Course Description

This course is designed to help educators who work with children and adolescents in the school setting better understand the impact of trauma on the developmental process. Participants will learn how to identify various responses to stress; recognize potential reactions to trauma triggers; and understand how to develop and support resilience. The identification of strategies for intervention while minimizing harm will be explored. This course is appropriate for classroom teachers, special education teachers and school counselors and administrators to help develop a better understanding of trauma, which may also include emotional intensity.The course focuses on best practices from theories and research, as well as application of these theories in authentic settings using cases and everyday examples.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, educators will:

* Demonstrate an understanding of trauma and chronic stress

* Analyze the impact of trauma on student development and school climate

* Develop effective strategies to help build supportive relationships and create safe spaces

* Demonstrate an understanding of strategies that support prosocial behaviors and cultivate compassion in the classroom

* Discuss the importance of self-care

Materials Required

Jennings, P. (2018). The Trauma Sensitive Classroom.  WW Norton & Co Publishing

Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators
The Child Trauma Toolkit for Educators provides information for educators, parents and caretakers, including facts, suggestions, psychological and behavioral impact of trauma by grade level, and self-care.

Helping Traumatized Children Learn Volume 1.
Helping Traumatized Children Learn demonstrates how children’s trauma from exposure to family and other forms of violence can help explain many educational difficulties teachers face every day. Such difficulties include the inability of children to focus, understand instructions, form meaningful relationships with peers and teachers, and control their behavior in appropriate ways. The report provides a school-wide flexible framework and a public policy agenda for creating trauma-sensitive school environments where traumatized children and their classmates can focus, behave, and learn.

A Guide to Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools. Volume 2.   

The Heart of Learning and Teaching: Compassion, Resiliency and Academic Success
A variety of readings will be provided and referenced throughout the course.

To Register, click “Registration Form” above.