How trauma informed practice can make a difference in schools

In my last blog post, I talked about how trauma awareness is critical for health care professions, not just those in the field of mental health.

In this edition, I’ll talk about trauma in school, and how it presented in one context when a child’s key attachment relationship was compromised.

A friend who is an experienced teacher called unexpectedly. A 9-year-old boy had missed several days of school, and when he returned, he was quiet, sullen, and angry. Even when physically in his seat, he was mentally absent. Appearing irritated, he would react negatively to the conversations of his classmates – screaming suddenly at them to be quiet.

With the end of year exams coming soon, the department head observing the classroom was concerned about the boy’s academic achievement.

On talking with his father, it was determined that the boy’s mother had left the family, and gone overseas indefinitely, leaving the boy solely in the care of his previously absent father.

My teacher friend is an empathetic sort, and immediately felt the pain of this child. Having lost his primary attachment figure, the child was in despair, alone in the world that felt very unsafe.

What she was calling me for, however, was advice as how to manage her department head. The well-meaning educator insisted that rewards and punishments be used to manage the child, increase his academic focus and ensure the completion of in-class tasks.

A mother herself, the teacher understood instinctively that the child’s world had been torn apart. What needed to be very slowly re-established was his sense of trust and safety in the world – and that meant both at home and at school. While the father had a big task in this situation, the teachers had a similar role.

I don’t know what transpired after our conversation with the particular child, but I trust he received care, comfort and connection he needed. But in our increasingly intense academic culture, sometimes the forest is lost for the trees.

Trauma informed practice

What many educators forget is that children learn at lightning speed in the presence of two conditions – emotional connection, and psychological safety. The two are intrinsically related.

In all things related to children, attachment comes first. We cannot allow the humanity of children to be sacrificed on the altar of grades.

What does attachment mean? Think of your favourite childhood teacher, someone who gave you challenging tasks, admonished you, but also looked you in the eye, noticed you as a person, gave genuine praise, and made you want to earn their respect. This person is not always uncritical, but if the proportion of support to criticism is right, there is little a child won’t do.

Unfortunately, with large class sizes, teachers don’t have the time or the freedom to establish such emotional relationships that ensure the child’s sense of psychological safety. WIthout emotional relationships, the teacher has no way to moderate the effects of challenges at home, and the whole learning enterprise can becomes compromised.

For more info, see: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02643944.2024.2402735#abstract

Trauma informed practice is vital for all of us involved in human services.Please contact me at dramrit.sg@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more about how trauma appears in schools, health care settings and in the workplace, and how to manage it.