Trauma Informed Practices County Curriculum Leads 8-28-15 Kelly Rizzi & Shelly Craig Shasta County Office of Education [email protected] / [email protected]
Dec 13, 2015
Trauma Informed PracticesCounty Curriculum Leads
8-28-15
Kelly Rizzi & Shelly CraigShasta County Office of Education
Agenda
OOverview of Trauma Informed Practices
OACES StudyODr. Bruce Perry research
Fear as a Way of Life: The Developing Brain
“Neurobiologist Bruce Perry and his colleagues at the Child Trauma Academy explain that the most developed areas of a child’s brain are the ones used most frequently. When children live in a persistent state of fear, the areas of their brains controlling the fear response can become overdeveloped.”
Reflection…
O Think about a student who concerns you. How many ACES might he/she experience?
O Turn and talk to a neighbor about your thoughts…
O ACES include:O Physical, emotional or sexual abuse or
neglectO A Family Member: mental illness, substance
abuse, Incarceration, domestic violence, separation/divorce, death of a parent
Ohttp://www.acestudy.org/ace_score
Ohttp://bit.ly/acesquestion
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Number of Adverse Childhood Experiences Reported
The developing brain
The majority of brain organization takes place in the first four years of life. This is why trauma and neglect have a disproportionate influence on
brain organization and later brain functioning, when they occur during
the first four years.
~Bruce Perry
Sequence of Engagement
Reason
Relate
RegulateAll rights reserved © 2007-2015 Bruce D. Perry
Creating a Safe Environment- Rule out basic needs
O Are you:O Hungry?O Thirsty?O Tired?O Cold?O Hot?O Needing to use the bathroom?O Feeling Safe?
Parallel Placement
O Students share more and are more relaxed when sitting next to, standing near or walking next to you. Listen, repeat what they say, but don’t ask questions. Wait for them to share (when possible)
O They will also share more while driving in the car. You are moving forward together in a parallel way and the motor of the vehicle mimics the heart-beat of the in-utero experience.
Dissociative vs. Hyperarousal Responses
O Dissociative- These children tune out or go deep within. They learn to do this during abuse to remove themselves. They struggle to pay attention in class because they so often tune out. Some children demonstrate seizure behavior or fainting.
O Hyperarousal-O These children present with aggressive, explosive
behaviors and often come to school already at 90% capacity. The slightest thing can send them from alarm to fear to terror. Often teachers misunderstand this fear as oppositional and they become angry, which sends the child even further into the brain stem.
Patience and Consistency
O Many traumatized students will arrive at a new school and/or foster home and experience a “honeymoon” period.
O Within two to three weeks, if the environment remains consistent, calm, and safe, the child will likely begin to act out, in order to replicate the old environment most familiar (disorganized and chaotic). This is a default setting and it is subconscious…
O A well-regulated teacher who understands the arousal continuum knows that the Power Differential can be reduced when dealing with a conflict. Lowering the stature, softening the voice, maintaining respectful distance, all the while exhibiting control, confidence and patience will help a distressed child calm down enough to avoid an explosive incident.
Be a S.T.A.R.
OSmile
OTake a Deep Breath
OAnd
ORelax
How You SEE Students
ODefines the student…
ODefines you…ODefines how
other students see the child…
Stand and TalkO Find someone across the room O Teach that person what you just
learned about brain development and how it affects the lives of our students.
O You can take your notes!
Thank You