THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA ON YOUR CLASSROOM

As a teacher, you may have been hearing a lot of emphasis in recent years on the importance of trauma-informed schools. If you have been a teacher for many years, as I have, you’ve likely noticed that this was never an emphasis in your early years as a teacher, and you may wonder, Why has this changed? Why are we hearing about students with trauma experiences so much now? I never had to be concerned about that when I started teaching—why now?

The simple answer is that 25 years ago we didn’t know nearly as much about trauma’s impact on children’s brain and on learning as we do now. Much of the research in this area began with the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study conducted from 1995-1997 by the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente. Since then, a great deal of follow-up work has been done that provides valuable information to teachers working with children who have experienced trauma.

How many of my students may have been affected by trauma?

Studies have shown that in the United States, 34.8 million children ages 0-17 have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences that could severely harm their well-being.1 The United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that more than two-thirds of children report having experienced at least one traumatic event by age 16, and at least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year.2 This means that if you have a classroom of 24 students:

At least 3 of them have probably experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year.
About 12-18 of them have experienced a traumatic event (possibly fewer if you teach younger students, as the statistics state this is correct by age 16 or 17).

Not all traumatic events have long-term consequences on the brain. The effect of the same traumatic event can vary for different children. Children with more resilience—who have had a great deal of love, stability, safety, and nurture in their early years—often “bounce back” from a traumatic event more quickly than children who did not have those same benefits in their early years. Also, the younger the child is at the time of the event, and the more often the trauma is repeated, the greater the impact on the child will be.

How do traumatic experiences in childhood affect learning?

Recent studies have shown that traumatic experiences in childhood can reduce concentration and memory, as well as the organizational and language skills children need in order to succeed in school.3 Looking at that list, you might notice that the first three challenges listed—reduced concentration, memory, and organizational skills—are also symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is very easy to misdiagnose a child affected by trauma by thinking the cause is ADHD, as a great deal of overlap exists in the presentation of the two situations in the classroom.

Difficulties with concentration and memory can lead to these academic problems:

Inability to recall information taught in various school subjects
Inability to read, write, or do math at grade level expectations
Not understanding the instructions for assignments or how to carry them out
Frustration with tests and quizzes, and a fear of taking them
Difficulties with organizational skills can lead to these academic problems:
School supplies often misplaced or lost
Homework left at home or completely lost
School work not done on time
Confusion about the daily class schedule and the homework schedule
Difficulties with language skills can lead to these academic problems:
Misunderstanding concepts taught in lessons
Misunderstanding directions
Poor reading comprehension
Disjointed writing that is hard to understand
Problems with joining in discussions and asking questions

How do traumatic experiences in childhood affect classroom behavior?

Repeated trauma in early childhood effectively “rewires” children’s brains. Their stress response systems become hypersensitive, leading them to overreact to seemingly small difficulties and, as a survival mechanism, go into “fight, flight, or freeze” modes. When their stress response systems are activated in this way, they are not able to access the logical, thinking parts of the brain, so talking to them and looking for rational responses in those moments will not work. Here are some classroom behaviors that may result from trauma histories:

Unusual startle reactions
Irritability; quick to become excessively angry
Physical or verbal aggression
Frequent sleepiness
Eating far too much or too little
Hoarding of food or supplies
Low self-confidence, increased perfectionism
Defiance; controlling behavior
Running from the classroom or situation
Hiding from others
Panicky feelings, possibly accompanied by frequent headaches or stomachaches
Avoidance of school or of more challenging assignments in school
Difficulty making friends

What is most important for me to know as a teacher?

As you see the above challenges in your students, try to remember that they may be the results of trauma. If so, the students are not choosing to have these struggles. They are not giving you a hard time; they are having a hard time. Respond calmly, with empathy and caring.

It is also important to know that students who show signs of being affected by trauma will probably need some classroom accommodations, just as students who have various medical conditions or types of disabilities need accommodations. In my next post, we’ll look at some of the accommodations that can be the most beneficial for students with trauma histories.

Finally, know that you can make a difference. By being a consistent, caring presence in your students’ lives, you can promote healing. The brain can make new connections to build resiliency and overcome trauma, and you can play an important role in that. This is one of the amazing opportunities and privileges you have as a teacher—you can do it!

1https://www.nichq.org/insight/bringing-trauma-forefront-early-childhood-systems
2https://www.samhsa.gov/child-trauma/understanding-child-trauma
3https://traumasensitiveschools.org/trauma-and-learning/the-problem-impact/