User:Ilovebagels15/Trauma-informed approaches in education

Trauma-informed approaches in education (TIE) are educational techniques that recognize and address the impact of adverse childhood experiences and other traumas on students, aiming to mitigate their widespread effects. These approaches, also referred to as trauma-informed schools, trauma-sensitive schools, or trauma-responsive schools, seek to create a supportive environment conducive to learning while promoting the emotional well-being of students.

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), trauma-informed approaches in education engage school personnel and community members in interventions to identify and respond to the potential negative effects of traumatic stress within the school system.. Adoption of TIE consists of implementing organizational changes, workforce development, and practice changes that reflect the four key expectations of a trauma-informed approach (i.e., realizing the impact of, recognizing signs of and responding to trauma, as well as resisting re-traumatization). The goals of TIE are to improve student, teacher, and school-level outcomes including academic performance, psychological and socio-emotional well-being, school climate, and teacher-student relationships. Additionally, a key component of these strategies is the incorporation of trauma-informed writing techniques, as examined by Molly Moran.Through her personal journey, Moran demonstrated the transforming potential of writing in the basic writing classroom, helping children develop resilience and heal from their emotional wounds. Students are given a safe space to process and communicate their trauma through structured writing exercises, which helps them develop coping skills, emotional stability, and self-awareness. Students' academic performance is enhanced by this writing and healing strategy, which also helps them develop their critical thinking, communication, and sense of agency over their narratives . Insights from Edwards and Poe's research on writing and responding to trauma in a time of pandemic further underscore the significance of writing as a tool for emotional healing and resilience-building in trauma-informed education.Their work delves into the specific challenges and opportunities presented by traumatic events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, shedding light on how writing can serve as a powerful tool for students to process and make sense of their experiences during such challenging times. The article provides techniques such as Journaling emotions and narrative writing that allows students to explore their experiences and create a sense of coherence in their narratives, empowering them to make sense of their trauma and develop resilience.

Impacts of Trauma

The roots of trauma-informed schools can be traced back to the broader acknowledgment of the role of trauma in shaping students' behaviors and academic performances. The extensive exposure of children and adolescents to traumatic events stands as a considerable public health challenge. National studies of youth mental health reveal that at least two-thirds of youth have encountered at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Encouraging students who have experienced trauma to succeed academically and emotionally can be achieved by incorporating trauma-informed writing practices into educational environments. Students can express and process their trauma via writing, which can help them become more emotionally stable, more self-aware, and develop better Coping mechanisms. Writing assignments can also assist students in strengthening their communication skills, critical thinking abilities, and sense of agency over their identities and narratives. Trauma-informed writing assignments give students a healing way to address and work through their traumatic experiences. They also help students become emotionally stable and resilient as they bravely express their deepest feelings and thoughts. Students obtain a deeper understanding of who they are and how to manage their trauma while also learning adaptive coping strategies through this process. Additionally, writing improves kids' communication abilities by giving them the opportunity to clearly explain their ideas and stand up for themselves. Plus, trauma-informed writing assignments foster critical thinking skills as students work through challenging themes and subjects, enabling them to thoroughly and perceptively assess, analyze, and synthesize their experiences.

Early experiences with trauma are correlated with later onset of mental and physical health concerns. The impact of trauma within educational contexts necessitates a careful consideration of the ethical dimensions surrounding students' personal writing. . Teachers place a high priority on concepts like informed consent, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity when students choose to write about their traumatic experiences. Creating a respectful and encouraging learning environment requires striking a balance between the need to protect students' privacy and personal boundaries and an understanding of the underlying power dynamics between educators and learners.In addition to being prepared to provide the necessary tools and support to students who may encounter triggers or distress, educators should work to create a secure and encouraging environment in which students feel empowered to share their stories.These cognitive consequences significantly impact academic achievement, likely contributing to poorer reading performance, poorer test results, and lower grades

Advent of Trauma-Informed Care

Advocacy for trauma-informed systems change began in the early 2000's with Harris and Fallot's theoretical argument that the impacts of trauma are pervasive, and not limited to the traumatic experience itself. Harris and Fallot's argument posits that trauma does not only impact the individual's functioning in relation to trauma-specific stimuli, but also impacts other sequelae (e.g., physical health, social, academic, and interpersonal problems), and importantly their ability to interface with help seeking systems; thus changes should be made to these systems to better accommodate and serve the needs of trauma-impacted individuals. Edwell, Singer, and Jack's investigation of rhetorical technique as a medical intervention provides insight into the significance of narrative medicine in fostering empathy and promoting healing in healthcare environments by highlighting the influence of individual narratives on the development of patient-provider interactions. There is a big emphasis on the potential of language and communication as therapeutic tools by supporting interdisciplinary approaches that include rhetorical strategies, especially when discussing difficult themes like trauma. They underline the importance of integrating expressive practices into patient treatment and the empowering character of expressive activities in helping people process and cope with trauma. In their model for trauma-informed care, Harris and Fallot conceptualize organizational change for health service systems, incorporating an understanding of trauma and the conditions that enhance or interfere with healing, as an imperative response to supporting individuals with traumatic experiences and resisting their re-traumatization. Harris and Fallot's model assumes a more holistic stance in regards to responding to trauma, compared to traditional, trauma-specific, clinical models which prioritize individual, and trauma-specific interventions that directly target trauma symptoms.