All About: Trauma Informed Behavior and Classroom Management

Traumatic experiences come in many forms ranging from one-time events (like the current pandemic) to experiences that are prolonged and recurring. To date, approximately 50% of the nation’s children and adolescents have experienced at least one or more types of serious childhood trauma. The effects of these traumatic experiences impact how students focus, attend, learn, form relationships and behave in the classroom. Trauma informed interventions focus on building relationships, routines, choice-making and self-regulation skills. This course has been developed to provide all educators with content knowledge on the types and biology of trauma, ACES, and best practices in trauma-informed behavior and classroom management strategies. The course will provide participants with the knowledge and tools they need to create a safe, supportive learning environment for all students. A timely course given the current public health crisis and school shut down. A good opportunity to be prepared to meet the needs of staff and students when school re-opens.
Course Objectives:
Participants will:
1. Develop an understanding of what trauma is and the effect it has on brain development
2. Form an awareness of the role trauma can play in classroom performance and behavior
3. Become trauma aware and develop a trauma lens in which they can look at behavior in a different way
4. Examine traditional behavior and classroom management strategies and adapt them to be trauma informed and trauma focused
5. Create an action plan to address the needs of students impacted by the effects of trauma
This course is relevant to all who work in schools with children ages 5-21 in both regular and special education settings. This course has been designed for all school administrators, regular and special education teachers (grades K-12 and ages 5 to 21),special area teachers (gym, art, music, technology) school psychologists, school counselors, guidance counselors, social workers, speech and language therapists or speech pathologists and occupational or physical therapists.

ON-LINE (3 Credits / 45 hours) in-service credit only