having the gamut of D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 55

communication channels open to them can ease any resistance Apps such as ClassDojo Remind and Class Tag can help those parents who are already in the habit of using technology to communicate Also some parents drop off and pick up their children at school each day Connecting with these parents in the pickup line is a great place to meet with them face to face Respond Promptly Because many of our students parents were Billys themselves during their academic experiences it is highly likely that they too have rejection and abandonment issues When a parent has the courage to reach out to connect the teacher should respond as promptly as possible Adult children of trauma can still easily get triggered when they do not Sometimes even the get responses quickly Feelings of being rejected invisible and such are still potent and easily best efforts made by ignited a teacher to reach out Sherrie Eldridge an award winning author and adoptee herself has talked about how as an to parents will be met adult she still finds this to be an issue Sherrie was adopted as a baby which created a deep with resistance sense of loss and rejection within her to lose contact with her first human connection Even decades later when she writes an email and does not get a prompt response back Sherrie says she still experiences a visceral reaction that stems from her old blueprint of rejection and abandonment Having a strong sensitivity to these issues when communicating with parents is vital in helping to break down the barriers Explain Education Processes The required educational mandates of the educational world are vast and complex to many parents It is a world that can be hard to navigate and understand especially for parents who did not complete high school or higher education Offering to explain to parents the protocols policies and procedures without assuming they are already familiar with them can provide the clarification they are seeking Some districts have parent advocates as well as community agencies that provide such services Getting parents connected to these resources either directly through the teacher or a school social worker empowers parents who feel lost and intimidated 56 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 1 Explain Acronyms The number of acronyms used by educational institutions is extensive and foreign to most parents To make matters worse districts around the country use different terminology and different acronyms If a parent moves from one district to another that which was familiar is no longer The following note was sent to a parent from her child s school Because of the parent s lack of understanding of the required testing along with the language of acronyms she could not decipher the meaning If he s taking the KAP through KVS an email will be sent to me by his SLP If you need more information call the ESC Using school acronyms without explaining their meaning is a sure way to alienate parents Acronyms need to be fully explained so that parents do not feel lost and unwelcomed Refer to the School Social Worker When Needed Sometimes even the best efforts made by a teacher to reach out to parents will be met with resistance Bringing in the assistance of a school social worker or someone with the capacity to do home visits should be considered if connecting with a student s parents is necessary Meeting parents in the safety of their home can help give them a sense of power and control The purpose of home visits is not to discuss a child s poor academic performance or behavioral concerns Rather it provides an opportunity to listen to the parents get to know them understand their culture if it differs from the mainstream students culture build trust and support the family Doing multiple visits with parents can then lead to them more easily coming to the school and being an active part of their child s education Please note The discussion in this component on developing strong teacher parent relationships only touches the surface of this very important topic It is recommended to read Authentically Engaged Families A Collaborative Care Framework for Student Success by Calvalyn G Day for more information on how to successfully develop these relationships D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 57

EXERCISE Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions 1 2 3 58 Family Culture Do I feel like I belong Do I want to be in this classroom or leave Am I valued and appreciated Do I feel emotionally safe in this classroom Is my teacher authentic and genuine or is she just going through the motions because someone told her to be trauma informed Am I watching the clock just waiting for the bell to ring so I can go to my next class Teacher Student Relationships Do I feel safe enough to ask a question regarding the assignment content Do I feel comfortable approaching my teacher on a personal issue Does my teacher authentically care about me Does my teacher know anything about me Do I know anything about my teacher Student Student Relationships Do I feel connected to my classmates or do I feel like an outsider Do my classmates include me in group work Do my classmates notice when I m disconnected Do they initiate connection to include me C L A S S R O O M18 0

Do my classmates appreciate my uniqueness or do they see me as a weirdo Do I have to pretend to be somebody I m not just to fit in If I wasn t here would anyone miss me DOM A IN 1 4 Teacher Parent Relationships Do my two worlds of home and school feel completely opposite and unrelated Does my teacher view my parent s with respect Does my teacher only send negative messages home to my parent s Things are beautiful if you love them JE A N A NOUILH D O M A I N 1 R E L AT I O N S H I P S A N D FA M I LY C U LT U R E 59

5 1 4 2 3 Regulation

DOM A IN 2 DOMAIN 2 Regulation D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 61

R EGUL AT ION 5 Physical Environment 6 Universal Proactive Supports 7 Transitional Support 8 Individual Interventions 9 Awareness 10 Window of Stress Tolerance 11 Teacher Self Regulation

DOMAIN 2 Regulation DOM A IN 2 R elationships are the backbone of a trauma informed platform because most trauma happens within the context of relationships Thus it is only logical that the healing from trauma happens where the pain originally occurred within the context of relationships The well being of children depends on the health of the relationships they have with the adults in their lives The deepest and most profound relationships children develop occur in predominately two environments home and school For children coming to school with healthy relationships at home they still need connected and loving relationships at school For children coming to school with unhealthy and strained relationships at home the need for healthy and loving relationships at school is paramount to their success at school Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture is a precursor to Domain 2 which focuses on regulation Regulation is the ability to handle stress calm the nervous system and sustain one s focus and emotional balance The trauma informed platform is a co regulatory model meaning it takes strong connected and loving relationships to help students be able to regulate Domains 1 and 2 work hand in hand Simply giving students a fidget and telling them to get regulated is ineffective if the students are not connected and emotionally secure with the adults around them This idea of a co regulatory model is biologically based From the time children are born they depend on the adults around them to help them regulate As children grow their developmental journey involves a progression of relying less on the adults in their lives to regulate while they move closer to self regulating on their own Brain science is showing that this journey takes about twenty five years in an optimal environment Hence the need for adults to be present in students lives to help them regulate is necessary from preschool through high school and beyond D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 63

Trauma interrupts this linear progression of developing a strong and self sustained regulatory system When adults are unable to meet the relationship and regulatory needs of young children and when life events for these children become overwhelming and scary they enter school with compromised regulatory systems and view life from a lens of fear As a result they are unable to handle stress calm down and adequately self soothe when becoming overly stressed Their regulatory systems are also patterned to react at high levels of intensity from living in sustained states of survival The solution lies in building relationships with these children Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture and offering classrooms that provide regulatory supports Domain 2 Regulation When these two are successfully implemented the changes can be dramatic Students are better able to handle stress their behaviors improve and they are more ready to learn It takes both relationship and regulation which are interconnected by the basic concept that regulation is relationship dependent in children In the classroom there are numerous ways to support students in their regulation From the 27 components of Classroom180 Domain 2 Regulation includes components 5 through 11 5 Physical Environment Universal Proactive Supports Transitional Support Individual Interventions Awareness Window of Stress Tolerance Teacher Self Regulation Physical Environment Children s brains are in the process of developing Their executive functions responsible for filtering out and prioritizing information are solidifying Their undeveloped brains take everything in all at once so a classroom that has too much visual stimulation or is overly disorganized can interfere with their ability to focus and concentrate It overwhelms their brains This is especially true for children impacted by trauma Years ago the practice of feng shui became very popular While it may have been a fad its intention was to help harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment Feng shui can be thought of as the art of placement within a space designed to bring balance and harmony Students impacted by trauma are so internally chaotic and out 64 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 of balance that creating an external environment of harmony and balance becomes of great importance to self regulation Although a trauma informed approach is not about implementing feng shui it does require being mindful about how the physical environment influences students regulation and balance For instance how different does it feel to walk into a Chuck E Cheese compared to a day spa Different environments will activate a person s nervous system differently and from one extreme to another Classrooms should be warm and lively yet not too sterile or overwhelming The following strategies show how teachers can create a trauma informed classroom at the physical level Be Well Organized and Clutter Free A classroom that is well organized and free of clutter offers students an external environment of calm If the teacher s desk is neat and tidy it subconsciously conveys the message I m regulated in balance and I ve got things together Conversely if the teacher s desk is disorganized and a mess the message conveyed becomes I don t have time for you I m in the middle of my tasks As can be seen in Figure 2 1 the overabundance of boxes stacked to the ceiling desktops that are cluttered and an overall feeling of disorganization makes it difficult for dysregulated students to gain a sense of regulation and order from their external environment Figure 2 1 A chaotic and disorganized classroom D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 65

When looking at the organization of the classroom papers should be put away and in their proper places Bins should be labeled and straightened Backpacks need to be in their proper places Curtains or covers can be used to hide numerous but needed school and art supplies as seen in Figure 2 2 When walking into a classroom that is organized and free of clutter it has the ability to automatically shift one s nervous system to a greater state of calm Figure 2 2 Curtains covering bookshelves in both elementary and secondary classrooms A well organized classroom can make all the difference for some students in their ability to function A classroom that has a strong sense of order can be powerful enough even without any of the other strategies discussed in this section to help students feel a sense of calm It truly is possible for this one item on the Room Scan Be Well Organized and Clutter Free to be enough to be considered a trauma informed classroom Indeed an external environment of order and strength has the power to override a student s internal environment of chaos and confusion Create Soft Lighting Students impacted by trauma can be sensitive to harsh fluorescent lighting Removing and replacing the overhead lights typically are not an option However there are creative ways to improve the lighting in a classroom Either entirely or partially turn off the fluorescent lights and replace them with table or floor lighting using warm LED bulbs garage sales and thrift stores offer price friendly options Or add fluorescent light covers diffusers designed to reduce glare and flickering as seen in Figure 2 3 Safety66 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 certified covers are best and all changes should first be approved by the school administrator s to comply with code requirements When possible daylight should be allowed into the room but make sure it does not become a distraction to the outdoors String lights are also an option as they provide soft warm and friendly lighting to a room Some teachers have successfully turned off all the overhead fluorescent lights and added warm white string lights around the ceiling see Figure 2 4 Figure 2 3 Fluorescent light diffuser Use Calm Colors The colors of a room can influence a student s mood and performance Certain colors have even been shown to increase blood pressure and eyestrain Choose colors that invoke feelings of calm relaxation and comfort such as blues and greens Large amounts of bright colors that can overstimulate students reds and oranges in particular should be avoided Accent colors can be beneficial yet they should remain just that accent colors Avoid overdoing it with too much color All colors need to be well coordinated so they do not clash with one another Offer Flexible Seating Many students impacted by trauma have challenges sitting at a traditional desk due to a variety of issues so having flexible seating is highly recommended Additionally giving students a voice and choice on their seating selection can be powerful and another way to build trust and mutual respect Flexible seating options can include fitness balls kneeling chairs stools beanbag chairs cushions or mats the floor standing desks or high top tables scoop chairs and more For high energy students options such as a pedal exerciser and a marked pacing area in the back of the classroom should be available If traditional desks are used they Figure 2 4 String lighting from an eighth grade science classroom D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 67

Figure 2 5 A variety of seating options from different classrooms 68 C L A S S R O O M18 0

need to be well organized to give the classroom the feeling of order and stability Figure 2 5 shows a variety of seating options from different classrooms DOM A IN 2 Create a Calm Corner One of the trademarks of a traumainformed classroom is having a sectioned area in the back of the room or off to the side designated as a calm corner or another name with the purpose of allowing students to take a break when needed see Figure 2 6 Some creative names teachers have created for this space are Peace corner Zen den Re center center Pit stop Break station Comfort corner PAL Peace and Love zone Hawaii so students can say I m going to Hawaii Antarctica definitely a place to cool down Figure 2 6 Calm corner Figure 2 7 Laminated bookmark with calming strategies The calm corner should be equipped with sensory and regulatory items soft rug pillows blanket lap pad stuffed animals beanbag chair etc books magazines and other regulating items to empower students to regulate back down and reset themselves The calm corner should be well defined as a separate physical space typically in the back of the classroom where it will not interrupt the other students The goal is for students who use this space to take a break and regulate their systems so they can return to their academics Posting a set of calming strategies empowers and reminds students of the ways they can calm themselves Or as shown in Figure 2 7 a laminated bookmark listing D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 69

calming strategies can be placed in a calm corner Students who go into flight mode often want to crawl under their desks to create a womb of safety Having a calm corner that allows for some privacy without obstructing the view as seen in Figure 2 8 can be very beneficial Boundaries and clear expectations need to be set around the use of a calm corner Students should understand when they can use the calm corner and how long they can stay whether they need permission from the teacher how many times a day they can use the calm corner and what the protocol is if they are not ready to return to their desks Students also need to understand the expectations of how to go to the calm corner without disturbing the rest of the class and how to return to their desks once they are ready While using a timer may seem like a logical tool to ensure that students do not abuse the use of this space watching a timer can actually increase a child s stress so this tool may need to be modified for some students Instead of an egg timer or a digital timer a sand timer may work well as it is visually Figure 2 8 A calm corner in a secondary classroom more relaxing However if any type of timer becomes too stress inducing the teacher can clarify that the student may stay in the calm corner until he feels calm or until he feels regulated enough to go back to his desk The teacher should monitor the time If it becomes longer than five or ten minutes this may indicate that the student will need a more intensive strategy to calm down Or if the teacher suspects the student is using the calm corner to avoid work she can lovingly mention that he will still need to make up the work he is missing and perhaps the two of them can do so during recess or another fun time in the student s schedule For the student who is regulated and uses the calm corner as an avoidance this conversation typically gets him right back to his desk Play Background Sounds Music played in the classroom can create a calming atmosphere and help settle students 70 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 nervous systems Music free of lyrics classical music drumming instrumentals New Age ambient music and others is best because music is processed in the right brain allowing calming access to the emotional brain Language is processed in the left brain so music with lyrics is not as effective at calming and regulating The volume should be low as many students who operate at a high intensity often hear sounds much louder than others Additionally white noise machines or fans can be used to mask distracting noise coming from outside the classroom Use Background Sights Streaming a video of a nature scene rather than displaying a stagnant picture of a mountain or beach scene can be very effective in providing a calming environment Using such videos should be done in a way that is not too distracting yet is still effective in providing another level of sensory calming Use Aromatherapy Aromatherapy has been used for thousands of years in China India Egypt and other cultures Recently it has gained more attention in the fields of science and medicine Natural oils such as lavender peppermint and sandalwood have been shown to improve mood and decrease anxiety The use of a diffuser in a classroom can be effective as long as the smell is not overpowering and consideration is taken ahead of time for any allergies Decorate with Nature and Pleasing Textures We decorate our houses with plants flowers artificial plastic flowers rugs pillows and other accessories to give them a warm and calming feeling Bringing these additions into the classroom can similarly help a classroom be a more soothing environment for students Plants especially counterbalance man made technology with the calming influence of nature Rugs can reduce noise from inside and outside of the classroom Pillows and other items that add soothing textures and colors can also be great additions Teachers have to be sure though that their district s guidelines allow such additions to the classroom Keep Pets Many students find connecting with animals easier and more regulating than connecting with people Having classroom pets can be the first step to helping these students connect see Figure 2 9 Animals such as bunnies fish guinea pigs mice and a bearded dragon D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 71

make great classroom pets as do therapy dogs However some districts have policies either limiting the types of pets allowed in the classroom or disallowing them all together Figure 2 9 Bearded dragon in a school counselor s office 6 Universal Proactive Supports Students coming into the classroom with high ACEs do not have the internal ability to consistently and effectively regulate their emotions and nervous systems Their ability to express themselves verbally instead of behaviorally is also compromised These are the students who are chronically dysregulated which then manifests into either negative acting out behaviors or shutting down and defiant behaviors Instead of addressing these students at the behavioral level with point charts and other punitive types of disciplinary systems that we have traditionally used it is much more productive to teach them how to regulate and help them improve their emotional intelligence Once a student is regulated his behaviors will then follow suit A student who is regulated has a greater ability to follow instructions adhere to rules and expectations and be motivated and prepared at the brain level to learn Most mainstream classrooms consist of a combination of students those who are impacted by trauma and those who are not a combination of our Billys and our Andys This does not mean that we have to split the class into two parts Quite the opposite is true Teaching students how to regulate and how to handle stressful situations benefits all students By teaching students how to self regulate we are preparing them for the real world All students can benefit from having well developed skills in handling stress 72 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 staying focused during tough times and being able to make rational well thought out decisions when experiencing fear The essence of a trauma informed platform is to understand that behaviors are external expressions of internal states of stress fear and overwhelm It is imperative to the success of a trauma informed classroom that teachers thoroughly understand this principle and view students from this perspective The proactive measures listed below are all based on this concept that behavior is a form of communication as it relates to a student s regulatory state The importance of implementing whole classroom supports proactively for all students cannot be emphasized enough If possible all ten of the following action steps need to be considered and implemented Hold to Predictable Schedules and Routines Predictable schedules and routines have always been good practice for any classroom Within a trauma informed platform the need for them is even greater Trauma typically happens by surprise so students impacted by trauma tend to be less flexible to change Spontaneity is stress inducing The histories of trauma impacted students have shown them that when change happens pain happens Thus having clearly outlined schedules and sticking to predictable routines enables them to feel safer in the classroom thus giving them more energy to spend learning rather than worrying about what bad thing is going to happen next Routine creates comfort and safety Figure 2 10 Visual schedules posted for students The schedule on the left is more helpful because it also includes the times alongside the activities D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 73

In the trauma informed classroom where students stay in the same classroom all day the class schedule for the day needs to be discussed daily It should also be posted for visual reinforcement and better memory retention The schedule should include not only the activities but also the times see Figure 2 10 When any change is made to the normal schedule proactive measures should be taken when possible to give students forewarning Doing so gives students time to work through and process the change in their minds If the teacher notices students showing distress over such a change she should offer them time to process their feelings no matter how insignificant the change may seem to her The Billys of the classroom are going to be hypersensitive to any alteration to the norm Acknowledging the change and the struggle that may accompany it will lessen the impact When given this validation from the teacher students will know that they are not alone and that someone understands their struggle Struggling alone often leads to behavioral outbursts Short circuiting these behavioral fallouts through connection is the key Use Visuals to Decrease Stress Visuals are important for our students impacted by trauma because talk is cheap Many of our students have had people say things to them and not follow through leaving them disappointed angry and feeling unlovable For instance one student s father had promised to buy him a car for his birthday he had promised this to his son for months But when the day arrived there was no car no present no card and not even a phone call These types of scenarios play out all the time for many of our Billys The fallout is that when a teacher or adult says things Billy automatically does not believe what is said and the words do not register in Billy s mind as valid or believable Making words visual helps to overcome this lack of trust lack of buy in from Billy Visuals are more Figure 2 11 Visual reminder to affirm students of their worthiness 74 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 tangible more real than words But of course the most important action a teacher can take is to follow through to give proof to Billy that she is indeed trustworthy and that her words do hold true Visuals have a variety of uses As discussed above Mrs Jones s Math Class I Need posting the class schedule for the day as shown in Figure green textbook green notebook 2 10 helps students see how their day is going to unfold green pencil case calculator and trust that they are going to be OK Routine go to seat Visuals can be used to reinforce nebulous and abstract put homework in green basket get assignment concepts Figure 2 11 shows an example of how to visually copy notes give words more concrete meaning Visually expressing listen to teacher raise hand to answer question You are important has more meaning to Billy when he sees it every day in print rather than when being told Figure 2 12 Visual reminder You are important occasionally and verbally Reading for an individual student these words is very calming and reassuring The goal of visuals is to decrease Billy s stress Some traditional posters and visuals mounted in classrooms can actually increase Billy s stress For example posters with a lengthy list of class rules can be incredibly overwhelming Don t do this but Do this can be confusing directives that can generate fear in Billy He can become so obsessed about remembering all these rules that his anxiety rises due to fears of getting into trouble His mind becomes like a cobweb completely unable to focus or think clearly The irony is that in times like this of heightened stress Billy would be completely unequipped at the brain level to read and comprehend such a lengthy list anyway Instead a poster reminding Billy to breathe and that he is smart kind and important is much more effective Visuals can also be used to help Billy with his academics including what needs to be done for each class or subject Not only does stress impact the ability to memorize it impacts memory recall Giving Billy a list of what needs to be done for each subject or class can minimize his tendency to stress and obsess about what he has to do next Figure 2 12 is an example showing a student exactly what needs to be done once he enters into Mrs Figure 2 13 Visual reminder posted for the entire class Jones s math class Figure 2 13 is a visual reminder D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 75

for students at the end of the day when most students are at the end of their windows of stress tolerance what they need to remember before they leave school Using visuals when rehearsing times tables is also beneficial Rehearsing times tables solely through auditory communication would be like speaking in a foreign language to Billy especially if he has language deficits However rehearsing times tables auditorily while also using flashcards will often dramatically improve his comprehension Remember visual visual visual Use Pleasing Sound Signals Traditional attention getting signals used by teachers such as counting or clapping can easily Figure 2 14 Singing bowl Figure 2 15 Wind chime 76 C L A S S R O O M18 0 ignite a student s sensitive nervous system and set the student off for the rest of the day Replacing these methods with pleasing sound signals can be extremely beneficial to all students For example when a Tibetan singing bowl as pictured in Figure 2 14 is played it produces a rich and relaxing deep tone Other choices might include a wind chime or a meditation chime As pictured in Figure 2 15 the teacher is signaling her students to direct their attention to her with the calming sound of a wind chime instead of using an agitating signal that disrupts their ability to adhere to her directive Incorporate Regulatory Strategies That Focus on the Body Trauma can impact the ability of students to focus Taking small regulatory breaks throughout the day is vital to helping these students maintain appropriate behaviors They need their

DOM A IN 2 day chunked down into smaller increments Additionally taking regulatory breaks allows their brain to briefly stop re energize and regroup Breaks can be as short as two minutes to be effective and taken after strenuous academic assignments or when students show signs of fatigue Movement breaks and brain breaks stimulate the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain both of which are needed for academics What follows are some examples of how to provide students breaks throughout the school day Movement breaks Moving the body not only promotes mental clarity but getting up out of a chair and moving the body can also improve a student s motor functions balance and cognition see Figure 2 16 Movement breaks may include but are not limited to Jumping jacks Qigong exercises Yoga Dancing Chair push ups Stretching GoNoodle videos With a classroom full of Figure 2 16 Students taking a movement break led by their teacher Challenge to Change challengetochangeinc com Billys the use of movement Used with permission breaks does have the potential to create too much excitement and potential disruption Strong guidelines expectations and procedures need to be fully in place before initiating them Brain Gym Brain Gym is a movement based activity designed to calm and strengthen the brain Using cross lateral movements most of the Brain Gym exercises cross the left side of the body with the right side and vice versa This type of movement enhances the connection between the two hemispheres of the brain across the corpus callosum thereby helping students to improve their concentration focus memory organizational skills and more For more information visit braingym org or find tutorial videos on YouTube Body scans Stress comes not only in the form of thoughts we carry in our minds but it physically manifests in our bodies as well Research shows that engaging in body scans can improve psychological well being When students learn to identify where in D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 77

Body Scan Meditation 1 Begin by bringing your attention into your body 2 You can close your eyes if that s comfortable for you 3 You can notice your body seated wherever you re seated feeling the weight of your body on the chair on the floor 4 Take a few deep breaths 5 And as you take a deep breath bring in more oxygen enlightening the body And as you exhale have a sense of relaxing more deeply 6 You can notice your feet on the floor notice the sensations of your feet touching the floor The weight and pressure vibration heat 7 You can notice your legs against the chair pressure pulsing heaviness lightness 8 Notice your back against the chair 9 Bring your attention into your stomach area If your stomach is tense let it soften Take a breath 10 Notice your hands Are your hands tense or tight See if you can allow them to soften 11 Notice your arms Feel any sensation in your arms Let your shoulders be soft 12 Notice your neck and throat Let them be soft Relax 13 Soften your jaw Let your face and facial muscles be soft 14 Then notice your whole body present Take one more breath 15 Be aware of your whole body as best you can Take a breath And then when you re ready you can open your eyes Figure 2 17 This body scan practice originally appeared on Greater Good in Action ggia berkeley edu science based practices for a meaningful life from the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley Read more at greatergood berkeley edu Greater Good in Action Used with permission 78 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 their bodies they are carrying stress they are more likely to release it before it becomes too much to handle as seen through acting out behaviors Taking three minutes to do a body scan as a class provides the opportunity for students to connect their minds to their bodies and release tension that they might not otherwise be aware of GoNoodle com has body scan audios available for free and Figure 2 17 gives an example of a body scan meditation developed by the Greater Good Science Center out of UC Berkeley Some students impacted by trauma at the physical body level such as those who have experienced physical and or sexual abuse may not feel comfortable participating in body scans Their bodies are storing this past trauma and for them to connect with it can be painful and increase their stress levels Many of them work very hard to dissociate disconnect from their bodies as a coping mechanism The teacher needs to be especially sensitive when students become resistant to this activity or any other activities that might stir up their trauma instead of calming down their nervous systems Breathing The number one way to calm a nervous system is through increasing oxygen intake When our lungs expand the body releases acetylcholine which signals the heart to slow down Breathing exercises can vary ranging from beach ball breathing the 4 7 8 breathing technique body scan relaxation pinwheel breathing and more Explanations of these and multiple other breathing techniques are easily found with a quick internet search Tapping Emotional Freedom Technique EFT also known as tapping has been shown to lower the stress hormone cortisol in clinical trials 1 Tapping helps to balance the body s activity between the sympathetic and parasympathetic regions of the brain creating a more balanced emotional state It is a simple tapping process using two fingers on certain pressure points on the top half of the body Many school counselors have had training in EFT and can facilitate tapping in a classroom teachers can easily learn it too Breakfast snacks and water breaks One of the most effective strategies to regulate the physical body is to take a break with food and or water The popular term hangry drives it home that if we are hungry it is a challenge to stay in a balanced emotional state Many students impacted by trauma have had experiences of not having enough food to eat When they get hungry their bodies automatically go into survival mode Having frequent snack times or having snacks readily available for students is essential to keeping these students from being triggered Healthy snacks such as raisins granola bars and fruit are excellent choices Water is also essential to being able to think clearly If the brain is dehydrated its ability to focus and memorize is negatively affected D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 79

Figure 2 18 Breakfast for students as they enter the classroom Having water available for students is crucial to their well being throughout the day Figure 2 18 shows how one classroom offered breakfast each day in the classroom to all the students to ensure they started the day regulated with nutrition Incorporate Regulatory Strategies That Focus on the Mind Many students coming into the classroom arrive with their minds preoccupied by fearful and overwhelming thoughts such as Will ICE come take my dad while I m at school or Is my mom going to be OK by herself because as a drug addict she doesn t eat unless I tell her to or My dad is in prison I must be bad like he is since he is my dad What s going to happen to me when I grow up When negative thoughts like these blast chaotically through a student s mind there is little room for academic learning The following strategies are designed to help students regulate their minds and settle their thoughts to shift them back to a place of calm giving them the ability to focus and attend to their academics more fully in the moment Mindful moments A mindful moment is taking a pause simply stopping for a few seconds to check in with the present moment This might be the teacher prompting students to silently think of something for which they are grateful Or it can be a pause for students to check in with their attention Is their attention in class or is their mind wondering A mindful moment is taking a pause or several pauses throughout the day to become aware of one s surroundings and reconnect the mind with the moment of now Set intentions Traditionally teachers tell students what the lesson plan is and what is going to be taught Then the students are expected to learn There is a wise old proverb that tells us this philosophy is ineffective You can lead a horse to water but you can t make it drink We can teach all day long but unless students are ready to learn our 80 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 efforts are futile Taking a few minutes prior to the class lesson to let students set their intentions regarding the lesson gives the control and power back to them Billy will not be told what to do Period Even if the lesson is quite interesting if Billy feels the teacher is telling him to learn he will keep his wall up Asking students to think about what they want to get out of the lesson hands the power back to them Billy in his self protective stance may still say I don t care about the lesson and I have no intention of listening The teacher s response should be one of allowing I like your honesty Billy and as I m going through this information something just might spark your interest But either way I m good And I m just glad you re here and a part of our class right now This gives Billy the freedom to choose There is Meditation offers a no fight There is no making him learn because in reality there is never a way to make students way to stop chaotic learn This state of allowing by the teacher opens thinking and slow the door for Billy to change his intention as the lesson moves forward down thought Meditation Meditation offers a way to stop chaotic thinking and slow down thought By starting the class with a two minute meditation or incorporating meditation at other times of the day teachers will find that students are more equipped to focus on classroom challenges When students are given repetitive opportunities to meditate their ability to slow down thought or even to stop thought increases Meditation takes practice every day but studies show that meditation has the power to increase academic performance However not all students will feel safe enough at first to close their eyes Closing the eyes puts one in a vulnerable position Offering the choice to look down at the floor and focus on a spot on the floor while meditating is a safe option for Billy Manage Sensory Surprises A number of sounds come without warning during the school day such as random announcements over the intercom fire drills or maintenance personnel using leaf blowers outside the classroom These sensory surprises can shift Billy s entire day because they tune up his nervous system and he can easily get stuck on high alert even after the sensory surprise is long gone While not all sensory surprises are within a teacher s control some proactive measures can often be taken such as talking to the maintenance department or asking the front office to text when they need to reach the teacher When a sensory D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 81

surprise does happen it is good trauma informed practice for the teacher to check in with the class and address the disruptive noise right in the moment instead of ignoring it and acting as if it did not happen Explaining what the noise is such as There are workmen installing a shelf in the room next to us assists students in processing that the noise is not the sound of impending danger Yet even when the teacher gives a logical reason for the noise it is important to remember that Billy s nervous system is reactive and in automatic response mode so despite knowing logically that the noise is a safe noise he may still become charged up due to the sound Use Various Communication Styles and Learning Activities Our brains have two hemispheres that are linked by a large bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum These nerve fibers allow the left and right hemispheres to equally integrate the information processed from both hemispheres Trauma impacts this bridge between the two hemispheres causing chaos in the brain The result is that a child impacted by trauma thinks in extremes either from the right side or left side there is an imbalance between the two hemispheres The fluid connection and movement between the two is compromised This means that some students will only do well if assignments are given in a way that matches their dominant hemisphere For example a Billy in an early elementary school class struggled repeatedly when trying to spell his colors No matter how many times the lesson was verbally rehearsed and written down Table 2 1 Left brain and right brain functions and characteristics Right Hemisphere Left Hemisphere Words and language Linear and sequential Random Analytical Intuitive Logical Abstract Rational Creative Science and math Factual Conscious 82 Symbols and images C L A S S R O O M18 0 Art and music Imaginative Unconscious

learning activities that utilize both hemispheres DOM A IN 2 he simply could not retain the correct spelling Then the teacher created a song for the spelling of each color Suddenly Billy was able to spell his colors with perfection and very little effort He later learned to spell words through visualizing the word and adding a picture to the word His ability to succeed academically required his teachers to adapt their communication style to meet his extreme right brain thinking Table 2 1 shows how the left and right hemisphere control different types of thinking This demonstrates along with the example given above how assignments should be designed to address the functions and characteristics of both the left and right brain hemispheres Left brain processing will be more responsive to verbal auditory and logical communication while right brain processing is more responsive to visual and kinesthetic communication Teachers should use a variety of communication styles and implement various Teaching a large amount of content all at Chunk Content and Manage Workload Chunking refers to reducing the amount of once will overwhelm the time or number of items required on a lesson or assignment It reduces strain on the brain and brain to the point that increases the ability for the brain to operate at nothing gets processed its maximum effectiveness When looking at brain science evidence suggests that chunking assignments is good practice for all students New research shows that the hippocampus our midterm memory needed to recall information and content can get overloaded quickly so giving it too much information over too long a time span will inhibit its ability to hold the content Teaching a large amount of content all at once will overwhelm the brain to the point that nothing gets processed Reducing the content and managing the workload for students is an art in light of the ever increasing requirements on teachers to teach more demanding curriculums It is all too common for teachers to report that the curriculum they teach today is a year ahead of what they used to teach i e kindergarten teachers now teach what used to be first grade curriculums The solution is to give small chunks of content then immediately process and review the learning Next instead of jumping into more novel and intense content give students a mindful moment to rest their brains before continuing with the lesson For the Billys of the classroom teachers might require that they do only half of the problems on a worksheet instead of all the problems at one time D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 83

Give Students Their Voice and Encourage Questions Encouraging students to ask questions might not seem out of the ordinary from a traditional classroom yet for students impacted by trauma this is essential and there needs to be more focus placed on it Students like Billy lose their innate ability to reach out to adults for help Many of their experiences have shown them that reaching out and asking for help results in pain and abuse or being ignored Babies and young children do not know how to take care of themselves They are fully dependent on the adults around them to meet their needs When infants or young children cry or do something to get the A trauma informed adult s attention they are eliciting help from their parent In a healthy Andy parent child classroom needs to relationship the parent responds back with have a culture of love nurturing and promptly takes care of the child s needs In an unhealthy Billy parent child nonjudgment and relationship the parent often comes back with anger violence and or abuse Or in instances complete openness where Billy experiences neglect the parent does not respond at all Billy learns that asking is futile it is a waste of energy and it results in the pain of rejection He quickly learns to immediately shut down instead of dealing with such painful experiences One of the key components of trauma is having no voice Many times children are silenced during trauma and told to never tell anyone what occurred or something bad will happen Some are told they have dumb ideas and to shut up Others have no voice as to where they will live or what will happen to them as is the case of children placed in foster care Some children grow up in family systems that live by the adage Children are to be seen not heard Giving children impacted by trauma their voice back in the classroom can have a profound and long lasting impact on the rest of their educational career and beyond It is essential that students have the ability to ask questions in order for them to succeed academically A trauma informed classroom needs to have a culture of nonjudgment and complete openness It is a place where students impacted by trauma feel safe enough to dig deep within themselves to find the courage to ask for help or to ask a question Their automatic patterned fear response that arises when needing help or clarity is overridden by the love acceptance and openness of the teacher and other adults in the classroom giving them the ability to use their voice and translate their needs and inquiries into language that is 84 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 spoken out loud Thus the teacher is fully present when Billy presents his question and she is in a receptive and encouraging mode Even if Billy may not have been paying attention or if his question seems annoying the teacher s response gives him the feeling of being heard understood and accepted in that moment In cases where Billy becomes disruptive with his questioning or needs help articulating his questions the teacher should address these issues in a one on one interaction with Billy not in front of the entire classroom to avoid him feeling shame or embarrassment being witnessed by his classmates In one classroom the teacher was proactive in letting her students know that their voices mattered Inspired by the book Say Something by Peter H Reynolds she created a bulletin board showing each student giving an inspiring message see Figure 2 19 This one exercise set the stage for the rest of the year for her students to have permission to ask questions and to know that their voice was important to the teacher and the rest of their classmates Figure 2 19 Say Something bulletin board D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 85

Circulate Among All Students Once the teacher has provided instructions for the class assignments she needs to circulate among all her students and stay connected to them while they are working see Figure 2 20 Staying at the front of the classroom does not give her the ability to read how well the students are doing Circulating among students keeps her right in the midst of everything that is going on Figure 2 20 Teacher circulating in the classroom It is easy to circulate and connect with the students who are on task and ask questions about the assignment It is not nearly as inviting to circulate among the Billys of the classroom who are off task and project an I don t give a sh t attitude However it is imperative for the teacher to push past these types of barriers and engage with these students Thinking Well if Billy doesn t care about the assignment then I m not going to waste my time trying to get him engaged is unhelpful Students impacted by trauma need their teachers even at the secondary level to redirect them to get back on task They need their teachers to care first so they can then follow suit and care too Convey Teacher Readiness Traditionally the focus has solely been on making sure students come prepared for class While this is certainly a goal we need to continue working toward we also have to consider that students first need to feel as if their classroom has been prepared for them When a teacher has been mindful to make sure she is prepared for the day it sends a message to the students I am excited to have you in my class today There is inherently 86 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 a welcoming message that tells students You are special and important This creates a sense of regulation when students walk into the classroom In our own lives when a loved one has been away for an extended period of time do we not spruce up our house cook a special meal and clear our schedule in preparation for the big homecoming Creating such an atmosphere in the classroom every day sends a powerful message to students Many of our Billys go home each afternoon to chaos and unpredictability Receiving a welcoming message when they return to school the next day can help shift them back into a state of regulation ready to learn Table 2 2 shows suggested ways to exhibit this sense of preparedness to students Table 2 2 Ways to convey teacher readiness to students A Predictable Welcoming Classroom Helps Students Self Regulate Lesson plans are complete and ready The whiteboard is cleaned and ready Worksheets are ready for the assignments Supplies for activities are prepared Extra sharpened pencils are on hand The teacher is at the door welcoming students into the classroom by name 7 Transitional Support A typical school day whether for a first seventh or twelfth grader involves numerous transitions These may include movement from classroom to classroom going to the cafeteria switching from math to science gathering up items for projects and many others Numerous transitions make school challenging for children impacted by trauma because most trauma happens during times of transition sudden and unexpected moves car accidents birth trauma parents leaving etc Hence what most of our Billys experience is transitional trauma and this sets a negative blueprint for these children around all transitions For more information on this refer to Chapter 8 in Help for Billy which is devoted to the topic of transitions D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 87

Students benefit most when strategies are in place before during and after they make a transition Before a transition Billy will need assistance in anticipating and processing the impending transition During the transition he will require support so that he knows he is not expected to make the transition on his own Then after the transition has been made strategies need to be implemented to help Billy resettle his nervous system and return Students like Billy to a place of balance Additionally transitions should have clear beginnings and endings Being typically process nebulous on the timing and when the transition is going to happen will only dysregulate Billy information more Some of the best resources for identifying effectively at a visual strategies to help the Billys of the classroom can be found in books articles and blogs written for students with autism spectrum disorder ASD In every practical sense the similarities are auditory level clear Both groups of students need for things to be familiar the same and predictable Both groups often have difficulty sequencing information and relating to the steps required of an activity Sequential thinking is processed in the neocortex but Billy works mostly from a lower part of the brain which prevents him from accessing this logical and rational part of his brain Last both groups of students are typically highly anxious which is compounded during times of unpredictability and change As mentioned earlier students like Billy typically process information more effectively at a visual level rather than at an auditory level Remember the phrase Show me don t tell me when designing ways to provide support to students before during and after the transition as discussed next level rather than at an Provide Support Before the Transition There are numerous ways to assist students ahead of time to make transitions Incorporating the following elements into the classroom offers this type of transitional support that students need Clarity and expectations With any upcoming transition the teacher should clarify what is going to happen next as well as what expectations she has of her students Clarity can pertain to an academic assignment where the teacher gives clear directions regarding the assignment It can also pertain to what activity the class is doing next For 88 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 example the teacher might explain that the class is headed down to the auditorium for an assembly and then clarify what will transpire in the assembly as well as her expectations of the students behavior Timers Students impacted by trauma often have a hard time comprehending time It is too nebulous for them When trauma happens time either slows down or speeds up Our Billys lose their sense of what one second or one minute might be Students impacted by trauma need concrete warnings Verbally saying About five more minutes means nothing A visual timer gives concrete time and can support Billy in learning to see and develop a better sense of time Figure 2 21 shows how a teacher added the timer to the assignment instructions in her math class and projected it on the whiteboard for all the students to see Visual timers are available as a free Figure 2 21 Timer projected onto a whiteboard with the app download as seen in Figure 2 22 written instructions of the math assignment Digital countdowns can be found at timer tab com and e ggtimer com Photos Most classes have projection systems in use for academic lessons The teacher can take pictures of where the students will be going such as the cafeteria playground or recess for elementary aged students ahead of time Then prior to transitioning she can project a picture of the area and ask the class to imagine themselves in this space before they get there In their mind s eye they are rehearsing the transition and preparing themselves Providing photos in advance is especially effective for field trips when students are going to unfamiliar places Figure 2 22 Visual Timer app Showing them pictures of what to expect gives them a chance to prepare for the trip ahead of time Once they are there the students have a small sense of familiarity of the location which can reduce stress levels D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 89

Pleasant sound warning Incorporate pleasant sounds such as ringing a singing bowl see Component 6 for other suggestions thirty seconds prior to the transition Lead students through a few deep breaths before making the switch This brief technique can make all the difference in helping Billy prepare his nervous system for the upcoming change Provide Support During the Transition There are many ways to help students during the real time moments of transition including the following suggested techniques Greet students If the transition is to another room or area have an adult at the entrance such as the door of the cafeteria or library welcoming the students to the new area and greet them by name Offer relational support Have Billy stand near the front of the line or back of the line depending on where the teacher or paraprofessional is standing Close proximity with the adult offers regulation support through connection For older students transitioning to a different class can sometimes be done with a regulated adult such as a counselor or mentor three minutes prior to the passing time for all students Or for the older students have Billy s locker near the school counselor s office so when Billy gets to his locker the counselor can do a quick check in with him As mentioned previously having the teacher circulate in the classroom to assist students having a hard time making the transition for instance from working in their workbooks to doing the assignment listed on the whiteboard can be exactly what these Billys might need Create a finish later box Many of our Billys insist that they must finish one assignment completely before moving on to another Billy s survival mentality says I have to finish this or I will die It can be that strong of a Figure 2 23 A finish later box reassures the stance Simply telling Billy he can finish student he can come back to it later it later does not always work Creating a finish later box for Billy as shown in Figure 2 23 offers visual reassurance that he can come back to his assignment later Locate the box at Billy s workstation or in an area in the classroom and be sure it is labeled so there is evidence that he indeed can come back to it and for now can safely make the transition 90 C L A S S R O O M18 0

8 DOM A IN 2 Provide Support After the Transition Taking a minute or so to stop and breathe after a transition can be very effective We must remember how triggering and stressful transitions are for our Billys even when transitions may be something they do on a regular basis like coming back from lunch or recess Reprogramming the body system to not react takes positive repetitious experiences over and over Re center students with a mindful moment before starting the next assignment or activity Individual Interventions As important as it is to have regulation strategies for the classroom as a whole some students will also need individual help The most dysregulated Billys and thus the students severely impacted by trauma will need extra support to maintain and balance their regulation during the school day This type of support will vary based on a number of factors including whether the student is hypo aroused or hyper aroused the student s age personality and trauma history and their sensory processing abilities Provide Nourishment Some students either do not get enough food at home or they are so tuned up that their metabolisms are on overdrive and they consistently need food to stay physically regulated When a classroom is trauma informed and the students know that their individual needs will be met if Billy gets a snack and they do not they are less likely to interpret that as not fair When students are in an environment that is safe calm regulated and attentive to their individual needs their inclination to declare something as unfair dissipates and even disappears over time The snacks should be healthy food choices of course free from dyes massive amounts of preservatives and sugar Dried fruit provides great proprioceptive input as does crunchy fruit and vegetables such as apples carrots and celery Other snacks might include granola bars and protein bars be sure to read the labels as some granola bars and energy bars are loaded with sugar Provide Water A healthy child s body water percentage is about 65 percent Many of our children do not drink enough water to stay hydrated at this level Even being slightly dehydrated can cause students to be irritable lethargic unmotivated and anxious Giving students a chance to take a break to get water not only allows them to get hydrated physically it also creates a productive break from the rigors of the classroom academics The flipside D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 91

to this is that if Billy is allowed to take a water break when he needs it he may turn it into a way to avoid the challenges he is facing with the academics Annoyingly Billy may start to ask for a water break every few minutes Therefore holding a strong boundary around the number of water breaks is essential For an elementary student the teacher might give Billy three water break passes at the beginning of the school day That is the limit For older students perhaps one water break per period is permitted Giving Billy the freedom to choose when he will take the break s empowers him and begins the process of him learning to take responsibility for his own regulation Holding the limit on how many breaks Billy is allowed teaches Billy to know exactly where the boundary is which inherently creates safety Sometimes it is possible to have water available in the classroom so when a student is feeling thirsty he has access to water Some teachers give students the option to bring in a water bottle from home to have at their desks Having water at the desk decreases the disruptions that can be caused by taking water breaks Encourage Using the Calm Corner Having a calm corner in the classroom as described earlier is a start but making certain that students feel empowered to use it is another dynamic to address While students recognize that boundaries have been set for the use of the calm corner they also need to feel that the calm corner is there for them without worrying about getting into trouble or being judged by the teacher or other students for using it Students who typically need the calm corner the most are those who are used to getting into trouble or being judged These are the students who may need more encouragement to break through their fear barriers When evaluating the use of a calm corner consider the following 92 Do the students feel free to access it without being fearful of getting in trouble Does the teacher freely encourage its use or is there any type of negativity whether overtly or covertly expressed associated with its use Does Billy in particular need a loving reminder that he is dysregulated and that he might benefit from taking a break in the calm corner Are students praised when they take the initiative to use the calm corner during moments of dysregulation Are students supported when they come back to their desks after taking a break and does the teacher make sure they can pick up where they left off C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 Offer Weighted Options Some students typically those with nervous systems that are in overdrive hypersensitive and those with sensory processing issues will require more assistance in regulating their bodies Included in this group are often the students who are diagnosed with autism attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD and anxiety A traumainformed classroom should have weighted options for these students For weighted products research is showing that the weight per square inch is more important than the total weight of the blanket or product It is recommended to use weighted products made by CapeAble as their products are in line with the research Weighted blankets Weighted blankets lap blankets or larger provide pressure stimulation to the body which helps soothe and reduce anxiety This pressure stimulation can encourage the body to produce oxytocin a neurotransmitter linked to shifting people to a calm relaxed and happy state In other words it is the happy hormone For the Andys of a classroom hugs for the younger students or other appropriate touch may calm them down However for our Billys touch often does quite the opposite because of the human contact involved Most students impacted by trauma do not trust adults so touch does not produce the same positive effect on a Billy as it does an Andy Instead a weighted blanket or lap pad as pictured in Figure 2 24 provides this sensory input Figure 2 24 A lap pad provides pressure stimulation to help calm the body and can also be worn gently wrapped around a student s neck CapeAble Used with permission D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 93

without the perceived human threat With a blanket or lap pad students can adjust its location on their bodies and for how long they want to use it thus giving them some sense of control over their bodies as they work on their academics Figure 2 25 Weighted wearables CapeAble Used with permission Weighted wearables Other weighted options can include wearables that are not as intense as a full blanket or lap pad Figure 2 25 shows students wearing weighted shoulder wraps or capes Other weighted wearables may include vests wraparound sashes headbands and wristbands These can be used when focused attention is needed such as during test taking or when anxiety producing activities are initiated like during group work or recess Figure 2 26 Swing in an occupational therapist s office at an elementary school 94 C L A S S R O O M18 0 Offer Movement Options When children squirm and fidget in their seats they are frequently told to sit still and focus Brain science is now showing that children start moving as a way to turn on their brains If we ask them to sit still we are essentially going in the opposite direction of what they need for academic achievement as sitting still would turn off their brains For the students who might benefit from more movement on an individual level a number of options exist Swing One of the best ways to calm an infant is through vestibular input such as rocking bouncing

DOM A IN 2 swaying and swinging While students are far past the infantile stage of development these examples can be transferred to older children For many of our students impacted by trauma their bodies missed this type of positive vestibular input but we can help them by re creating what was missed in the past Swinging helps children get back into balance physically which in turn makes them feel calmer and more regulated The swing pictured in Figure 2 26 is from an occupational therapist s office at an elementary school Playground swings are an option too Spinning swings like a tire swing can be helpful but because they spin on a single axis point they Figure 2 27 Rocking chair in a may be disorganizing to the brain and cause sensory school counselor s office overload Monitor and limit such swings and watch closely for signs of sensory overload Rocking chair We often associate rocking with a movement used to soothe infants Yet it is also an effective movement to help children and adults shift to a state of regulation Having a rocking chair in the classroom or in a school counselor s office as seen in Figure 2 27 for students to use when they need to readjust their balance and calm their nervous systems can be a valuable option If the teacher can stand next to the student while the student is rocking adding the power of the relationship to this activity the regulating effect can be even more valuable Bicycle desk pedals Sitting at a desk can be difficult even for our Andys in the classroom For our Billys in the classroom the challenges they face with the requirement to Figure 2 28 Bicycle desk pedals purchased sit still goes far beyond being wiggle worms through a grant Paul Cory Wake County Their nervous systems are charged up The Public School System Used with permission D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 95

energy of trauma keeps them revved up and in high gear It simply is not a matter of choice to sit still For some students it physiologically is not possible Offering bike pedals to keep the feet and legs moving allows the mind to focus increasing a student s ability to pay attention and listen see Figure 2 28 Typically not every child in the classroom needs this option and Billy probably does not need this option all day long Yet having it available for Billy at the times during the day he feels the necessity to move allows him to be more responsible for his behavior and puts him in the driver s seat Figure 2 29 Resistance band wrapped Resistance bands For a cheaper alternative to bike pedals a resistance band or a theraband can be hooked to the front of the student s desk This allows students to bounce their feet on it or push their feet against it from the front or backside Figure 2 29 shows a student resting his feet on a resistance band that is wrapped around the legs of his chair Taped pacing area Allowing students to stand up and walk around the classroom without any boundaries would result in chaos To balance out the needs of students to move yet keep a classroom in check tape off a small area in the classroom To add an inviting touch use decorative duct tape and let students know they can use the marked off area to move and pace as needed Even doing push ups in this area not as a punishment can help students get back into their bodies to feel more regulated around the legs of a student s chair Offer Multisensory Options Figure 2 30 Fidgets and Stimulating the body s nervous system at the sensory rich manipulatives can physical level can help calm students down and get improve focus concentration them back to a state of regulation But it is important and cognitive performance to remember that children s negative behaviors are not always based on being emotionally upset rather their bodies are physically upset and dysregulated Choose from a range of multisensory options to help students physical bodies return to a state of balance 96 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 Fidgets and sensory rich manipulatives Students impacted by trauma typically have a greater prevalence of high anxiety ADHD and or sensory processing difficulties than other students Fidgets and sensory rich manipulatives have been shown to improve focus concentration and cognitive performance see Figure 2 30 Some teachers find these items to be exceptionally beneficial for some students while others find them to be disruptive If fidgets and sensoryrich manipulatives are used and the students respond favorably to them strong boundaries and clear expectations must be established around their use Soft tactile items There is a reason the teddy bear is a timeless classic The teddy bear is soft and comforting Allowing Figure 2 31 A student holds a soft teddy bear to students to hold a teddy bear or another improve her focus and attention type of stuffed animal soft toy soft blanket or Warmies heatable soft toys even while they are engaged in an academic lesson or listening to instruction can help them get focused and be attentive see Figure 2 31 A variety of multisensory toys and items with varying amounts of textures are available see Table 2 3 Offer Sensory Decreasing and Soothing Options Some students will benefit from decreasing their sensory input rather than increasing it Headphones decrease classroom noise Playing soft music through headphones or using noisecanceling headphones are two soothing options Figure 2 32 shows a student using headphones and a privacy screen to create his own safe space while working on his academics Additionally coloring allows Figure 2 32 Student with headphones and privacy screen to decrease his sensory load D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 97

Table 2 3 Multisensory options for students Fidget Items Soft Tactile Items Sensory bracelets Stuffed animals Wood fidget puzzles Weighted stuffed animals Stress balls Soft toys Fidget bracelet or rings Sensory cushions Pipe cleaners Soft blanket Putty or Play Doh Warmies Stretch toys Neck warmers Tangle fidgets Fluffy gloves Kneadable erasers Soft pillows Rice bins Squishes students to give their brains a rest and enter into a mild meditative state Consider offering students the opportunity to take a five minute break to calm their nervous systems with colored pencils or crayons and printed coloring book pages see Figure 2 33 This option works from kindergarten through twelfth grade Chunk Individual Assignments Toxic levels of stress cause children to have a small window of stress tolerance This means that even small amounts of stress whether it be academic social emotional or physical can send Figure 2 33 Colored pencils and calming coloring pages in the classroom Billy into a behavioral downward spiral Asking Billy to do all twenty problems on a math sheet can overwhelm him to the point that he resists and is unable to complete even one problem To help Billy get through his academic challenges assignments may need to be sized down or chunked down for him It is more desirable for Billy to complete five math problems instead of none at all 98 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 When Billy has had success in completing five problems the next step is to slowly increase this number Jumping back up to twenty problems right away would only serve to overwhelm him The increase has to be slow and gradual Billy has a high sensitivity to stress and his system is fragile It takes adding a little bit at a time and watching how Billy is or is not able to handle the increase Eventually the goal is to get Billy up to doing all twenty problems but it cannot be rushed Offer Breaks from the Classroom On especially difficult days students may want to get out of the classroom to take a break Some of Figure 2 34 Student and principal take a these breaks can be preplanned for walk talk and regulate break together students others will need to be taken immediately if a student s level of dysregulation worsens and he shows an inability to cope The following few examples describe different types of breaks that might be incorporated into the trauma informed classroom Walk talk and regulate When students are too dysregulated to be in the classroom a walk talk and regulate break with an adult can be offered outside of the classroom as seen in Figure 2 34 During this time the adult walking with the student should focus solely on connecting with the student not on the student s behavior The goal is to help the student calm down by having them feel heard and understood The conversation should never be forced if the student is too dysregulated to talk the adult can just be present with the student in silence while they walk Emotional safety and unconditional acceptance are to be expressed by the adult during this one on one intervention Typically it will not be the teacher who is able to be with the student for this break The next best choice for the student is to be with another adult who interacts with the student on a regular basis an adult with whom the student has a trusting and caring D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 99

relationship Also it is imperative that this adult is regulated themselves so that Billy can regulate off of this adult Counselor mentor visit Many schools have access to a school counselor or social worker Scheduling regular times during the school day for Billy to meet with individuals in this role can be extremely helpful For example if Billy knows he will meet with the school counselor every day at 11 00 a m then it will be easier for him to maintain his behavior from 8 00 a m to 11 00 a m than having to do it on his own from 8 00 a m to 3 00 p m This type of routine breaks up the day and gives Billy a chance to re regulate midway so he can sustain himself for the entire school day Regular visits do not need to be with a mental health professional The adult can be anyone in the school who is able to connect at the heart level with a student This person might be the custodian lunch lady librarian or office receptionist These people usually work in schools because they love children Harnessing their love for children and their ability to offer a noneducational focus and thus nonthreatening relationship to students can be golden ISS room or calm room Having a dedicated room outside of the classroom to help students regulate such as an in school suspension ISS room or calm room Figure 2 35 can be an excellent way to keep a very dysregulated student from disrupting an entire class Trauma keeps students in a place where they easily perceive that they are trapped as in being trapped in a classroom and many students have histories of eloping from the classroom Having the option to leave the classroom with permission and go where there is a regulated emotionally safe adult gives them an escape route without them having to leave the classroom or building on their own accord which ultimately becomes a safety issue Teachers can offer a time out to a student so he can go to the ISS or calm room The term time out however is not Figure 2 35 Calm room for secondary students meant in the traditional sense of being a 100 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 punishment A trauma informed time out is simply a time to take a break allowing the student a change in environment so he can get rebalanced When students have the option to take a time out rather than being told to go to time out the dynamics are completely different Being offered a time out empowers students to take responsibility for their own regulation Being told to take a time out initiates a power struggle with Billy thereby creating tension blame and resentment Elevator passes Giving a student an elevator pass will be possible in only a limited number of schools though it is still worth mentioning Multilevel school buildings that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA have elevators Elevators When students have the provide vertical acceleration to the vestibular system Allowing some students to ride in the option to take a elevator even when they do not have an outward physical disability may be exactly what they time out rather than need to get rebalanced This idea came from being told to go to a student who frequently would run out of the classroom without permission and head straight time out the dynamics to the elevator He would ride the elevator up and down until intercepted by an adult Putting are completely different aside the fact that this was disruptive behavior the question was finally asked Why does Billy head straight for the elevator This Billy had figured out a way to get his body regulated with the motion of the elevator Brilliant The solution was to honor Billy for figuring out what he needed but instead of simply allowing Billy to run out of the classroom Billy was given elevator passes for each day This empowered him to take a break when he was feeling dysregulated yet a boundary was set at the same time around the rule of no running outside of the classroom Provide One on One Teacher Student Interactions Ideally students who are dysregulated should have one on one time with their teacher s While this is usually impossible during class time one on one time may be possible at other times of the day such as before school during lunch during planning periods during part of recess for the younger grades or after school Spending this time with a student to build the teacher student relationship certainly requires dedication from the teacher and it requires the teacher to miss out on some of her downtime However D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 101

this time sacrificed outside of the classroom can have a powerful even exponentially powerful effect on a student s behavior once he is back in the classroom These one on one interactions are designed to be a time when the teacher can get to know the student better so that the student feels he is worthy and special Spending five minutes each morning prior to the first bell with a student who is in a constant state of dysregulation can get that student primed and ready for the school day These moments are not meant to be a time to tell the student how to be different or how he should behave or why he needs to get better grades none of that This is a time for the student to receive the unconditional attention and focus from a caring adult who is typically the one in a state of power and authority When a person of power takes the time to stop step back and be in the shoes of a student who feels invisible unwanted unlovable and unworthy the outcome can be nothing short of magical 9 Awareness Emotional expression requires one to be vulnerable Students impacted by trauma have experiences that tell them that being vulnerable is unsafe Therefore their best form of communication is through their behaviors because behaviors push people away and in turn create emotional safety Many of our students do not know how to verbally communicate their feelings and needs This means it is absolutely essential for teachers to understand that behavior is a form of communication They must then learn to interpret behaviors and respond to negative behaviors through the power of the relationship Teachers who understand that their students Students impacted behavioral responses are expressions of deeper by trauma have needs develop a keener sixth sense They become open to the needs of their students experiences that and are able to interpret what is going on with students at an emotional level For instance the tell them that being teacher notices that Billy is becoming agitated vulnerable is unsafe in his chair Maybe he is tapping his pencil or becoming squirmy or both Instead of telling Billy to sit still and focus she instead walks over to Billy She squats down at his level to be eye to eye with him Then she softly asks Billy is everything okay Do you need anything or can I help you with something 102 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 When a teacher is open aware and empathetic students feel safer and can maintain their regulation longer There is a feeling of I am seen I have a voice I am important And I am understood When this type of dynamic is created in a classroom students are more motivated and more likely to respond to the teacher s behavioral and academic requests A give and take dynamic is created that flows naturally Traditionally there has been an expectation that the student s job is to be open to the teacher a one way street But students impacted by trauma are not able to initiate this type of connection solely on their own that is connect with the teacher based on her role of being the teacher Most of these students have never received this type of connection within their family systems They are commonly stuck in survival mode which keeps them locked into focusing solely on protecting themselves with limited to no capacity to connect with others The trauma informed classroom looks first at how well the teacher is emotionally open to and aware of her students not just whether students are self aware and emotionally open to the teacher Being able to authentically respond to students with empathy understanding and acceptance is fundamental in helping students stay regulated Monitor Students Well Being with Emotional Check Ins Because children coming from stressful homes or with backgrounds of past trauma often live in survival mode they are merely trying to get through their day trying to make it minute by minute to be OK They do not have much self awareness as to when they are reaching overly heightened states of agitation or frustration consequently they will hit their breaking points without any warning For instance Billy can be working hard internally to hold it together while his system is increasingly getting charged up He may look like he is focusing and working on an assignment but then BOOM He hits his window of stress tolerance and blows up His teacher writes a note on his behavioral report to the effect that Billy had an outburst over nothing Checking in with students in between their academics to see how they are feeling is crucial to building stronger relationships and maintaining the regulation of a classroom If a teacher sees a student struggling instead of immediately saying Billy you need to get back to work time is running out a more sensitive response would be Billy how s it going You look a little frustrated or stressed overwhelmed bored etc Checking in with a student at the emotional level addresses the negative behavior more effectively than directly addressing the behavior itself Emotionally checking in with a student shows that the teacher cares Connecting with a student at this level not only helps to move the D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 103

student from a dysregulated bottom up control system within the brain to a regulated top down control system it also builds trust with the teacher Supporting students efforts to become aware of how they feel prior to acting out their feelings through negative behaviors will lead to amazing changes in the classroom It truly can be a game changer Initiating emotional check ins or taking an emotional inventory every day at the start of class and throughout the day shows the teacher if her students are ready to learn or if she needs to do a regulatory activity to get everyone a little more regulated Emotional check ins also foster connections among students As students begin Figure 2 36 Mental health check in chart Erin Castillo Used with permission to empathize with other students they develop stronger relational bonds Check in chart One example of demonstrating concern for students emotional wellbeing is the use of a mental health check in chart or an emotions check in chart Figure 2 36 shows a picture of a chart created by Erin Castillo a special education teacher Students are asked to write their names or their initials on the back of a sticky note and place the note on the chart alongside the category that expresses how they are doing The categories are I m great I m okay I m meh I m struggling I m having a hard time and wouldn t mind a check in I m in a really dark place Figure 2 37 Emotions check in chart in an elementary classroom 104 C L A S S R O O M18 0 Not only is this a safe and empowering way to get students to become more self aware but

DOM A IN 2 it also gives them the opportunity to ask for help when needed Figure 2 37 shows another version of a check in used in an elementary classroom It features pictures of children wearing different facial expressions along with the words that describe their emotions Morning meetings and closing circles Taking the first moments of a school day to have a morning meeting in the classroom sends the message to students that they are the most important part of school even more than academics When students know that somebody cares about them and is interested in them their ability to perform academically improves When students feel safe connected and cared for they are better able to take more risks and stretch their intellectual minds with greater ease Similarly ending the day or week with a closing circle is a way for the teacher to create emotional closure This can be a time for the teacher to repair any rifts or conflicts that may have happened giving the unconditional message No matter what happens I care for you and you are always loved When the students then leave the classroom for the day or the weekend they know that no matter what happens they are loved cared for and that they matter Red Yellow Green Zone Target For older students the Red Yellow Green Zone Target can be extremely effective When the teacher notices Billy acting out instead of asking Billy how he is feeling which is typically too complex of a question for Billy to answer in the moment the teacher can ask Billy where he is on the target ideally hanging up in the room This gives Billy a simple way of saying I m in the red when he is extremely dysregulated see Figure 2 38 Figure 2 38 Red Yellow Green Zone Target See Appendix B for a printable copy D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 105

Manipulatives feeling sticks For younger students tangible manipulatives can be more effective in increasing a student s awareness about their feelings As shown in Figure 2 39 feeling sticks can be created with each student s name and decorated by each student Then at certain times of the day students are prompted to place their sticks into the jar that identifies how they are feeling The feelings can either be basic feeling words such as mad sad happy scared and grateful or on a scale from 1 to 5 Keeping this exercise simple without unnecessary complexity is highly recommended Figure 2 39 Feeling sticks Mobile apps Students feel safe behind digital screens Asking them to check in on their tablets with an app gives a teacher a reliable measure of how her students are feeling and allows the teacher to track students moods over time An excellent example of such an app is YouHue see Figure 2 40 Figure 2 40 YouHue app 106 C L A S S R O O M18 0 Give Students Permission to Have Their Feelings and Express Them Students impacted by trauma are overloaded with emotions some of which have been harboring for years These students are often consumed by thoughts of negativity and helplessness This overload of emotions puts them in a state where they are easily agitated have a short fuse and

DOM A IN 2 are quick to react To sit in a class absorb academic information and be challenged at an intellectual level is almost impossible Traditionally it has been suggested that to change this one should think happy thoughts and focus on the positive This approach simply is not effective long term and more importantly it is not authentic to the core of one s own being Ironically the most effective way to change to a positive emotional state is to Embracing negative first express the negative feelings and thoughts feelings can be one Embracing negative feelings can be one of the most powerful techniques for finding happiness of the most powerful and regulation as it releases resistance In the classroom students need to acknowltechniques for edge and be given permission to have negative finding happiness feelings Students are frequently told that they should not be negative to change their and regulation as it attitude or be grateful things are not worse The problem with these types of responses is that releases resistance they invalidate students feelings and set up yet another power struggle between themselves and those in authority Discounting negative feelings minimizes what these students who have already been marginalized suppressed and rejected are experiencing It only adds fuel to an ever growing downward spiral down into the depths of dysregulation for them Instead giving these students empathy and understanding can begin the process of helping them to calm their emotions to return to a state of regulation Use Open Responses to Embrace and Validate Students Perspectives A trauma informed teacher encourages students to express themselves Staying open and empathetic to what students have to say helps them process their emotions and it keeps them from acting out their challenges through negative behaviors Table 2 4 shows the contrast between being closed versus being open to students feelings and expressions of negativity The open examples demonstrate how to embrace students perspectives These examples reflect being able to listen validate connect empathize accept tolerate and love When a teacher can give these types of responses to a student who is expressing themselves it opens the door for the student to be able to then listen to problem solving solutions from the teacher D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 107

Table 2 4 Contrast between communication styles closed versus open Closed to Students Feelings Open to Students Feelings That s just how life is You ll have to deal with it I agree Life can be tough You shouldn t feel that way You have every right to feel that way You should be grateful What else are you upset about At least Tell me more It s no big deal It will all work out fine Sometimes it feels like everything is falling apart doesn t it You need to talk to the school counselor I m a teacher not a therapist I am totally here for you but I m not sure how to help Would you be open to talking to the school counselor I think she d be able to support you in a better way through this situation than I can You shouldn t have Tell me everything that s led up to this Well when I was in school School is so different than when I was your age It s really stressful isn t it You reap what you sow Billy That s probably not the outcome you expected is it 10 Window of Stress Tolerance Academic excellence is pushed from many directions within the classroom from the parents teachers and even students putting pressure on themselves to reach incredibly high standards Too much pressure put on a student can move him to experience high anxiety depression frustration anger and more The issue is not with the bar for excellence but rather that the bar for excellence has to be within the student s window of stress tolerance As long as the student has the ability and tolerance to reach a high bar of excellence all is well However if the bar of excellence is set higher than the student s window of stress tolerance then the student will hit his breaking point before reaching the bar of excellence Figure 2 41 illustrates this concept 108 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 A trauma informed classroom recognizes that each student s window of stress tolerance is different and therefore each student will need his bar of excellence adjusted below his breaking point Setting a bar too high as seen in Figure 2 41 for Billy is counterproductive and can lead to a student decompensating physically emotionally and mentally The Billys of the classroom need their teachers to pay particular attention to this concept Table 2 5 gives examples of how this would be applied in the classroom Figure 2 41 Comparison of when the bar of excellence is within a student s window of stress tolerance and when it is above For all the examples in Table 2 5 note that the solutions given are very similar because of this basic concept You cannot push the brain farther than it is capable of going and expect a positive outcome 11 Teacher Self Regulation Of all the components discussed in this book teacher self regulation is by far one of the most important This holds true because if the teacher is not regulated then it is almost impossible for all the other components to be implemented effectively It is truly that basic and that imperative Teachers experience a wide range of emotions throughout every school day The positive range of emotions can go from happiness pride and pure joy to the negative side of anger frustration and fear Managing these varying emotional states is key to successfully D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 109

Table 2 5 Respecting a student s window of stress tolerance How to Respect a Student s Window of Stress Tolerance Examples Problems and Solutions Student reaches his breaking point in class Problem Sometimes a full school day is too much for a student His window of tolerance may not be adequate to handle six hours of the academic environment On the days that the student reaches the top of his window before he hits his breaking point stop the academics Forcing the student to try to engage his brain will likely result in negative behavior from the student such as erupting in anger or completely shutting down in defiance Solution Focus efforts during the school day to help the student maintain as much regulation as possible and only teach during these moments of regulation Students may sometimes need to go to the library or the ISS room not as a punishment but for a break from the classroom to get re regulated If there is a healthy parent child relationship the child might go home for a period of time after doing a half day of school and then slowly build up to a full day of school After school tutoring Problem If a student is falling behind in class pushing for after school tutoring may not be the solution Asking a student who has hit his window of stress tolerance during the school day to add more school in the afternoon will not improve his test scores In fact it will typically push him well past his breaking point to where he becomes angry and resentful toward school Solution Focus efforts during the school day to help the student maintain as much regulation as possible to be able to absorb the material when he is within his window of stress tolerance For some students receiving tutoring during the summer is the perfect time for them to catch up Homework Problem Assigning homework can ignite more stress in some students For students who were adopted or placed in foster care they are learning how to settle into their new families They need time at home to build their relationships with their parents and siblings and strengthen their emotional foundations Their time spent integrating into their families also helps them return to school better regulated to handle a full school day For other students their parents may be stressed and unable to perform parental duties so the student takes on many of the adult roles at home such as bathing and feeding their siblings Consequently they do not have the time or energy at home to do homework Asking them to be like the Andys in the class and complete loads of homework only promotes feelings of shame belittlement and failure Solution Focus efforts during the school day to help the student maintain as much regulation as possible to be able to absorb the material when he is within his window of stress tolerance 110 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 implementing a trauma informed platform Unfortunately little information is available on this topic The vast majority of resources that discuss self regulation focus on how to teach students to be self regulated The irony is that if teachers are not regulated then they cannot teach their students how to be regulated We have all been in a store and witnessed a parent in a state of stress yelling at his or her child Calm down Calm down right now Asking someone to calm down by yelling demanding or threatening is absurd Basic principle number 1 We cannot regulate someone when we are dysregulated and we cannot create a regulated classroom if we are dysregulated Children learn through modeling If the teacher is dysregulated then her ability to teach students how to be regulated will always fall short For many of our Billys their life experiences have not given them enough moments to understand at a body level how to be regulated In fact dysregulation is the natural state for these students To change this they must be able to regulate off of the teacher as well as the other adults in the school environment This is what is known as a co regulation model When a teacher is regulated the dysregulated student can then be positively influenced by the teacher s regulation enabling the student to settle his system back down through his connection with her If a dysregulated teacher is telling the student to breathe and calm down she will be grossly ineffective Yet if a regulated teacher is quietly and patiently coaching a student to breathe and calm down the likelihood of success is far greater Billy comes to school with a compromised regulatory system His ability to self regulate and stay in alignment when facing the stress of academics and the social dynamics presented to him in an educational setting is weak at best Thus he needs a caring emotionally safe and well connected adult relationship as a support mechanism This is why the relationship between Billy and his teacher is so powerful What Billy needs can be compared to the needs of a student who comes to class with a broken leg The student with the broken leg will use crutches as an aid in getting around while his leg is mending and healing in a cast We never question the necessity of the crutches nor do we punish the student for using them In fact we make adjustments D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 111

to the student s day to facilitate his healing process instead of asking the student to do anything that would hinder or worsen his condition Following this analogy the same is true for a student who comes to school unable to regulate on his own He needs the teacher to regulate off of just as the student with a cast needs the crutches Billy depends on the teacher s regulation to be able to sustain himself throughout the school day If the teacher becomes dysregulated it is highly likely that Billy will then too become dysregulated Likewise if we take the crutches away from the student with the cast while he is using them he will fall and be unable to function Teaching is all about being in the lives of children to help mold guide and educate them It is about encouraging them to unleash their gifts talents and intellect It is about supporting them to know themselves from the inside out and to love who they are To do this effectively it takes the modeling of one s own self alignment it requires if not demands that the teacher be as regulated as possible as much of the time as possible To bring out the best in students the teacher has to be at her best Basic principle number 2 We cannot help students feel good about themselves if we do not feel good about ourselves Basic principle number 3 If we care about the well being of our students we have to care about the well being of ourselves If Billy s relationship to his teacher s is compromised weak or nonexistent Billy will find another dysregulated student and then chaos in the classroom will ensue in milliseconds Basic principle number 4 We attract the familiar 112 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 This is why it makes it incredibly challenging to have a classroom of multiple Billys Their dysregulated energies connect collide and explode The solution to this is to work to have Billy and all the Billys build a strong relationship with the teacher so Billy regulates off of her instead of the other dysregulated students Students impacted by trauma are masters at reading the regulatory state of adults They live in a hypervigilant state they are always working to determine if they are safe or not For example if the teacher says something nonchalant and nonthreatening such as OK I need everyone to stop talking so we can focus on the whiteboard but she says it in a state of dysregulation Billy will not process the words as much as he will process the teacher s negative energy His interpretation of the teacher s words will be distorted from a lens of fear and from his own place of self rejection He will hear something more like OK Billy I need you to stop talking because you re always the problem around here This is why Billy will often overreact to simple directives with comments such as What the hell I wasn t even talking Basic principle number 5 Our regulatory state directly influences our students ability to accurately process language The rest of this section on teacher self regulation discusses six indicators when evaluating a teacher s mastery of self regulation within the classroom Teacher Models Self Regulation to the Students As important as it is for the teacher to be familiar with the curriculum and the day s lesson plan at the start of the school day it is equally important for the teacher to work on her own regulation prior to the start of the school day It is the teacher s responsibility to show up at the beginning of the day as regulated as possible However even the best of teachers will have days when they are simply off and cannot switch totally back to a state of regulation On days like these being authentic is the best course of action She may start the day by welcoming students and adding a self disclosure statement such as I want to be completely transparent with you and let you know that I am a little dysregulated right now It isn t anything any of you have done it s just where I am right now I ll keep working through it and we re all going to be fine D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 113

Table 2 6 The five teacher self regulation basic principles Teacher Self Regulation Basic Principles 1 We cannot regulate someone when we are dysregulated and we cannot create a regulated classroom if we are dysregulated 2 We cannot help a child feel good about themselves if we do not feel good about ourselves 3 If we care about the well being of our students we have to care about the well being of ourselves 4 We attract the familiar 5 Our regulatory state directly influences the student s ability to accurately process language Addressing this directly is very important to the well being of the Billys in the classroom They will automatically sense that the teacher is off and because of their lens of fear they will quickly jump to the conclusion that they are at fault or they are in trouble or they are going to be targeted Jumping in front of these negative interpretations keeps the classroom emotionally safe and also models self responsibility to owning one s state of regulation It is a well known fact that we learn by watching others This is especially true for young children but it holds true for all of us When a teacher can model her regulatory state in front of students by acknowledging how she is feeling and explaining what she is doing to get regulated it becomes a powerful example to students Table 2 7 gives two contrasting examples of how this can be done both from the traditional way and the trauma informed way Teacher Uses I Statements to Model How to Own Feelings It is essential for a teacher to own her feelings Instead of saying You are making me mad or This is so aggravating it is important to use I statements such as I am frustrated or I am aggravated This creates a healthy boundary between the student s behavior and the teacher s response It models the concept that everyone has to take responsibility for how they feel Blaming one s feelings on someone else s behavior is counterproductive to teaching students how to be in charge of their own regulatory 114 C L A S S R O O M18 0

states the end goal is all about learning to respond and developing the ability to selfregulate Modeling healthy relational boundaries demonstrates to students that the only thing we ever have control over is how we respond to somebody s actions not how we need to control somebody s actions Situation Traditional Reaction Trauma Informed Response Teacher is getting frustrated at a class for talking out loud instead of the students raising their hands That s enough You all are getting me so frustrated I need you to stop blurting out the answers and start raising your hands Let s break here I am happy you all want to participate but I m finding myself getting frustrated because it is too chaotic when you don t raise your hands I need to take a breath and I want you all to join me so we can all get back on track Students are working in a group and the teacher is trying to get everyone s attention so she can give them the next instruction When I raise my hand that means everybody in the class needs to stop talking And I mean EVERYBODY You all know how to do this I can t give you the next set of instructions if you re not listening and if I do give them to you when you re talking you re probably going to get it wrong I know it s hard to stop talking when I raise my hand but this is really important I want you all to do well on this assignment but I m worried that if you don t hear me all the way you might miss something and go off in the wrong direction I want you to have fun with this so take a deep breath and listen to the next set of instructions DOM A IN 2 Table 2 7 The traditional versus trauma informed model of teacher self regulation It is also important for the teacher to articulate to students how she will be shifting her state of regulation and her process for doing so She might say To get out of this feeling of anger I m going to tell myself It s okay I can try this again It s all going to be OK instead of just getting frustrated and feeling powerless Saying aloud her thought bubbles helps students develop a better skill set for when they too get into a dysregulated state and want to make their own internal changes Teacher Is Self Validating and Confident It is typical in any career to directly correlate one s self worth and effectiveness to the job s success For instance If my students are well behaved respectful hardworking and academically successful then I am a good teacher Conversely If my students are D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 115

unfocused exhibit poor behaviors and fail to perform academically then I am a bad teacher This type of thinking may not happen at a conscious level but it is so engrained in our general culture that it easily finds its way into the thinking of educators The success of a trauma informed classroom depends on whether the teacher deliberately separates her students performance attendance and behaviors from her self worth and value as a teacher Having a Billy or multiple Billys in a classroom will challenge even the best teacher to stay in a place of unconditional acceptance of themselves The teacher has to become so strong internally that nothing that Billy says or does will minimize this or push the teacher to engage in negative self talk such as Billy is misbehaving therefore I am a bad teacher This requires that the teacher knows her value solely because of her role in her students lives not because of how the students perform If a teacher knows her value despite the outcome of her students this will allow her to roll with the unexpected twists and turns that Billy will create in the classroom This keeps her balanced regulated and grounded It is never the student s responsibility to make the teacher feel good about herself That is an impossible task because Billy does not even feel good about himself Our Billys live with so much self rejection We have to know that what they are doing is projecting their self rejection onto their teacher through their negative behaviors It is not and never will be a direct reflection of the teacher s value her effectiveness or her abilities Understanding this concept can be incredibly freeing for a teacher She is no longer tied to her students outcomes which are completely and forever out of her control The control she has is within her own mind within her own belief system It takes a willingness to go inward and realign her internal belief systems The result is a teacher who puts out a safe emotional message to Billy that says I can handle you no matter what And that is the exact message that Billy needs to move his healing and self awareness to the next level Teacher Avoids Power Struggles Being in a classroom with students who challenge everything rules policies academics schedules procedures and more is exhausting For a teacher to stand her ground without getting into a power struggle she must remain flexible and emotionally agile Being able to resist being pulled into Billy s dysregulated state of his chaotic thinking requires the teacher to be extremely confident in herself whereby she feels no need to defend herself nor has any agenda to prove her position of authority over Billy When Billy is dysregulated he is typically in his midbrain the part of the brain that works from a platform of win or lose It is not about right or wrong That is the job of 116 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 the neocortex When the midbrain is in charge this sets up a dynamic where Billy will launch into a dialogue with a teacher and no matter what the teacher says he will work to overpower her response with another more intense response His attempts to one up the teacher appear as if Billy s life depends on it It can be that intense It is easy for a teacher to get pulled into a push pull vortex with Billy without even realizing it For example a teacher is discussing a story and she says And Johnny went to the store Billy then abruptly interrupts It wasn t the store it was the market The teacher Being able to resist responds Billy there is no need to interrupt me Store market they re the same thing being pulled into Billy s Billy s level of agitation spikes and he says No dysregulated state they aren t A market isn t the same as a store One is bigger than the other The teacher jumps requires the teacher to into the middle of Billy s diatribe and says Billy enough We aren t here to discuss the difference be extremely confident between a store and a market We are here to discuss the story and what happens next Billy in an even heightened state of arousal persists But we can t discuss the story if you re calling it a store because that s not where Johnny went The teacher in an aggravated state replies Billy you need to go down to the front office now I ve had enough of this ridiculous conversation The teacher must be mindful enough to stop these looping conversations from the beginning However stopping them does not mean completely cutting Billy off at the start In fact if she tries to shut Billy down the situation will get worse and an even more negative feedback loop is sure to ensue There is an art to being able to stop the negative feedback loop while still acknowledging Billy s need to win It requires that the teacher be grounded and confident enough not to have to assert her power over Billy to prove that she is right Let us rewind the conversation from above Teacher Billy Teacher And Johnny went to the store It wasn t the store it was the market Billy I m glad you were listening so well How about you complete this next sentence After Johnny went to the market he D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 117

In this second scenario the teacher acknowledges Billy s need to be recognized She does not correct his blurting out that can come later when Billy is not as emotionally charged up nor does she try to convince him that there is no difference between a market and a store She uses his word market instead of store because it is not worth the time energy or power struggle to further this part of the discussion Instead of being in a defensive posture the teacher pulls Billy in and gives him an active part in the discussion If she does think it is important to discuss his inappropriate behavior the most effective time to do that would be later in the day when Billy is in a more regulated state Teacher Demonstrates an Awareness of Her Own Triggers and Reactivity Teaching a class with even one Billy much less multiple Billys is extremely challenging The daily grind of it all would wear down the most regulated of teachers Even Mother Teresa might find herself out of the state of love and reactive in a class with Billy It is difficult but necessary for teachers to be aware of what behaviors and which students push them to their breaking points We all come to our jobs with our own histories our own unfinished emotional business For one teacher it might be disrespect that gets underneath her skin For another it might be noncompliance that gets her fuming When a teacher Our Billys know exactly how to wake up a teacher s own dormant trauma and the result can can recognize her leave a teacher in a heightened state of reactivity For instance if a teacher s own parent was exaggerated reactivity clinically depressed and constantly shut down it allows her to respond when the teacher was growing up this teacher is highly likely to have issues with the student to the student instead who comes into her classroom with the same depressed energy and shuts down on her refusing of react to him to give even one ounce of recognition to her existence It does not matter that her childhood experiences were twenty thirty even forty years ago the feelings left unchecked and dormant will rise to the surface as if they occurred only yesterday Each one of us has a button that can be pushed and because of Billy s well developed ability and need to have power over those in authority he will find that button Seeing a teacher come unraveled due to his behavior is triumph for Billy This puts him in a place of power over the teacher It must be understood that this need for power stems from a 118 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOM A IN 2 deep fear of having someone else in charge of Billy It is a fear of being vulnerable and a fear of being hurt The key is for the teacher to be aware of her reactivity and not allow it to come out toward the student who has triggered it Of all the things that are required to be traumainformed this will be by far the hardest for any teacher because it can be so intense and so automatic Understanding that any reactivity that is above and beyond a normal level of frustration or anger any reactivity that is highly emotionally charged bears the bigger question of the teacher asking herself What is this really about When a teacher can recognize her It should be encouraged exaggerated reactivity it allows her to respond to the student instead of react to him If she is and considered good able she might even distinguish between the student s behavior and her deep trigger Wow practice for a teacher Billy That comment was a real challenge for me to reach out to her It definitely ignited something very big in me from my past experiences I m going to have to administration or come back to this once I can calm down so I give you an appropriate response colleagues when she Teachers should consistently do self reflection finds herself in a state on their own or meet with colleagues regularly to process uncomfortable moments with students of overwhelm Doing so will help them become more aware of their own triggers When teachers understand the root of these triggers acknowledge their existence and process them outside of the classroom the likelihood of these triggers igniting will be greatly reduced when the teachers return to the classroom We all have our own unfinished emotional business from our past It is highly probable that every teacher will inevitably have a Billy or multiple Billys in her classroom who will bring her emotional triggers to the surface in full force That is the nature of teaching students impacted by trauma Teacher Asks for Assistance When Needed Asking for help is usually a last option for teachers who fear being seen as if they cannot handle their job or their students What is more asking for help has been thought to be a sign of weakness or failure Family of origin issues also play a role in the hesitation D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 119

to reach out for assistance Growing up in a family where a child is dismissed or even reprimanded for asking for help will instill a negative blueprint for that child as an adult Ironically having a negative experience in school when asking for help will then prevent a teacher as an adult to reach out The trauma informed model is about being nonjudgmental and supportive of our students Likewise this philosophy needs to carry over to teachers It should be encouraged and considered good practice for a teacher to reach out to her administration or colleagues when she finds herself in a state of overwhelm If anyone takes a time out it needs to be the teacher instead of the student This time out which is not a punishment says I need a break I need to get myself regulated again so I can be the best teacher for my students This also serves as a beautiful example to students of what it means to take personal responsibility for one s own regulation Asking for help may be reaching out during the school day when students are in class to have someone cover for five or ten minutes for immediate assistance It might be reaching out to colleagues or the administration to help process events that happened in the classroom Reaching out might even mean going beyond the building to seek clinical help with a support group or therapist Billys in the classroom can push even the most stable person to their screaming edge It truly does take a village so reaching out and asking the village for help is sometimes part of the process of creating a sustainable trauma informed classroom 120 C L A S S R O O M18 0

EXERCISE Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions 6 7 DOM A IN 2 5 Physical Environment When I walk into this classroom do I immediately feel my body calming down or getting jacked up Do I want to be in this classroom Is it calm or sterile Do I feel like I m walking into my mom s classroom twenty five years ago Is there a comfortable place for me to sit and learn Do I feel lost or grounded in this classroom Universal Proactive Supports Do I know what is going to happen next Is my body able to move while I simultaneously work on my assignment Is my teacher being clear or does it feel like I don t even understand English Does this classroom and teacher support me as a visual learner Is the teacher ignoring me yet interacting with the good kids I m about to lose it do I feel trapped or do I know what to do before I blow Transitional Support Did my teacher let me know exactly how long I have to work on an assignment Does my teacher know that I can t just come back from lunch specials cafeteria another class etc and immediately focus D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 121

8 9 10 122 Does my teacher understand that I have a deep visceral reaction as if I m going to die if I can t finish an assignment Individual Interventions I really need a break but do I feel like I m going to be laughed at if I go sit in the calm corner My skin is on fire Is there something in the class to help me My anxiety is supercharged today Is there something I can do at my desk to help me calm down Mrs Talbert in the office is a safe person for me and I think she could help me calm down Will my teacher let me go see her or should I sneak out without asking Awareness Does my teacher know how I am feeling right now and does she care When my teacher asked me how I was doing I said fine but I wonder if she knows that I m really not OK Does my teacher know that when I ask her a question it takes all the courage I can find within me Is my teacher empathetic in her responses to me or does she make me angrier with her closed off logical and minimizing responses Is my teacher interested in me as much as she is in the academic lesson Window of Stress Tolerance Are the academic expectations placed on me pushing me to my breaking point or are they beneficial by pushing me to excel to my next level Is my teacher noticing that the more she pushes me to focus and concentrate the worse I m getting C L A S S R O O M18 0

11 I m making a lot of noise over here Does my teacher notice me and check in with me Teacher Self Regulation Is my teacher stressing me out or helping me to feel calmer Is my teacher easily triggered Does my teacher want to be here Is my teacher about to lose it Does my teacher walk right into my need to engage in an argument Does my teacher take my need to challenge authority personally DOM A IN 2 The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved MOTHER TER ESA D O M A I N 2 R E G U L AT I O N 123

5 1 4 2 3 Language of Trauma

DOMAIN 3 DOMAIN 3 Language of Trauma D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 125

LANGUAGE OF TRAUMA 12 Communication Shift 13 Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation 14 Affect Tolerance 15 Nonverbal Communication 16 Positive Language

DOMAIN 3 Language of Trauma T rauma changes how students perceive themselves and how they perceive themselves DOMAIN 3 in this world It shifts students to a deep perspective of fear Thus working with students impacted by trauma requires us to learn to view everything from this lens of fear Everything we say everything we do everything we perceive everything has to be viewed from this lens of fear if we are going to be successful in relating to these students Domain 3 reflects this concept of relating to students impacted by trauma through this lens of fear It requires us to shift how we communicate with students how we use language to describe their behaviors and challenges and how we stay aware of our nonverbal communication In essence it is about learning to speak the language of trauma Behavior is a form of communication Instead of dealing with challenging behaviors which are only a symptom we have to learn to interpret students behaviors to get to the root cause of what is driving them Our ability to relate to students and to understand what is being said by their behaviors determines our effectiveness in helping them in the long term In a trauma informed classroom we must learn to speak trauma as evidenced in the following components Communication Shift Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation Affect Tolerance Nonverbal Communication Positive Language D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 127

12 Communication Shift Our students communicate with us all the time whether in appropriate or inappropriate ways both verbally and nonverbally Learning how to interpret what they are saying beyond the surface meaning of their language is a vital part of being trauma informed It means being mindful of how we interact with students when they are being inappropriate by taking a proverbial step back to reflect and not react but respond It requires learning to interpret negative behaviors and understanding that behavior is a form of communication It also requires making a 180 degree shift to get behind the lens of fear to demonstrate to students the lens of love In short it requires learning to speak trauma Interpret Negative Language Too often the language students use is taken at face value while the deeper meaning behind the language is lost For example if a student says I don t care about this assignment our first reaction is to think You need to care about this assignment Trauma runs deep within the heart of students so it demands that we too go deeper into understanding the words and expressions students use A simple statement such as I don t care about this assignment often has an entire childhood history behind it Perhaps Too often the language this comes from a student who was told I don t care about you by his parents or the adults in students use is taken his life either explicitly or implicitly at face value while the If students get the message that someone significant in their life does not care about them deeper meaning behind then why would they in turn care about anything in their life When children are nurtured and the language is lost lovingly cared for they respond to academic work with interest and concern They are reflecting in their academics what was given to them it is a blueprint that follows them throughout each day and into each activity they do Students like Andy have had someone take interest in them and thus have the ability to reciprocate and take an interest in their academics However if someone like Billy has not been the recipient of this type of care and nurturing it will show up in Billy s language and behavior in the classroom Learning to interpret the language of trauma is about getting into Billy s perspective to be able to truly hear and understand him Billy does not have the ability to express 128 C L A S S R O O M18 0

his deeper truths nor does he desire to be vulnerable enough to share them What he is really saying here is I don t know how to care about this assignment because no one has ever really cared about me I don t have a frame of reference for knowing what it feels like to be cared for or to care for something myself It is a concept I am unfamiliar with But if you care about me and take interest in me I will be able to experience what this feeling is all about and it will motivate me to care about this assignment in the future Yet the teacher hears an utterly negative statement from Billy I don t care about this assignment so her perception of him is painted in a negative light Instead of reacting to these types of negative statements it takes learning to listen DOMAIN 3 carefully to what Billy is saying and then responding accordingly Table 3 1 gives examples of negative language interpretations On the left hand side is a list of what students typically say On the right hand side are the true interpretations of what the students are really saying Table 3 1 Negative language interpretations Interpreting the Language of Trauma Student s Comment Trauma Interpretation I hate you I hate myself You re really pissing me off I need you to know that I m about to hit my breaking point This sucks My life sucks I don t care I m too scared to try or I m too overwhelmed to try This assignment is stupid I feel stupid and this assignment is only going to make me feel more stupid She gets on my nerves My nervous system is overwhelmed You re not in charge of me I m scared you ll hurt me or reject me F ck off The only way for me to be OK right now is to disconnect D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 129

Understand the Lens of Fear When communicating with students impacted by trauma it is imperative to understand how their lens of fear will distort their interpretation of the world around them Everything that is said to them done to them and everything they experience will have a fearbased and negative slant to it These students bring to life the old adage that debates whether the glass is half full or half empty Billy will always see the glass as half empty This translates into some of the following subconscious thoughts that consume Billy throughout his school day Something bad is going to happen You re against me I ll abandon you before you abandon me If I don t win I m going to die I can t trust you Ever I m not worthy I am supposed to suffer and struggle I ll lie and cover up in a passive and covert way to the point where you question your own reality I ll demand perfectionism from myself and everyone around me to create a pseudo sense of stability for myself I will never give you the benefit of the doubt I ll simply expect the worst from you as a way to protect myself The world is too unsafe I ll stay in my own reality This lens of fear from which Billy s world is interpreted comes from living in unpredictability and uncertainty where life events have been or are hurtful scary and disappointing Billy lives in a world where joy and happiness are lost to anger and sadness To reduce the pain associated with negative outcomes Billy makes it a practice to expect the worst instead of expecting the best From Billy s lens of fear it is not whether something bad will happen it is about when something bad will happen Billy essentially does not know that he is all right He does not know he will be OK There is no knowing that all is well Ever Billy s actions reflect this fear based stance through many of the following behaviors and others 130 Reacts quickly and fires back in anger Gives teacher an annoyed look C L A S S R O O M18 0

Puts his hoodie over his head Scribbles on a piece of paper instead of taking notes Avoids eye contact Refuses to participate Becomes obsessive Becomes defensive In a trauma informed classroom these behaviors are seen and understood to be driven from Billy s lens of fear instead of being seen as a bad attitude or deliberate attempt to annoy the teacher There is an understanding that Billy s comments objections and arguments are fear based Table 3 2 gives an example of how a teacher student dialogue In a trauma informed D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA DOMAIN 3 would play out showing the contrast between a traditional interpretation and a trauma informed classroom there is an interpretation of Billy s comments understanding that Billy s outburst in this example was coming from a fear of not being able to find his journal Billy s comments Instead of being able to say I can t find my journal when the teacher asked him if he was objections and OK he immediately pushed it back to her by arguments are saying that she was picking on him This was all done as a self protective response to avoid fear based getting into trouble for not having his journal and looking stupid in front of his peers Billy would much rather risk being sent out of the classroom due to inappropriate behavior than to look dumb or stupid in front of his classmates Billy also becomes defensive at the end of this dialogue Again it takes an understanding of what is driving this defensive reaction Billy is still working to posture himself away from being completely unprepared He does have his pencil so he is holding on to this one redeeming point to save himself To correct his defensiveness now would only ignite more defensiveness and then the dialogue would deteriorate into a useless and futile exchange The correction can happen later to build his self esteem and teach him how to develop a more evolved skill set to overcome the need to be defensive refer to Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment 131

Table 3 2 Traditional versus trauma informed interpretation of Billy s comments Interpreting through the Lens of Fear Traditional Interpretation Trauma Informed Interpretation Teacher OK class I need you to take out your journals and a pencil Teacher OK class I need you to take out your journals and a pencil Billy takes a little longer to do this and appears to be a bit discombobulated Billy takes a little longer to do this and appears to be a bit discombobulated Teacher Is everything OK over there Billy Teacher Is everything OK over there Billy Billy What Billy What Teacher Billy I m just checking in to see if you might need a little extra time or help Teacher Billy I m just checking in to see if you might need a little extra time or help Billy You re always picking on me Billy You re always picking on me Teacher Billy I m not picking on you I m simply offering help in case you might need it The teacher walks slowly over to Billy while speaking to the class Billy You always look at me like I m the one holding up the class Andrea doesn t have her journal out but you re not pointing her out in front of everyone The teacher squats down to Billy s level and lowers the volume of her voice Teacher OK class go ahead and get started by answering the three questions on the whiteboard in your journals for me Teacher Hey I m sorry that came across as me picking on you I want to make sure you have everything you need She notices Billy can t find his journal Teacher It s OK if you can t find your journal I ll get you a piece of paper and you can staple it into your journal later Teacher Billy enough You need to go sit outside the class until you can come back with a better attitude and stop this nonsense 132 C L A S S R O O M18 0 Billy responds in a defensive voice Billy OK Well I have my pencil

DOMAIN 3 Take Mindful Steps Before Responding The mindfulness movement has been a great complement to the trauma informed movement To be mindful in the classroom means to pause take a breath interpret the student s language consider what is driving the student s behavior and then craft a thoughtful empathetic heartfelt response Learning how to be mindful allows teachers to stay in a place of balance and love when deciding what to say or do next It is an imperative step in helping educators respond instead of react A reaction is instantaneous It is typically driven by the desire to immediately change a student s behavior This type of reactivity draws from old patterns of thinking and old behavioral blueprints When we react automatically and impulsively we are using wellestablished neuropathways to dictate our behavior The problem with this is that we are asking our students to change how they respond and act yet we too must change Modeling mindfulness to our students before taking any type of action is key to showing them how to respond calmly with insight and empathy as seen in Table 3 3 Table 3 3 Modeling mindfulness to students Mindful Steps to Responding in the Classroom 1 Take a deep breath 2 Put the moment into perspective 3 Think about the student get into the shoes of Billy 4 Ask the question What is driving this behavior 5 Ask the next question What can I do at this very moment to improve my relationship with this student 6 Mindfully create an emotionally connecting instead of emotionally divisive response to Billy 7 Deliver this response to Billy taking into consideration the nonverbal communication associated with the delivery D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 133

The seven steps listed in Table 3 3 may seem complex and time consuming at first However the more they are practiced and the more they become the new normal and the new automatic response the more they will unfold in a matter of only a few seconds Classrooms are fast paced The pressure for teachers to meet curriculum goals and prepare students for state testing is deadline driven outcome driven and intense Taking these few seconds may feel overwhelming unnecessary and often accompanied by thoughts of I don t have time for this The reality though is that the more teachers take time for this the more time they will have to accomplish their academic goals and the more regulated Billy will be for his brain to be able to process and retain the academic learning 13 Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation When students become highly dysregulated their brains are firing from the midbrain or even the reptilian brain The right hemisphere is the access point down into the midbrain so this means that students are operating from their right hemisphere not their left hemisphere when they are dysregulated The reason this is significant is that life is experienced differently in this hemisphere Left Hemisphere Mild emotions Routine established patterns Sequential processing Reality based Logic Language Science and math Certainty Protection Right Hemisphere Intense emotions Bottom up processing Facial recognition Social cognition Gut feeling survival Fantasy based Nonverbal communication Art and music Vulnerability Relationship Figure 3 1 Left hemisphere versus right hemisphere The left hemisphere interprets language and is responsible for logic sequential processing routines and certainty The right hemisphere when activated is responsible for highly intense emotions nonverbal communication relationships facial recognition 134 C L A S S R O O M18 0

and survival Putting this knowledge into action it becomes clear that when a student is operating from his right hemisphere we have to change how we interact with this student Giving the student a lecture asking him to make a logical choice or giving directives that involve sequential actions is highly ineffective In fact these types of actions not only aggravate a student who is operating from the right hemisphere they increase the student s level of dysregulation Therefore when engaging with a student who is operating from the right hemisphere the communication with this student will have to reflect what we now know from brain science The communication is going to have to be a right brain to right brain connection Instead of giving solutions reminders of the rules rational explanations and logical consequences the communication has to connect with the student s intense emotions and be relationally based This is the art of de escalating a student DOMAIN 3 Time and again we have approached students from a left brain teacher to right brain student interaction only to have them erupt into an even deeper state of dysregulation moving from defiance disrespect or noncompliance to belligerence verbal abuse or physical aggression see Figure 3 2 cher Left Brain Tea Student disobedient refusing noncompliant disrespectful insubordinate defensive mean verbally abusive physically violent belligerent unsafe throwing threatening kicking Figure 3 2 Resulting behavior when interacting from the left brain teacher to the right brain student D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 135

When a student is stressed overwhelmed or in a state of fear the communication needs to be right brain teacher to right brain student This requires that the teacher let go of changing the student s behavior and instead reach the student s heart through empathy and connection In these in the moment interactions the teacher does not tell the student how to behave how to be different or what is expected Instead the teacher gives the student a chance to be understood heard and listened to The student thus feels validated his behaviors are tolerated for the moment unless they cross the line of safety and he is offered connection instead of disconnection like telling a student to leave the class or go to time out Table 3 4 lists de escalation communication strategies to implement in the heat of the moment Table 3 4 De escalation communication strategies Ways to Defuse a Student 136 Focus on the student s feelings Accept the student s distress and emotionality Listen to the student s perspective Tolerate the student s attitude language blame victimhood etc Validate the student s struggle Empathize with the student s situation Connect with the student s pain Show genuine concern Refrain from logic Allow silence to give time to process Slow down to reduce stress Refrain from threatening with consequences Join the student C L A S S R O O M18 0

Student bad attitude apathy detached moody negative calmer Tea ch disobedient refusing noncompliant disrespectful insubordinate defensive mean rain er Right B Figure 3 3 Resulting behavior when interacting from the right brain teacher to the right brain student ch Tea Tea ch rain er Right B n Student Student bad attitude apathy detached moody negative calmer er Left Brai DOMAIN 3 When a student is emotionally charged up and dysregulated even a well connected right brain to right brain interaction will not automatically shift the student into a place of happiness and joy This is too far of a jump As illustrated in Figure 3 3 the goal is simply to have the student move down the emotional spectrum a few notches The student s demeanor at this point in the de escalation process will most likely reflect a bit of an attitude apathy detachment and will be slightly calmer Students impacted by trauma lack emotional flexibility so it cannot be expected for them to move from a highly dysregulated state to a highly regulated state disobedient refusing noncompliant disrespectful insubordinate defensive mean verbally abusive physically violent belligerent unsafe throwing threatening kicking Figure 3 4 Comparison of right brain teacher response with a left brain teacher response D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 137

Figure 3 4 shows the comparison between interacting with a dysregulated student at a right brain to right brain level and a right brain to left brain level Clearly the goal during these moments is not to teach a life lesson or correct the student s behavior This will only serve to escalate a student to a higher and more intense level The goal at this moment is to connect and join the student in his emotional state That is the true definition of power The life lessons consequences and accountability will be addressed at a different time see Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment Relate to Students Perspectives Most of us grew up with adults who would give us their version of reality and work to convince us that the adult perspective was the correct one Rarely if ever would they take the time to see things from our perspective The culture in a trauma informed classroom is not only to respect the perspective of students but to honor and work to relate to their perspectives especially when the students are highly dysregulated The traditional way of minimizing a student s viewpoint sends the message Your perspective doesn t matter With a student like Billy who already has a negative sense of self this ultimately translates to You don t matter Relating to a student s perspective requires getting past the intellectual level of conversation and dipping down into the heart level connecting with Billy s heart instead of only his head It is about experiencing a deeper sense of empathy with Billy This is especially important when the teacher has to set a boundary or give a consequence It is the art of being a combination of Mr Rogers and General Patton as discussed in Help for Billy For instance if Billy has asked for another five minutes on the computer but the timer has gone off it is now time for the next group of students to work on the computers Billy may be polite and ask appropriately for more time but the teacher still has to say no because that is the rule that keeps the class running smoothly Table 3 5 distinguishes how a traditional dialogue might unfold compared to a trauma informed dialogue in this type of situation In the traditional scenario the teacher stayed cognitive and focused on the rules rather than connecting with Billy at the emotional level The statement It is now someone else s turn to get on the computer is easily interpreted by a student impacted by trauma as You aren t as important as the next student It does not matter that Billy already had a turn When a student lives in survival his needs are always his first priority and he interprets everything from a competitive lens It is always about me and my needs Additionally he operates from a scarcity mindset where there is only a limited amount 138 C L A S S R O O M18 0

to go around Within this perception of limitation Billy will make certain that he is the one to get a piece of it Being in a survival state limits the ability to view things as fair or unfair for those around them Table 3 5 Traditional dialogue versus trauma informed dialogue Comparison of Traditional and Trauma Informed Dialogue Traditional Interpretation Trauma Informed Interpretation Billy Hi Ms Smith I know the timer went off but I was wondering if I could please have five more minutes on the computer Teacher No Billy The timer went off and it is now someone else s turn to get on the computer We only have so many computers to go around Teacher Thank you for being so polite Billy It s really hard to get off the computer isn t it Billy Billy I really need more time Please Billy I just need five more minutes Please Teacher Billy you know the rule You ll have more time tomorrow Teacher You really like working on the computer don t you Billy But I need more time NOW Billy Yes and I just need five more minutes Teacher Billy enough The rule is the rule If you can t get off now then I ll have to take away computer time tomorrow Teacher How about you come over and talk to me so we can figure this out Sit with me for a little bit so I can understand why this is so hard for you The next group of students gets on the computers and Billy comes and sits with the teacher for a few minutes Billy I hate you Billy OK but I really need five more minutes DOMAIN 3 Billy Hi Ms Smith I know the timer went off but I was wondering if I could please have five more minutes on the computer In the trauma informed scenario the teacher was able to get Billy off the computer holding the boundary but did it in a way that connected with his emotional needs No logic was given No rules were reiterated No consequences were threatened Instead D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 139

Billy was validated It s really hard to get off the computer isn t it Billy The teacher saw the issue from Billy s perspective You really like working on the computer don t you What is more the teacher invited Billy to join her so she could understand him from an even broader perspective How about you come over and talk to me The ability to authentically feel with a student and walk in the shoes of Billy is one of the most important aspects of being trauma informed This is how we help students maintain their fragile states of regulation Students need the adults in their lives to know them and to really get them It requires the adults to drop their protective wall let the rules go for the meantime and open up to students in an empathetic and genuine way Traditionally this was seen as a weakness which in turn would make it harder if impossible to have control over students When Billy can feel a teacher or any other adult open her heart to this deeper level Billy feels safer This level of vulnerability helps Billy build trust and respect for those in authority Ironically it is through this building of trust that Billy is more apt to behave Billy feels safer and less stressed giving him the ability to think more clearly and access the part of his brain that can make decisions based on right wrong and good bad instead of making decisions based solely on his needs Thus the true sense of power and control over students comes from relational influence Use Nonjudgmental and Nonblaming Language When students like Billy are dysregulated they will often be very defensive if they even sense that the teacher is going to correct them Interacting with these students in a nonjudgmental and nonblaming way can keep them from getting more defensive Hearing them all the way out with an open mind before coming to a conclusion makes them feel important and worthy and it gives them a voice Use phrases like That is interesting and I d never considered that rather than words like right and wrong or good and bad Table 3 6 provides more examples of how to rephrase judgmental language with more neutral and less negative language Give Attuned Responses When a student is dysregulated and the right brain is dominant effective communication from a teacher has to be reflective of security acceptance and validation Phrasing statements in a way that conveys the message I am with you not against you is crucial When a student is in a deeply dysregulated state their emotions are first priority Their reality is based on their truth of these emotions Highly charged emotions dominate over logic and rational thought Staying attuned to how the student is feeling and giving responses that reflect this attunement are key as shown in the following trauma informed responses 140 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Help me to understand what s going on It looks like you re really struggling I hear you You re right that s not fair You have every right to be upset I m listening what happened next I had no idea this was so hard for you You re not in trouble tell me more I m not mad at you I simply want to understand you School s tough I don t blame you it s hard having people in charge of you This is too big to keep to yourself Can you share it with me What do you need right now How can I help It doesn t feel like they trust you does it Looks like this is a much bigger deal than I thought Your perspective is important to me DOMAIN 3 See Appendix B for a printable quick reference of these responses and more Table 3 6 Examples of rephrasing language to be more supportive Judgmental and Blaming Statements Neutral and Supportive Statements That idea doesn t make sense Help me to understand how will that work You re making me angry I get upset when Why did you do that What were you thinking What motivated you to make that decision That s not how it s done That s one way to look at it but it s going to be hard because we re going to have to do it the other way You re not making sense I m here to listen but right now let s get back on task We can talk this through after class That has nothing to do with what we are discussing right now Help me to understand how that relates D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 141

Use We and I Statements The art of connecting with students is to join them in their dysregulated state Using nondefensive words such as we and I instead of you sets up an emotionally safer dynamic Table 3 7 shows the contrast between the two Table 3 7 Comparing you statements with we and I statements You Statements We and I Statements You need to figure out how to get yourself together and focus I m here to help you Let s figure this out together You need to go Let s step outside together and work this through Enough Billy You need to stop Stay with me Billy Let me help you regroup You need to put that away now I m here to help you get this put back You need to stop the complaining and get back on task How about we talk this through after class when I have time to hear your concerns Respond Instead of React Once a teacher has taken a mindful moment before responding there still remains the art to knowing how to respond Table 3 8 gives an example showing the difference between a reaction and a response Notice that in the Respond example the teacher does not correct Billy s behavior when Billy is in the moment and dysregulated She addresses the issue driving his behavior and then takes corrective behavioral action once Billy is regulated whereby she can have a few moments of one on one time with him 14 Affect Tolerance Affect tolerance in the context of a trauma informed classroom refers to how much of Billy s intense emotions the teacher can tolerate Being around someone who is extremely angry to the point that they can easily switch to violence is scary We are a species designed with a powerful and automatic fight flight response Learning how to control this automatic switch within each of us in order to stay present and open to a student s 142 C L A S S R O O M18 0

anger requires awareness and practice When a student becomes outwardly angry being able to handle this level of emotional intensity takes a willingness to extend into that student s reality and that takes being vulnerable The irony is that if a teacher tries to shut down her own emotions and or stop a student in the moment from verbally expressing himself the student will actually move to an Table 3 8 Knowing how to respond to students who are dysregulated Reacting versus Responding Student yells out F ck Teacher immediately reacts by getting angry because she feels disrespected and is tired of Billy s constant outbursts and behavioral interruptions She tells Billy in an angry and loud voice That is unacceptable Out Get out of my class and go to the principal s office Responding Student yells out F ck Teacher notices her anger rise creating a visceral burning reaction in her chest but she takes a pause She puts aside the fact that Billy s language is inappropriate and that his outbursts are a constant annoyance and interruption She takes a deep breath and gets herself into Billy s shoes She notices that the lead in Billy s mechanical pencil is broken and that he is clicking impulsively at the pencil shaking it trying to get a new lead to come through She walks over to Billy and calmly says Hey Looks like your pencil is giving you a hard time there placing all the blame on the pencil instead of Billy to help to de escalate him She waits to see if Billy can connect with her before she offers to help She refrains from correcting his language knowing that will only ignite the situation In an ugly tone Billy says This piece of sh t is jacked up The teacher offers to help and Billy begrudgingly hands her the pencil After getting the pencil back into working order the teacher hands the pencil back to Billy and he resumes his assignment without further issue DOMAIN 3 Reacting Later in the class period the teacher goes back over to Billy and asks him to stay back with her when the bell rings instead of going on to his next class reassuring him he is not in trouble she just wants to check in with him When the bell rings the rest of the class leaves giving the teacher a few moments to talk to Billy She first asks him how he is doing and if there is anything in his life he might need support with Billy says he is fine so the teacher takes this moment when he is calm to remind him that blurting out his frustration is disruptive and that his use of profanity is not acceptable He apologizes and she gives him a few quick pointers on how to better handle stress and frustration She also tells Billy that if his frustration continues to be expressed in negative and inappropriate ways she will refer him to the school counselor for more support and help This is done in a way that offers no threat but rather in a way that says You re not alone in this We have people here on staff to help you improve and find a greater level of happiness in your life D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 143

even more intense state oftentimes to the point of being violent On the other hand if a teacher remains in a loving open state without shutting down emotionally the student will feel this connection and it has the power to de escalate the student back to a more regulated state Creating this kind of emotional space for a student is imperative to the process of de escalation Traditionally a teacher will say something like You can t talk to me that way In response the student stops talking but then picks up a desk or chair and throws it across the room If a student is verbally shut down by a teacher he still has a need to express his emotions and will find alternative ways such as through hitting throwing and the like Having limited affect tolerance the ability to hold emotional space for a student can easily move a student from being upset and disrespectful to being aggressive and violent When a student is in the moment it requires the teacher to jump into the student s reality instead of trying to make the student behave or think differently Figure 3 5 illustrates this process Step 1 is when the teacher jumps into the student s reality stays attuned to him is open to his full range of emotions supports him and simply loves him Step 2 takes place after a successful Step 1 to move the student back into the teacher s reality and that of what is appropriate behavior what is acceptable and unacceptable and how to work through future situations with better coping skills Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment discusses the how of this Step 2 Step 1 Step 1 Teacher s reality Teacher s reality Student s reality Student s reality Step 2 Figure 3 5 Moving a student into the teacher s reality requires the teacher to join the student s reality first Look for the following specific elements when evaluating whether a teacher is able to enter into the student s reality Step 1 when the student is in an elevated and dysregulated state 144 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOMAIN 3 Feel with the Student The ability to feel with someone is known as attunement It is the ability to be in harmony with someone else and be in sync with them Being attuned to a student is similar to when a parent is attuned to his or her baby When a baby cries the attuned parent immediately knows that the baby is giving a signal to say I am thirsty hungry or I need to be rocked Although the teacher student relationship in a trauma informed classroom does not require the same intensity of intimacy it does require the same type of attunement to when a student is in the moment Attunement requires the teacher to be aware and responsive to the student s needs in the moment despite the negative behavior being demonstrated in order to help the student get regulated When a teacher is attuned to a student she can respond to his rhythm and roll with the Attunement requires student Her response cannot be an act of intellect or rational thought It is being open at the heart the teacher to be aware level feeling the distress absorbing the anguish and responsive to the and seeing the perspective of Billy The teacher s heart is in an empathetic place to truly be in the student s needs in the shoes of Billy The benefit of being able to feel with a student moment despite the in the moment is that the student feels validated negative behavior He feels listened to He feels important He feels understood All of these things are exactly being demonstrated what he needs to move back down to a state of regulation Being attuned does not mean that the in order to help the student is getting away with negative behaviors student get regulated consequences and restorative action happens later as discussed in Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment and it does not mean that the teacher agrees with what the student is saying In fact most of the time it is quite the opposite But in this moment it is all about feeling the student s stress understanding the student s perspective and being in the student s shoes Stay Open and Receptive When Billy is in an intense state the natural reaction of most adults is to shut down so they do not have to feel his pain or deal with his negative behaviors This can come D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 145

from a desire to stay regulated and simply not have to feel awful feelings who wants to feel them anyway It can also come from getting tired and burned out dealing with Billy s difficult behaviors on a daily basis Shutting down is a natural coping mechanism to keep ourselves in a state of balance However shutting down is counterproductive To be effective the teacher or adult in the situation with Billy has to stay both open and receptive Exhibit Confidence Handling Billy s intensity requires the strength of General Patton that sends Billy the message I m here with you and we are going to get through this together If the teacher exudes the slightest amount of self doubt or fear Billy will pick up on this and it will only feed his own fear and anger Billy has had a history of people either not willing or able to handle him only to have disastrous and rejecting outcomes to follow In these moments of outburst Billy needs the adults around him to step up to the plate and reassure him through their confident energy and positive outlook Underneath the fa ade of an angry student is a little boy or little girl who is seeking the regulated help of a confident and secure adult to show him how to create a better outcome within the context of relationship Stay in a Discovery Mode with the Student It is easy to convey the message to Billy I don t have time for your drama or antics I have a class to teach While it is very true that teachers have tremendous academic pressures on them and they may feel that taking the time to jump into Billy s world is simply not an option not connecting openly with Billy has the power to disrupt the entire class to an even greater level When Billy senses that he is being minimized shut down or ignored it ignites and triggers his rejection trauma Our Billys have had to deal with far more experiences of rejection in their young lives than anyone should have to in an entire lifetime When they experience a situation where they feel rejected it is highly likely that the result will be explosive Taking the time to connect with Billy is essential to avoiding the situation from ballooning out of control Instead of minimizing Billy s issue the teacher has to maximize it with Billy This means engaging with Billy with the intention of discovering what is behind his dysregulation It is typically never only about the issue at hand there is always something bigger behind it The work is to find out what is driving Billy s level of intensity and irrational fa ade of anger It demands having the affect tolerance to emotionally stay open to Billy s intensity and offering to hold the emotional space for him to express 146 C L A S S R O O M18 0

himself fully see Table 3 9 For instance let s imagine that Billy becomes irate when he cannot find his blue pen only to have his black pen in hand If the teacher says to Billy It s fine Just use your black pen instead It s not that big of a deal this statement would be like adding fuel to a fire It minimizes Billy s struggle and attempts to shut down the conflict brewing within him Saying It s not that big of a deal is code for Billy to make it a big deal Instead the teacher should go into the interaction with a sense of curiosity to discover what is behind Billy s overreactive stance Table 3 9 Understanding students underlying behavior Tips for Staying in a Discovery Mode Take the time to connect Determine what is driving the behavior Maximize instead of minimize the behavior Be open with a sense of curiosity Respect the importance of the issue DOMAIN 3 Anytime a student s reaction is exponentially larger than the issue at hand this strategy of discovery must be implemented to avoid the situation from becoming even worse Taking the above example here s what might unfold if the teacher is in this mode of thinking Billy Sh t Where the f ck is my blue pen Teacher Walking over to Billy Class go ahead and get started on questions 1 through 10 while I check and see what s going on over here Teacher Lowering her voice with Billy What s going on Billy Billy I can t find my f cking blue pen Teacher Hmmm that s frustrating isn t it Billy Yes I need my blue pen D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 147

Teacher The blue pen seems pretty important to you Billy It is My dad let me borrow it this morning and if I don t bring it back to him he s going to beat the crap out of me Now we know what is really stressing Billy out and we have a glimpse into Billy s reality at home Taking a few extra moments to discover the catalyst to Billy s reactivity often reveals a more concerning situation than what the issue at hand would suggest Additionally the teacher does not correct Billy s profanity in the moment because doing so would ignite Billy even further The correction needs to be made later though through the components discussed in Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment 15 Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication is information that is transferred through the body Nonverbal communication goes far beyond the explicit meaning of words Verbal language is more about what one says while nonverbal communication is more about how one says it When interacting with a student who is dysregulated when the student s right brain is more dominant nonverbal communication becomes crucial In these moments the student s right brain will interpret the teacher s communication When teachers are aware that their words are less important than the delivery of those words and these two forms of communication have to be congruent their ability to connect with the student becomes more effective Use Body Language That Is Congruent with Spoken Words Emotional safety is one of the cornerstones of the trauma informed classroom A key determinant of whether a classroom is emotionally safe is if a teacher s verbal and nonverbal communication are in agreement or congruent Students impacted by trauma rely heavily on the body language of someone speaking to them rather than the words being spoken When the words are incongruent with the body signals Billy will automatically go to the negative and assume he is unsafe For instance if the teacher comes into the classroom and says she is excited to start the day yet her posture tone of voice and facial expressions convey that she is dreading the day then there is incongruence between the words and the body Billy will find this confusing and unsettling and it will heighten his fear response system 148 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Be Attuned to Students Reactions to Body Language Billy perceives the world through a heightened state of arousal everything that is said to him or conveyed to him is filtered first through a lens of fear Therefore if he senses the slightest amount of ambiguity in a teacher s body language Billy will interpret it as a negative response toward him As an example if the teacher is talking to Billy and crosses her arms because her back hurts and she is adjusting the weight off of her spine Billy will see her arms being crossed as an act of confrontation Billy will jump into what he perceives as a power struggle and off he will go into a whirlwind of one upping with the teacher increasing the intensity of the moment Yet if the teacher stays attuned to whether such reactions are taking place from Billy she can immediately make any needed adjustments either verbally or nonverbally or both D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA DOMAIN 3 Relax on Requiring Eye Contact In Western culture eye contact is considered a way of showing respect It demonstrates that the listener sees the person speaking as important and it shows that the listener is paying attention When students do not give eye contact to the teacher it has traditionally been seen as a lack of respect However giving someone strong eye contact requires confidence and the willingness to be vulnerable both of which Billy is lacking The bar for expecting Billy to give eye contact should be Forcing eye contact lowered until Billy has had time to develop a or demanding it will safe relationship with the teacher Forcing eye contact or demanding it will only move Billy into only move Billy into an even greater state of fear When interacting with Billy in the moment it an even greater can be counterproductive to insist on eye contact state of fear It is often a sign that Billy is feeling overwhelmed and scared not that he is being disrespectful Instead the teacher should position herself to one side of Billy if possible and turn her gaze to where Billy is looking Most likely Billy will be looking down at the floor or something lower on the floor than the teacher s eyes A safe way for the teacher to join Billy in his dysregulated state is for her to lock her eyes on what Billy is looking at Once Billy is able to de escalate he will likely be able to make a little more appropriate eye contact but it will take him being in a greater state of regulation 149

Be Cautious with Hand Gestures Hand signals such as a thumbs up or a high five can be powerful ways to connect with children However when Billy comes from a background of physical abuse where people in authority raised their hands in acts of hitting slapping or the like Billy will come to school programmed to automatically interpret any raised hand gesture as an attack on him For instance if a teacher is interacting with Billy to de escalate him and she raises her hand to signal something like stop or enough Billy could easily read this as the teacher reeling back to hit him Be Aware of Tone of Voice Tone of voice refers to the way we speak to people It tells the listener how we feel about our message and it will influence how the listener will feel about our message too Tone of voice descriptors are numerous They include but are not limited to authoritative Billy is constantly angry formal upbeat playful sarcastic uncertain empathetic coarse and matterneeding to attain some of fact The following statement can change sense of power and he drastically if said in an empathetic tone versus an angry tone Billy I m having a hard time will do this by finding understanding you When Billy is deeply dysregulated his left brain does not process the weakest link the words as much as his right brain processes the tone used When a teacher is able to be profoundly aware of her tone when speaking to Billy in the moment it will affect whether he will regulate back down with the teacher or see her as more of a threat Maintain a Posture of Certainty Billy is constantly needing to attain some sense of power and he will do this by finding the weakest link If a teacher comes into class slouched and hunched this indicates a lack of confidence and Billy will perceive her as weak But if the teacher comes into the classroom with her head held high chin slightly up and standing straight this indicates a teacher who is embracing her role as the leader in the classroom This makes it safer for Billy because it sends the messages of I can handle this class and I am never giving up on you It is a posture of certainty conveying to Billy that he is safe and all is well There is a line between good posture and puffing up though The latter would be considered threatening and likely to increase Billy s level of dysregulation 150 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOMAIN 3 Notice Misinterpretations of Facial Expressions Due to the lack of strong early childhood parent child relationships some students are not wired for social communication At the time their brains were being wired they were under stress and their lives were chaotic Thus their brains did not learn to interpret body language correctly and this is especially true for reading facial expressions correctly Lacking the ability Many facial expressions have some of the same characteristics of movement on the face yet to properly read the their meanings are very different For example several different facial expressions angle the nuances of facial eyebrows into a V It might be an expression language can cause of contemplation it might be a simple eyebrow flash that indicates a feeling of confusion or the tremendous challenges most obvious is that it might be an expression of anger Because of the lack of wiring for social for Billy in the connection and the fact that Billy is still living classroom in a state of fear his interpretation will always be swayed toward the most negative In this example it might be a teacher who scrunches her eyebrows when she is thinking about something but in that moment Billy will see her as angry And not only will he interpret that the teacher is angry he will take it one step further and assume the teacher is angry at him Lacking the ability to properly read the nuances of facial language can cause tremendous challenges for Billy in the classroom It is important for the teacher to be mindful of her expressions throughout the day and notice if Billy s reactivity might be coming from his underdeveloped ability to properly read facial expressions Match Tempo of Speech with Students Processing Abilities Speech tempo is how fast or slow one is speaking Many of the Billys of the classroom will have auditory processing issues This means that if the teacher is speaking at a high rate of speed Billy is likely to be left behind For example if the teacher quickly says OK class I need you to get out your planner turn to page 15 and write down what is on the left side column of the whiteboard what Billy will likely hear is OK class Turn to page 15 on your whiteboard You can imagine the confusion this will cause for a student with auditory processing issues The teacher needs to check in with her students to ensure D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 151

that any noncompliant behaviors do not stem from the tempo of her speech and then make adjustments to slow down if needed Be Aware of Perceived Speech Volume The speech volume or loudness that the teacher perceives may differ from the volume that the student perceives For the Billys of the classroom their perception of speech volume is typically overly sensitive Living in trauma heightens the body s sensory system which includes one s hearing Speaking at a volume that would normally be considered slightly heightened will often be perceived by Billy as yelling For example if the teacher projects her voice raising the volume slightly when in a confrontational moment with Billy he Living in trauma may react back with words such as Stop yelling heightens the body s at me The natural reaction of the teacher is commonly I m not yelling at you Billy It is not sensory system which that Billy is overreacting his sensory system is simply in overdrive includes one s hearing A Billy once expressed to his mentor that he wished backward hearing aids were available He wanted to have hearing aids that would decrease the volume of noises around him because he was not able to adjust the level in his own body even years after being removed from his traumatic environment Being aware of how Billy is perceiving speech volume within the classroom can make a notable difference in helping Billy maintain his regulation and behavioral responses throughout the day Use Touch Cautiously Although appropriate touch can be a loving gesture of reassurance and affection to students the use of touch has to be considered more closely with the Billys of the classroom If the teacher has a strong connection with Billy touch might be exactly what Billy needs at a particular moment But this is not a guarantee Billy s sensory system might be too overwhelmed to accept touch and his body may feel as if it is on fire In an instance such as this touch might actually make things worse for Billy and rev him up Sometimes Billy will let educators know that touch is the wrong action and will say things like Don t put your hands on me While this might not be the ideal way to ask not to be touched it should still be taken seriously The socially appropriate translation would be My nervous system is completely overwhelmed right now if you touch me 152 C L A S S R O O M18 0

I will hit my breaking point and explode even more Physically taking a step or two back may be the best course of action for the teacher to let Billy know she is there to help support and de escalate him 16 DOMAIN 3 Gauge Proximity Based on Students Signals The distance of how close or how far someone is standing next to another person is proximity Proximity has a great influence on Billy s ability to engage with a teacher Being too close can cause a considerable amount of stress for Billy If he feels his teacher is encroaching into his personal space even if she is moving in to connect and support him he will quite often assume she is a threat and is there to hurt him If a teacher notices Billy becoming more reactive when she moves closer to him she needs to gently take a step back This will help Billy feel safe and lessen his perceived threat of her She should not move too far back though as he could perceive this as abandonment Billy is caught in a world where he is scared of people yet also fearful of being abandoned by people Navigating the right proximity when Billy is dysregulated requires that the teacher stay attuned and respond to his signals Positive Language Students behaviors have traditionally been described with language filled with judgment and negativity Words such as noncompliant disruptive disrespectful lazy rude irresponsible and defiant indicate negativity They are cringeworthy and make us feel bad A trauma informed classroom has to evolve beyond these deeply rooted behavioral words that evoke negativity and divisiveness When describing students behaviors the teacher will want to choose language that more accurately describes the behaviors Words absolutely matter A student s behavior always has a root cause Being trauma informed means changing the mindset to look beyond the problem into the reason for the negative behavior To describe a student as lazy does not take into account the entire picture of the student s life Lazy is a judgmental word that puts a negative label onto the student Perhaps Billy appears lazy because his parents are not keeping good parental boundaries at home so he is not going to bed at an age appropriate time Or perhaps Billy has to wake up early every morning to get his four siblings ready for school while his mom is at work and by the time he gets to class he is so exhausted that he does not have the energy required for academic challenges Another scenario might be that Billy was adopted later in life D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 153

and even though he comes from a strong and loving family system now he continues to have night terrors that disrupt his sleep The reasons are endless Table 3 10 shows how negative adjectives traditionally used to describe acting out behaviors do not reflect the underlying reasons for these behaviors The left hand side describes what is typically seen as a negative behavior along with a traditional adjective to describe this behavior The right hand side gives an explanation from Billy s perspective as to what the underlying cause of the behavioral issue actually is When describing or speaking in regards to a student s negative behaviors it needs to be done with respect dignity and understanding If we are going to help change how students see themselves we have to first change how we see them and be mindful of the adjectives we use when describing their behaviors and how we write the narratives of their behaviors Table 3 11 list ways to use positive language when describing and speaking of students negative behaviors Table 3 10 Interpreting traditional adjectives from Billy s perspective Behavior 154 Interpretation Traditional Adjectives From Billy s Perspective Doesn t follow directions Noncompliant I never had anyone teach me sequential thinking so my brain doesn t comprehend sequential directives Doesn t line up when instructed to do so Defiant Every adult who has ever been in charge of me has hurt me so I m scared to let you be in charge of me too Doesn t sit in his chair and walks around the room interrupting other students Disruptive No one ever took the time to sit with me to help me learn to settle my body for extended periods of time I don t know how to stay regulated sitting in a chair Sits in the back doing nothing during the entire class Lazy My life in foster care is so chaotic and I m so overwhelmed that the only thing I can do to survive is to sit here and shut the world out C L A S S R O O M18 0

Behavior Interpretation Traditional Adjectives From Billy s Perspective Noisy I deal with high anxiety every day My body wants to constantly move with this high energy in me The tapping helps me to at least be able to sit in this chair Doesn t turn in homework Irresponsible When I get home my role becomes dad I have to not only take care of my siblings but also my alcoholic mother Unfortunately homework is the least of my priorities Partially completes assignments and tests Skips critical questions Careless My brain turns into a cobweb when the stakes are high on assignments and tests I lose the ability to be methodical I feel completely scattered at these times of high stress Picks on other students and puts them down Rude I have low self esteem In fact I hate myself When I make others feel bad it somehow makes me feel better I don t know any other way Trips easily and is accident prone Klutz I ve lived in such high stress my whole life with a mentally ill mother that I disconnect my mind and body to numb out the pain Talks out of turn and shouts out answers Attention seeking It used to be just me and my mom but she recently remarried a man with several children I feel invisible at home Interrupts frequently and overpowers conversations Obnoxious I am incredibly insecure and I need you to hear me see me and validate me to make sure I m OK Deep down I don t know I m going to be all right D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA DOMAIN 3 Taps pencil on his desk constantly 155

Table 3 11 Using positive language to describe students negative behaviors How to Describe Negative Behaviors with Respect and Dignity Refrain from using judgmental and negative adjectives Use neutral words and empathetic adjectives to explain negative behaviors Identify what is driving the negative behaviors Use regulatory language Identify what supports are in place or will be put into place Conversations When talking to students about their behaviors the language we use matters because students will draw conclusions of their self worth based on the words we use If a teacher says Billy you were just awful in class today what Billy hears is Billy you are an awful person Students like Billy have a negative self dialogue running through their minds twenty four hours a day seven days a week Any word that matches their negative selfperspective will be used to reinforce their self rejection and be taken very personally Instead the teacher could more effectively say Billy you were really dysregulated in class today What s going on The word dysregulated is a neutral word that describes Billy in a factual way instead of a judgmental way and allows for more receptivity from Billy lessening the likelihood of an argument to follow The same holds true for how teachers discuss students with other teachers paraprofessionals and administrators No longer should one hear negative talk about students in the teachers lounge or in staff meetings This is not healthy and it breeds division and strengthens a combative us against you dynamic Table 3 12 gives examples of more empathetic adjectives to use when describing and explaining negative behaviors Table 3 12 Divisive adjectives versus empathetic adjectives used to explain behaviors Divisive Adjectives Describing Behaviors Noncompliant 156 C L A S S R O O M18 0 Student is constantly noncompliant and will not follow the teacher s directives Empathic Adjectives Explaining Behaviors Dysregulated Student is chronically dysregulated Consequently he is unable to follow the teacher s directives

Table 3 12 Divisive adjectives versus empathetic adjectives used to explain behaviors continued Divisive Adjectives Describing Behaviors Empathic Adjectives Explaining Behaviors Student became angry when given the consequence of no Fun Friday Sad Student became sad when told he would not be going to Fun Friday displaying his sadness through angry words and negative body language Defensive Argumentative Student becomes defensive and argumentative when the teacher corrects his negative behaviors Scared Ashamed Student becomes scared and ashamed when the teacher corrects his negative behaviors leading him to try to support his fragile sense of self by arguing and defending Refuses Student refuses to work on assignments that are challenging Hopelessness Student faces challenging work with a sense of hopelessness Short fuse Explosive Student has a short fuse and becomes explosive with little warning Small window of stress tolerance Breaking point Student has a small window of stress of tolerance so even small stressors push him to his breaking point quickly Slow Student is unnecessarily slow and takes too much time working through his assignments Cautious Fear Student is overly cautious due to his fear of making a mistake and being labeled as stupid Defiant Student is defiant in response to his teacher s instructions throughout the day Angst Frozen Student experiences angst throughout his day and becomes frozen leaving him unable to take appropriate actions per his teacher s instructions Daydreams Student daydreams during class instructional time and refuses to focus when encouraged by the teacher Preoccupied Disconnected Student is preoccupied with thoughts of uncertainty about his future and disconnects from reality preventing him from focusing on the topics at hand even when encouraged D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA DOMAIN 3 Angry 157

Daily Weekly and Incident Reports Written comments regarding Billy s behavior in the classroom seen on daily and weekly reports as well as on incident reports also need to be reconsidered They need to follow the shift shown in Table 3 12 How we describe a problem and the words we use directly impact the solution and more importantly they impact how educators interact with students A trauma informed Being trauma informed means understanding that behavior is simply a form of commuapproach identifies the nication it is a manifestation of a bigger issue underneath A trauma informed approach identisymptom but goes the fies the symptom but goes the next step to address next step to address the root cause Simply identifying the behavior of a student without understanding the root the root cause cause of the behavior assumes the student can fix the behavior and change the behavior on his own It puts the onus on the student to be flexible and capable enough to change as if the student is well equipped to do so This could not be further from the truth Billy has a regulatory system that has been compromised and he has a maladaptive skill set that is also underdeveloped The paradigm shift starts with changing a few of the typical words used when describing students behaviors Instead of saying Student will not revise it to say Student cannot Instead of saying Student wants revise it to say Student needs Instead of saying Student refuses revise it to say Student is unable to Table 3 13 gives representative examples of comments included on a series of weekly behavioral reports for Billy over a period of seven months Each week at least three or more of the comments shown below were written on the reports to describe Billy s behaviors with only about one out of twenty comments ever noting a positive behavior These weekly reports were sent home without any mention of the supports interventions or assistance Billy would be receiving to change the negative behaviors Hence the reports continued to flow in the same pattern over and over week after week for seven months without any change from Billy or the teacher This is an example of being caught in a negative feedback loop and it is an unfortunate example of a non trauma informed 158 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Table 3 13 Comments included on weekly reports Descriptions of Billy s Behavior Frequently off task 2 A few meltdowns over small things 3 Refusing to follow directions 4 Difficulty completing classwork even right after being shown what to do 5 Completing assignments wrong 6 Not getting along with others 7 Doing things he had been asked to stop doing 8 Unkind to others 9 Arguing with others DOMAIN 3 1 10 Pushing others 11 Got really disruptive during math slammed his pencil box on his desk repeatedly talked out refused to get started on work 12 Copied others work in math 13 Melted down for no reason at all 14 Not participating in class 15 Disruptive 16 Great day 17 Arguing with teachers 18 Defiant and noncompliant in reading groups 19 Disrupting class learning time 20 In office for half of the day got a referral D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 159

approach Instead behavioral reports must go deeper Identifying the behavior is just the first step The next step is to identify what is driving the behavior When looking at the behaviors through a trauma informed lens clues begin to be revealed For example the following behaviors from Table 3 13 identify challenges Billy is having in his ability to focus 1 Frequently off task 4 Difficulty completing classwork even right after being shown what to do 5 Completing assignments wrong The question that arises is Why is Billy having trouble focusing This then leads to Is Billy stressed out and if so why or Perhaps the academic material is either overwhelming Billy or he is bored with the material Further investigation and observation through a trauma informed lens is imperative in determining what support Billy needs to correct the negative behaviors The following behavioral descriptions from Table 3 13 indicate Billy is struggling in his ability to socialize appropriately 6 Not getting along with others 8 Unkind to others 9 Arguing with others 10 Pushing others It is all too common for children impacted by trauma to have underdeveloped and or maladaptive social skills This is not a behavioral issue It is a skill set issue Andy has had the advantage of growing up in a family where he has learned how to interact with other children through sibling interactions extended family relationships and organized adult supervised playgroups Billy has not had such experiences so he is likely weak in his social skill set which includes not knowing how to wait his turn share be kind be a good sport resolve conflicts problem solve and be a good friend To punish Billy for something he does not have the skill set to do is counterproductive The traumainformed response would be to identify resources to train Billy on how to improve his social interaction skills for long term positive change Table 3 14 shows more examples of how some of the traditional ways of describing behaviors should be modified to reflect a trauma informed platform 160 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Table 3 14 Modifying behavioral descriptions to reflect a trauma informed platform Behavioral Descriptions Trauma Informed Interpretation Student demonstrates attention seeking behavior Student is in need of attention to feel like he belongs and is connected Student consistently violates classroom rules throughout the day Student is chronically dysregulated and stays in a perpetual state of overwhelm throughout the day Student eloped from the classroom Student became overly scared and went into flight mode leaving the classroom Student has problems with authority Student is scared of those in authority Student calls attention to himself disrupting the teacher s ability to teach Student has a fear of being overlooked ignored and neglected to the point that he works to shift the attention onto himself instead of the teacher DOMAIN 3 Traditional Interpretation Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans The way in which Individualized Education Programs IEPs and 504 Plans are designed needs to shift away from being behaviorally based to being regulatory based Having objective and measurable outcomes can remain intact however the approach to what is being asked of the students needs to stem from a regulatory focus When writing IEP goals ensure that the following shifts are evident Design goals to be regulatory based not consequence based Motivate the student through relationship and connection rather than through rewards and incentives Establish goals to improve the student s internal controls sense of self sense of accomplishment self love etc instead of using external controls point charts star charts removal of privileges etc to change behavior Use time ins instead of time outs Set expectations for the student based on the student s emotional and social age not his chronological age D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 161

Focus on stress management not behavior management Focus on the process of how an outcome is achieved not solely on the outcome itself Ensure that preventative measures are more dominant than reactive postbehavioral interventions Address all transitions for the student not only major transitions Change the environment of the classroom to fit the child rather than expecting the child to fit the environment View stress as a driving force behind negative behavior rather than seeing negative behavior as a matter of choice Table 3 15 gives examples of how to put these ideas into practice contrasting behavioral goals with regulatory goals Behavior Intervention Plans Traditional Behavior Intervention Plans BIPs are behaviorally focused and identify punishments and rewards to be used to change behaviors This way of looking at a student s behavior goes counter to what science is showing us about how trauma impacts the brain As with IEPs BIPs should instead be seen from a regulatory perspective as well as be free of the threat of punishment and what are traditionally considered positive rewards such as stickers point charts star charts and the like The language used in trauma informed BIPs must work to identify what behaviors are causing a student s dysregulation instead of merely identifying the negative behaviors For instance rather than only saying that a student is refusing the problem should be correlated to the student s regulatory state as in Dysregulation presented as refusal Additionally and most importantly precursors to the negative behavior need to be identified so the teacher can do more proactive work to support the student s regulation prior to the student acting out For example Precursors to target behavior include tapping pencil on desk picking at shirt sleeve or arm and staring out the window Table 3 16 shows how to phrase specific steps of an identified intervention using a regulatory focus as opposed to the traditional behavior focus Report Cards Report cards have long been used to provide parents with objective feedback about how their children are doing in school When students are performing well and behaving 162 C L A S S R O O M18 0

appropriately report cards are a positive experience for families When students are performing poorly and or acting badly report cards can be an incredibly divisive and negative even abusive experience for children and parents Table 3 15 Behavioral versus regulatory goals Trauma Informed IEP Goals with Regulatory Focus Billy will increase his behavior skills by displaying productive behaviors on a daily basis 80 percent of the time as measured by his daily behavioral log When Billy is presented with a challenging situation undesired task negative peer behavior teacher correction etc he will use a pre taught self regulation strategy to avoid engaging in a negative behavior with one prompt four out of five times Billy will demonstrate on task behavior for ten minute intervals 80 percent of the time with one adult reminder Billy will demonstrate on task behavior for ten minute intervals 80 percent of the time with a gentle regulatory prompt from a trusted caring adult Billy will reduce or eliminate avoidant behaviors that involve leaving the classroom e g bathroom water nurse from two times to one time per day Billy s regulation will proactively be supported by whole class regulatory breaks three times a day When Billy is needing extra regulatory support he will be offered the calm corner in the classroom no more than two times a day By the annual IEP review Billy will comply with adult directions with two or fewer prompts By the annual IEP review Billy will increase his ability to self regulate by using self calming or positive self expression strategies with adult assistance within ten minutes of being dysregulated Billy will refrain from the target behaviors e g hitting kicking spitting on three of the five opportunities Billy will increase his social skills by communicating a need within ten minutes of the first prompt from an adult to use a coping strategy 65 percent of the time on all given data days When working in groups Billy will comply with the adult s redirection efforts within three minutes 60 percent of the time When working in groups Billy will be offered unlimited pre taught coping strategies and will increase his social skills by utilizing a strategy to return to the original task within three minutes 60 percent of the time D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA DOMAIN 3 Traditional IEP Goals with Behavioral Focus 163

Table 3 16 A traditional intervention plan versus a trauma informed intervention plan Decreasing Inappropriate Behaviors Traditional Behavioral Intervention Plan BIP 1 2 3 164 Trauma Informed Regulatory Focused Intervention Plan RFIP Intervention Clear limits are set regarding when time out will be used Avoid giving too much attention when he is angry Intervention Clear limits are set when regulatory moments are needed Connect and offer relationship when he is angry Example You need to calm down and quiet down or you will need to take a time out Can you take a quiet minute now or do you need to go to time out That s great You will earn extra stars for that Example I can tell this is hard for you Let s take a break so I can help you get settled and feeling better That s great this is too much to handle all by yourself Intervention A clear warning is given to comply or he will need to take a time out Give clear but concise and choices Intervention A clear directive is given for Billy to take a time in Example That is your second warning You have made the choice to go to time out now for five minutes Example Billy I know it s hard to take a break but it s my job to always make sure you re OK and safe You re not in trouble Come sit with me so we can work this out Intervention If Billy is unwilling to take a five minute time out in the class the teacher will call the office and ask for assistance in taking him to the next class to do his time out there An on call team has been set up to help a teacher in need Intervention If Billy is unwilling to take a time in with the teacher in the class the teacher will call the office and ask for assistance preferably with someone with whom Billy has a relationship A regulatory on call team has been set up to help a teacher in need Example Staff will be neutral and give minimal attention to Billy He can return to class after five minutes of calm and quiet sitting Example Staff will be regulated gently come up to Billy and offer to connect with him Hey I m here to help Billy Come with me and let s take a break together We ll come back when you re feeling better you re not in trouble C L A S S R O O M18 0

A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics and reported in the New York Times found that when report cards go out on Fridays child abuse increases over the weekend 1 For years pediatricians have noticed an increase in episodes of violence against their young patients with children being seen in their offices with black eyes and marks from belts and electrical cords after report cards were issued When children were asked how they got the bruises or marks the typical answer was because of their report card When parents receive negative comments about their children it is often taken as a reflection on them A common interpretation is If Billy does well I m a good parent and vice versa If Billy does poorly I m a bad parent This is not commonly recognized at a conscious level by the parent nor is it outwardly recognized as a part of our culture but it is a dynamic that can have dire consequences for our students Some of the parents of our Billys come from tough backgrounds and can easily interpret their self worth based DOMAIN 3 on the grades and comments on Billy s report card Their reactivity to negative comments then gets transferred to Billy in the form of abuse and fear based parenting methods as evidenced by the JAMA Pediatrics study Because the option to not give grades is seldom realistic for most schools we must consider how comments can be as constructive as possible The comments section on report cards should be used to offer positive explanations as to why Billy s grades are low They should offer support and services to help Billy improve Instead of asking parents to get their children to behave in the classroom the comments need to invite the parents to the school to explore and develop collaborative efforts to find effective loving and long term solutions for Billy Table 3 17 shows examples of traditional report card comments with examples of how these comments should be written from a trauma informed lens Table 3 17 Traditional report card comments versus trauma informed report card comments Report Card Comments Traditional Comments When motivated Billy does well on class assignments Trauma Informed Comments When regulated Billy does well on class assignments We will continue to work on helping Billy maintain his regulation more consistently D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 165

Table 3 17 Traditional report card comments versus trauma informed report card comments continued Report Card Comments Traditional Comments 166 Trauma Informed Comments Billy needs to follow school rules at lunch and special assemblies Rooms with loud noises and large numbers of people lunchroom and assemblies challenge Billy s nervous system Let s meet to discuss ways to support him Please encourage Billy to use socially appropriate language at all times Billy needs more support and help in his social interaction skills We are working to support and help him improve in this area Billy does well when he focuses on the task at hand When regulated Billy is able to focus on the task at hand Billy can be disruptive and disorderly Please encourage him to be more responsible in his behavior and call me to schedule a conference Billy struggles to maintain his regulation and appears to get overwhelmed often Call me to schedule a conference to discuss regulatory supports that we can use to support him Billy is a loner and isolates himself from others Billy appears to feel safer being by himself and may need some extra support initiating social interactions Billy has a tendency to act like a drama queen in situations that don t go his way Billy s concrete thinking makes it hard for him when situations have outcomes other than what he is expecting Billy avoids emotional involvement Billy appears scared to engage at an emotional level Needs to be encouraged to take risks in writing With positive attention and affirmation Billy will gain the confidence to expand his writing Constantly seeks teacher assistance to the point of it interfering with his work and the class as a whole Billy is not yet able to self regulate for extended amounts of time so he often seeks to co regulate with his teacher Finds it difficult to make a smooth transition between activities Transitions are hard for Billy As we progress through the school year getting into an established and predictable routine this is sure to lessen We will also continue to give him the needed relationship based support he is needing in the meantime C L A S S R O O M18 0

EXERCISE Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions 12 14 Is my teacher getting me Does my teacher understand my negative language Does my teacher get that I don t know I m going to be OK Is my teacher taking my responses personally DOMAIN 3 13 Communication Shift Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation Are my teacher s responses making me angrier or calming me down Is my teacher able to see things from my perspective Is my teacher in sync with me or off in her own world Is my teacher connecting with me or expecting me to connect with her Am I able to get a rise out of my teacher Is my teacher making this all my fault Affect Tolerance Is my intensity shutting my teacher down Is my teacher shutting me down Is my teacher scared of me D OMAIN 3 L ANGUAGE OF TR AUMA 167

15 Nonverbal Communication Am I suspicious of my teacher because what she is saying isn t matching what her body is saying 16 Is my teacher threatening me with her body positioning Is my teacher relaying to me through her body language that she doesn t care Positive Language Does my teacher judge me Does my teacher see me as messed up Does my teacher think I m doing this only because I am making a bad choice Adults need to come to understand that the child does not want any of our power He merely wants some of his own R I C H A R D L AV O I E 168 C L A S S R O O M18 0

5 Safety 1 4 2 3

DOMAIN 4 Safety DOMAIN 4 DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 171

SAFETY 17 Universal Safety Practices 18 Identification of Individual Safety Issues 19 Responding in a Moment of Crisis

DOMAIN 4 Safety T he top priority in any classroom is student safety It is every child s birthright to be safe at school and a safe environment is essential to learning If children do not feel safe they have no capacity to learn it is that basic Physically unsafe behaviors often grow out of emotionally unsafe environments In DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y DOMAIN 4 other words physical safety requires emotional safety with strong emotional connections The feeling of being emotionally safe in the classroom is vital to keeping the classroom physically safe Thus to reduce if not eliminate unsafe behaviors in the classroom teachers must work proactively to successfully implement and execute the identified components discussed in Domains 1 2 and 3 Yet even with these proactive measures in place every classroom whether it is a classroom that implements a trauma informed platform or not has to talk about safety Universal safety issues for all classrooms include such things as fire safety anti bullying protocols chemistry and science safety and unfortunately active school shooter safety The components in Domain 4 Safety however are specific to trauma informed classrooms The reason there is an entire domain devoted to safety is that the very nature of trauma is defined by the experience of feeling unsafe To ensure that the trauma informed classroom is a safe environment safety as it relates to trauma has to always remain the number one priority Incidents of explosive and unsafe behaviors in the classroom have been on the rise for the past several years It is not uncommon to ask a teacher who has been teaching for two or three decades if she has seen an increase in the level of violence coming from students and to hear her emphatically answer Yes This yes response about violence in the classroom is not isolated to one particular state or region in the United States It is pervasive throughout the nation and the world To properly address safety in the classroom the following three components require attention and execution 173

17 Universal Safety Practices Identification of Individual Safety Issues Responding in a Moment of Crisis Universal Safety Practices Students impacted by trauma have a greater propensity toward violence than other students This is not limited to only older students sometimes it can be the youngest ones who do the most harm The level of violence that some of our Billys are capable of can be unnerving and hard to comprehend That is the nature of trauma When children do not have their needs met are rejected and abandoned are physically emotionally and or sexually abused experience in utero trauma or undergo medical trauma the result is often physical outbursts that go far beyond typical childhood behavior Children with a combination of both sexual and physical abuse are often the children who demonstrate the highest intensity of aggression and violence Many students coming out of chaotic homes and those with early childhood trauma can easily slip into a deep state of dysregulation and become unsafe in the classroom within milliseconds Many of our students are simply wired for aggression and violence For Students impacted some the dominant type of connection that they have experienced and or witnessed is a violent by trauma have a one Thus their blueprint for relationship love greater propensity and connection is aggression toward violence than Even with this understanding that trauma breeds violence in our Billys physical assaults other students on teachers by their students are never OK and they have to be stopped It is never acceptable for a teacher to be hurt by a student or for other students in the class to be hurt by their classmates The classroom should never be a danger zone Ever It is important to remember that Billy s outbursts and violent tendencies go far beyond making a bad choice Children who have been hurt in some capacity often project their pain onto others It is a learned behavior and it is a deep blueprint within them that cannot be undone by traditional disciplinary measures such as time out or suspension and most certainly not by seclusion These types of isolative measures only serve to worsen violent behavioral tendencies in our Billys They are measures that do not offer 174 C L A S S R O O M18 0

support in helping students regulate their systems back down and they can easily trigger students past experiences of rejection and abandonment When a student is being violent the typical interpretation is that the bad student is endangering the other good students While this is one perspective it is also true that the student being violent is being hurt as well It is incredibly unnerving for these children when they are violent toward others When children reach the point where they are this out of control it is extremely scary for them scary to be so far outside the realm of safety to realize they are capable of hurting others without the ability to stop themselves When students get to this point of violence they truly do not have the ability to stop their behavior in the moment and they need someone to lovingly step in to help them end their destructive outburst DOMAIN 4 Establish Safety as the Number One Rule The boundaries of safety are enmeshed and unclear for many children living in chaotic home environments They do not have a clear understanding of where the line of safety ends and where the line of violence begins hence they do not always have clarity of when they cross over it In their experience the line between the two is blurred What we consider to be abuse can be what they consider to be love What we consider to be pain can mean love to them What we consider to be violence they often consider to be love Trauma is an upside down world as in Figure 4 1 One key principle to understand is that any form of connection is love whether it is positive or negative Figure 4 1 The definition of love for many students impacted by trauma DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 175

This means that the line of safety has to be well defined in the classroom It cannot be assumed that all students know where this line is In the past we have assumed students understood this boundary and that when they crossed it we punished them When a student does not know where the line is being punished for crossing it is not helpful nor is it conducive to change Such punitive consequences for violent students only make them angrier more confused and lost in a system that is different from that which is familiar to them Students need to be explicitly told that the classroom is a safe place that the classroom is a place where nobody nobody gets hurt There are three absolute safety rules of the classroom that the teacher must convey to the students Absolute Safety Rules 1 I will not hurt you 2 You will not hurt me 3 Nobody in this class will hurt anyone else At the beginning of the school year or when a new student joins a class midyear these safety rules need to be communicated in a crisp forthright and nonbinding fashion It is to be made clear to every student that safety is nonnegotiable In a nonreligious sense the classroom is sacred ground a place where the physical well being of everyone is held in Telling children to reverence and highly regarded and respected A clear distinction of what is not allowed along simply use your words with what is allowed and encouraged should be is ineffective because given to students The word hurt from the safety most children do not rules listed above can be ambiguous for many of our Billys Billy s definition of what it means have a vocabulary to hurt someone is typically less inclusive than of emotionally the norm Therefore specific negative behaviors expressive words have to be identified No hitting no kicking no punching no throwing no spitting no slapping no biting In addition specific alternative behaviors have to be given too Students must know the appropriate ways to express their feelings Telling children to simply use your words is ineffective because most children do not have a vocabulary of emotionally expressive words Safety rules should include 176 C L A S S R O O M18 0

specifics For example In this classroom we use our words such as I m mad I m sad I m scared and I m frustrated when we are upset See Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment for more on teaching students these expressive skills Practice Mantras When students drop down into the lower parts of their brain their ability to process language is greatly reduced Language is processed in the left hemisphere while the access point down into the midbrain is through the right brain When students are highly dysregulated their right brain is activated so students are processing most of their communication nonverbally Saying things like Billy stop that right now You re being unsafe right now You need to sit down in your chair I know you can make a better choice Billy Billy will only confuse and irritate Billy His brain is incapable of processing the meaning of all of these words Ironically students have been telling us this for years by saying things like Shut the f ck up Although this type of language is inappropriate what Billy has been trying to say all along is I can t understand you right now My brain feels like a massive cobweb I don t know what you re saying When you keep talking it Teacher Who is safe Students I am safe Teacher All of the time or some of the time Students All of the time DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y DOMAIN 4 makes me even more dysregulated and disoriented This creates quite a dilemma because when Billy starts to cross the line into unsafe territory or has actually crossed over the line the teacher must move into the situation to prevent a violent unfolding Language does need to be used at this point Yet if Billy is not processing language then how can this be done The solution is mantras Mantras when practiced systematically and repetitiously ahead of time are a way to effectively use language in these difficult moments When practiced over a period of time mantras get stored into long term memory into the lower areas of the brain They do not require sophisticated language processing skills that are only accessible in the prefrontal cortex This is important because when students are heading into an aggressive and unsafe state they are operating primarily from the lower parts of the brain If the teacher uses phrases that have been practiced and are familiar the student is much more able to respond to this type of verbal communication An example of such mantras would be 177

Teacher Who is in charge to keep you safe Students You the teacher are in charge to keep me safe Teacher All of the time of some of the time Students All of the time Figure 4 2 shows how a classroom took these mantras and personalized them with their school name Hanging them in the classroom as a visual reminder reinforces yet another level of safety for the students Figure 4 2 Classroom mantras For classes where the majority of students are intense Billys with aggressive tendencies then mantras need to be practiced by the entire class as part of the daily routine The mantras should be visually displayed as in Figure 4 2 and be recited three times a day spreading the timing out in equal parts such as in the morning after lunch and at the end of the school day For classes where there are only one or two Billys it may not be necessary for the entire class to participate However finding time to practice with these Billys individually and at set times has to be done for the mantras to be effective Practicing the mantras will take less than thirty seconds each time This small amount 178 C L A S S R O O M18 0

of time can have huge returns Mantras have the power to divert a crisis They give the teacher comprehensible language to use so she can connect with a student who begins to sink into the lower areas of their brain an area where dangerous behaviors are a very real possibility Establish the School as a Safe and Distinct Environment Many children in our schools go home every night to environments that are full of dysfunction and chaos only to return back to school the next day dysregulated and highly stressed Their home environments do not hold strong boundaries around rules and safety so when these children return to school they bring with them the rules or lack thereof from their home environments Many teachers Children from DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y DOMAIN 4 feel like they start over every day to re teach the dysfunctional and rules and feel as if they are caught in an endless twenty four hour cycle unhealthy homes can To overcome this obstacle teachers need to make a clear distinction for their students be fiercely loyal and between school and the other places in their lives defensive despite the They have to establish that school is a unique place with different rules and regulations than trauma they have other places the students go to when they leave school It is important not to use the word home experienced though specifically in comparing school to home as students can interpret this to mean that their home is being criticized Children from dysfunctional and unhealthy homes can be fiercely loyal and defensive despite the trauma they have experienced This phenomenon is similar to Stockholm syndrome whereby hostages form a psychological bond with their captors In general it is simply good practice to stay neutral about a child s family and home life to avoid being perceived as judgmental It needs to be established that once a student steps onto the school campus from the moment they get off the school bus and put their foot down on the ground they have entered into a new reality a reality whereby safety is the number one priority They have entered the zone of safety It is a place where they are expected to abide by the rules of the school and the classroom and where they will be treated with respect dignity and love Likewise they are expected to treat others in the same way 179

As discussed in Domain 2 Regulation many students process better with images than words Figure 4 3 illustrates how this lesson might be taught visually Teacher What is this a picture of Class The world Teacher Right And the world is going to have all sorts of rules Some will be the same in some places Some will be different You might agree with some of them others you might not But the point is that the world has lots of different rules Teacher Now what is this a picture of that s added to the picture of the world Class Our school Teacher Correct Notice there is a big white frame around the picture of our school This is to distinguish that our school is different from the rest of the world and many of our rules will be different from other places in the world Teacher What has happened to the world in this picture Class It is faded Teacher Correct This is to show you that once you are here at school the rules of this school apply and they dominate When you step foot on this campus you are under the rules of this school and of my classroom Safety is first and here at school you matter and your safety matters If things are different outside of school you always know that when you re at school I will keep the rules so that you are safe respected and valued and I expect you all to do the same Figure 4 3 An example of how to teach visually that school is a safe and distinct environment 180 C L A S S R O O M18 0

When students understand that school is a safe and distinct environment they are better able to handle the discrepancies of how safety is established at school but not at home or other places Many of our Billys are black and white in their thinking Showing them a visual boundary illustrating that when they step onto the school campus the rules become active makes it easier for them to comprehend and abide by The incongruence of rules from home and school becomes less confusing and students are able to distinguish between the two environments with more ease DOMAIN 4 Figure 4 4 A diagram used to help a student distinguish between his school and his other environments Figure 4 4 shows a diagram drawn for a student who was having challenges being in his classroom The student for whom the diagram was drawn strongly disliked routine and structure and fought it every minute of the day often becoming verbally aggressive and occasionally physically aggressive The teacher discovered that the boy s parents were divorced and shared custody so he had two homes with two different parenting styles He often stayed at his grandmother s as well as his babysitter s and neighbor s After school he periodically attended the YMCA after school program All these environments had conflicting rules and there seemed to be no set pattern of when he would go to each of these environments He lived a chaotic schedule and was never sure where he would be spending the night DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 181

Along with using the diagram it was explained to the student that yes things were confusing indeed However the predictable pattern he had in his life was in attending school Monday through Friday from 8 30 a m to 3 00 p m Additionally the schedule for each day would be as consistent as possible The student was told that once he was on his school campus all the other chaos and unpredictable elements of his life could be left behind for the day He was safe at school It was also expressed to him that he was loved and that he was an important part of his school classroom The student s ability to feel safe and relax into his classroom routine took a few weeks but with constant reminders that school was a safe predictable and loving place for him he began to show improvements in his defiant and resistant behaviors Openly Discuss Suicide Protocol Being a trauma informed school means having a pronounced awareness and openness to addressing suicide The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC reported in 2018 that the suicide rate among U S adolescents ages ten to seventeen had increased by 70 percent between 2006 and 2016 1 The population of students most at risk in our schools are those who have been impacted by trauma Elevated levels of stress pain and hopelessness coupled with the lack of connection and poor coping skills attributed to these alarming numbers 2 The National Association of School Psychologists states it very clearly Schools have a legal and ethical responsibility to recognize and respond to suicidal thinking and behavior 3 Yet when it comes to talking about suicide most people even mental health professionals are horribly uncomfortable The result is that when students are struggling with thoughts of suicide they feel like they have no one to turn to A trauma informed platform demands that this dynamic change in schools Develop and Follow a Disclosure Response Plan In the event that a student so much as thinks about what it would be like to leave this world by suicide the student must know that they can freely without judgment seek help around suicidal thoughts and disclose such thoughts to an adult Therefore it is critical for teachers to develop an honest and open culture in the classroom around this topic to lessen the fear students have for reaching out when in such a vulnerable emotional state Likewise teachers should have a clear protocol from their administrators or their districts as to what to do when a student approaches them with this type of time sensitive information It is the teacher s responsibility to get the student properly 182 C L A S S R O O M18 0

resourced according to the school s protocol She should never allow the student s call for help to end with her thinking Oh he s just being dramatic or the like The extent to which classroom teachers discuss suicide should be determined by the age of the students and adhere to district guidelines It is often thought that young children should not be part of such conversations However trauma from childhood can often set children up to experience deep emotional pain early in their lives Children as young as seven and eight years old have expressed having thoughts of suicide when severely impacted by Never underestimate trauma early in their histories even though many of them were by that point in healthy the need for children and loving families Never underestimate the need for children at any age to be looking for at any age to be a plan to find permanent relief from their pain DOMAIN 4 looking for a plan to It is vitally important that teachers stay rational and emotionally open when a student find permanent relief brings to them a conversation on suicide While teachers are mandatory reporters it is important from their pain for them not to panic and instantly go into a robotic and procedural reporting mode This will most certainly shut down the student and stop him from disclosing further When teachers do this students often retreat and return to isolation only to swirl back into their own desperate and destructive thought patterns Teachers need to listen connect and then make a well thought out decision as to the next best course of action according to the district procedures Develop and Practice a Room Clear Plan When it comes to safety in the classroom one of the worst approaches is to not have a worst case scenario plan Not having a plan will create more anxiety and fear if an unsafe episode does unfold Every trauma informed classroom must have a well developed and rehearsed room clear plan Please keep in mind that the other components discussed previously in this section absolutely need to be in place as well It cannot be emphasized enough how essential it is to have multiple proactive measures established in the classroom This preparedness will greatly reduce the need to ever execute a room clear plan which is highly disruptive to the academic agenda as well as being a very stressful experience for all the students in the classroom A room clear plan DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 183

cannot stand alone it has to be integrated with proactive measures measures designed to prevent a student from ever reaching such an extreme unsafe behavioral state The room clear plan is executed when a student becomes unsafe in the classroom despite all proactive planning and refuses to leave The plan is developed to keep the promise made to students that nobody in this class will hurt anyone else The bottom line is The bottom line is that that if an unsafe student refuses to leave the class has to leave if an unsafe student The room clear plan typically involves the refuses to leave the teacher developing a verbal code to initiate the plan This code should be as basic and as clear class has to leave as possible the simpler the better such as Clear the room A place outside but near the classroom should be designated for the students to go to where they will line up in single file with the rule to be quiet and as nondisruptive as possible so as to not ignite more fear anger or frustration from Billy who is left in the classroom The teacher should let Billy know that the class is not leaving him rather she is making sure everyone is safe If Billy is not to the point of being aggressive toward the teacher or unsafe she should remain in the classroom near the door which is to remain open in case she needs to make a quick exit and also so Billy does not feel trapped Her ability to respond instead of react to Billy is paramount at this point Using the de escalation techniques discussed in Domain 3 Language of Trauma her only objective is to help Billy regulate back down to a place of safety The room clear plan will also have a designated student go down to the front office to request help or for the student to go to the teacher next door to have her call the front office Most classrooms have a call button to reach the front office but time is of the essence in these types of situations and the teacher may not be able to make this call Her full attention to Billy is needed The room clear plan is explained to the entire class family early in the school year with clear instructions and with an emphasis that safety always comes first in this classroom No student or students are to be named and the plan is to be used only in case of an unsafe situation To be effective though it has to be practiced and rehearsed just like fire drills It is also useful to have a visual diagram of the procedure showing on a map where the students are to go if the plan is initiated The room clear plan also has a proactive purpose In the event that a student becomes unsafe if there is no plan in place the teacher is more likely to become highly stressed 184 C L A S S R O O M18 0

herself Her fear for the safety of the other students will heighten her stress response system making it almost impossible for her to remain in a calm state If she becomes reactive and fearful herself this will only ignite Billy further and the situation would easily become even more unsafe The irony is that the better defined and practiced the less likely a class will have to use their room clear plan 18 Identification of Individual Safety Issues It comes down to being proactive tuning in and noticing behaviors and patterns ahead of time There are numerous proactive safety protocols that can and must be set into place with the identified Billys of the classroom that will drastically reduce the likelihood of Billy ever getting to the point of being unsafe Safety has to be the number one priority of any classroom Thus making the time to take action ahead of time rather than being reactive after an aggressive incident is imperative DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y DOMAIN 4 Identify Students with Known Histories of Aggression To understand a student in the present is to understand the student in the past For students with known safety issues it is critical for teachers to read these students Individualized Education Programs and other school records Keeping up with each student s IEP is a daunting task but it has to be done for students with safety concerns Many times there will be vital information contained in the IEP or other previous school reports or To understand a evaluations that the teacher needs ahead of time to understand Billy s triggers patterns student in the present and history so as to thwart a crisis situation For transient students who become aggressive is to understand the records on these students may not be readily student in the past available In these cases the teacher needs to request and push if necessary that her school be active and diligent in acquiring them the first time such an incident occurs Children do not grow out of trauma they grow into it A student s aggressive behaviors from one school will not magically disappear merely because he has moved to another school In fact the student typically will become more intense and more elevated because he has experienced yet another move to an unfamiliar place resulting in further upheaval and unpredictability in his life 185

Identify Students Patterns and Triggers Many students will demonstrate patterns that typically precede a violent episode For instance it was observed in one classroom that every time Billy felt bullied or picked on he would get up and pace around the room If provoked at any level by either a student or a teacher while in this state he would immediately reach his breaking point and become verbally and physically explosive Once the teacher realized this she was able to offer Billy an opportunity to take a break out of the classroom when she saw this Many students will patterning take place In doing so the number of outbursts Billy had from that point on was demonstrate patterns drastically reduced When teachers notice these that typically precede a patterns and changes in students behaviors and physiological appearances safety is increased violent episode in the classroom In another example a twelve year old Billy had a history of being raised by a single mother who was clinically depressed His mother was unable to pay attention to him and engage with him in a meaningful way When he was in the classroom it was observed that he would become particularly loud and disruptive when he sensed that his teacher was not paying attention to him In one instance he raised his hand and the teacher inadvertently walked right by him not noticing his raised hand He then began tapping his pencil on the desk loudly to get her attention The teacher was taught in the traditional way to ignore negative behavior so she ignored Billy while simultaneously praising the other students for being quiet and focused This triggered Billy into feeling invisible just like when his mother was unable to connect with him To remedy this terrible feeling Billy began slamming his book on the desk to create more noise When the teacher finally turned around to tell him to stop he yelled profanities at her with the message of No you need to listen to me When she then told him to leave the room he not only slammed the book across the floor he turned over his desk on the way out Ignoring students when they are disruptive as has been traditionally recommended often leads to students becoming aggressive Aggression whether verbal or physical is a way for them to say I will never never be invisible again Giving Billy attention early on recognizing his trigger of feeling invisible would have prevented the situation from escalating as it did It is also worth noting that when a teacher has an awareness of what a student s triggers are and what sets a student off the likelihood of both the teacher and student being 186 C L A S S R O O M18 0

caught off guard is decreased With this awareness the teacher can give Billy a warning ahead of time to help him prepare For instance if Billy had once been removed from school by a police officer and Billy s trigger is having the school resource officer SRO walk into the classroom arrangements can be made for the SRO to warn the teacher if the officer needs to come into Billy s classroom The teacher can then talk to Billy and tell him that the SRO will be coming into the class in a few minutes but that he is safe She can reassure Billy that the SRO is not coming to take him away Tune In to Students with Safety Concerns For students who have known histories of becoming aggressive and violent much of the safety planning starts with noticing what precedes the episodes Students rarely cross the line of safety without giving a warning sign or several signs that they are reaching their breaking point The goal for teachers is to DOMAIN 4 catch the students in the progression stage to Students rarely stop them from reaching the aggression stage Each student will be different but teachers can cross the line of sharpen their awareness to recognize the warning safety without giving signs that students are giving Aggression is linked to the activation of the a warning sign or sympathetic nervous system which in turn produces physical changes to the body While this several signs that they activation happens at an internal level within the are reaching their body the changes also manifest in the external body Pupils will dilate the face typically turns breaking point red and sweating increases Specific facial expressions related to anger can precede an imminent assault A student s facial expression is typically a clear indicator of brewing anger Instead of saying Billy wipe that look off your face teachers must take a student s negative expression seriously and implement active regulatory strategies immediately Empower Identified Students with a Safe Place Plan For students who have been identified as explosive aggressive and or violent the teacher must help these students work out ahead of time prior to them being in the classroom a safe place plan to de escalate and stay safe This plan answers the question Where is your safe place or Who is your safe person at this school A safe place plan identifies DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 187

in advance what resources will help a student return to a state of regulation Sometimes the student will know what those resources are right away other times he will learn by trial and error with the teacher having the flexibility to modify the plan as needed In one school Billy s safe place plan was to check in with Mrs J in the front office When the teacher would notice Billy getting highly dysregulated she would come up to Billy and give him a predetermined code In this case it was her tapping her nose twice Because Billy was sensitive he was given this code ahead of time so as not to draw attention to himself He knew and agreed upon this code to mean that he needed to go to the front office to sit with the receptionist Billy had identified Mrs J as his safe person He knew he was not going to the office because he was in trouble Instead he was going there The more that a to connect with Mrs J He was not to interrupt her when he walked in and she would know beforehand why he would be walking in and in his particular plan sitting down If she was busy she would merely nod at Billy to acknowledge him and finish her the more he will be task at hand Once she was done she would walk over and sit next to Billy and check in with able to adhere to it him It was not her job to problem solve or fix him The two of them would simply take a few moments to calm down within the context of the relationship When Billy was ready he would return back to class Every safe place plan needs to be highly individualized The more that a student has a voice in his particular plan the more he will be able to adhere to it Some students may not need to leave the class sometimes they can regulate back down by going to the calm corner in the room Other students whose systems are too charged up to sit and calm down may need their safe place plan to involve doing laps around the school or hallway A common fear is that students will manipulate such a plan and take advantage of it However the reality is that when we stop and listen to students and ask them what their needs are their need to manipulate virtually disappears The main reason students manipulate is to get their needs met If a student does try to manipulate his safe place plan then the student and teacher will have to keep working through it revising it and finding out what need still has not been met For example at one school it appeared that Billy was manipulating his safe place plan He was supposed to stay within the thirdgrade area if he reached the point that he was going to erupt that was the boundary set student has a voice 188 C L A S S R O O M18 0

up with him Yet he continued to break this rule by expanding his area to the fifth grade area While at first it seemed like he was indeed breaking the agreement when he was finally asked why he was stretching the boundary his answer was Because my sister is in fifth grade and I wanted to be near her There is typically always a reason 19 Responding in a Moment of Crisis DOMAIN 4 Even in the most advanced trauma informed classrooms there still remains the possibility of reaching a moment of crisis with a student Trauma runs deep and the path down to a child s reptilian brain is often a path well traveled Going from a place of calm to a place of aggression can happen instantly for some of our most traumatized students In fact some students have so much trauma energy built up inside them that the only way for them to release enough of it to feel any sense of relief is through a fullon meltdown A fidget or walk around the school will not make a notable difference for them They live in extremes they may not be able to simply let out a little bit of energy at a time It takes a full explosion to finally return to a state of regulation When a teacher finds herself in a moment of crisis it can be scary and overwhelming As discussed throughout this book stress causes the brain to lose its capacity to think logically and sequentially Therefore knowing what steps to take in a moment of crisis to ensure student and teacher safety is imperative Table 4 1 lists recommended action steps to take in such a situation a discussion of each action step follows Table 4 1 How to respond when in a moment of crisis Moment of Crisis Action Steps 1 Focus on safety 2 Shift from being empathetic to businesslike 3 Implement the safe place plan or offer students without a safe place plan an exit strategy 4 Use mantras 5 Implement a last resort physical intervention plan DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 189

Focus on Safety It is imperative for teachers to know how to respond when a student becomes unsafe Being trauma informed is very much about being understanding empathetic and loving to students but the one time that this focus will change is when a student crosses the line of safety It is at that moment that the teacher s focus has to be 100 percent on safety She has made a promise to her class that nobody will get hurt so keeping this promise is paramount if trust is ever going to be built and maintained The moment of crisis is where safety overrides relationship Shift from Being Empathetic to Businesslike Emotional connection ends where aggression begins If a student is about to throw a chair at the teacher it is inappropriate for the teacher to ask the student how he is feeling If the teacher stays in an empathetic and relationship based place while the student has The moment of a chair in his hand the student is not receiving the feedback required for him to realize he has crisis is where safety indeed crossed the line Remember most of the time students are not aware they have crossed overrides relationship this line they need help seeing this distinction If on the other hand a student is about to throw a chair and the teacher responds in a more businesslike and neutral manner yet is still connected the student is much more likely to realize he has crossed the line Instead of asking the student how he feels when he has the chair in his hand the response from the teacher should be to immediately recite one of the mantras Billy who s in charge to keep you safe This must be said with a no nonsense tone of voice free of anger or fear that exudes the message that Safety is my first priority right now and I am here to make certain that we all are safe Even in a deep state of dysregulation a student can sense the caring intention and confidence of the teacher This will help him comprehend that he is crossing the line a line that he is not capable of determining on his own Offer Students without a Safe Place Plan an Immediate Exit Strategy Some students become highly dysregulated without having a history of aggressive behavior This occurs mostly with students who are new to a school because they have just moved to the community from another district It can also happen with students 190 C L A S S R O O M18 0

who have suddenly hit a new developmental stage whereby their nervous systems have reached an all time breaking point In these cases where students dysregulated behavior comes with little warning no safe place plan will be in place It is crucial that the teacher handle the situation in the moment from a brain based perspective remembering that students impacted by trauma can quickly go from a flight state to a fight state These students traumatic experiences have led them down this path many times These neuropathways are well established they are easily accessible to them and they can easily escalate It is like they have a fast pass to go into survival mode This is A highly activated why it may seem like they are overly reactive and sometimes perceived to be dramatic student is dangerous It is important to recognize that the minute DOMAIN 4 a student highly impacted by trauma gets for those around him dysregulated and suddenly feels trapped he will likely go into full blown fight mode A highly activated student is dangerous for those around him Thus the goal in the moment is to create ways to keep the student from progressing any further The way to do this is to immediately offer him a safe place to go and escape knowing that he needs an exit strategy to keep from moving deeper into a dangerous state He needs a place to get away to feel safe and re regulate and without the threat of getting in trouble or being shamed Examples of safe place suggestions many of which are discussed in Domain 2 Regulation include the following Calm corner In school suspension room School counselor Library Mentor Office receptionist Custodian The feeling of being trapped is not always an issue of being physically trapped When students feel like they have to save face or stand their ground when being confronted by an adult they will also increase their negative behavioral responses For instance if the teacher notices that an angry and disgruntled student has a pair of scissors in his DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 191

hand confronting the student face on and saying Give those to me right now will put the student in a position of being trapped to give in to the teacher Students in survival mode will rarely if ever give in They will always choose the path of keeping their power and control instead of giving it up to an adult In this example instead of the student handing over the scissors he will fight back and use the scissors as a weapon against the teacher putting her in a dangerous position When a student is in survival mode it is about win or lose never about right or wrong An alternative response in this example with the scissors is for the teacher to say to the student It s OK Billy I m not going to hurt you You re safe When a student acts out aggressively it is because he feels threatened Dealing with a student s aggression requires being fully open to feeling absorbing and relating to the student s pain It is their heavy pain and deep fear that is driving their behavior One of the reasons they want to hurt someone is to relieve themselves of what is burning inside of them The aggressive behavior is an attempt to find relief even if only temporary of the well of pain deep within the caverns of their hearts Thus the teacher can continue her loving offer to the student with the scissors by saying Billy I love you Let s go take a walk just you and me Love is a powerful antidote to fear Table 4 2 gives other suggested dialogue to use when a student is highly dysregulated Table 4 2 Stress free and love based dialogue examples Dialogue to Use with a Dysregulated Student 192 You re not in trouble I m here to be with you You have every right to be angry I want to be with you This is too much to be all alone in I m listening How can I help I believe you Help me understand what s going on I m sorry I didn t realize you were so upset when I saw you earlier We can figure this out together There s always a way C L A S S R O O M18 0

Use Mantras When a student moves down from his midbrain into his reptilian brain the teacher has about thirty seconds to pull Billy out of this state before he gets completely sucked in to the point of no return This is the thirty second critical moment after which reversing Billy back into a state of safety with language is almost impossible Therefore this is the time to use the mantras that were proactively practiced In a neutral but serious free offear tone of voice the teacher says to the student Billy who s in charge or Who s here to keep you safe Using this rehearsed language with a General Patton stance can be just enough to shift Billy s attention to the adult to then get him to leave the room with the adult to a place of safety DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y DOMAIN 4 Implement a Last Resort Physical Intervention Plan There will be times when students are not able to respond positively to the strategies and interventions discussed in this section despite all the proactive measures implemented Each of us has free will Sometimes even with the best efforts put into place a student will not be There is no dignity able to receive the support love acceptance and regulating interventions offered Unfortunately in allowing a student there will be times when a student becomes to harm a teacher aggressive and violent Ideally this should never happen but when dealing with trauma a classmate or it is possible Training programs are available that teach themselves how to physically restrain children in ways that are safe and do not compromise the dignity of the child In fact when children become violent it is safer to restrain them than to allow them to be harmful and destructive there is no dignity in allowing a student to harm a teacher a classmate or themselves Additionally allowing a child to become so out of control that they physically destroy an entire classroom without intervention is not conducive to the child s healing process Safe physical intervention needs to happen during these rare moments One highly recommended program is Handle With Care handlewithcare com This training program will equip anyone with the appropriate skill set needed to safely and lovingly apply a physical restraint only as a last resort to a child when absolutely necessary When Billy becomes violent the adults in his life must protect him from himself and 193

from hurting others In a moment of crisis he does not have the ability to do this on his own When a child has developed a trusting relationship with an adult and that adult skillfully and lovingly physically restrains the child during a violent incident the child will sense that the restraint is in his best interest One of the main premises of Handle With Care is that a child in crisis knows the difference between something done for him and something done to him when it is properly implemented This clarity is enhanced when there is a strong foundation of relationship between the child and the adult Physical restraint is a delicate and controversial subject The policies and legalities of such an action vary drastically from state to state and from district to district No one wants to discuss this topic because we never want to get to this point However if it is not discussed and a teacher finds herself without the proper protocol or training she will very likely get hurt or will react in a way that hurts the student There are countless unfortunate videos that have made the news showing horrible examples of this in the past several years A solid protocol and action plan along with people in the school being properly trained absolutely must be in place for the high probability day when Billy drops deep into his reptilian brain but only as a last resort Love me enough to stop me H E A T H E R T F OR BE S L C S W 194 C L A S S R O O M18 0

EXERCISE Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions 17 18 Do I feel safe in this classroom What happens if I cross the line of safety Will my teacher freak out if I share my suicidal thoughts with her Identification of Individual Safety Issues Does my teacher know what triggers me Does my teacher even have a clue that I m about to blow Do I feel trapped in this classroom Responding in a Moment of Crisis Can my teacher handle me right now Am I feeling safer or more out of control with my teacher s response to me If things get out of control can my teacher keep me safe Does my teacher love me enough to stop me DOMAIN 4 19 Universal Safety Practices Attachment is fundamental to safety because it provides the anecdote to the stress of feeling separate and on your own in life D R D AV E Z I E G L E R DOMAIN 4 SAFET Y 195

Discipline and Empowerment 5 1 4 2 3

DOMAIN 5 Discipline and Empowerment DOMAI N 5 D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 197

DISCIPLINE AND EMPOWERMENT 20 Regulatory Based Discipline 21 Consequences with Relational Support 22 Repair and Healing 23 Developmental Deficits 24 Grades 25 Social and Emotional Learning 26 Self Image and Identity Development 27 Reflection and Ongoing Growth

DOMAIN 5 Discipline and Empowerment B eing trauma informed does not mean that students are merely given a hug after D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 they break a rule and then everyone lives happily ever after in peace joy and love It is quite the opposite Children impacted by trauma need help changing their maladaptive behaviors They need guidance in improving their skill sets to function appropriately and be compliant in school and ultimately to be successful in the real world Implementing a trauma informed platform requires making a massive shift in understanding the true nature of Billy s struggle and how to approach discipline Billy s struggle is not with the outside world his struggle is not with the rules of the classroom or with the power his teacher holds over him Billy s struggle is with his internal world We must help Billy calm the storm that brews inside him and we must empower him with better skills and coping mechanisms For lasting change and long term healing discipline has to focus on changing Billy from the inside out It requires an internal focus not an external focus that relies heavily on outside controls laced with fear It requires being regulatory focused rather than behaviorally focused Figure 5 1 illustrates that being trauma informed is a matter of implementing life giving internally focused consequences that teach and empower instead of dead end punishment based externally focused consequences that give unpleasant experiences intended to force students to behave in a particular way When we get to the root cause of negative behavior we have the ability to help our students in the long term rather than simply punishing them to stop a behavior in the short term Short term changes in behaviors do nothing to curb the ever rising number of student suspensions drop out rates and cases whereby students end up in the juvenile justice system this has been proven with the failure of zero tolerance policies adopted 199

by schools In the past schools worked primarily to implement policies that reduced the symptomology of behavior rather than implement policies and practices to promote healing and growth Being trauma informed works to accomplish long term versus shortterm change for students and it requires understanding the communication behind students behaviors Traditional Trauma Informed Figure 5 1 Traditional discipline punishes to create change while trauma informed discipline empowers to create change The word discipline comes from the Latin word disciplina which means to receive instruction from someone It is derived from the word discere which means to learn Thus discipline is not about punishment it is about teaching and training It is about receiving instructions within the context of a relationship to learn how to do life in a more positive and productive way Billy is a student even when it comes to discipline and our job is to lovingly teach and empower Billy to make changes Billy is already in a battle with himself Let us not increase the battle between him and those around him through punitive based discipline that sets up an us against you dynamic We must help Billy solve the internal conflict within himself by empowering him and equipping him with stronger relationships better skills an improved identity and a positive belief system 200 C L A S S R O O M18 0

There are numerous ways to move from a punitive based system to an empoweringbased system It takes a willingness to see the following components from a new perspective 20 Regulatory Based Discipline Consequences with Relational Support Repair and Healing Developmental Deficits Grades Social and Emotional Learning Self Image and Identity Reflection and Ongoing Growth Regulatory Based Discipline Traditionally the protocol has been to punish children in the name of discipline to get them to change and to hold them accountable for their actions The problem with this is that Billy s patterned ways of behaving are deeply rooted in fear and they stem from reactive patterns developed from living in survival These patterns are neurologically woven into his nervous system such that no amount of punishment or even positive behavioral rewards will modify them Adding more fear to a student who already lives in fear will only result in more resistance anger and hatred toward himself and the world Fear plus more fear does not equal love or good behaviors Fear plus more fear results in more fear and more negative behaviors See Figure 5 2 DOMAI N 5 FEAR FEAR LOVE FEAR FEAR MORE FEAR Figure 5 2 Fear based discipline promotes more fear in students who already live in fear D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 201

External punishments imposed on Billy by his teacher or the administration keep Billy in a divisive stance against those in authority and do not help him to take responsibility for his actions External punishments keep him in the well traveled pattern of blaming someone else the teacher the principal the school the world and beyond The power struggle between Billy and his external environment will continue to grow and build momentum when external punishments are thrust upon him It is a never ending loop of one upping Again look at how educational institutions have become the school toprison pipeline With the increasing momentum of this one upping fight the Billys in our schools have often been locked up to put an end to the power struggle between them and the external world Be Free of Corporal Punishment While corporal punishment is legal at the state level for some public schools and private schools it is 180 degrees opposite from what a trauma informed school stands for Any form of paddling spanking or other forms of physical punishment have no room ever in a trauma informed classroom or school The argument of When I was in school we got spanked and I turned out OK does not hold validity for students impacted by trauma Many of our Billys have experienced physical abuse from those in authority Physical punishment has too strong of an associational connection to physical abuse As has been discussed one of the primary goals of a trauma informed classroom is to create an emotionally and physically safe environment for students What is more a trauma informed platform is about building self identity empowering students with better skill sets addressing developmental deficits and building internal controls Corporal punishment does none of this Be Free of Emotional Negativity A trauma informed classroom has no room for disciplinary techniques that are intended to evoke highly emotionally charged negative feelings from students Any technique that embarrasses shames or humiliates a student is intolerable This includes having a student stand up in front of the class with the intention to humiliate him in front of his peers as a way of getting him to behave While the number of incidents of teachers using shame humiliation and or embarrassment as a way to punish students is low they do happen For instance a first grader s desk was taken away from her because she drew a picture on it Her punishment was to sit on the floor for the next four weeks while all the other students sat at their desks right beside her 1 Although this may be an extreme 202 C L A S S R O O M18 0

example the use of any technique intended to embarrass shame or humiliate a student is never acceptable Be Free of Seclusion Room Punishment Sending students out of the classroom to be put in a seclusion room is another punishment that is intolerable when creating a trauma informed classroom Just the threat of being sent into isolation can increase a student s anxiety which then leads to further dysregulation And again seclusion rooms are in complete opposition to the goal of helping students learn to regulate within the context of safe and loving relationships Be Free of Behavior Based Tracking Systems Traditional classroom management systems focus on controlling children s behaviors D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 through external measures that are fear based These might include the stoplight system green light yellow light red light behavior charts sticker charts point charts token economies prize boxes Fun Friday and more Their focus is on getting children to behave rather than on helping children regulate The basic premise of a trauma informed classroom is that if children are regulated their behaviors will be positive Behavioral classroom management systems are externally focused and they negate this basic internal regulatory premise Many students become incredibly anxious at the thought of being moved from the green light to the yellow light or worse to the red light They not only worry about it at school but they return home with fearful thoughts all night long of being moved to the yellow or red light the next day The same is true of having to move their clip down with a clip up clip down system in the classroom see Figure 5 3 It becomes an endless cycle for them Such fear based behavioral management Figure 5 3 Clip up clip down behavioral tracking system systems have no place in the trauma informed 203

classroom ever What is more the public display showing which students are good and which are bad this is how students interpret it only creates more shame self hate and embarrassment Figure 5 4 shows how students points using the ClassDojo app are publicly displayed on the large classroom monitor in the front of the room for everyone to see When there is not a strong sense of family in a classroom the students with good scores sometimes make fun of and point out the students with bad scores This type of public shaming and divisiveness is not healthy for any of the students Figure 5 4 Students ClassDojo scores being displayed at the front of the classroom For students who are highly sensitive to stress even positive reward systems are stressful The thought of missing Fun Friday or not getting as many stickers as other students creates such internal chaos within them that it can make it impossible for them to adhere to the rules and make good choices Their ability to think clearly and focus on not only their behavior but their academics is also hindered Stress creates confused and distorted thinking Stress prohibits students from processing information accurately and clearly and it compromises their memory systems Adding these stress inducing incentives to get students to behave hinders not only their ability to behave but their ability to perform academically However not having any type of student accountability system in the classroom can result in chaos too 204 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Some teachers have developed systems similar to behavioral methods but have shifted them to be regulatory based For instance instead of sending home a behavioral report with smiley faces or frowny faces they send home a report identifying what times of the day Billy was regulated and what times he was dysregulated This identifies patterns that may be developing New coping skills can then be taught to Billy during his most stressful times of the school day to support his regulation Figure 5 5 takes the clip up clip down system and shifts it ever so slightly to become a clip left clip right system that is based not on a student s behavior but on a student s regulation The system shown in Figure 5 5 is specifically designed for younger grades but a system to track regulation can be modified for use in all grades The clip left clip right system tracks a student s regulation by using the window of stress tolerance concept When a student is feeling fantastic their stress level is low short purple rectangle and their window of tolerance is large tall gray rectangle On the other end of the spectrum when the student is feeling very stressed their stress level is high tall red rectangle and their window of tolerance is small small gray rectangle Figure 5 5 Clip left clip right regulatory tracking system designed for younger grades See Appendix B for printable copies DOMAI N 5 When a student misbehaves the teacher can move the student s clip over one notch to the right Instead of using shaming language such as Billy I m moving your clip down because you aren t following instructions the teacher can lovingly say Billy I see you re getting a little dysregulated so I m going to move your clip over to the right This reminds me to give you a little more support and it reminds you to keep using your self regulation skills It also allows students the chance to own their regulation If a student is feeling stressed he can move his clip over to the right This gives the teacher the ability to know D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 205

that the student is needing additional support A system such as this opens the door for everyone to be held accountable but in a fashion that exudes support acceptance and love It also lovingly allows for those days when all of us simply are having a bad day without being punished or shamed for it Plus it is psychologically less threatening to move a clip to the right as opposed to moving it down Moving a clip down automatically insinuates being bad Figure 5 6 shows a modified version of the clip left clip right regulatory tracking system which can be used for older students Figure 5 6 Regulatory tracking system for older students Be Free of Threats to Call Home to Get Students to Behave Traditionally schools have used the parent child relationship in a threatening capacity to control a student s behavior or to motivate the student Typically this has been used when all other measures to change the student s behavior fail The teacher might say something like If you don t straighten up right now I m going to call your mom or dad and I know they aren t going to be happy to hear from me Figure 5 3 shown earlier where the last clip down is parent contact is a similar example of this approach These types of threats are not only divisive they are corrosive to the parent student relationship A more effective approach than using classroom threats is for the parents to be brought together with the teacher and student to develop a strong team that will support help and encourage the student through love and connection The new conversation would be something like Billy I want you to have the support of all the adults in your life Let s call your mom or dad you re not in trouble I want to know how we all can support you and figure out a way to get this issue resolved so you re happier This strategy however will not work for every student and has to be used with discernment It is only effective 206 C L A S S R O O M18 0

when the student s parents bring positive and supportive energy into the equation Either way pitting a student against his parents is not healthy for any family system Have an Internal Focus Trauma informed discipline focuses on helping students develop their own internal sets of controls mainly how to self regulate and deal with stress and anxiety The goal is to support students in maintaining longer and more consistent states of regulation throughout their school day As discussed in Domain 2 Regulation classroom and individual regulation strategies should be incorporated into the culture of the classroom Once a student has exhibited negative behavior the focus of supporting the student s internal self regulation can cross over into the area of discipline Instead of sending the student to detention he can be sent to meditation or yoga When considering that it was D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 an internal state of dysregulation that was driving the negative behavior it makes no sense to send the student to a place like detention or to give Trauma informed a consequence that would further exacerbate discipline focuses his dysregulation Instead the consequence is meditation The consequence is yoga The on helping students consequence is to participate in an afterschool restorative circle The consequence is develop their own a regulatory mindful or restorative practice internal sets of controls designed to help the student improve his ability to stay regulated in order to prevent negative mainly how to selfbehaviors in the future This concept is a big stretch from what has regulate and deal with traditionally been considered discipline From the stress and anxiety students perspective though sitting down and doing meditation or participating in a restorative circle is really hard work They have to look internally into themselves They have to slow down the chaos in their minds which then allows the pain to surface forcing them to confront and process their anger fear and sadness They have to dig deep to find the courage to be vulnerable Change is hard Thus if students are given the choice of either going to a group meditation or to detention they would by far prefer detention In detention they are left to themselves and are not asked to do any introspective work 207

The ability to make good choices to have good judgment to think things through sequentially and to make decisions based on right or wrong instead of win or lose is increased substantially when the brain is regulated Creating and implementing discipline that is internally focused for students helps calm their brains This is important to remember because of the basic principle that the brain drives behavior Ensure Teaching Moments Happen After the Incident One of the hallmarks of trauma informed discipline is the timing of when the corrective action is taken in response to a student s negative behavior Based on the science of the brain it is imperative that a student be corrected only after their brain is regulated Correcting a student s behavior or trying to teach a student a more appropriate alternative behavior in the moment of their dysregulation is not only ineffective it can also be counterproductive When students are in a bottom up control within their brains when in a state of dysregulation their ability to think clearly process language think sequentially determine right from wrong project into the future have good judgment or take the high moral ground is severely compromised see Figure 5 7 At this point they are operating more from their midbrain the part of the brain that processes emotions and makes decisions based from fear and pleasure as well as from a win or lose perspective For example if the teacher has taken Billy s cell phone away and Billy goes to the teacher s desk to take something away from her this is clearly a student being driven from the lower part of his brain Neocortex Midbrain limbic system Reptilian brain Figure 5 7 The dysregulated brain operates with a bottom up control system 208 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Students operating out of the midbrain are notorious for exhibiting one upping behaviors If the teacher attempts to correct this behavior by saying Billy step away That is my desk and it s a violation to take the property of a teacher it is highly likely that Billy will not consider the rules of respecting one s property but will instead move closer to the teacher s desk and take something of hers At this point Billy s bottom up control system is dominant it is a matter of win or lose He lost his cell phone Thus in return he will take something from the teacher to regain his position of winning No amount of teaching what the rules are how to make a better choice or what is right or wrong will be comprehended by Billy at this moment Instead these life lessons have to be taught after the incident Teaching the life lessons when Billy is dysregulated will only fuel the power struggle unfolding in the moment Figure 5 8 summarizes the sequence and timing for addressing a student who becomes dysregulated Step 1 is when Billy shows signs of being dysregulated Step 2 is when the teacher needs to move into the situation with relationship and connection using the techniques presented in Domain 3 Language of Trauma Once Billy is back to a state of regulation as in Step 3 then the teaching moment can begin Here in Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment are the techniques the teacher can use for Step 4 Once this cycle is complete Billy can be reintegrated into the classroom to join his class family as discussed in Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture and work on maintaining his state of regulation as discussed in Domain 2 Regulation Although Beyond Consequences Sequence 1 Dysregulated Listen Connect Empathize Accept Tolerate Validate Love 3 4 5 Billy Rationalize Develop problemsolving skills Discipline Give consequences Give logic Practice and role play Project future situations Billy integrates back into the classroom activities Regulated DOMAI N 5 Billy 2 Figure 5 8 The Beyond Consequences Sequence See Appendix B for a printable copy D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 209

this sequence may not always be worked through exactly in this order it is a good gauge to use for the Billys of the classroom with the main idea being that the teaching moment has to happen once Billy is regulated Once Billy is regulated and functioning from a top down control he is then cognitively available for a productive teaching moment Instead of merely teaching Billy the rules and how to follow them the teaching moment must also include a deeper look into why Billy did what he did what his state of regulation was and how he was feeling when the incident happened This teaching moment needs to be free of shame and serve as a you and me moment where the teacher joins the student instead of being a you versus me and in the moment where the teacher stays in an elevated position of power see Figure 5 9 Teacher Student You vs me moment Teacher Student You and me moment Figure 5 9 Once the student is regulated the teacher joins him in a you and me moment Many teachers will use a behavior reflection form to be completed by both the student and the teacher after a behavioral incident see Figures 5 10 and 5 11 These forms typically address only the behavior of the student without identifying the student s feelings or state of regulation at the time of the incident Figure 5 10 shows a typical behavioral form filled out by a student after a behavioral incident Notice the use of language on the form with phrases such as 210 What were you doing to earn this Behavior Reflection Sheet Check ALL that apply and complete each sentence What could you have done differently What should I do next time instead When I choose to misbehave I am also choosing to have a consequence your teacher will determine if your parent needs to sign this Behavior Reflection Sheet C L A S S R O O M18 0

The use of you statements is divisive The use of all caps and explanation points is a form of shaming Could and should statements perpetuate negative thinking patterns and reinforce wrongdoing Additionally could and should are disempowering words that offer no dignity The words choose and choosing lack the understanding as to what stress does to a child s ability to think rationally sequentially and logically when dysregulated Having students fill out forms such as these does nothing to improve their ability to learn to regulate or gain deeper insights into the feelings that drive their behaviors In fact forms such as these often continue a student on their downward behavior spiral Figure 5 11 shows the response by the teacher regarding this incident She is looking at the incident purely from a behavioral perspective which comes through in her tone and use of wording While it is indeed challenging to run a class with a student who is not listening to the directives if the teacher could see the student s behavior from DOMAI N 5 the perspective discussed in this book she would not feel as frustrated or powerless She resorts to a threat of calling the parent the next time such an incident happens As mentioned threatening the parent child relationship as a disciplinary protocol is bad practice within a trauma informed platform The teacher also offers no understanding as to why the student came back into the classroom after being sent out No student wants to feel the pain of being rejected the student came back to be a part of the class every student wants a sense of belonging as discussed in Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture A traditional behavior reflection form can be replaced with a form that helps the student understand the incident from a regulatory and feeling perspective Figure 5 12 shows a Let s Work Through This form as an alternative This form requires the student to take responsibility for his actions yet it also helps the student reflect back on his state of regulation his feelings and thoughts and his actions in a sequential manner The combination of all of these will enable the student to understand everything that came to be part of the behavioral incident After the form is filled out the teacher can then talk through the incident with the student and work on effective solutions for future behavior Use Time Ins Instead of Time Outs Traditionally when students are being disruptive or noncompliant in a classroom they are sent to time out whether this is at the back of the room out in the hallway see Figure 5 13 or to the principal s office The message being conveyed when sending students to time out is If you can t be like us then you need to leave Although the intention of time out from the adult s perspective is to get students to think about what they have done D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 211

Figure 5 10 Traditional behavior reflection form filled out by student 212 C L A S S R O O M18 0

DOMAI N 5 Figure 5 11 Traditional behavior reflection form filled out by the teacher D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 213

Figure 5 12 Regulatory and sequentially based alternative to the behavior reflection form See Appendix B for a printable copy 214 C L A S S R O O M18 0

and how to be better the reality of this form of discipline must be understood from the student s perspective Sending students who have deep wounds of rejection especially the Billys away from the one group they are desperately trying to fit in with can generate more feelings of rejection abandonment and beliefs of I m not good enough Figure 5 13 There is no place for time outs in a trauma informed classroom D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Sending students away reinforces a system of me against you and as seen in countless classrooms can generate intense power struggles Students rebel with words like You can t kick me out of class with teachers responding Yes Yes I can You are making it impossible for me to teach so you need to leave Now The one upping dynamic then ensues Many times students will ultimately leave but they will make certain they have the last word on their way out by kicking the trash can over pushing a chair over or slamming the door The trauma informed classroom works under the premise that the root cause of misbehavior is due to a student being dysregulated Behavior is a regulatory issue the student is having trouble self regulating and unable to demonstrate self control so sending the student to be by himself makes no sense Additionally sending a student away who identifies with being bad unworthy and not wanted only magnifies such negativity 215

The solution is to use time ins In a time in the student is pulled away from the activity he is disrupting but instead of being isolated he is offered a connection with an adult The adult s role at this moment is to connect at the emotional level with the student It is not a time for the adult to correct the behavior at the cognitive level Instead it is all about understanding what part of the student s brain is dominant at this moment This is when the student s brain is in a bottom up control mode Discussing expectations better choices and how to follow rules will only get the student more dysregulated The sole goal is to help the student get regulated through an empathetic connection during the start of a time in Once the student is regulated and connected into relationship then the rational thinking can be talked through with much more success 21 Consequences with Relational Support Sometimes it is challenging to think of discipline as a way to teach and empower because it feels as if students are not being held to the rules or held accountable for their actions Quite the contrary is true Billy absolutely needs his teachers to hold the boundaries for him Boundaries and limits provide predictability and stability They also decrease the fear that comes from being in an environment that has too many unknowns It takes a paradigm shift in thinking but holding boundaries implementing consequences and holding students accountable is still possible with trauma informed discipline and as stated vitally necessary The difference is that with a trauma informed approach fear is removed from the equation it is replaced with relationship and connection Traditionally consequences given to students have involved the removal of relationships These isolative measures might include time outs being sent out of the classroom no Fun Fridays no sports and sometimes detention suspension and ultimately expulsion Such consequences have been implemented not only to stop the disruptive behavior but as a way to hold students accountable for their actions One key distinction of a trauma informed platform is that consequences do not involve the removal of relationships This is exceptionally important for children impacted by trauma because one of the most prevalent themes they experience during traumatic events is rejection and abandonment The depth to which many children experience rejection and abandonment from their parents families friends communities and or society is beyond description Such experiences run incredibly deep within their hearts leaving these children easily triggered Children impacted by trauma are highly sensitive and reactive to any experience that slightly resembles being rejected or abandoned Thus sending Billy to time out or out of the classroom will result in an increase in the intensity 216 C L A S S R O O M18 0

of his negative behavior and is counterproductive to getting Billy to make positive changes Giving a consequence without relational support creates more dysregulation anger and a feeling of me against you The associational connection of past experiences of rejection and abandonment is too closely related to these traditional disciplinary techniques The difference with a trauma informed platform is that even when teachers need to hold a boundary to the extent that a student needs to be removed from a classroom activity or from the classroom the student is not removed into isolation As discussed in Domain 2 Regulation many techniques that enforce behavioral boundaries can be used proactively They can also be used in the moments that students become dysregulated disruptive noncompliant disrespectful etc and must be removed Table 5 1 summarizes ways to do this both in the classroom and outside the classroom Table 5 1 Enforcing boundaries with relational support Ways to Enforce Boundaries with Relational Support Location In the classroom Outside the classroom Strategy Action Student is removed from his seat or the activity and sits next to the teacher With the teacher s assistance the student is given a chance to regulate Calm corner The student remains in the classroom to continue his sense of belonging in his classroom family but is removed from the activity The teacher when available checks in on the student to help him regulate Walk talkand regulate Student is paired with a designated adult with whom he has a relationship They walk through the hallways to connect and to help the student get regulated Designated adult visit Student visits a designated adult with whom he has a relationship to shift into a better state of regulation Calm room If the school has a calm room monitored by a staff member the student leaves his class and goes to the calm room for support in getting regulated ISS Student is sent to the ISS room to connect with an adult and receive assistance in getting regulated D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Time in 217

Figure 5 14 illustrates the difference between the traditional approach of giving a consequence that removes a student from relationships and that of giving a consequence supported by a relationship In both scenarios Billy crosses the boundary and is removed from the classroom However in the trauma informed approach Billy is given a timein with an adult to receive assistance in regulating his brain He is encouraged to talk through the situation from a feeling level and then from a logical level The adult may even coach him on how to handle similar situations like this next time Boundary Consequence Accountability No disrupting other students Billy is removed from the classroom Billy apologizes to group upon returning Traditional Billy disrupts the group activity crosses the boundary apology Billy sits in the hallway by himself for five minutes Billy is still dysregulated He has not processed his emotions so he remains volatile He hasn t learned any new skills He makes an apology only because he was told to do so It is highly likely he will become disruptive again Trauma Informed Billy disrupts the group activity crosses the boundary apology Billy has been able to process the event with an adult The apology is made on his own and is genuine Billy is more regulated and ready to get back to work Billy connects with a regulated adult and talks through the situation Figure 5 14 The difference between traditional and trauma informed approaches to enforcing boundaries consequences and accountability As for accountability Billy makes an apology in both scenarios Yet in the traditional scenario Billy makes the apology only because he wants to come back to class and join his classmates therefore his apology lacks authenticity In this traditional scenario Billy remains dysregulated and with no new skills to change how he acts in moving forward This is why so many students with behavioral challenges continue to cycle in the course of even one day being disruptive over and over 218 C L A S S R O O M18 0

In a trauma informed approach a consequence is a time to join with the student and support him not isolate and shame him A consequence is given in a way that expresses empathy support and understanding Even though it is a consequence it is delivered in a way to create connection with a sense of you and me instead of in a divisive and rejecting tone of you versus me Table 5 2 gives contrasting examples of this concept Table 5 2 Delivery of consequences Comparison of Consequences Trauma Informed Approach Billy you didn t behave this morning so you will be having five minutes of timeout before you can go to recess Billy you ve been having a hard day so far I want to make sure you re okay so I m going to have you come hang with me for five minutes so I can help you get regulated enough to have a great time at recess I ve asked you two times already to take that hoodie off your head I m not asking a third time so go down to the principal s office and explain to him why you can t adhere to the rules Sometimes it is tough to follow the rules I know that you know hoodies aren t allowed so this tells me you re having a hard time I d like for you to join us but the hoodie is going to need to come off If you d rather I can have you connect with Mr Steve for a few minutes to get regulated and we will see you when you come back Billy enough You ve interrupted this class too many times so far today I m not going to stand for it anymore You re being disrespectful Go down to the front office now Billy this isn t working I m thinking that maybe you need a break How about going down and checking in with Ms Smith That will give you a chance to get regulated and me a chance to teach When you come back I ll make sure I get you all caught up so you don t get behind D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Traditional Approach 219

22 Repair and Healing To understand restorative practices that offer repair and healing we must first recognize that students act out when they feel disconnected In other words behavioral problems occur when students are dysregulated and hence when students are either disconnected with themselves or disconnected with others or both Restoring these broken relationships and resolving the conflict is the key to change Under this framework of understanding it makes no sense to punish a child with a consequence that drives him further into a deeper state of dysregulation and away from those with whom he wants and needs to be connected fellow classmates and teachers Instead of focusing on the rule that was broken we need to focus on repairing and healing the relationships that were broken Traditional discipline punishes the action of the offender yet typically neglects to address how this action impacted the victim s When discipline s For students impacted goal is to repair and heal all those involved benefit by working together to come to a mutually by trauma focusing on desired outcome Instead of accountability being repairing and healing seen as receiving punishment accountability comes from gaining an understanding of the relationships helps them human consequence and how the offensive action s impacted others understand that broken For students impacted by trauma focusing on relationships can in repairing and healing relationships helps them understand that broken relationships can in fact fact be healed be healed It helps them to see that it is possible to resolve and heal from the pain of brokenness In many of our Billys worlds the pain derived from broken relationships travels an everincreasing linear continuum It gets worse It gets bigger It grows and grows never with an interruption to stop it permanently There might be slow downs but the anger hurt and pain in these relationships that Billy either experiences or witnesses is never ending When Billy sees his parents argue the arguing never ends they argue all the time His parents anger toward each other keeps growing Their anger then turns into resentment The resentment keeps building and propagates to absolute hatred of one another The intensity of this negative and ever growing force that Billy lives with never comes to an end Billy needs his blueprint of such negativity to be altered to offer him the possibility 220 C L A S S R O O M18 0

of not only the cessation of disputes but the hope of forgiveness and healing following such disputes Billy needs to know that there is a way to start over in relationships and that disputes can end that they can even end in friendship Empowering Billy with this knowledge is one of the most beneficial lessons that can come from a restorative consequence he receives at school Figure 5 15 illustrates this concept of a restorative consequence In the bottom graph students who are not given opportunities to resolve conflicts continue a progressive and upward trajectory of experiencing more and more intense emotions These students also struggle more and more academically each school year However when given support in working through conflicts as seen in the top graph these students do not move into such heightened states of emotional discourse thereby enabling them to shift their focus onto healthy relationships as well as academics DOMAI N 5 Figure 5 15 A comparison of when students are given restorative consequences and when they are not Give Students a Voice Through Conversations Students who misbehave are often given a consequence without any chance to explain their situation Instead the likely response from a teacher is Billy I don t want to hear it For students impacted by trauma this type of response can be a huge trigger Trauma D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 221

is all about not having a voice Offering time to talk with students in private about the incident can be incredibly valuable Saying Let s talk and asking a simple question such as What happened while verbally stepping back to listen gives Billy a chance to be heard Conversations offer students respect an attribute we ask them to give to us and they offer support rather than pure control Additionally conversations help students reflect on what happened offering them a deeper understanding into themselves which then opens up the possibility for greater change in the future This does not mean Billy is off the hook by not receiving a consequence simply because he had a conversation The consequences can still be administered but the difference is that Billy will be more receptive and likely to take ownership of his misbehavior once he has a chance to give his side of the story Use Restorative Practices for Classroom and Small Group Conflicts The foundation of a restorative practice is to be community based family based relational and inclusive A restorative practice creates equity for all those involved because each person is afforded time to talk and the emotional space to be heard In line with a trauma informed platform the goal is to answer these questions What is driving this conflict incident and How do we repair and rebuild the relationships to move forward When the behavioral incident is between multiple students in the classroom or at a whole class level restorative practices should be used to repair the harm that was done and further build the classroom family culture as described in Domain 1 Relationship and Family Restorative practices put the power back into the hands of the students involved in the conflict Instead of having a consequence done to them the consequence is being done with them Additionally students have a voice in the process of accountability and restoration along with the unconditional support of their teacher and classmates Restorative practices go far beyond addressing only the behavioral incident at hand They engage the whole student which improves a student s problem solving skills and expands their ability to connect with others through empathy and understanding The synergy of the group within the circle allows for emotional space to be held making it safe to openly express anger fear distrust anxiety hope and love There are numerous websites and videos on YouTube for teachers that describe different types of restorative practices and how to run an emotionally safe and relationship engaging restorative session Practices might include restorative talking circles peace making circles repair building circles dialogue circles and problem solving meetings 222 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Use Mediation for One on One Conflicts One way to help students move from conflict to cooperation is through mediation Conflict resolution strategies can be used when two students are involved in a conflict or dispute Sometimes the mediation takes place privately between the students other times it can be facilitated by a trained peer mediator or supervised by an adult Having students work through their conflicts together allows them to apply negotiation and conflict resolution skills that are taught ahead of time It helps students resolve conflicts before they escalate into more serious issues of aggression and resentment Instead of having a teacher or adult tell students how to resolve their conflict giving students the chance to work through it with each other improves their self esteem self discipline and self regulation skills It also supports their self identity and improves their critical thinking and decision making skills Peace Path Peace Path is an empowering step by step activity students can use to resolve conflicts with each other unsupervised Each student is given an opportunity to express how he feels and what he needs or wants In response the other student shows empathy and understanding The ultimate step is to work out a solution and agree upon it Figure 5 16 shows the basic steps to this activity YouTube has multiple examples of what this would look like for two students DOMAI N 5 Figure 5 16 Peace Path problem solving tool Joanna Forbes joannaforbes com Used with permission See Appendix B for a printable copy D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 223

Peer mediation In peer mediation a student or peer facilitates a mediation between other students to help them repair their relationships The peer mediator s role is to remain neutral while uncovering the root cause of the conflict and helping both sides reach a mutually agreeable solution The typical types of problems that can be resolved with peer mediation include social media rudeness and attacks classroom disputes relationship difficulties misunderstandings intrusion of space and general differences that become conflictual More serious problems that develop in the classroom will require the involvement of the teacher or a referral to the school counselor Internet searches and YouTube videos offer more specifics on how to implement a peer mediation program at elementary middle and high schools Adult facilitated mediation When two students are unable to work out a solution to a dispute they may need an adult such as the teacher or school counselor to guide them It is important that the adult not dictate and control the situation Rather the adult is more of a coach helping the students talk through things to understand the nature of the conflict This is usually done outside the classroom where the students have privacy to talk through the conflict with the adult s support and guidance 23 Developmental Deficits Brains are shaped by emotional experiences Positive emotional experiences affect the brain in positive and healthy ways Likewise negative emotional experiences shape the brain in negative and unhealthy ways When a child is exposed for prolonged lengths of time to constant stress the brain is overwhelmed with cortisol the primary stress hormone This type of toxic stress impacts both the structure and chemistry of the brain Children are particularly vulnerable to living in this heightened state of arousal because their brains are still developing Excess cortisol primarily impacts the hippocampus related to memory and the prefrontal cortex related to executive functioning Because the brains of children impacted by trauma are wired differently academics can become extremely challenging for them As a result these children are often developmentally behind and can have difficulties in the following areas 224 Critical thinking skills Information processing Receiving information Analyzing information Retrieving information C L A S S R O O M18 0

Paying attention and concentrating Thinking and reasoning Visual spatial perception Auditory processing Sequencing Problem solving The traditional classroom has always offered more one size fits all types of instruction no matter how a child s brain is organized For children like Andy who receive the nurturing and connection they need coupled with emotional and physical safety predictability consistency and structure in their daily lives their brains are wired in a healthy way and these children fit well into the traditional school environment However for the Billys of D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 the classroom whose brains function differently they frequently struggle lag behind and in many When students are cases fail needlessly with this approach Thus when working with children who are exhibiting asked to do something negative behaviors it is imperative to always they do not know how to ask the question What is driving this student s behavior One extremely common answer to do they will deflect their this question is that the student lacks the skills to accomplish the task at hand perceived inadequacies When students are asked to do something by acting out they do not know how to do they will deflect their perceived inadequacies by acting out Richard Lavoie a leading educational expert in working with challenging students sums it up beautifully Kids will choose to look bad over looking dumb For example we have Billy who has some language deficits a common issue caused by early childhood trauma The teacher gives instructions to the class yet Billy does not fully comprehend what he is being asked to do He looks around the room to see if anyone else is struggling to his dismay everyone appears to understand and they all start getting to work Billy feels lost scared and stupid Instead of asking for help and risk being perceived as stupid Billy begins to engage with the student next to him Billy tries to get this student to join him in his conversation so that he is no longer alone and can avoid the barrage of negative feelings he is experiencing Unfortunately the student gets agitated and sees Billy as an interruption Billy works harder to get the student to 225

engage but the student continues to refuse and balks at Billy s intrusive behavior Billy now feels rejected which only adds to the other negative feelings he is having and he gets triggered by his trauma issues around rejection and abandonment The two students spiral into a conflict and within minutes Billy is identified as the problem student and is sent out of the classroom This entire incident happened not because Billy is a bad student but because of a deficit in his abilities This one example of Billy is applicable to countless behavioral incidents that unfold in classrooms Students impacted by trauma find themselves unable to adhere to the rules of the classroom because they are not up to speed with their skill sets compared to their peers The basic fact is that students impacted by trauma are much Students impacted more likely to experience developmental deficits by trauma find than their peers that is the nature of trauma When children grow up in chaos they do not themselves unable to experience a linear developmental path Life happens in fragments They overcompensate adhere to the rules of in some areas to survive which leaves them deficient in other areas the classroom because Because Billy lacks the necessary skills to they are not up to speed perform at the same level as his peer Andy he resorts to acting out behaviors that have from with their skill sets a traditional mindset deemed Billy the bad kid When considering what disciplinary actions compared to their peers to take for Billy s negative behaviors we must simultaneously address these deficits to improve Billy s skill set Please note Chapter 4 in Help for Billy goes into more detail as to the impact trauma has on a child s development It is highly recommended that readers refer to this chapter if they are unfamiliar with the concept of developmental deficits Table 5 3 lists the typical developmental deficits explained in Help for Billy There seems to always be a rush to move students forward whether it be to the next reading level the next grade level or out of the calm room and back into the classroom Rushing students to move to the next level may work for the Andys of the classroom but will not work for the Billys Students impacted by trauma typically need more time more time to process and more time to recover Trauma runs deep and it will arrest students in their growth and their ability to snap back 226 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Table 5 3 Developmental deficits due to the impact of trauma Developmental Deficits Has concrete and black and white thinking Is exceptionally strong in some areas yet exceptionally weak in others Is street smart Language development Lacks the ability to fully comprehend language Has trouble expressing ideas clearly Has difficulty following spoken or written directions Academic development Has difficulty paying attention and concentrating Lacks the ability to organize and plan Displays slow or underdeveloped processing skills Social development Unable to interact with appropriate social norms Lacks the ability to make and keep friends Lacks conversation skills Emotional development Lacks the ability to express self with feeling words Unaware of other people s feelings Unable to comprehend multiple emotions toward the same person Physical development Looks either younger than their peers or more physically developed due to high levels of cortisol Cognitive development executive functioning D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Quite often Billy s chronological age will not match his developmental age In other words if Billy is eight years old according to his birth certificate his developmental age might be closer to that of a five year old This would be like putting a kindergartener into a third grade classroom When looking at it from this perspective it makes sense why Billy has trouble sitting still focusing adhering to rules and interacting appropriately with his peers His skills are that of a five year old yet he is being asked to behave like an eight year old Similarly imagine putting a thirteen year old into a group of high school sophomores This would be a social disaster Such is the case with many of our Billys they simply are not developmentally equipped to handle what is being asked of them The following strategies address how to work with students developmental deficits While many can be done proactively these strategies are included here in Domain 5 227

Discipline and Empowerment to reinforce the notion that instead of administering punishment to students helping students improve their skills is much more productive for long term change and healing Whether Billy s consequence is to have an after school detention or to not attend Fun Friday this is the time to teach Billy the skills he lacks instead of allowing him to sit at a desk and do nothing Identify Skill Deficits Discipline comes in the form of teaching Billy and helping him to developmentally catch up to his peers Before he can be expected to move forward he must go backward to learn and acquire the skills he has missed Identifying those areas Billy needs help with will become Discipline comes in clear when observing his behaviors For instance if Billy continually becomes disruptive and loud in social situations he is probably lacking in his social skill set Also reviewing past behavioral Billy and helping him reports can be very insightful Typically a pattern to developmentally will begin to emerge as to the time of day the subject matter or the type of assignment being catch up to his peers given Look for patterns they will often reveal the skill deficit Billy is experiencing School psychological evaluations various other educational testing or private neuropsychological evaluations can identify a child s developmental functioning However not every child impacted by trauma will qualify for or need extensive testing Fortunately there is another way The Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems ALSUP developed by Ross Greene PhD can be used The ALSUP is a discussion guide for those working with students to help them identify students lagging skills The ALSUP is available as a free download along with more information on how to use it at livesinthebalance org the form of teaching Address Language Deficits A fetus s auditory processing is online between eighteen to twenty months into conception This means the brain is becoming wired for language before a child is even born Additionally the brain continues to develop very rapidly for the next thirty months after birth During this time a child s language abilities are greatly determined by the parent child relationship This is why reading stories to babies in the womb and in their formative years is critical 228 C L A S S R O O M18 0

When a child like Billy does not have parents who read to him early in life or with whom he does not make a strong dyadic connection where the parents sing and talk to him his brain is not prepared in the same way for language as his peers In fact many of the Andys in Billy s class had parents reading to them while in the womb What is more these Andys had parents who read hundreds if not thousands of books to them by the time they reached kindergarten It is estimated that children whose parents read to them on a daily basis enter kindergarten having heard between 290 000 to over a million more words than children whose parents do not read to them 2 This lack of exposure to language early in life impacts students for their entire developmental journey It is not just an issue that shows up in elementary school it follows them through high school and beyond if the correct interventions are not given The early years set the foundation for how a child is able to read DOMAI N 5 spell and write throughout their entire academic career Frustrations of not understanding an assignment to frustrations of not being able to do an assignment to frustrations of not being able to finish an assignment lead to behavioral problems more often than not The early years set Recognizing that such behavioral problems stem from deficiencies in how the brain is wired for the foundation for language is key Giving the support students need in these areas is far more effective than merely how a child is able to punishing them for not adhering to the rules read spell and write Most school districts have services available with speech language pathologists When a throughout their entire teacher suspects a student might be having issues in this area she should follow the proper protocol academic career to get Billy assessed Every district will have particular standards to determine if a student qualifies for more intensive services unfortunately sometimes Billy will score just under the requirements If Billy does not qualify he can be supported by working on computer reading programs designed to help struggling students Even having Billy work through programs like Rosetta Stone English can be incredibly valuable in filling in some of the foundational language pieces he missed early on in life Address Cognitive Deficits Cognitive skills refer to how the brain takes in information gives it meaning manipulates D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 229

the information stores it and then ultimately retrieves the information Cognitive functions include attention skills visual processing skills auditory processing skills and shortterm and long term memory skills Cognitive functioning also includes how flexible the brain is in adapting interpreting and integrating information Well developed cognitive skills are essential as they are the foundation for academic achievement When children are impacted by trauma during their developmental years when their brains are still maturing their cognitive functioning can be profoundly affected Many behavioral issues stem directly from these compromised cognitive abilities Children s brains become wired in fear thereby impacting their ability to be flexible in their thinking skewing their perception and affecting their memory When Billy perpetually experiences unpredictable and uncertain experiences he will strive to make sense of his chaotic world by developing a concrete view of the world Black and white thinking is a way for him to create safety a sense of control and muchneeded certainty While this type of thinking serves Billy well during times of trauma it can severely hinder his ability to learn and function in the classroom Billy needs interventions that will help him improve his cognitive deficits These interventions might include working with an educational therapist trained specifically in this area working with a speech language pathologist or engaging with computer software programs designed to improve cognitive brain functioning such as Fast ForWord Additionally when teachers are trauma informed and can recognize situations in real time that are a direct result of a student s cognitive deficit the situation can be de escalated with support given to Billy in the moment Address Lagging Organizational Skills Students are given planners early in elementary school and it is assumed that by using the planners they will easily develop organizational skills and good planning habits for future grades However Billy s world is often so chaotic that he has no blueprint for organization Living in trauma wires his brain for chaos He will not simply pick up the skill of organizing like the Andys of the classroom Billy s backpack locker and desk are typically organizational disasters as illustrated in Figure 5 17 When Billy cannot find something he can quickly become agitated disruptive and spiral out of control The intervention should not be to punish his behavior but to help him learn how to organize Helping Billy learn to organize in a logical and sequential manner may start with the simple task of sorting Using different colored folders to separate schoolwork from 230 C L A S S R O O M18 0

handouts tests homework and class notes may seem obvious but Billy needs an adult to walk him through these basics this even applies to older students at the high school level Checklists can be used instead of expecting Billy to rely on his memory which is often compromised due to high levels of stress Coaching Billy on the use of his planner and checking that he has written down each assignment may be needed Asking him if he has written them down is not enough Billy may think he has written them down but he has probably missed critical details written the wrong page numbers or scribbled so illegibly that he will never figure things out Perhaps during detention Billy is coached on how to organize his locker then he meets with the school counselor to set up regular times throughout each day when she can help him continue to maintain his locker s organization and hold him accountable for learning this skill DOMAI N 5 Figure 5 17 Meme demonstrating the impact trauma has on a student s ability to organize Address Listening Skills Listening skills are among the most important skills students need in order to be successful in school Family experiences help children develop these skills for academic success Students coming from family backgrounds where they have not had stories read to them participated in evening meals together had adults pay attention and listen to them or had adults play with them one on one likely have very poor listening skills Billy s D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 231

inability to listen should not be grounds for punishment Instead Billy needs methodical coaching and instruction to catch up with his peers Telling Billy to pay attention is useless He needs to be taught how to pay attention and listen This can be done in easy ways such as having lunch with Billy and engaging him in a conversation that is of interest to him During the conversation the adult can point out how she is listening and discuss how the conversation is going based on each person s ability to pay attention Using listening games also gets Billy engaged in developing this skill Additionally engaging in collaborative conversations gives Billy the experiential learning required for this skill Ask for more details and then ask Billy to return answers to the questions Expand this further by getting Billy to ask more questions back Internet searches will also provide more ideas on how to support Billy in developing stronger and more advanced listening skills Address Strategic Thinking Skills Children coming out of stressful home environments are accustomed to instability with life changes that happen quickly and without thought or preparation Families will up and move without warning in the middle of the night Parents will leave their children with a relative without any indication of when they will return Children living in foster homes may be instantly moved to a new placement without any preparation These life situations impact Billy s ability to develop his strategic thinking skills see Table 5 4 Table 5 4 Strategic thinking skills Strategic Thinking Skills Skill type 232 Explanation of skill 1 Anticipating and planning Thinking about what is ahead 2 Critical thinking Questioning everything with the intent of improvement 3 Interpreting Looking for patterns 4 Logical thinking Using consistent reasoning to make decisions 5 Learning Making changes based on previous mistakes 6 Sequential thinking Following a chain of thought and understanding the order of how life works C L A S S R O O M18 0

Take an example of Billy s family waking him up in the middle of the night and telling him to pack all his things in a garbage bag immediately The family is moving to a new undisclosed location in an attempt to evade the police None of the six strategic thinking skills listed in Table 5 4 are being practiced or modeled There is no time to anticipate or plan 1 Billy has no time to question his parents on the rationale of moving He simply knows by the stress level in the home that he better do exactly as he is told 2 This moving might be a pattern of his family s lifestyle but there is no predictability to it This gives him no chance to interpret and prepare for future moves based on past patterns 3 The entire event is so chaotic that it is devoid of any logic or reasoning 4 His parents are living in survival so there is no learning from past mistakes There are no self reflective practices being modeled that would stop this type of chaotic lifestyle 5 There is no time for order The only sequential steps are to pack up and move in five D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 minutes Billy does not have time to process and organize what is happening nor does he have time to organize his things 6 In Andy s home however his family decides to move but the process of the move is extremely different The parents call a family meeting to announce the move and talk about all the changes that will happen over the next several months 1 The parents discuss everything they considered in making the move and why they feel this will be best for the family 2 Andy is used to regular family meetings and they are a part of his family s culture This patterned way of connecting and discussing family events is predictable and adds to the stability of the family 3 As his parents discuss the move they model logical thinking They discuss what is going to happen and what to prepare for in a logical and sequential way 4 and 6 The family reflects on some of the challenges they had a few years ago when they made a similar move They discuss ways to make this move go better 5 From these two contrasting examples it can be seen how Billy s strategic skill sets compared to Andy s have been compromised This will impact Billy in every way in the classroom and will eventually lead to behavioral problems Teaching him these strategic thinking skills in a methodical and intentional manner is key to changing his behavior and empowering him to stay more in alignment with the class rules and expectations Many of the strategies already discussed in this book will also help Billy strengthen these skills Keeping a predictable and logical class schedule gives Billy the experience of planning for what comes next Holding family class meetings and participating in restorative circles fosters self reflection and learning from past mistakes Asking him questions about certain characters in a story promotes critical thinking and offers practice in interpreting behavioral patterns 233

More focused individual help can be given to Billy through resources specifically designed to teach strategic thinking skills When Billy has a negative behavioral incident he can create a flowchart of what happened and walk through each step of the incident in a logical fashion Processing the incident step by step and talking about alternative choices teaches him new ways of handling conflict with reason and good judgment Simplistic games like checkers or chess can also teach these skills Have discussions afterward to so that Billy can correlate the skills he used during the game to real life situations Billy before you jumped me I saw you looking to make sure I wouldn t be able to jump you next That was a great way to stop and think about what was going to happen next Other ideas include playing brain games doing logic puzzles and dissecting current events with questions starting with who what where when why and how 24 Grades Grades have always been seen as an objective measure of how students are doing on their academics Learn the material and receive an A or not learn the material and receive an F However measuring students academic achievement is not as simple as we once thought In fact research is showing a direct correlation between happiness and students GPA from elementary school through high school 3 This means that grades alone do not accurately reflect how well students are performing in a class or in a particular subject From this research it is fair to conclude that students happiness in their life much of which comes from outside of the classroom is going to impact their grades inside the classroom Therefore instead of relying on the traditional view that attributes poor grades to students lack of effort poor attitude or bad choices we need to adopt a broader perspective When grading students we must look at the underlying issue to understand the root cause of poor grades As suggested students emotional happiness or lack thereof must be considered While there may be other factors besides happiness such as a learning disability poor eyesight or health issues happiness is a primary influencer for all students especially for our students impacted by trauma Focusing on students happiness is key and the easiest solution to improving students happiness is to get students connected by building strong healthy emotionally safe relationships within the school environment Happiness stems from being surrounded by people who are genuinely caring and supportive see Figure 5 18 Research on skills that might influence success confirms that the quality of students relationships with teachers and peers predicted 234 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Figure 5 18 The quality of relationships influences a student s happiness and grades their happiness 4 Therefore grades should be communicated in a way that supports our students happiness and empowers them This does not mean giving all students a good grade but rather focusing on how grades are delivered instead of the grade itself This DOMAI N 5 requires ensuring that the grading system is positively structured and communicated with encouragement support and pure intention Moreover the focus on grades should be scaled back to enable students to find happiness in their learning instead of overly stressing their nervous systems and brains to the point they are too dysregulated to learn These concepts are further explained below Separate Out Grades for Students Effort and Achievement Just the word grades is anxiety provoking for most students One letter next to a student s name has the power to unravel him into a deep state of emotional discord This D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 235

is because students without a strong sense of self relate their self worth to their grades If Billy sees an F on his paper or report card his automatic conclusion is that he is a failure see Figure 5 19 He does not have the insight to be able to separate the grade from how he sees himself I am stupid I am bad I am unworthy I am unloveable I don t deserve to be on this planet Figure 5 19 Students without a strong sense of self directly correlate their identity to their grades When Billy s test scores are low and he earns D s and F s many times these scores do not reflect his efforts For instance if Billy has had an unstable history with multiple moves to different cities and schools he most likely missed foundational math principles When he is then tested on his multiplication tables he fails He may have tried his very best but when he receives his test score of an F he blames himself and comes to the conclusion that he is stupid and that his efforts do not matter Separating out grades for student effort and achievement is one way to give Billy the positive recognition he deserves Giving him an F for achievement coupled with an A for effort is a much more accurate communication of his abilities Instead of allowing grades to decrease a child s self esteem grades should be used to improve a student s self esteem This takes thinking differently about grades and being creative in their delivery Rita Pierson a teacher for forty years and famous for saying Kids don t learn from people they don t like explains how to do this in her inspiring TED Talk I gave a quiz twenty questions Student missed eighteen I put a 2 on his paper and a big smiley face He said Ms Pierson is this an F I said 236 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Yes He said Then why d you put a smiley face I said Because you on the road You got two right you didn t miss them all Then I said And when we review this won t you do better He said Yes ma am I can do better You see 18 sucks all the life out of you 2 says I ain t all bad 5 Identify Supports and Resources to Improve Test Scores Instead of leaving the entire burden of the grade on the student when low grades are given there needs to be an offering of available supports and resources to facilitate improvements in test scores When a student is handed a math test with an F on the top and an X near the incorrect answers that may be all the student receives The assumption is that the student will figure out how to make things better on his own For many Andys they are able to figure things out because they have the resourcefulness energy home support and motivation to make the needed improvements on their own However Billy s internal resources are mainly reserved for the basics of daily survival Dealing with buried and unprocessed emotional pain every day is exhausting Going home every night and getting up every morning having to play the role of parent to siblings is draining Not being able to sleep at night because of the loud and scary sounds of domestic violence sets a negative tone for the school day Worrying all day long in class whether your parent who is an illegal immigrant will be picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE that day consumes the heart and mind A low test score can also reflect a much bigger issue than the test itself Many of our Billys are lacking in their academic skill set Doing well on a test not only reflects a grasp of the test material it reflects a number of skills required to actually master the material These include Test taking skills Note taking skills Study habits Time management skills Organizational skills Ability to focus Ability to ask questions Self talk Stress reduction skills Memorizing techniques Reading ability DOMAI N 5 D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 237

Thus not doing well on a test may be due to a learning gap in a number of the skills listed above As mentioned earlier in the discussion on developmental deficits Billy requires support in filling in those gaps where he lags behind He must be scaffolded up with reassurance when given a low or failing grade Otherwise leaving him to his own devices will most certainly continue a downward spiral of low or failing academic scores Refrain from Grade Shaming The practice of shaming students should have gone out with the dunce cap decades ago Sadly it continues to be prevalent in many schools whether at a subtle covert level or at a blatant overt level An article from The Hechinger Report gives an unfortunate example of the latter At the start of the 2018 19 school year every student at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood Ariz was issued a color coded ID badge In the past red badges denoted a student s rank as an underclassman Juniors and seniors wore gray badges Beyond distinguishing between older and younger students color coding provided a sense of progression rank and seniority However last year the school decided to take a different direction in categorizing students Mingus Union forced academically underperforming students to carry a red badge a virtual scarlet letter to set them apart from the rest of their peers 6 Leveraging shame does not influence students positively It is a form of bullying and rejection A no shaming policy benefits all students but especially children impacted by trauma As discussed rejection is a strong and overpowering theme of trauma To reject students by shaming them only serves to trigger the Billys of the classroom It does not result in academic or behavioral improvement In fact in most cases it does the opposite The experience of shame elicits feelings of being small worthless and powerless feelings that Billy is already too familiar with so they are counterproductive to moving him forward in his academic and emotional healing journey Refrain from Comparing Students and Their Grades and Achievements It may seem harmless to say Billy I know you can make an A like Andy did on the spelling test You re just as capable While the intention of such a statement is to bolster Billy s self esteem it actually decreases it What Billy hears is Billy you didn t make an 238 C L A S S R O O M18 0

A like Andy did on the spelling test Too bad you re not just as capable What teachers say to students and what students hear are entirely different especially when students already feel bad about themselves The only person Billy should be compared to is Billy This statement would be much more effective to say Billy I know you re capable of making an A on the spelling test Let s work together to see what can be done to support you for next week s test Assist Students in Forming a Plan for Improving Grades Research is showing that when teachers focus less on grades and more on the tasks required to earn the grades students excel more 7 Sequential and consequential thinking are typically compromised in students impacted by trauma If a student sets a goal of making an A in math he must be able to then think through all the steps and tasks required to make the A Andy has a better developed executive center of the brain to do this than Billy For example Andy gets his paper back from his teacher with a D He thinks Wow I really want to get a better grade I m going to have to study harder pay attention better and put more effort into the next assignment to pull this off But when Billy gets his paper back from Sequential and his teacher with a D he thinks Wow I really want to get a better grade In Billy s world there consequential thinking is no understanding of how to actually achieve this goal Billy lives in the moment so his ability are typically to plan for the future is severely compromised compromised in He does not have the forward logical and linear thinking required to do this students impacted To help students improve their grades the focus should be on short term task oriented by trauma D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 goals chunking them down into attainable steps one by one rather than setting an abstract and nebulous long term goal of making a better grade Outlining a roadmap to achieving higher grades by chunking down assignments into concrete task oriented steps will give Billy the clarity he needs This clarity will also reduce Billy s stress level With a structured clear and well developed plan to follow Billy sees a predictable path thus reducing anxiety and feelings of overwhelm and uncertainty 239

Refer Students with More Severe Needs for Testing and One on One Services Some students have only been seen as behavioral problems and unfortunately their lagging academic skills have been overlooked Instead of addressing these students from the behavioral level addressing their lagging academic skills head on will result in much better outcomes For instance if Billy s reading ability is far below grade level he is likely to become frustrated and disruptive in class Giving him extra help to bring up his reading ability would curtail the negative behaviors that stem from his comprehension issues All too often getting such individual services and testing can be met with resistance from the school Andy has parents who can advocate for his needs Billy typically does not The role of the trauma informed classroom teacher is to be Billy s advocate The bonus is that when Billy knows the teacher has his back the level of trust and respect Billy can gain from this is priceless Listen to me don t fix me H E A T H E R T F OR BE S L C S W 25 Social and Emotional Learning Part of becoming a trauma informed classroom involves including lessons on social and emotional learning SEL When students are taught the skills on how to interact and develop meaningful friendships along with the words to express themselves they no longer feel as isolated and their communication through negative acting out behaviors decreases Even so asking the Billys of the classroom to be socially engaged and emotionally expressive will typically create a challenge for them If the impact of what trauma does to a child had to be boiled down to one word it would be TRUST Billy does not trust other people because he has been hurt in the past He has built a wall of protection around himself to keep safe Asking students like Billy to connect and express themselves on an emotional level is a highly vulnerable request Andy can shift into SEL lessons without hesitation In fact many SEL lessons for Andy may be a relief to him as he understands the benefits of having these tools The same 240 C L A S S R O O M18 0

is not true for Billy Billy likes his wall of protection Asking him to drop his wall of protection is like you being asked to walk into a classroom naked This might be a graphic analogy but the feeling is so similar It bears emphasizing that asking and expecting a student like Billy to engage in SEL activities is asking him to feel exposed and vulnerable That is why when such valuable lessons are implemented a strong effort must be made to create as much emotional safety as possible and to understand the risk Billy faces by his participation When resistance is encountered Billy will need more emotional reassurance patience and support to work through the trauma based fear and anxiety that these lessons are evoking Another factor to consider when implementing SEL into a trauma informed classroom is that Billy s emotional levels are quite different from Andy s Billy s emotional sensory system is supercharged Andy may come to D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 school angry on occasion this is certainly a If the impact of normal emotion for anyone to have Andy might be angry at his parents for deciding that his what trauma does to curfew is being moved back from 11 00 p m to a child had to be boiled 10 30 p m He does not think this is fair and he is angry that he will have to miss some of the fun down to one word at tonight s after the game party He comes to school angry but by the time first period ends it would be TRUST he has recovered and moves on about his day Like Andy Billy may come to school angry too He is mad because his parents promised that they would attend his game last night instead they were too drunk to show up After having to find a ride home he walked into the house and got yelled at by his dad who was so drunk he could barely speak His dad was blaming Billy for a number of things and never once mentioned that they missed his game or asked how the game went Another scenario could be that Billy s parents did not show up because they were working late His mother a prominent surgeon was on call and was pulled into emergency surgery at the last minute His father a successful attorney was at the office preparing for a trial with a high profile case Neither was home when he came home and the nanny was the only one there in the morning to acknowledge him and serve him breakfast While the circumstances in both these examples are drastically different the emotional impact on Billy is the same In both examples Billy s parents were not there to support him in the way he needed them to nor did his parents follow through with their commitments to him 241

The difference between Andy and Billy s anger is monumental While each has a right to be angry the difference comes in looking at three characteristics of the anger 1 the intensity 2 the frequency and 3 the duration If the intensity were to be measured on a scale from 1 to 10 Andy s anger is about a 3 see Figure 5 20 The intensity of Billy s anger is a 10 Anger Andy Billy Figure 5 20 A comparison between the levels of anger The frequency of Andy coming to school angry is about a 2 yet Billy s anger never goes away He is the student who seems angry all the time Andy recovers from being angry fairly quickly Billy does not bounce back This is mainly because Billy knows the problems at home are not going to get any better but his system is now accustomed to being angry too Anger is his new normal Thus the duration for Billy s anger gets a rating of 10 If Andy s first period teacher were to notice Andy being angry at the start of the day and asked him what was going on the level of anger that Andy expressed would be within an expected range In contrast if Billy s first period teacher were to notice Billy being angry and Billy decided to open up about what happened the teacher would need to be prepared to handle his level of intensity The point is that when students impacted by trauma do start sharing the adults have to be ready and open to handling such emotional intensity as also discussed in Domain 3 Language of Trauma Component 14 Affect 242 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Tolerance Trauma is not pretty and it can come out in a fury of intensity an intensity that most people are unaccustomed to Therefore a trauma informed classroom teacher must understand the difference in the level of emotional expression that might occur when implementing SEL programs and activities between her Andys and her Billys Trauma often leaves children with deep feelings of shame as they typically feel the bad experience that happened is their fault as well as being told outright by the abuser that it was their fault This leads to feeling There must be something wrong with me and I m bad The result is that these children work very hard to cover up this shame and they work hard to keep others from really knowing them Their deep belief is If you really know me you will reject me Therefore I would rather you just send me to time out or suspend me Punishment is safer than sitting in a circle and talking about my feelings I m too scared to share D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 It is also important to understand the unbending loyalty that is often bred within dysfunctional families Dysfunctional families keep secrets Children in such family systems inherently know You do NOT share Children hold the heavy burden of holding the illusion to the outside world that their families are normal They know they are not to break this family code under any circumstance This family code also keeps them from being free to change and improve These children know deep down that if they change grow and heal they will emotionally outgrow their family members Billy has a deep yet toxic biological tie to his family He wants to keep his family close and it does not matter if they are emotionally healthy or not Breaking away from a toxic and dysfunctional family requires cutting a biological tie that is deeply rooted But parental messages such as Don t you think you re better than us and Don t you get too big for your britches reinforce this tie Dysfunctional parents do not want their children to outdo them and their children know that the family code must be adhered to On the contrary Andy s parents want and encourage him to accomplish more than what they were able to accomplish They celebrate and congratulate Andy when he has evolved past the family blueprint and expands the family pattern of success Such is not the case for Billy Billy is trapped between being asked to improve at school and being loyal to his family code Strong awareness of these factors needs to be taken into account when implementing SEL within the trauma informed classroom This includes adjusting assignments that are met with resistance from Billy Staying attuned to the toxic family messages swirling around in Billy s mind is crucial to decreasing his stress so he can ultimately break away and become emotionally expressive and live in a joyful heart centered place 243

Teach Basic Feeling Words For classrooms that are in the early stages of implementing SEL and for those that lack funding for fully developed curriculums some simple steps toward teaching students how to express themselves at an emotional level can be taken Teachers can begin by teaching students five to eight basic feeling words This gives students easy vocabulary words to express themselves well enough so that others can understand them and connect with them For younger children using five simple words can be the foundation for helping them become emotionally attuned Mad Grateful Scared Sad Happy Using visual representations of feelings with colors as shown in Figure 5 21 can help young children identify how they are feeling Figure 5 21 Five basic feeling words for younger students Joanna Forbes joannaforbes com Used with permission See Appendix B for a printable copy For older students one idea is to teach the eight primary emotions of anger fear sadness disgust surprise anticipation trust and joy developed by Robert Plutchik PhD Plutchik proposed that these eight emotions are the foundation for all other emotions 244 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Plutchik s Wheel of Emotions in Figure 5 22 illustrates the fluidity of emotions where emotions can exist in varying degrees of intensity He also proposed the primary opposing emotions Joy versus sadness Anger versus fear Trust versus disgust Surprise versus anticipation The wheel can also be made into a 3D cone shaped model for a hands on and more meaningful tool for students DOMAI N 5 Figure 5 22 Plutchik s Wheel of Emotions Reprinted by permission of American Scientist magazine of Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Honor Society See Appendix B for a printable copy Model Emotional Expression Developing a culture of emotional expression begins with the teacher modeling it to the students When a teacher enters her classroom each morning and throughout the entire day she should reflect on how she is feeling and then verbally express her emotional state to the students This is a good way to model expression but it also creates a level of safety D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 245

for children like Billy who have a high sensitivity to the emotional states of those in authority The Fake it until you make it approach is not recommended If a teacher is struggling or upset she might simply state Right now class I m a bit dysregulated and struggling Being authentic helps I m going to take a few breaths and try to get back to a better place Being authentic helps Billy know that he is not Billy know that he is not in trouble and that it is in trouble and that it is not his responsibility to make the teacher OK Many of our Billys grow up in homes that not his responsibility to are enmeshed meaning that the feelings of the adult become the feelings of the child There is make the teacher OK a lack of emotional boundaries When a parent in Billy s home is mad it becomes Billy s fault that the parent is mad It then becomes the unhealthy responsibility of Billy to make the parent alright Billy s focus and number one job at that moment is to make the parent OK in order to make the home a safe environment Helping Billy develop stronger emotional boundaries is vital to Billy using his energy toward his academics instead of feeling unsafe in the classroom because he senses that the teacher is not OK Thus in the classroom if students have a connection with the teacher and they are given authentic feedback as to how the teacher is feeling it gives them permission and room to have feelings of their own Allow and Encourage Social Emotional Expression Acknowledging students from a holistic perspective requires teaching them how to express themselves at an emotional level as well as allowing and encouraging them to have the space to express themselves in the classroom This means that instead of being focused solely on the academic lesson the class is structured in a way to include students hearts and feelings One might read that statement and think This isn t therapy this is an academic classroom The difference is that the classroom is not intended to be dedicated to emotional expression 100 percent of the time like a group therapy session Support emotional resistance Learning new things can be challenging for any student but especially for the Billys of the classroom Trauma robs students of their sense of curiosity and their love of exploring because the inherent message that follows trauma is that anything new is bad Therefore moving Billy into unfamiliar and broader ideas of an academic environment becomes threatening Such challenges then create anxiety in Billy so the natural response Billy will give is resistance 246 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Teachers often report that getting Billy to engage in a new lesson or project is like rolling a boulder up a hill The effort involved on their part is exhausting Often Billy will verbalize his fear by saying things like This assignment is stupid The traditional response from the teacher would typically be Billy this is the assignment and I need you to get focused Ignoring and jumping over the emotional resistance only causes Billy to crank his resistance up another notch I don t care about this assignment and you can t make me do it The teacher then continues on the same traditional academic wavelength by adding a level of fear saying If you don t start working on this you ll end up with an F in this class The negative neurological feedback loop continues to ensue with no regard to the underlying emotional culprit driving the entire situation Billy is now in a power struggle so his only goal is to win To him winning is not doing the assignment no matter the consequences Instead the trauma informed classroom allows Billy to express and process the emotional resistance that often prevents him from being able to get on task and complete his academics When Billy says This assignment is stupid the response from the teacher is one that reflects her being emotionally attuned to Billy and her ability to speak trauma as discussed in Domain 3 Language of Trauma The conversation may sound more like this Hey Billy So what s up Billy This is just stupid Teacher I understand Sometimes my assignments seem stupid don t they Billy They ARE stupid Teacher It s hard doing things that you don t want to do isn t it Billy Yep and I m not doing this because it s stupid Teacher You re an important part of this class and I really want you to do well Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you get started Maybe I can make a couple of adjustments so it doesn t feel quite so stupid DOMAI N 5 Teacher This type of response stays free and clear of any power struggle and keeps Billy from getting locked into a no win scenario It opens the door for Billy to have a voice in his assignment The teacher does not need to make any major overhauls to the assignment D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 247

A couple of adjustments might simply mean chunking the assignment down to five questions instead of ten just to get Billy started and then having him finish the other five later Or it might mean Billy can do the assignment on the computer in the back of the class where he has a sense of privacy where he might feel more emotional safety instead of at his desk These are all offerings of support that reflect the teacher s understanding that new things are hard school is hard for Billy Maximize students When students do express themselves it is vitally important that the responses they receive back from the teacher and their peers are positive and encouraging We often try to help students by changing how they feel For instance when Billy says I m mad Andy was talking sh t about me we immediately offer words to change Billy s perspective We say things like Don t be mad He was just joking around he didn t mean it for real Or worse we correct his expressive language in the moment Don t you use that language in this classroom These types of responses not only invalidate Billy they offer no encouragement for Billy to express himself in the future Instead an encouraging response serves to maximize instead of minimize Billy s perspective You are mad and I don t blame you Let s work this through The working through might be a conversation off to the side at that moment if possible or an offer to take a quick break but talk through it after class or at another more appropriate time Once Billy is listened to feels heard and is in a better state of regulation the discussion can unfold on what words are inappropriate in the classroom with an offer of alternative words that can used to express highly emotionally charged responses Address Social Skills Deficits Students impacted by trauma often have very poor social skills and are challenged at school because it is a highly social environment Early childhood experiences between parents and children set the blueprint for how children are able to interact with their peers These early parent child interactions also influence how the brain is wired for social connection When children do not experience the attuned synchronicity of a parentchild relationship a loving and responsive bond they do not have the foundation for knowing how to successfully interact with their peers Their lack of social development often leads to behavioral problems thus making it imperative that social skills deficits be addressed in the classroom Many Billys of the classroom are socially awkward and they misread social cues Their body language is often misleading and they do not read other people s body language properly They can easily cross the line between being assertive and aggressive not 248 C L A S S R O O M18 0

understanding the difference They often do not understand how to maintain appropriate personal space and consequently get too close to their peers They do not know how to initiate social interactions or the ability to make and keep friends When they are engaged in a conversation they often monopolize a topic that is only of interest to them For those familiar with autism spectrum disorder ASD these social deficits just described will sound very similar to a child diagnosed with ASD Indeed the social deficits seen in children diagnosed with ASD are remarkedly similar to many children impacted by trauma The developing brains of children who experience relational trauma early in their lives impact them socially and the outcome is much the same It is in essence traumatized autism Most school districts have resources already on hand for children diagnosed with ASD and these resources are typically accessible to help the Billys of the classroom Additionally autism awareness campaigns have built a vast number of tools and resources that are available on the internet While the Billys of the classroom may not be clinically diagnosed with ASD ASD tools and resources are excellent to use in addressing their social skills deficits see Table 5 5 to help them become socially competent Table 5 5 Common social skills deficits Social Skills Social interaction skills Being patient Social language skills Accepting differences Perspective taking Developing conversation skills Making and keeping friends Making eye contact Cooperating with others Maintaining appropriate personal space DOMAI N 5 Coach Students on How to Socially Interact in Real Life Along with teaching students social skills and modeling these skills to them teachers should also guide students when their own social blunders unfold in a negative way Rather than punishing students for saying something rude or for some other socially inappropriate behavior that unfolds in the classroom coaching them through what happened and how to correct it in the future is profoundly more productive Requiring students to either fill D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 249

out worksheets on how one should respond or answer questions designed to teach social skills where the student has no personal connection to the questions are ineffective Working through more socially appropriate behaviors with Billy makes more sense when they are applicable to his personal life Richard Lavoie author of It s So Much Work to Be Your Friend describes a technique he developed called social skill autopsy 8 The basic principle is to assist a student in analyzing an actual social blunder that he made and to discuss the behavioral options that the student could have implemented for a better outcome By coaching a student through an actual situation it has relevance Moreover by breaking it down with the student and getting the student s input the student will have more buy in so the change can be lasting Incorporate SEL and Brain Science into the Curriculum Implementing a trauma informed approach does not require throwing out the current curriculum and starting over with something new It is quite the contrary At first it can mean making a few modifications and additions to what is already being used Incorporating trauma informed language such as the words regulation and dysregulation can easily be done from preschool to high school For instance the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street sings a song about his attempts at staying regulated 9 This is a great resource to teach young children these concepts Additionally teachers can use books from their Figure 5 23 Samples of books from mandatory reading lists 250 C L A S S R O O M18 0

mandatory reading lists see Figure 5 23 and ask questions such as Who was the most dysregulated character or What did the main character do to try to get regulated throughout the story These types of questions can be incorporated from a preschool classroom all the way up to an advanced placement literature class SEL is not always about asking students to identify how they feel As mentioned asking Billy to disclose how he feels is especially difficult because it requires him to be vulnerable It is much easier to identify the feelings of others Having students relate to characters or past historical experiences can be a safe and productive way to teach SEL This might mean weaving in questions and dialogue regarding the emotional well being associated with the academic lesson For instance when discussing the American Revolutionary War the traditional approach has been to discuss the facts reasons and logistics of the war To enhance the depth of such a historically significant time a trauma informed classroom would also include looking at such an event from the emotional level This could include a discussion or writing assignment of what it might have been like to have lived during D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 a time of such unrest and uncertainty Perhaps the question becomes What would it have felt like to have family in Great Britain yet be living here in America Describe how it would have felt to be at war with a country where you still had loved ones These types of emotionally centered questions and discussions have traditionally been left out of our academics Brain science is showing that our brains can recall events and historical facts much better when there is an emotional experience associated with them Not only are we helping students develop their emotional intelligence with this broader social and emotional perspective we are also helping them learn the material at a more enhanced level with better recall Teaching students the basics of how emotions are processed in the brain also gives students a deeper understanding of why they react differently when they are emotionally charged as opposed to when they are calm An early elementary school science lesson can teach the basics of the brain using phrases like wizard brain and lizard brain while an advanced science course can discuss in depth the function of the hippocampus amygdala and the hypothalamus along with the autonomic and parasympathetic nervous systems Each lesson can be tailored to the academic level of the class while teaching the same basic concepts Figure 5 24 shows an illustration of the brain used in a classroom for younger students and Figure 5 25 shows an illustration of the brain used in a classroom for older students When a trauma informed teacher looks for creative ways to incorporate the language of trauma opportunities will show up for it to become an integral part of her lessons 251

Figure 5 24 Brain science for younger students Figure 5 25 Brain science for older students and the classroom culture Giving students the gift of understanding themselves fosters a greater sense of self acceptance and self love which ultimately translates into higher levels of motivation and focus when it comes to academics Implement and Modify a Comprehensive and Systematic SEL Program There are numerous SEL programs and structured SEL curriculums available for use in the classroom The Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning CASEL has compiled a list of well designed evidence based SEL programs This list along with other valuable information on SEL programs is available in two program guides CASEL Guide Preschool and Elementary Edition and CASEL Guide Middle and High School Edition These can be found at casel org guide CASEL has identified five social and emotional learning core competencies that should be covered in an SEL program Figure 5 26 summarizes and illustrates these areas As emphasized in the opening discussion of this domain adding a trauma informed lens to SEL programs and curriculums is crucial Most SEL programs were designed for the Andys of the classroom so caution must be given to ensure that the lessons are modified as needed for the Billys of the classroom too 252 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Self awareness The ability to accurately recognize one s emotions and thoughts and their influences on behavior This includes accurately assessing one s strengths and limitations and possessing a well grounded sense of confidence and optimism Self management The ability to regulate one s emotions thoughts and behaviors effectively in different situations This includes managing stress controlling impulses motivating oneself and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals Social awareness The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures to understand social and ethical norms for behavior and to recognize family school and community resources and supports DOMAI N 5 Relationship skills The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups This includes communicating clearly listening actively cooperating resisting inappropriate social pressure negotiating conflict constructively and seeking and offering help when needed Responsible decision making The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards safely concerns social norms the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions and the well being of self and others Figure 5 26 CASEL 2017 The Five Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies as developed and defined by CASEL Reprinted with permission D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 253

26 Self Image and Identity Development Perpetual and chronic childhood traumatic experiences have a more profound impact on an individual s self image than experiences that happen in adulthood Babies do not have a sense of self they derive their identity from their mothers They are one Once past infancy toddlers begin to separate from this mother child identity hence the terrible twos stage of development The process of developing a separate and distinct sense of self and the defining of a child s full identity is a process that continues during the course of a child s developmental years When trauma happens during the period when a child is answering the question Who am I the trauma becomes an integral part of this answer For instance if good things are happening in a child s life then the child identifies with these good events to determine I am good I am worthy I am lovable Yet if bad things are happening the child identifies with these bad events to determine I am bad I am unworthy I am unlovable The internal identification of a child is directly linked to external events and experiences There is no separation during the developmental years the brain is not yet sophisticated enough to separate the two A student s sense of self directly influences how he is able to handle the academic social and emotional demands of the classroom If Billy is challenged with a difficult assignment and believes he is stupid the chances of him being able to work through it are slim Billy is unwilling to take academic risks because if he gets the problem wrong this proves to him that he really is stupid These negative thoughts rob him of his motivation they drain the life out of him On the contrary if Andy believes he is smart and can do anything he puts his mind to he will be able to work through it and meet the challenges put forth to him Andy already knows he is smart therefore getting problems wrong does not destroy him It adds fuel to the fire for him His motivation increases when he misses problems If a classmate says something negative and demeaning to Billy even if he is halfjoking Billy has no ability to brush it off he will likely retaliate If the same is done to Andy Andy has a stronger sense of self Andy does not take it personally and is able to retort and reciprocate back with humor banter and fun teasing Negative belief systems are one of the most influential and underlying driving forces behind the challenges exhibited by the Billys in the classroom Please note Chapter 5 in Help for Billy goes into more detail on the power of a child s belief system It is highly recommended that readers refer to this chapter for more information on belief systems Table 5 6 lists the typical negative belief systems hindering Billy s ability to succeed Ways to help students overcome their negative belief systems are discussed next 254 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Table 5 6 Belief systems that hinder success Billy s Negative Beliefs I m stupid My teacher likes everyone else more I m not lovable I m alone I m not good enough I must suffer and struggle I screw up every time I don t fit in I don t deserve to be on this planet People don t like me I m not worthy My teacher thinks I m stupid My parents won t love me anymore if I get this wrong I suck I m a loser I m the bad kid I ll never get it right I m an idiot My teacher hates me I ll never get better Everyone in the class can do this except me I m too overwhelmed to even try I can t do anything right I can t do anything right I make people mad D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Use Affirmations We all have thoughts running through our minds during our waking hours Unfortunately many of these are negative thoughts that we picked up from our own childhoods or young adult life Have you ever heard your mom s voice in your head Or have you heard the tone and intonation of your dad s or a former teacher s or professor s voice Childhood messages easily get ingrained into our thinking As illustrated in Figure 5 27 we play recordings over and over in our minds like Why can t you be like your sister or You just need to try harder Or worse You ll never amount to anything or You re always the problem These self sabotaging thoughts can hinder us but for our Billys they can be destructive and debilitating Repeating positive affirmations and hearing positive statements can physically rewire a child s or an adult s neural pathways It is said that it takes twenty one days to rewire 255

the brain Considering that students are in the classroom for about nine months at a time schools have a tremendous opportunity to help students transform negative thoughts into empowering and energizing streams of consciousness Figure 5 27 Self sabotaging thoughts plaguing a student s mind Joanna Forbes joannaforbes com Used with permission There are numerous ways to add affirmations into a class whether at the elementary or secondary level Again the internet and YouTube can offer fun and engaging ways to get students to improve their sense of self and change their beliefs about who they are with affirmations Affirm students Affirm students either at a whole class level or individually Table 5 7 provides examples of affirming sentences When affirming students individually the teacher has to be authentic and the statements need to come from the heart i e with feeling and love It is important that affirmations are given not only in times of good behavior but at all times Billy is most in need of positive affirmations when he is the least deserving by traditional standards when he is the most disconnected and acting the 256 C L A S S R O O M18 0

worst so it is in these times that he needs the most connection and love For example if Billy is struggling and being noncompliant instead of disagreeing with his behavior by saying something like Billy stop it You ve got to pull it together and get back on task acknowledge his worth by saying Billy you matter to me and you re an important part of this classroom so let s figure something out to help you get back on track OK Table 5 7 How to affirm students Statement Types Sample Affirmations In the classroom Each of you is an important part of this class This class would not be the same without you I m so proud of you all You statements You matter to me You are loved You ve got this You can do anything you put your mind to I statements I admire how awesome you are I love that you re amazing I believe in you I admire your creative mind I love your sweet spirit I am happy you re in my class I admire your tenacity I admire how resourceful you are D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Some of the Billys in the classroom will find ways to argue with affirmations you give them that start with You such as You matter or You can do it Telling Billy what he is or what he can do opens the conversation up to a power struggle In his mind he is thinking You don t know me so don t tell me who I am or what I can do For students who become resistant start with I statements such as I think you re awesome or I believe in you It is harder to argue with you statements than with I statements Recite a class affirmation Create a customized class affirmation to recite before class begins Schools typically recite the Pledge of Allegiance Why not add in a similar pledge to the self Table 5 8 gives an example of a whole class affirmation developed by Jasmyn Wright an elementary teacher and author of I m Gonna Push Through 257

Table 5 8 Whole class affirmation Steps 258 Teacher Says Students Respond 1 Repeat after me 2 I am powerful I am powerful 3 I am important I am important 4 I am determined I am determined 5 I am resilient I am resilient 6 Now say it again 7 I am powerful I am powerful 8 I am important I am important 9 I am determined I am determined 10 I am resilient I am resilient 11 Now I need you to say it Go I am powerful 12 OK I am important 13 What else I am determined 14 Keep going I am resilient 15 You were born for a reason 16 Your life has meaning 17 You will work with a purpose 18 It will be your goal to find it 19 Because one day in this world you will make a difference 20 And use your footprint to be the imprint 21 Turn to your partner encourage them and say I believe in you 22 Now ask them Do you believe in yourself 23 Turn to someone else encourage them and say I believe in you 24 Now ask them Do you believe in yourself 25 Point to the most important person in this room and tell yourself I believe in me I will believe in myself 26 Say it again like you mean it Go I believe in me I will believe in myself 27 Excellent Don t let anyone else tell you otherwise Have a seat Jasmyn Wright used with permission Also recommended is the Lessons Through Affirmations curriculum at wepushthrough org C L A S S R O O M18 0

Identify affirmations of famous people and characters It is easier to identify the positive and negative characteristics in others than to see these in ourselves Whether the lesson is in reading history or current events identify fictional characters or people who exemplify strength and success Ask students to imagine they are this person What would be the thoughts or affirmations being recited in their heads Have students pick a few people or characters with whom they can identify Table 5 9 gives a variety of examples Table 5 9 Affirmations of famous people or characters Person or Character Affirmation Martin Luther King Jr I am fearless Helen Keller I am powerful Oprah Winfrey I can be do or have anything I want Mother Teresa I am love J K Rowling I am creative Atticus Finch I am bold Dr Cristina Yang I am determined Warren Buffett I am money Elon Musk I can design and build anything I want Isaac Newton I am smart Roger Federer I am talented Simone Biles I am mighty Sherlock Holmes I am inquisitive DOMAI N 5 Create self affirmations When students build their vocabulary of flowerful adjectives they can simultaneously build their sense of self There is power in the words I am Have students write their own affirmations When you ask Billy to fill in the blank of I am ______ he will probably select a negative word such as stupid ugly or bad These automatic responses are exactly why affirmation exercises are important For older students have them go through the alphabet and fill in the blank of I am ______ from A to Z For instance I am Amazing I am Brilliant I am Charismatic I am Determined D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 259

and so on Have them keep this sheet with them all the time and come back and revisit this exercise often Affirmations are not to be used to correct students behaviors Having children write or say I will be quiet in line or I will pay attention in class is not an affirmation Using the words I will is the complete opposite of using the words I am Remember behaviors stem from children s sense of self If we work to build their beliefs about who they are and how they see themselves in the world their ability to be compliant and act appropriately will change If a student believes I am good and I am amazing as illustrated in Figure 5 28 the likelihood of going against classroom rules and expectations drastically decreases Figure 5 28 Self affirming thoughts internally supporting a student Joanna Forbes joannaforbes com Used with permission Offer a Sense of Purpose Many people believe that having a sense of purpose is about having a mission to change and improve the world finding something missing in the world and being the one who fills that gap For students impacted by trauma that gap is much smaller Many 260 C L A S S R O O M18 0

of the Billys of the classroom do not even know why they are in school They have only been told You ve got to get your education In more extreme cases Billy does not even know why he is on this planet or that he even deserves to be on this planet Instead of looking at life from the perspective of how he can contribute to his school or to the world Billy sees himself as someone who detracts from the good of the school and sees himself as a problem to the world Many of the Billys in our classrooms have been moved around to multiple schools due to their negative behaviors and now feel more like they have a sense of destruction rather than a sense of purpose Traditional classrooms help students look to the future and contemplate questions like What do you want to be when you grow up or What do you want to major in when you go to college While these questions are exactly what Andy needs they can completely overwhelm students like Billy who are still living in survival The focus for Billy must D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 be in the here and now The trauma informed goal thus becomes How do we get Billy secure in his place in the world at this moment The expansive question of how to help Billy create his future comes later Integrating students like Billy into the classroom and getting them connected is the answer As discussed earlier creating a sense of family in the classroom sets the tone and culture for this The following strategies build off the concept of creating a classroom family and serve to offer students like Billy a stronger sense of purpose Give students jobs Giving students jobs in the classroom helps them become invested When students make a contribution it builds their sense of purpose and boosts their self esteem In the same way that giving children chores in a family fosters their sense of identity within the family system so does giving students jobs in the classroom It gives them a sense of being needed and valued as well as a sense of belonging and purpose Figure 5 29 shows two different ways to display the classroom jobs for the students Give jobs according to students needs Job assignments should be given according to students individual needs not simply at random For instance identifying jobs that will help build empathy in Billy such as taking care of the plants or animals can soften his protective wall Making sure the plants get watered and the animals are fed gives Billy ways to expand his empathetic energy to something other than a person Jobs that help Billy to regulate can also be assigned Some students find cleaning and putting things into order settles their internal anxiety Having Billy sweep the floor wash the whiteboard or organize the supply cabinet might be the perfect fit Job assignments should never be used as punishments They should be given proactively with the intent of getting Billy connected and regulated not as a way to punish him with a consequence 261

Figure 5 29 Visuals of classroom jobs Assign students to be helpers in lower grades Job assignments can often benefit Billy with his developmental deficits For example if Billy has been catapulted into growing up quickly due to his family s situation having him be a guest reader for a younger grade gives him a chance to revisit an earlier period in his life This also holds true for a student who might have had a challenging time in a lower grade Take a student who had a terrible experience in second grade Now as a fifth grader he goes back to be a reading buddy for a second grader This gives him a chance to go backward and redo an earlier experience When a fifth grader comes into a second grade class the second graders will gush over Billy as if he is a rock star Young children admire older children and feel privileged to have them in their classroom This can be an incredible boost to Billy s sense of purpose and self esteem Assign mentors to students needing more connection It is impossible for teachers to develop in depth relationships with all of their students This is especially true for specials teachers i e physical education teachers music teachers and art teachers and secondary teachers who have different students each class period Using mentors can be a powerful solution to this energy time dilemma Getting connected with an adult is one of the best ways to help students develop a stronger sense of purpose and emotional security The National Mentoring Resource Center a program of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention nationalmentoringresourcecenter org identifies numerous studies that show a strong correlation between mentor programs and an increase in youth 262 C L A S S R O O M18 0

grades attendance school behavior and academic growth Schools can work with structured mentor programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters or they can have students connect with someone already on the school campus such as a custodian support staff receptionist or lunch lady Figure 5 30 shows the benefit one student had of being closely connected to the school custodian on a day when she became extremely dysregulated in the cafeteria Oftentimes students act out in an effort to get attention Circumventing this negative DOMAI N 5 behavior by connecting students with a mentor who meets with them regularly can be a powerful intervention Other students find themselves overwhelmed with all the demands of school so simply having someone with whom they can check in and talk things through can give them more sustainability to keep them regulated and focused throughout a long school day Figure 5 30 Compassion and love given to an overwhelmed In the mini documentary student Hollie Bellew Shaw Used with permission Don t Quit on Me one student expressed that his mentor made a difference in the way he was able to approach school But she was like You re going to do great things And she meant it Another student summed it up to say Having adults in my life who weren t family and who still believed in me that is why I am who I am today 10 Cultivate Hope For many students who struggle they have perpetually experienced years of being identified as the bad student They have received countless punishments small and large from having to put their heads down on their desks to being suspended or even expelled D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T 263

When children experience patterns of weekly and daily punishments throughout their academic years they eventually lose hope For students who fall behind on their academics and continually receive poor grades the gap from where they are to where they need to be to succeed becomes so great that this adds to an even greater sense of hopelessness The experience of trauma only exacerbates these dynamics Many of our Billys feel that they are trapped in their family situations and despite their best efforts they have not been able to fix things at home The result is that they not only feel hopeless at school but also at home All of this creates way too much stress for a developing child or a young adult with underdeveloped coping skills to handle alone The trauma informed classroom can and needs to be the place that offers students like this hope It needs to be the place where these students can see that life can get better and that there is a better path for them that includes support unconditional acceptance and meaning The reality is that if the classroom does not do this for them the chances of the outside world offering it to them is about zero If they eventually drop out and enter the real world they will face an even more impossible road to success and happiness One of the most debilitating aspects of trauma is not necessarily the trauma itself but the loss of hope that stems from the trauma While it is impossible to go back in time whether years ago or yesterday and change the events of a student s trauma what can be offered is the part of the trauma that deeply impacts the student in the present moment hope Hope can be offered in the now Hope can be offered for the future A change in the outlook of what is possible right now and in the future can be discussed outlined and implemented Figure 5 31 shows an example of a lesson a class worked through on how to regain hope through changing one s mindset The lesson was then posted in the classroom Figure 5 31 Result of a class lesson on how to improve one s mindset for the students to revisit every 264 C L A S S R O O M18 0

time they walked in There are numerous ways a classroom can cultivate hope when a teacher has this goal within her curriculum Following are some other strategies for regaining hope Read and tell stories of success Numerous books are dedicated to telling the story of overcoming adversity Some are already part of the required curriculum but others can be added Discussions whether as a whole class or within a written book report can be initiated to identify how the characters in these stories find hope and overcome challenging situations Alternatively this strategy can be implemented with individual students Perhaps Billy s punishment is to choose an autobiography written by someone of his interest who pulls themselves up from the depths of darkness to success and happiness If One of the most Billy is resistant to reading maybe the choice is to D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 listen to the audiobook version many audiobooks debilitating aspects can be found for free on websites like Spotify and YouTube Have Billy identify and discuss what of trauma is not aspects of the main character he admires and necessarily the trauma talk with Billy about how he can assimilate the same type of perseverance in his own life Stories itself but the loss of of other people s success can have a profound impact on another person s ability to find hope hope that stems Set challenging but clear and attainable from the trauma goals Instead of telling Billy what he needs to do to succeed start by asking Billy what he wants his goals to be Start at a macro level with him choosing something like Improve my grades or Have more friends Then break down the steps for Billy to be able to attain his goals He has to feel like he has a voice and is part of the process Take Figure 5 32 for example which shows Billy s report card for the first nine weeks of the school year Billy will need help learning how to make small changes one step at a time to significantly improve his grades over the long term Billy s report card while being an objective measurement of his academic standing can be intensely deflating to Billy at a psychological level Telling Billy to merely pull up his grades would be incredibly overwhelming for him Children who experience trauma operate in extremes so what Billy hears is his teacher telling him to bring up his D s and F s all the way up to A s This is too far a jump it would render Billy hopeless Instead working with Billy to see how this could be accomplished a little bit by a little bit would be 265

much more effective In this example Billy has three more grading periods If he pulled up his scores to just the next letter grade each grading period he could work his way up to his desired goal over a longer period of time Figure 5 32 An example of Billy s report card for the first nine weeks As mentioned frequently in this book students impacted by trauma are often quite visual Having Billy take his report card and write his desired goals on the report card will help him see a new reality Be sure to coach him to stay within reasonable goals based on his abilities and true potential Getting him to feel what it would be like to accomplish incremental steps of improvement will ignite his internal sense of hope and hence increase his motivation because the goals will feel realistically attainable Figure 5 33 is an example of how to show Billy a new possible path of success based on visual incremental steps making the progression of movement feel very real and doable Billy will definitely need his teachers to surround him with continual support to reach his goals he is not equipped to do it on his own like Andy He may also need help periodically during the course of the school year to reassess and realign the goals Give students a vision for a better future Once Billy is stabilized and feels less overwhelmed he will be ready to broaden his thinking about the future For many of the Andys of the classroom the question growing up in their homes is not Are you going to go to college but rather Where are you going to go to college Andy s family system 266 C L A S S R O O M18 0

gives him a broad perspective of what he can do once he graduates from high school For Billy to move out of survival and become hopeful of a better future we must intentionally engage Billy in this type of expansive thinking once he is emotionally ready Many of the adults in Billy s life did not go to college and sometimes these adult role models did not even graduate from high school He has not had an early blueprint of setting his sights on a larger life than that with which he is already familiar Billy needs to know that there is a whole world out there waiting for him to bless it with his personality skills and contributions He does not even know that there are alternate lifestyles and life dreams far more reaching than his present reality Figure 5 33 An example of showing Billy incremental hope in achieving his goals D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Showing Billy a contrasting example of what he knows now compared to that which is available to him can be an eye opening experience The column on the left side in Figure 5 34 shows an example of a world with a high crime area and high poverty The right column shows alternatives to those listed in the left column Some of our Billys have never considered that those possibilities listed in the right column could be for him He has been brought up to believe that these things were for other people During times when Billy has been pulled out of class or has received a consequence for negative behavior showing Billy the two scenarios in Figure 5 34 can be used to empower Billy and help him understand why being engaged in the classroom is important and how 267

his behavior now can impact his future and happiness Exercises like this give credence and meaning to empty and meaningless phrases that Billy has heard all too often such as You ve got to get your education Future Plan Examples Around You Examples within Your Reach High school dropout No job Homeless Drug dealer Jail Hunger Dead end Misery Addiction problem Teenage pregnancy No money College trade school Good job Good health Friends Security Stability Opportunities Freedom Money Dreams Happiness Figure 5 34 Contrasting examples of what Billy knows and what is possible Help students articulate their dreams Teachers can play a pivotal role in encouraging students to dream If students do not feel as if their futures hold promise or success they will easily slip into a place of hopelessness Oftentimes struggling families encourage their children in the opposite direction by saying things like Stop dreaming and come back to earth or You need to live in reality This latter comment paints a bleak and hopeless picture for Billy because his reality offers nothing but stress suffering and struggle Healthy families like Andy s support and encourage dreams unhealthy and struggling families unknowingly cut off their children s dreams Walt Disney left us many lessons reminding us that our dreams can come true see Figure 5 35 Helping students articulate their dreams can be done in a variety of ways In building a family culture in the classroom it can be done through class discussions and assignments When boundaries need to be set that limit students activities such as 268 C L A S S R O O M18 0

missing some of recess or having detention have students research jobs and careers that might interest them and have them keep a continual list for themselves During restorative circles end with a discussion around future dreams to hone in on the fact that staying in alignment with behavioral expectations will lead to bigger and greater things in the future All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them First think Second believe Third dream And finally dare If you can dream it you can do it WA LT D I S N E Y Figure 5 35 Quotes on the importance of having dreams A note about resilience as it relates to hope Students who make it through tough situations despite feelings of hopelessness are deemed resilient Resilience is D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 defined as an ability to recover from or adjust easily merriam webster com dictionary resilience The problem with saying Billy is blessed he made it through because he is resilient is that overcoming trauma is never easy Attributing one student s success to resilience minimizes the fact that Billy made it through because he had the courage to push through the pain and anguish Billy made it through because he was disciplined dedicated and driven Billy was brave enough to leave behind everything he knew and choose something better for himself It is not a force outside of Billy or even an internal magic button that Billy somehow pushed to generate his ability to easily overcome the challenges pain and fear Every student has the potential to get better every student 269

However it does take pure grit tenacity beyond that which is needed in everyday life and massive determination to find one s way out of the darkness of trauma Thus it is important to give Billy full credit for making it through and not simply chalking up his success to resiliency 27 Reflection and Ongoing Growth Being trauma informed is a never ending journey This book does not include a certificate of completion because the journey to love is never complete There is always more to learn and there is always one more level of love to understand how to put love into action This is the beauty of this model It will continually keep you growing expanding and challenged in your work Be Reflective Be reflective on a daily weekly and yearly basis It is not about reviewing an incident in a way to blame or shame you Rather it is a way to ask the questions What did I miss and How can I be more attuned and more connected next time We are too used to going back over issues to find someone to blame in our culture Not anymore Have fun reflecting Approach it with an open heart a desire to know more and an eagerness to be wiser stronger and more perceptive next time Seek Out Professional Development Opportunities Keep it fresh by seeking out professional development opportunities There is always new information coming out Even re learning the old material can be beneficial when hearing it from different professionals who put a new spin on the material with their personalities and perspectives Being trauma informed requires a 180 degree shift so it takes constant learning to undo old patterns and old beliefs Inspire Others The trauma informed movement is a grassroots movement because it is such a drastic change from the way things have always been done in the past Peer to peer influence has been shown to be far more effective in building the momentum for a whole building by in for a trauma informed school Take a leadership role at your school or district Mentor other teachers and other staff Keep yourself inspired by inspiring others and note the changes they are making these changes will inspire and energize you to return back to the classroom with more gusto clarity and purpose 270 C L A S S R O O M18 0

D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 Find the Joy The Billys of the classroom can be challenging and hit us hard down to the depths of our soul The Andys are able to listen give back and progress in their learning But the Billys no matter how much effort is put forth in their direction sometimes are unable to accept the love and support given to them This is what makes it so hard to be the educators in their lives And thus it is easy to lose the joy The constant giving and giving and offering and supporting sometimes to no avail can feel discouraging and disappointing At the same time we must remember that love is unconditional This means This book does not that whether or not Billy is able to accept the support given to him should not matter It is our include a certificate job simply to give We cannot need a positive outcome to know that all is well This is not a of completion because dynamic of instant gratification If we plant a seed the journey to love is in the ground we cannot get discouraged that it does not blossom immediately Some seeds take never complete longer to germinate before flowering and such is the case with our Billys Some Billys need only a few days weeks or months for us to see changes Yet for other Billys it may take years The teacher of today that is giving Billy everything he needs may not see any positive results during the entire school year But perhaps three years from now his teacher s at that time may see a miraculous turnaround Billy has to be ready to receive the help and sometimes it is a slow process until Billy is finally ready In the meantime no matter Billy s outcome we must find our joy and hold onto it stepping back often to see the little nuances of improvement that might have otherwise been missed Instead of Billy dropping three F bombs in a day maybe it is now only one Instead of Billy rolling his eyes when we say good morning we notice he is now able to keep his eyes focused down at the ground and lets out only a little grunt Small steps are there if we look hard enough We have to stop expecting Billy to turn into Andy Billy s journey back to love is thick heavy raw and scary He is doing the best he can with the internal resources he has available to him His journey of acceptance of love is his journey not ours to make happen or demand Our journey is to continue offering unconditional acceptance and the most important piece of that offering is our energy of happiness love and joy 271

EXERCISE Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions 20 21 22 23 Regulatory Based Discipline Am I scared of getting into trouble Do I feel like I m in trouble when my teacher calls my name Am I being supported when I have bad days Do I know that I m going to be alright do I really know that all is well Consequences with Relational Support Is this consequence igniting my rejection abandonment issues Am I being forced to say I m sorry Is there somebody at this school who helps me feel safe even when I m super upset Repair and Healing Does anybody care about my side of the story Is my anger continuing to increase in intensity over the course of the school year Am I learning how to stop holding grudges and work things out Developmental Deficits 272 Do I feel lost in a classroom that I don t understand with a teacher who doesn t understand me C L A S S R O O M18 0

24 25 26 Does my teacher understand my black and white thinking or does she just think I m being obnoxious Do I feel like I m getting into trouble for things I don t understand Grades Do I feel like I m simply doomed to fail Do I see a way out of a continual failing pattern Is my teacher supporting me and giving me hope for the future even though I m not making good grades right now Social and Emotional Learning Is my teacher trying to therapize me too much by asking me how I feel all the time Is my teacher telling me I can be mad but then telling me how to be mad under her guidelines When I do express myself is my teacher annoying me by trying to fix me or telling me to look at the bright side Is anyone helping me learn how to connect with my peers Self Image and Identity Development Is this class making me feel better or worse about myself Are these negative messages swirling around in my head sabotaging me Do I have any good role models who inspire me Does this class need me D O M AI N 5 D IS CI PLI N E AN D EM P OW ER M EN T DOMAI N 5 273

27 Reflection and Ongoing Growth Does my teacher keep doing the same thing over and over even when it isn t working Are other teachers inspired by my teacher or do they think she shouldn t be teaching Is my teacher an example of what it means to be positive happy and in love with life Staying vulnerable is a risk we have to take if we want to experience connection BR EN BROW N 274 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Discipline and Empowerment Safety Relationships and Family Culture 5 1 4 2 3 Language of Trauma Regulation

Using the Classroom180 Rubric 277 USIN G THE RUBRI C U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C

S T E P S T O U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 1 Learn the Classroom180 Framework 2 Gather the Evidence with a Classroom Observation 3 Consolidate the Evidence 4 Debrief and Finalize the Rubric 5 Complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan

Using the Classroom180 Rubric D omains 1 through 5 describe in detail the framework for what it takes to become a trauma informed classroom Their twenty seven components serve as a roadmap for any teacher who wants to create a trauma informed classroom Once a teacher has developed an understanding of each of the components in the framework the Classroom180 Rubric can then be used to assess her level of implementation The Classroom180 Rubric provides an easy to use rating scale with criteria for different levels of performance It summarizes and simplifies the observable indicators from the framework The Classroom180 Rubric is not meant to be used for summative teacher evaluations Rather its purpose is to define classroom characteristics provide feedback to teachers and offer practical strategies to build skills one domain at a time It gives teachers a starting point on a growth continuum Teachers can use it as a self assessment to reflect on their own The Classroom180 Rubric can also be used by others to support teachers Administrators can do classroom walk throughs and observations focused on specific or all domains Mentors can assist new teachers by having coaching conversations and recommending new strategies that have been identified on the rubric Fellow teachers can use it with one another It can be a tool for curriculum specialists and other support personnel when working with teachers The Classroom180 Rubric is therefore a multipurpose analytic tool to be used for the following purposes Self assessments Peer observations Classroom observations Coaching conversations U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 279 USIN G THE RUBRI C

Steps to Using the Classroom180 Rubric There are five main steps in completing the Classroom180 Rubric see Figure A Step 1 Learn the Classroom180 Framework Step 2 Gather the Evidence with a Classroom Observation Step 3 Consolidate the Evidence Step 4 Debrief and Finalize the Rubric Step 5 Complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan 1 2 3 4 5 Learn the Classroom180 Framework Gather the Evidence with a Classroom Observation Consolidate the Evidence Debrief and Finalize the Rubric Complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan Figure A Sequential process for using the Classroom180 Rubric Step 1 Learn the Classroom180 Framework Prior to using The Classroom180 Rubric it is critical that the user become familiar with the entire contents of this book Skipping straight to the Classroom180 Rubric with the intention of using it as an assessment tool without a comprehensive understanding of the entire framework discussed in this book is ill advised The rubric is only a summation of what to look for when doing an observation or assessment of a classroom The indicators listed under each component are there simply to remind the observer of what is meant by each component It is not a comprehensive list Thus the user must be fully familiar with each component in its entirety Step 2 Gather the Evidence with a Classroom Observation As with every assessment tool it is imperative to gather objective and measurable evidence to assign and substantiate levels of performance Evidence gathering requires going into a classroom and carefully observing from an objective and unbiased perspective 280 C L A S S R O O M18 0

what is happening at all levels within the classroom Teacher evaluation expert Charlotte Danielson describes evidence as what one sees and hears in the classroom the things the teacher and students say and do To gather evidence when conducting a classroom observation the teacher will need to have the following three forms in hand Room Scan Running Record Classroom180 Rubric These forms are shown below and can also be found in Appendix A Room Scan The Room Scan is designed to help observers quickly gather evidence from the physical environment When first walking into a classroom and looking around observers can look for and check off the basic tangible and concrete items within the classroom These are labeled as visual indicators on the Room Scan form see Figure B When first walking into a classroom the observer might look for visual indicators that give evidence as to how the physical environment is organized what visuals are posted on the walls and what regulatory items are available to students U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 281 USIN G THE RUBRI C Figure B Room Scan form See Appendix A for a printable copy

The Room Scan form is organized by domain and the visual indicators are organized in alphabetical order for ease of use Additionally each visual indicator is mapped to a specific component which can then be used to determine levels of performance in Step 3 There is also room to write in other visual indicators not listed on the Room Scan under the label Other Running record It is highly recommended that observers use a Running Record form to document their observations when first learning to assess a trauma informed classroom A running record is a sequential list of what is observed while in the classroom and it serves as an easy way to keep track of what is happening Factual notes that create an unbiased depiction of what is happening in the classroom should be recorded Notes should include facts with numbers direct quotes from the teacher and students and other quantifiable information They should not reflect opinions interpretations or judgments In addition running records should note what the teacher is saying during one on one interactions with students and while in group settings Figure C shows one page of a Running Record form that was used when Deanna Maki and I field tested the Classroom180 Rubric This example shows how to record factual quantifiable and objective evidence The far right column labeled Component where the evidence is matched with the corresponding component can be filled out either during or after the observation As the observers becomes more familiar and more confident with the contents of Classroom180 they will be able to fill in this column during the time of recording However doing so takes practice so in the beginning this column can be ignored Over time note taking will become more efficient and evidence can be simultaneously added to the corresponding component When filling out the Running Record form it is best to focus on only one or two domains per observation rather than trying to gather evidence in all the components during one classroom visit It will be impossible to see every component in action in each visit to the classroom Chunking the process down into smaller parts starting with Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture ensures that the teacher is first developing the foundation she needs to successfully implement a trauma informed platform Classroom180 Rubric The Classroom180 Rubric see Appendix A can be used either as a reference tool while doing the observation while notes are being recorded on the Running Record form or once the observer is confident and familiar with the rubric it can be used to directly document the observer s notes hence abandoning the Running Record form at this point It is important to remember that not all the indicators in this book are listed on the rubric only enough to give the observer reminders of what 282 C L A S S R O O M18 0

comprises each component While doing the observation it is important to stay attuned to what is happening in the classroom and not worry about filling out every check mark and performance level on the rubric That will come in the next step U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 283 USIN G THE RUBRI C Figure C Running Record example See Appendix A for a full size blank printable copy

Step 3 Consolidate the Evidence In Step 3 first complete the right side in the running record Then transfer the pertinent evidence to the Classroom180 Rubric Figure D shows an example of how the items pertaining to Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture from the Running Record form are transcribed to page 1 of the Classroom180 Rubric The objective during this step is for the observer to organize all the information into a clear concise and easily referenced manner onto the Classroom180 Rubric so as to be fully prepared for the next step meeting with the teacher for a post conference debriefing At this stage the observer should not complete the levels of performance on the Classroom180 Rubric Notes may be written as to the suggested scoring of the levels of performance at this point only The final scoring should be done either during or after meeting with the teacher to allow the teacher to provide full clarity as to what may or may not have been observable during the classroom visit It is vitally important for the observer to remain open to the final scoring of each component until after hearing from the teacher New evidence will likely be revealed while the observer and teacher engage in an open reflective and collaborative dialogue with each other Figure D Consolidation of evidence onto page 1 of the Classroom180 Rubric 284 C L A S S R O O M18 0

Step 4 Debrief and Finalize the Rubric This next step is for the teacher and observer to have a collaborative post observation debriefing with one another Traditionally such post observation meetings have been structured in a one way dialogue where the observer would give the teacher her score and tell her what needed to be improved In the trauma informed framework this type of structure is no longer viable Just as the trauma informed classroom gives students a chance to have a voice and be heard so too should the teacher be given a voice and a time to be heard through this assessment process The fear that teachers would traditionally feel in such debriefings needs to be eradicated or at least minimized as much as possible This process needs to be an engaging one that lovingly guides the teacher gives her positive and constructive feedback and keeps her excited in finding new ways to grow and expand in this framework It is a process that is to be free of judgment control and blame Post observation debriefing The post observation debriefing is a time for the observer to gather more evidence look at artifacts lesson plans unit plans newsletters behavior reflection forms etc and delve into the teacher s thinking It is a time for the observer to more deeply understand the teacher s level of awareness and understanding of the framework and hear about what the teacher is doing behind the scenes For components that were not observed during the observation the observer can gain more information on these from the teacher to get a comprehensive understanding as to how well developed the classroom is in becoming trauma informed The Post Observation Debriefing Template in Table A can be used to guide the conversation between the observer and the teacher one component at a time Table A Post Observation Debriefing Template Component 1 Relationships and Family Culture Tell me about your classroom culture How would you describe it What kinds of things have you done to create a family culture Based on the criteria in the rubric what level would you assign yourself 2 What teacher student relationships are most challenging for you Which ones come easier 3 How do you promote positive student student relationships 4 What kinds of things do you do to connect with parents Do you have any planned outreach activities U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 285 USIN G THE RUBRI C 1

Component 2 5 Tell me about how you have organized your classroom and the use of physical space To what extent does the physical environment impact your students regulation and learning 6 In general were your students regulated during this lesson Tell me more about how you integrate regulatory strategies into the day for your students 7 How would you describe the transitions between activities Are there any students who need transitional support before during or after an activity How do you address individual needs 8 Were any individual students struggling to stay regulated during this lesson Did anyone need support 9 Was there a time during this lesson when you became aware of a student who was struggling with something 10 Was there a time during this lesson when a student was close to hitting his breaking point Which students have lower tolerances for stress Have you needed to adapt expectations for any particular students in the past If yes how do you know when they are getting close to their window of stress tolerance What are their individual signals 11 What are you doing to take care of yourself to ensure you are as regulated as possible for your students How are you managing your own level of stress Do you find yourself easily triggered If yes what particular behaviors easily trigger you 3 286 Regulation Language of Trauma 12 Was there a time during this lesson that a student s negative behavior or language was trying to tell you something Did you translate it or pick up on the underlying message 13 Was there a time during this lesson when you needed to make a shift in the way you communicated with a student when you saw that student start to escalate 14 Was there a time during this lesson when a student escalated and you needed to explore what was really going on instead of being intolerant of the behavior 15 What kinds of measures do you take to ensure that students are not reacting to your nonverbal communication in a negative way C L A S S R O O M18 0

Component 16 3 Language of Trauma continued Have you been able to modify written traditional behavioral language into language that is positive and regulatory based Should we work together to tweak the language in IEPs report cards incident reports or other written content for your students 4 Safety 17 I did not see an incident that got to the level of safety during my observation today so help me understand what proactive measures are in place for the whole class 18 Which students in your class have known safety issues What proactive measures are in place for these individual students 19 Can you think of a time when you were in a moment of crisis with a student where it started to become or was unsafe What did you do If this has not happened yet what will you do Do you have a plan in place 5 Discipline and Empowerment 20 Describe your system or strategies for managing and monitoring classroom behavior points stickers tokens etc Have you made any modifications to incorporate a component that tracks students states of regulation Are there any fear based components 21 In today s observation I did did not see a student receive a consequence Tell me more about how consequences are used when there is a negative behavior 22 Today I did did not see restorative practices being used Tell me more about what happens after a behavior incident 23 You have a wide range of students with different strengths and challenges Tell me about a student whose developmental deficits have been identified and the accommodations that are in place to meet this student s needs Are there any students whose developmental deficits sometimes lead to behavioral issues If yes how are these being addressed appropriately 24 Do you have any students who need modifications to the way grades are used or communicated 287 USIN G THE RUBRI C U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C

Component 5 Discipline and Empowerment continued 25 In the observation today I did did not see you incorporate social and emotional learning skills and or brain science Are these a part of your typical day Why or why not In what ways have you integrated SEL across the curriculum How have you modified it so it works from a trauma lens for the Billys of your class 26 Some of your students need help with self image and overcoming their negative belief systems Do you know who they are Was there something you said or did today that helped them with this issue What other strategies do you implement to address self esteem and self identity for your students 27 If you could redo today s lesson that I observed is there anything you would do differently What small steps have you been able to celebrate lately What are you doing for your own professional growth What professional development opportunities would you like to pursue Is there anything you need Can I help See Appendix A for a printable copy Levels of performance Once the evidence has been gathered from the classroom observation and a thorough conversation has been developed around the post observation questions it is now time to determine the levels of performance on the Classroom180 Rubric Remember the rubric s purpose is to determine to what degree the teacher is implementing the twenty seven components of the Classroom180 framework It is not about the behavior of the students nor is it about whether every student is regulated throughout the day Additionally it is not about the teacher s use of instructional strategies Instead it is about what processes strategies and shifts have been made by this teacher to make the 180 degree turn toward fully implementing a trauma informed platform within her classroom A trauma informed platform is complex and the outcomes of the trauma informed strategies being used may not be instantly obvious It is not just about changing students behaviors it is about helping students heal long term Healing takes time so the strategies implemented may not always create an automatic turnaround for some students Thus when it comes to using the rubric the observer is assessing the use of the strategies and their implementation The observation is about assessing the teacher s understanding of the shift required to reach and teach challenging students It is more about the process and what is being done than the result The Classroom180 Rubric has five levels of performance for each of the components 288 C L A S S R O O M18 0

as shown in Table B Because the rubric represents a growth continuum the observer can also consider assigning half points For instance perhaps the teacher s implementation of a component is well executed yet there is still room for growth so this component does not warrant a top score of a 3 However it may also be more deserving than a 2 as the teacher is well on her way In cases such as this a score of 2 5 may be the best option Table B Levels of Scoring for the Classroom180 Rubric Level of Performance Label 3 Effective The teacher uses many appropriate strategies and the component is well implemented 2 Emerging The teacher uses some of the strategies within this component Yet there are some inconsistencies and there is more work to be done 1 Limited None to only a small number of strategies are used within this component A traditional approach is more dominant for this component 0 Unacceptable damaging or inappropriate Not only is this component not trauma informed the strategies being implemented are hurting the students and or causing unnecessary stress for them These items need to be addressed immediately N A Not applicable or not observed Either this component is not applicable to the classroom being observed or it was not observed during the classroom visit If not observed evidence of strategies for this component need to be addressed in the post observation conference Explanation See Appendix A for a printable copy U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 289 USIN G THE RUBRI C Additionally obtaining a full score of a 3 does not require that all the strategies are in place In fact sometimes one strategy alone may be all that is needed for the classroom to be fully developed in one component For instance when field testing the Classroom180 Rubric one middle school math teacher s room was one of the most regulated classroom environments that Deanna and I observed to date Yet nothing had been checked on the Room Scan form There was no change to the lighting There was no calm corner There was no background music no aromatherapy or anything else to check off But the environment was not sterile either What made this classroom an extraordinarily calm

environment was the teacher s ability to organize her classroom Immediately upon walking into the room there was a notable sense of calm that came over both of us It was as if we had entered into a day spa it was that well done Therefore it is not always about how many boxes are checked it is more about how well the concept of each component is executed In this case this teacher had reached the highest level of performance for Component 5 Physical Environment While objective evidence is important for identifying what score to give scoring is also a process that requires observers to use their sixth sense It requires observers to tap into their inner self and intuition in addition to using the obvious and concrete evidence It requires observers to be aware of their inner senses to pay attention to how their bodies react when in a classroom and to be mindful of how it feels when experiencing the classroom environment While this may sound more nebulous than the objective evidence typically required in traditional assessments it is also very much in line with what the trauma informed movement is asking students to do in the classroom The trauma informed platform is asking students to be more mindful and to have more self awareness in order to stay regulated and connected while in the classroom The trauma informed movement is pushing everyone students teachers administrators support staff to broaden their perspectives and to tap into their deeper knowing and this is also reflected in the scoring process For instance right before the disastrous 2004 tsunami hit in Southeast Asia domestic and wild animals sensed that something was coming Elephants rushed for higher ground Dogs refused to go outside Zoo animals ran into their shelters and could not be enticed to come back out 1 This same intuition is available to all of us too It is about tapping into our inner knowing feeling deeper and being keenly aware of what is really going on in the classroom Thus when scoring the twenty seven components it will require combining the objective evidence with the observer s intuitive evidence Step 5 Complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan Once the scoring is complete for the twenty seven components the next step is the exciting stage The teacher now has a baseline for mapping out a way to move forward and to expand even further The completed rubric will give a clearer picture of what is working well and how the teacher can move effective components to an even higher level Additionally it will give the teacher clarity of what areas are in need of growth and what parts of her classroom she may need to revisit The Classroom180 Rubric will help the teacher identify areas where she may still be traditionally focused whereby she 290 C L A S S R O O M18 0

can now better identify traditional and fear based measures that may be hindering her students As stated as long as this entire process is a collaborative one for the teacher and the observer engaging in steps to move forward and make changes will feel freeing and energizing for the teacher rather than punitive controlling or mandatory Following the post observation conference the teacher should complete the Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan form as shown in Figure E The first half of the form is designed to help the teacher reflect on her strengths as well as areas of opportunity within each domain This section of the form also asks her to put herself into Billy s shoes to continually reflect on what it would be like to be a student in her classroom The second half of the form is focused on how the teacher can grow in her implementation of a trauma informed platform This section is designed to help the teacher gather her thoughts on where to begin the process of improvement and to identify specific goals and strategies The last question helps her bridge the gap between what she wants to do and how it can realistically be done Perhaps she needs support from the behavior specialist to rework her classroom management plan Or she needs support from the school counselor to generate more trauma informed SEL lessons Maybe she recognizes that she needs to take a course on mindfulness and breathing U S I N G T H E C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C 291 USIN G THE RUBRI C Figure E Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan form See Appendix A for a printable copy

Becoming trauma informed is a journey It is not a destination it is an ever expanding ever growing and ever deepening experience It should be a journey of fun and exploring as there is always more always There is always one more way to reach a student who is struggling to help him find his innate love for learning There is always a deeper level of becoming self aware There is always one more chance to improve the art of responding to a dysregulated student There is always one more way to see the classroom through the eyes of Billy And of course there is always one more level of love to unfold within all of us Where there is great love there are always miracles WILL A CATHER 292 C L A S S R O O M18 0

APPENDIX A Classroom180 Rubric Resources A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 295

APPENDIX A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S Classroom180 Framework Room Scan Classroom180 Rubric Running Record Post Observation Debriefing Template Levels of Scoring for the Classroom180 Rubric Teacher Reflection and Growth Plan Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions For the electronic versions of the documents in Appendix A or B visit www classroom180 com appendix Your code to access this website is 3272020 296 APPENDIX A

2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 297

298 APPENDIX A

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300 APPENDIX A

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304 APPENDIX A

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306 APPENDIX A

Post Observation Debriefing Template Component 1 Relationships and Family Culture 1 Tell me about your classroom culture How would you describe it What kinds of things have you done to create a family culture Based on the criteria in the rubric what level would you assign yourself 2 What teacher student relationships are most challenging for you Which ones come easier 3 How do you promote positive student student relationships 4 What kinds of things do you do to connect with parents Do you have any planned outreach activities 2 Regulation 5 Tell me about how you have organized your classroom and the use of physical space To what extent does the physical environment impact your students regulation and learning 6 In general were your students regulated during this lesson Tell me more about how you integrate regulatory strategies into the day for your students 7 How would you describe the transitions between activities Are there any students who need transitional support before during or after an activity How do you address individual needs 8 Were any individual students struggling to stay regulated during this lesson Did anyone need support 9 Was there a time during this lesson when you became aware of a student who was struggling with something 10 Was there a time during this lesson when a student was close to hitting his breaking point Which students have lower tolerances for stress Have you needed to adapt expectations for any particular students in the past If yes how do you know when they are getting close to their window of stress tolerance What are their individual signals 11 What are you doing to take care of yourself to ensure you are as regulated as possible for your students How are you managing your own level of stress Do you find yourself easily triggered If yes what particular behaviors easily trigger you A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 307

Component 3 12 Was there a time during this lesson that a student s negative behavior or language was trying to tell you something Did you translate it or pick up on the underlying message 13 Was there a time during this lesson when you needed to make a shift in the way you communicated with a student when you saw that student start to escalate 14 Was there a time during this lesson when a student escalated and you needed to explore what was really going on instead of being intolerant of the behavior 15 What kinds of measures do you take to ensure that students are not reacting to your nonverbal communication in a negative way 16 Have you been able to modify written traditional behavioral language into language that is positive and regulatory based Should we work together to tweak the language in IEPs report cards incident reports or other written content for your students 4 Safety 17 I did not see an incident that got to the level of safety during my observation today so help me understand what proactive measures are in place for the whole class 18 Which students in your class have known safety issues What proactive measures are in place for these individual students 19 Can you think of a time when you were in a moment of crisis with a student where it started to become or was unsafe What did you do If this has not happened yet what will you do Do you have a plan in place 5 308 Language of Trauma Discipline and Empowerment 20 Describe your system or strategies for managing and monitoring classroom behavior points stickers tokens etc Have you made any modifications to incorporate a component that tracks students states of regulation Are there any fear based components 21 In today s observation I did did not see a student receive a consequence Tell me more about how consequences are used when there is a negative behavior APPENDIX A

Component 5 Discipline and Empowerment 22 Today I did did not see restorative practices being used Tell me more about what happens after a behavior incident 23 You have a wide range of students with different strengths and challenges Tell me about a student whose developmental deficits have been identified and the accommodations that are in place to meet this student s needs Are there any students whose developmental deficits sometimes lead to behavioral issues If yes how are these being addressed appropriately 24 Do you have any students who need modifications to the way grades are used or communicated 25 In the observation today I did did not see you incorporate social and emotional learning skills and or brain science Are these a part of your typical day Why or why not In what ways have you integrated SEL across the curriculum How have you modified it so it works from a trauma lens for the Billys of your class 26 Some of your students need help with self image and overcoming their negative belief systems Do you know who they are Was there something you said or did today that helped them with this issue What other strategies do you implement to address self esteem and self identity for your students 27 If you could redo today s lesson that I observed is there anything you would do differently What small steps have you been able to celebrate lately What are you doing for your own professional growth What professional development opportunities would you like to pursue Is there anything you need Can I help A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 309

Levels of Scoring for the Classroom180 Rubric 310 Level of Performance Label 3 Effective The teacher uses many appropriate strategies and the component is well implemented 2 Emerging The teacher uses some of the strategies within this component Yet there are some inconsistencies and there is more work to be done 1 Limited None to only a small number of strategies are used within this component A traditional approach is more dominant for this component 0 Unacceptable damaging or inappropriate Not only is this component not trauma informed the strategies being implemented are hurting the students and or causing unnecessary stress for them These items need to be addressed immediately N A Not applicable or not observed Either this component is not applicable to the classroom being observed or it was not observed during the classroom visit If not observed evidence of strategies for this component need to be addressed in the post observation conference APPENDIX A Explanation

A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 311

EXERCISES Getting into the Shoes of Billy Reflective Questions Domain 1 1 2 3 312 Relationships and Family Culture Family Culture Do I feel like I belong Do I want to be in this classroom or leave Am I valued and appreciated Do I feel emotionally safe in this classroom Is my teacher authentic and genuine or is she just going through the motions because someone told her to be trauma informed Am I watching the clock just waiting for the bell to ring so I can go to my next class Teacher Student Relationships Do I feel safe enough to ask a question regarding the assignment content Do I feel comfortable approaching my teacher on a personal issue Does my teacher authentically care about me Does my teacher know anything about me Do I know anything about my teacher Student Student Relationships Do I feel connected to my classmates or do I feel like an outsider Do my classmates include me in group work APPENDIX A

4 Do my classmates notice when I m disconnected Do they initiate connection to include me Do my classmates appreciate my uniqueness or do they see me as a weirdo Do I have to pretend to be somebody I m not just to fit in If I wasn t here would anyone miss me Teacher Parent Relationships Do my two worlds of home and school feel completely opposite and unrelated Does my teacher view my parent s with respect Does my teacher only send negative messages home to my parent s Domain 2 5 6 Regulation Physical Environment When I walk into this classroom do I immediately feel my body calming down or getting jacked up Do I want to be in this classroom Is it calm or sterile Do I feel like I m walking into my mom s classroom twenty five years ago Is there a comfortable place for me to sit and learn Do I feel lost or grounded in this classroom Universal Proactive Supports Do I know what is going to happen next Is my body able to move while I simultaneously work on my assignment Is my teacher being clear or does it feel like I don t even understand English Does this classroom and teacher support me as a visual learner Is the teacher ignoring me yet interacting with the good kids I m about to lose it do I feel trapped or do I know what to do before I blow A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 313

7 8 9 314 Transitional Support Did my teacher let me know exactly how long I have to work on an assignment Does my teacher know that I can t just come back from lunch specials cafeteria another class etc and immediately focus Does my teacher understand that I have a deep visceral reaction as if I m going to die if I can t finish an assignment Individual Interventions I really need a break but do I feel like I m going to be laughed at if I go sit in the calm corner My skin is on fire Is there something in the class to help me My anxiety is supercharged today Is there something I can do at my desk to help me calm down Mrs Talbert in the office is a safe person for me and I think she could help me calm down Will my teacher let me go see her or should I sneak out without asking Awareness Does my teacher know how I am feeling right now and does she care When my teacher asked me how I was doing I said fine but I wonder if she knows that I m really not OK Does my teacher know that when I ask her a question it takes all the courage I can find within me Is my teacher empathetic in her responses to me or does she make me angrier with her closed off logical and minimizing responses Is my teacher interested in me as much as she is in the academic lesson APPENDIX A

10 11 Window of Stress Tolerance Are the academic expectations placed on me pushing me to my breaking point or are they beneficial by pushing me to excel to my next level Is my teacher noticing that the more she pushes me to focus and concentrate the worse I m getting I m making a lot of noise over here Does my teacher notice me and check in with me Teacher Self Regulation Is my teacher stressing me out or helping me to feel calmer Is my teacher easily triggered Does my teacher want to be here Is my teacher about to lose it Does my teacher walk right into my need to engage in an argument Does my teacher take my need to challenge authority personally Domain 3 12 13 Language of Trauma Communication Shift Is my teacher getting me Does my teacher understand my negative language Does my teacher get that I don t know I m going to be OK Is my teacher taking my responses personally Right Brain to Right Brain De Escalation Are my teacher s responses making me angrier or calming me down Is my teacher able to see things from my perspective A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 315

14 15 16 Is my teacher in sync with me or off in her own world Is my teacher connecting with me or expecting me to connect with her Am I able to get a rise out of my teacher Is my teacher making this all my fault Affect Tolerance Is my intensity shutting my teacher down Is my teacher shutting me down Is my teacher scared of me Nonverbal Communication Am I suspicious of my teacher because what she is saying isn t matching what her body is saying Is my teacher threatening me with her body positioning Is my teacher relaying to me through her body language that she doesn t care Positive Language Does my teacher judge me Does my teacher see me as messed up Does my teacher think I m doing this only because I am making a bad choice Domain 4 17 316 Safety Universal Safety Practices Do I feel safe in this classroom What happens if I cross the line of safety Will my teacher freak out if I share my suicidal thoughts with her APPENDIX A

18 19 Identification of Individual Safety Issues Does my teacher know what triggers me Does my teacher even have a clue that I m about to blow Do I feel trapped in this classroom Responding in a Moment of Crisis Can my teacher handle me right now Am I feeling safer or more out of control with my teacher s response to me If things get out of control can my teacher keep me safe Does my teacher love me enough to stop me Domain 5 20 21 Discipline and Empowerment Regulatory Based Discipline Am I scared of getting into trouble Do I feel like I m in trouble when my teacher calls my name Am I being supported when I have bad days Do I know that I m going to be alright do I really know that all is well Consequences with Relational Support Is this consequence igniting my rejection abandonment issues Am I being forced to say I m sorry Is there somebody at this school who helps me feel safe even when I m super upset A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 317

22 23 24 25 Repair and Healing Does anybody care about my side of the story Is my anger continuing to increase in intensity over the course of the school year Am I learning how to stop holding grudges and work things out Developmental Deficits Do I feel lost in a classroom that I don t understand with a teacher who doesn t understand me Does my teacher relate to my black and white thinking or does she just think I m being obnoxious Do I feel like I m getting into trouble for things I don t understand Grades Do I feel like I m simply doomed to fail Do I see a way out of a continual failing pattern Is my teacher supporting me and giving me hope for the future even though I m not making good grades right now Social and Emotional Learning Is my teacher trying to therapize me too much by asking me how I feel all the time 318 Is my teacher telling me I can be mad but then telling me how to be mad under her guidelines When I do express myself is my teacher annoying me by trying to fix me or telling me to look at the bright side Is anyone helping me learn how to connect with my peers APPENDIX A

26 27 Self Image and Identity Development Is this class making me feel better or worse about myself Are these negative messages swirling around in my head sabotaging me Do I have any good role models who inspire me Does this class need me Reflection and Ongoing Growth Does my teacher keep doing the same thing over and over even when it isn t working Are other teachers inspired by my teacher or do they think she shouldn t be teaching Is my teacher an example of what it means to be positive happy and in love with life A P P E N D I X A C L A S S R O O M18 0 R U B R I C R E S O U R C E S 319

APPENDIX B Classroom Tools APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 321

APPENDIX B CL ASSROOM TOOLS Emotional Target Domain 2 What to Say Cheat Sheet Domain 3 Beyond Consequences Sequence Domain 5 Let s Work Through This Domain 5 Peace Path Domain 5 Clip Left Clip Right System Domain 5 Monkey Feelings Domain 5 Plutchik s Wheel of Emotions Domain 5 For the electronic versions of the documents in Appendix B or A visit www classroom180 com appendix Your code to access this website is 3272020 322 APPENDIX B

2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 323

Quick Reference What to Say Below are sample relationship based responses to use when working with a dysregulated and stressed out student Help me to understand what s going on It looks like you re really struggling I hear you No that s not fair You have every right to be upset I m listening what happened next I had no idea this was so hard for you You re not in trouble tell me more I m not mad at you I simply want to understand you School s tough I don t blame you it s hard having people in charge of you This is too big to keep to yourself Can you share it with me What do you need right now How can I help It doesn t feel like they trust you does it Looks like this is a much bigger deal than I thought Your perspective is important to me I m here to help you Let s figure this out together Let s step outside together and work this through Stay with me Billy Let me help you regroup I m here to help you get this put away I m here to listen but right now let s get back on task We can talk this through after class I believe in you no matter how you feel How did that make you feel Give yourself permission to have your voice I m listening You don t have to be alone in this 2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved 324 APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 325 Dysregulated Billy 1 Regulated Billy 3 4 Project future situations Practice and role play Give logic Give consequences Discipline Develop problemsolving skills Rationalize 2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved Listen Connect Empathize Accept Tolerate Validate Love 2 Beyond Consequences Sequence Billy integrates back into the classroom activities 5

326 APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 327 2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved

328 APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 329

330 APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 331

332 APPENDIX B

APPENDIX B CLASSROOM TOOLS 333 2020 Beyond Consequences Institute All Rights Reserved

Plutchik s Wheel of Emotions Reprinted by permission of American Scientist magazine of Sigma Xi The Scientific Research Honor Society 334 APPENDIX B

NOTES Domain 1 Relationships and Family Culture 1 Extracurricular Participation and Student Engagement National Center for Education Statistics June 1995 https nces ed gov pubs95 web 95741 asp 2 Barbara Law More Than Just Surviving Handbook ESL for Every Classroom Teacher Winnipeg Portage Main Press 2000 3 Parent Engagement in Schools American Psychological Association n d https www apa org pi lgbt programs safe supportive parental engagement index How Parent Involvement Leads to Student Success Waterford org November 2018 https www waterford org education how parent involvment leads to student success 4 Linda Starr Activities to Promote Parent Involvement Education World May 2017 https www educationworld com a_curr curr200 shtml Domain 2 Regulation 1 EFT Significantly Lowers Cortisol The Tapping Solution Foundation n d https www tappingsolutionfoundation org science and research Domain 3 Language of Trauma 1 Julia Jacobs When Report Cards Go Out on Fridays Child Abuse Increases on Saturdays Study Finds New York Times December 17 2018 https www nytimes com 2018 12 17 health child abuse report cards florida html Domain 4 Safety 1 Mary Ann Flannery As Teen Suicide Rate Increases States Look to Schools to Address Crisis neaToday May 14 2018 http neatoday org 2018 05 14 teen suicideprevention 2 Jean M Tenge et al Age Period and Cohort Trends in Mood Disorder Indicators and Suicide Related Outcomes in a Nationally Representative Dataset 2005 2017 Journal of Abnormal Psychology 128 no 3 2019 185 199 https www apa org pubs journals releases abn abn0000410 pdf NOTES 335

3 National Association of School Psychologists Preventing Suicide Guidelines for Administrators and Crisis Teams https www nasponline org resources andpublications resources and podcasts school climate safety and crisis mental healthresources preventing youth suicide preventing suicide guidelines for administratorsand crisis teams Domain 5 Discipline and Empowerment 1 Rob McMillan Southern California School Calls Police on 5 Year Old Boy ABC KFSN TV Fresno March 2019 https abc30 com southern california school callspolice on 5 year old boy 5162625 Megan Thompson Mom Upset With Special Needs Teacher s Methods in Maricopa Classroom Arizona 15 ABC October 2017 https www abc15 com news region central southern az maricopa mom upset withspecial needs teacher s methods in maricopa classroom Tiffany Craig 1st grade student forced to sit on floor for weeks USA Today July 2014 https www usatoday com story news nation 2014 07 31 1st grade student floor 13396199 2 A Million Word Gap for Children Who Aren t Read to at Home Science Daily April 2019 https www sciencedaily com releases 2019 04 190404074947 htm 3 It s True Happier Students Get Higher Grades The Conversation July 2015 http theconversation com its true happier students get higher grades 41488 4 Ibid 5 Rita Pierson Every Kid Needs a Champion May 3 2013 YouTube video https www youtube com watch v SFnMTHhKdkw 6 Andre Perry Students Are Supposed to Read The Scarlet Letter Not Wear It The Hechinger Report January 19 2019 https hechingerreport org students aresupposed to read the scarlet letter not wear it 7 Nick Roll Help Your Students Earn A s by Not Focusing on Grades Inside Higher Ed August 1 2017 https www insidehighered com news 2017 08 01 researchsuggests students may make more academic progress focusing task oriented 8 Richard Lavoie Social Skill Autopsies A Strategy to Promote and Develop Social Competencies LD Online http www ldonline org article 14910 9 Sesame Street Me Want It But Me Wait YouTube video September 2013 https www youtube com watch v 9PnbKL3wuH4 10 America s Promise Alliance Don t Quit on Me Mini Documentary September 15 2015 YouTube video https www youtube com watch v vpFG6mNAkAc 336 NOTES

Using the Classroom180 Rubric 1 Maryann Mott Did Animals Sense Tsunami Was Coming National Geographic January 2005 https www nationalgeographic com animals 2005 01 news animalstsunami sense coming NOTES 337

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Heather T Forbes LCSW is the owner of the Beyond Consequences Institute and author of numerous books on the topic of working with children impacted by trauma Coming from a family of educators Heather has a passion for helping children in the classroom Trauma robs children of their curiosity and Heather s passion is to help these students return back to their innate love for learning She consults and lectures extensively with both general and special education schools around the nation Her signature style is to bridge the gap between academic research and when the rubber hits the road classroom situations giving teachers and school personnel the understanding and tools they need for even the most challenging of students Heather has worked in schools with trauma impacted students and knows firsthand how challenging it can be on a daily basis with these students Much of her insight on understanding trauma disruptive behaviors and developmental delays comes from her own experience of raising two internationally adopted children and mentoring a severely trauma impacted young adult ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Deanna Maki BEd SPED is an education consultant and co founder of E Impact Consulting in Kelowna Canada She has worked in the field of education since 1994 As a former special education teacher she is passionate about working with at risk students empowering children and building community After starting her family she worked as an education consultant and trainer for numerous curriculum and school software programs where she was able to refine her skills in teacher training Currently Deanna serves as the vice president of Educational Impact an online professional development company based in Philadelphia Pennsylvania As a subject matter expert in special education teacher evaluation social and emotional learning and trauma Deanna has authored over 200 online courses for educators Through a collaboration with Heather T Forbes LCSW and the Beyond Consequences Institute the Trauma Informed Online Academy was created to provide a step by step training program for schools to become trauma informed Deanna s contribution to the development of the Classroom180 Rubric were invaluable She helped to shape and develop it into an evaluation tool that is clear relevant well organized and concise ABOUT US 339