Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom

In this galvanising book for all educators, Kristin Souers and Pete Hall explore an urgent and growing issue; childhood trauma; and its profound effect on learning and teaching. Grounded in research and the authors' experience working with trauma-affected students and their teachers, Fostering Resilient Learners will help you cultivate a trauma-sensitive learning environment for students across all content areas, grade levels, and educational settings.

The authors; a mental health therapist and a veteran principal; provide proven, reliable strategies to help you

• Understand what trauma is and how it hinders the learning, motivation, and success of all students in the classroom.
• Build strong relationships and create a safe space to enable students to learn at high levels.
• Adopt a strengths-based approach that leads you to recalibrate how you view destructive student behaviours and to perceive what students need to break negative cycles.
• Head off frustration and burnout with essential self-care techniques that will help you and your students flourish.

Each chapter also includes questions and exercises to encourage reflection and extension of the ideas in this book. As an educator, you face the impact of trauma in the classroom every day. Let this book be your guide to seeking solutions rather than dwelling on problems, to building relationships that allow students to grow, thrive, and. most assuredly, learn at high levels.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I. Trauma

1. Understanding Trauma and the Prevalence of the Not-OK
2. The Manifestation of ACEs in the Classroom

Part II. Self-Awareness

3. Cement Shoes: Staying True to Who You Are
4. Stay Out of Oz: Remaining Grounded Amid Chaos
5. When in Doubt, Shut Your Mouth and Take a Breath
6. It's Not About You

Part III. Relationship

7. No One Said Relationship Is Easy
8. The Power of Relationship
9. Names, Labels, and the Need for Control
10. Doors and Windows: Remembering to Explore All Options

Part IV. Belief

11. Forever Changed, Not Forever Damaged
12. It's OK to Be Not-OK
13. Don't Let Fear Drive the Bus

Part V. Live, Laugh, Love

14. Grace
15. The Cookie Jar: The Art of Giving Praise (and Self-Praise)
16. The Self-Care Challenge

Appendix: Further Reading

References