As the words “trauma-informed” have become more of an educational buzzword, several myths have come to the surface regarding the types of schools and students that need these strategies. Unfortunately, by buying into these beliefs, many schools are missing out on a golden opportunity to reach more of their students, cut down on discipline referrals, improve student academic achievement levels and change the culture of the building.
That’s right…when implemented consistently and correctly, trauma-informed practices can impact all of those things in a school. I promise, it’s not magic…it’s just common sense. Let’s take a look at a few of the biggest myths out there:
Myth #1: Trauma-informed practices are only useful in schools with low-income, high-poverty populations.
That’s like saying no one in the middle or upper class faces mental health issues. Let’s face it…everybody has baggage. You do, I do. It’s no different for kids. Whether they are living in poverty and exposed to domestic violence, drugs and gangs or living a suburban life in a home with two parents, every child faces their own issues and struggles. Just look at all of the middle- to upper-class communities facing epidemics of student drug use or suicide recently. The trauma that children experience does not necessarily have to be of a violent and epic nature for trauma-informed strategies to be useful. They are just as helpful for kids struggling with anxiety, depression, bullying and ADD/ADHD, among many others.
Myth #2: Trauma-informed practices are only for counselors to use.
Unfortunately, in schools today, it’s more common for the School Counselor to be found completing administrative/clerical tasks, proctoring tests or doing lunch or recess duty than it is for them to be meeting with small groups of students to target specific skills. In a perfect world, yes, counselors would be a critical component in the implementation of trauma-informed practices in a school. However, they can’t be the only one teaching and demonstrating these skills. If that were the case, how would kids practice applying the skills during the other 95% of their school day? Besides, as mentioned above, trauma-informed practices need to be implemented on a school-wide, consistent basis to really make an impact. So who should be trained and using these strategies? Everyone on staff, from the front office to the cafeteria workers to the bus drivers, teachers and administrators. As with most things in life, consistency is key.
Myth #3: Trauma-informed practices will not impact student learning.
There’s a common saying in schools, “You can’t teach if you can’t manage.” In other words, if the kids are running around the room, throwing chairs or just constantly talking, very little learning is taking place.
These are the types of behaviors that result in phone calls to the office, discipline referrals and students sitting in the hallway. So often, it’s easier for educators to remove the few for the benefit of the many, and sometimes, that is absolutely necessary. But how often do we stop and ask ourselves, “Why is this student acting in this way?” Well, there’s a really good chance that there is a reason behind the behavior. Perhaps it’s attention-seeking or maybe it’s their go-to defense mechanism. Whatever it is, we need to ask ourselves “Why?” more often to get to the root of the issue because that is where real change occurs.
Trauma-informed practices CAN and WILL impact student learning because when kids feel heard and understood, safe and loved and trust the adults around them, they are less likely to act out and are able to regulate and return to class more quickly. Fewer behavioral distractions translates into more time for teaching and learning and that WILL impact student achievement levels.
Myth #4: Incorporating trauma-informed practices is expensive and time-consuming.
Can it be expensive and time-consuming for teachers? Of course. Does it have to be? Absolutely not. Although the goal may be to transform the culture of an entire school, it’s wise to start small and build toward that goal incrementally.
Perhaps begin by asking yourself a few questions: How do we better understand the connection between trauma/stress and learning? Why do our students behave the way they do? What are the critical needs of the teachers and students? What strategies can be implemented in classrooms easily and immediately? What small changes can be made to what we’re already doing? That’s where you begin.
Trauma-informed practices are here to stay…and for good reason. They just make sense. Our society is facing epidemics of drugs, gun violence, gangs and teen suicide. All of these affect the mental health of our children AND our teachers. Something has to be done, and in this case, it’s a deeper understanding of how these stressors affect the brain, learning and development of our students and how we, as educators, can help them to overcome these obstacles and give them the tools they need to break the cycle.
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