The authors note that some students are more strongly affected by certain events than others. Not everyone has the same response to traumatic events. Why do you think students respond differently to a traumatic event? What does this suggest for us as professionals as we attempt to help students maintain a learning ready brain?
I feel one reason why students respond differently to a traumatic event is because of their environmental circumstances. If they have a lot of support at home then it is much more likely they will overcome it with less negative consequences! I think it’s important that administrative staff, counselors & teachers are aware of any student that has gone through, or currently going through a traumatic event, so that we can be better prepared with the proper mindset needed to best help these students! We, as professionals should also strive to connect with our students by adhering to the 6 steps discussed in chapter 6 (very important).
I think there are different factors that can cause students to respond differently to a traumatic event. Some kids may have experienced trauma in the past; depending on that trauma students may respond more or less to a new trauma. Some kids will build resilience and not be impacted as much while others may still be dealing with another trauma which may heighten their response to a new trauma. Maybe one student is also dealing with an illness, or other trouble at home, struggling with friendships, etc. No one is experiencing exactly the same thingns in every aspect of their lives, so what they are bringing into the trauma is different. Therefore, students may react differently to a trauma.
Just as we differentiate for students with different learning styles and abilities, we need to differentiate how we teach, counsel, and interact with different students. I think it is extremely important to take time to get to know as much about each student as possible – have conversations with them, be open and available for them to come to you, read their files, etc. so that we know what factors play into who they are and how they may react to different things in order that we can best help them to cope and be ready learn.
Bob and Leslie brought up my exact thoughts in regards to why students respond differently to a traumatic event. Home life, previous trauma, hereditary mental health, etc. all make a difference in how students respond.
Because they all respond differently, that’s why building individual relationships are so important. In order to get students back up to their thinking brain, we need to know how to approach them based on their background and previous experiences. The steps will be the same, like Bob mentioned, but the approach will be different with each student so we will have to be very intentional in our interactions.
I think there are many factors that contribute to a student’s response to a traumatic event. Some of these could include a student’s age; his/her environment; life experiences; support system, a diagnosis of anxiety, depression, ADHD, etc. could all impact a student’s response to trauma. All of these could play a role in the type of response as well as a student’s reaction to the fight, flight, freeze when experiencing a traumatic event. We as educators, not matter our role need to take the time to invest in our students’ background, strengths, interests, and needs. Having background information about our students could really benefit how we serve and counsel them. Collaborating with all staff who work with the student(s) can also be helpful. We also need to remember to stay balanced ourselves, and not let our personal responses interfere when trying to help students cope and to be the best learners.
There are different factors for why children can respond to trauma in different ways. I believe one of the biggest factors can be the support an individual has when dealing with trauma. If a student is constantly around trauma and adults that are not modeling healthy coping skills that will have a more negative impact than someone who has supportive adults and has been modeled healthy coping strategies. I also believe it is important to consider how many stressors or adverse experiences a child is facing. The more experiences they are facing at one time or over time can have a more negative impact. As it is stated in the book, when someone is in constant flight, fight or freeze mode, they are in stress response versus development and that can have an impact on a student’s abilities to develop healthy coping skills.
As educators it is important for us to keep in mind what effect trauma is having on the student not necessarily the details of the event. That way we can be compassionate and supportive in the way that child needs support from us. Providing an open, caring, accepting environment will help those that have experienced trauma feel welcome and able to share and ready to learn.
I agree with the comments above that the circumstances leading up to and including a new traumatic event can have a great impact on how some students can manage and get through while others it can be a have a profound negative impact on that student. If a young person has been brought up in a safe and stable home environment, they may be more likely to get through a tough experience without as much long term negative results.
As professionals in education building relationships with the kids is huge. When the students know that you have a genuine interest in them and you care about them, they will be more likely to open up to you if they do experience some kind of traumatic event. Having that trust in adults at school can be vital to these kids that often time find school to be a much safer place than at home.
Many factors could possibly contribute to different responses to traumatic events. A student’s past experience with traumatic events may trigger certain emotions or fears. The caregivers of the student may model healthy or unhealthy responses to stress which may be copied by the student. Each individual has their own way of coping. A student’s mindset, emotional well being, past response to behavior, as well as environment play a role.
As professionals it is important for us to get to know our students and develop relationships so that they have a trusted adult. It helps to be aware of how individual students respond to different events. It helps to know about the students’ past as well as what works for each student to put them in the best mindset to learn and relate to others. Modeling positive coping skills and maintaining an emotionally safe atmosphere during stressful events is important.
It is very interesting to see how students in my building react differently to traumatic events. I feel one of the biggest reasons why is the amount of support they have at home. If there is a large support network at home, these students are typically linked with support services outside of the home and have individuals at home who will help process the traumatic event with them appropriately. I also think the student’s personality has a huge impact on how students handle trauma. I have worked with siblings who were both in the same horrible car accident. The older brother had a very difficult time afterwards while the younger brother has able to adjust back very quickly after the accident. The older brother ended up with PTSD and needed CBT therapy.
I believe student age and maturity affects their reactions as well as other external factors in their life at the time of the trauma. Some students may have more stable built-in support systems with their family, friends, etc. Students also may have been taught how to deal with minor crises, which can be helpful when larger events happen. It’s also very possible that students react to trauma in the same way that they have seen their close family members or friends react in similar situations.
As we attempt to help students, it is important to take all possible factors into consideration. The more we get to know our students and understand where they are coming from and all that they are dealing with personally, the better we are equipping ourselves to help those students. We must always try to remember that we are the adult in the situation with more years of practice using our upstairs brain. If we cannot stay in our upstairs brain when handling the difficult situations that arise with students in trauma, it becomes even harder for the student to do so as well.
I have noticed with inner city students that they are almost in constant contact with trauma. For some the only peace they can get is at school, therefore developing a strong healthy relationship with teachers is a must have.
In my experience students who don’t have a strong support system at home need an out. Each morning my students are greeted with a hug and a smile. If there is a situation we can take care of it before the day begins. It is also very hard for my students to establish trust. Some my act out to see if I would still care for them after they have made unwise choices. For the most part I along with the counselor come up with strategies to help the students cope with the stress they deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes we are able to set up counseling for them. This is a huge plus because it takes place on campus during the school day. We are not miracle workers, but we do the best we can with what we are given.
Students from any socioeconomic background may be affected by 1 or more traumatic events at some point in their life. As my colleagues have stated…students immersed in a supportive environment overcome these traumatic events with less negative, lasting consequences. If the student lives in a chaotic, maladjusted “home” there is little positive role modeling taking place while away from school. Couple that with mental health diagnosis or cognitive or developmental delays, you have a student who will struggle to use their upstairs brain and will not have the tools necessary to handle stress. As educators, utilizing the 6 communication steps combined with relaxation techniques will show the student there are adults that will listen, reassure and guide them. In addition, educators will provide them with a safe environment where minds are free to learn and grow.
We are all unique and so are our responses to challenges! I agree with the previously stated comments about the contributors to the responses to trauma~environment, support, coping strategies, personalities, resilience, number of events, etc.
In trying to better help our students in maintaining a learning ready brain, I couldn’t help but think about your comment when you mentioned E+R=O. Once again, I was reminded how this very simple formula applies to all parts of our/students’ daily lives, and yes, even with trauma. There is much power in knowing that no matter what the event/situation is, our/students’ response can hugely impact the outcome/future. Combining this with the knowledge of upper/lower parts of the brain, this has the potential to give the student an enormous amount of power when dealing and working through challenges.
I believe students respond to trauma based on a few things: what have they seen modeled at home, what coping skills do they bring to each event, and how many events of trauma are they currently experiencing/have experienced in their life. A student’s ability to manage their own anxiety and fear seems to be such a big factor in the classroom. I have seen students who have been through a lot of trauma who handle things daily with courage and innocence, and I have seen children who cannot handle simple day to day tasks. It can make an educator feel powerless at times, but chapter two provided some hope for me. It was a great reminder that how we react to students can greatly affect the outcome. I am also interested to learn more about how to talk to students about their “upstairs” vs. “downstairs” brains. I think this could be a powerful way to help students cope and be able to ask for what they need.
Students seem to react to certain events based on a few factors: their abilities to handle their own anxiety and fear, how much trauma they have experienced and are currently experiencing, and how they have seen trauma handled by the adults around them. It always amazes me how some children can go through so much, and handle things with grace, and other children struggle to cope with day to day tasks. Souers gives us hope as she talks about what we can do as educators. She talks about how much our reactions can make the difference. It is such a refreshing reminder to try and approach each situation with patience and look for strategies other than just punishment. I am curious to learn more about teaching children about their “upstairs” and “downstairs” brains. I feel like that can give them the power they need to help manage their emotions.
I believe that there are so many factors that can impact how a student responds to trauma. Each traumatic experience has so many individual and unique circumstances, just as the individual who has been impacted by the trauma does as well. We are all wired differently and what may impact one person a certain way may be a completely different experience for another. I have seen that the other experiences that the student has been through in his or her life can also greatly impact their ability to work through a new trauma. For some students they have protective factors in place that help to provide a safety net and for others, unfortunately the protective factors are minimal, or there is no safety net at all. As a professional, I believe that we must meet the student where they are, seek to understand and listen without making assumptions or judging. As professionals the patience, consistency, and unwavering support that we can provide to students can send a message that they are not alone. Helping students to work on coping skills, calming techniques, and self care can greatly support a student in order to provide not only tools for life but also in order to create a positive school environment.
I think there are many factors that could help us to understand an individual’s response to trauma. Each child’s individual experience, upbringing, attachment, family and external supports etc. is unique and could either promote or deny the resiliency factor in traumatic or adverse childhood experiences. Research on the brain shows that multiple traumatic experiences has a negative impact on brain development and ability to cope with trauma, and can even have long-lasting health implications. I think that if children have supportive caregivers who help meet basic and emotional needs, they are more likely to build resiliency through trauma. However, that is not always the case. There are often situations of cyclical family trauma, poverty, lack of access to mental health resources, and others that will often serve as barriers to helping students with trauma. As educators, we play an extremely important role in providing support, care, education, outreach to families, etc. to help foster resilience in the midst of trauma. I have found that educating my teachers and staff on the basics of how trauma manifests itself in different ways in a child’s behavior and response to stress. Helping my teachers understand that a student isn’t necessarily being disrespectful out of disregard for the teacher, but because their brain is going into fight, flight, or freeze, and cannot access the learning part of their brain when they are in distress. It is our job as a school community (teachers, counselors, administrators, etc.) to build relationships with the student, and help them build a toolbox of coping skills to manage their emotions. These are key factors that can promote future success and build resilience, despite the trauma that a child has experienced.
I believe that there are a multitude of reasons behind how and why students react to traumatic events so differently. Definitely, how a student is “wired” or their emotional personality plays a role in their response. A student that is more apt to highly emotional/explosive responses will most likely response with an outwardly emotional reaction. A student that appears to let events just “roll off their backs” will be more likely to keep their reaction internal. Both experience the trauma but outwardly show their responses differently. Our relationships and interactions with the later may be even more important.
A student’s support system definitely comes into play with how a student responds to trauma. Is the student supported to identify that a trauma has occurred? For example, is the student given the time and space to share their experience or is their support system impacted/incapacitated (lack their own coping skills, overwhelmed by a shared trauma, unaware or unable to acknowledge trauma).
We definitely have a work cut out for us to aid our students to be in a place where they are able and ready to learn.
I feel that there are 2 reasons why students respond differently to the same traumatic events: home support and also personality. I know many have mentioned the idea of home support being crucial to resiliency and response to trauma, and I completely agree. However, I am always intrigued when I see a family where all 3 or 4 children experienced the same trauma, yet all the siblings responded differently to the trauma. Extroversion, introversion, risk-taking, and overall adaptability are personality traits that will greatly affect how children respond to trauma. I think of the work done on Highly Sensitive People (HSP’s) by Elain Aron. A trauma done to a highly sensitive child (about 25% of population) will have a categorically greater impact than the same trauma on a student at the other end of the sensitivity spectrum. I think awareness of the impact that personality can have on trauma is important because it is easy for teachers, counselors, and parents to desire higher-functioning in students because we are comparing them to another student who also experienced the same trauma but is doing much better. I think teaching resiliency strategies and CBT to the students who are more affected by trauma will allow them to thrive.
I think that personality and also home environment best explain why students respond differently to trauma. While support at home is a crucial factor, I think we often overlook the impact of personality when handling adverse situations. Considering the work of Elaine Aron who wrote the book “The Highly Sensitive Child,” around 25% of children are highly sensitive, and they will respond very differently to trauma than a student on the other end of the sensitivity spectrum. As counselors and teachers, we need to be careful that we don’t misunderstand or down-play a student’s reaction to trauma just because we have other students who have had the same trauma who are functioning at a higher level.
Over the last 23 years in the classroom, I have seen trauma affect kids in so many different ways. The 2 major responses I have witnessed are behavioral issues and academic shutdown. As I am learning more and more about trauma and the brain’s response to it I wish I could go back in time. I wish I knew then what I know now. I would have made so many different decisions.
* I definitely think responses vary by child. Even children in the same family respond to the same trauma very differently. I believe it depends on how secure they feel and also how often they have dealt with difficult problems and adversity.
As mentioned by many above, the support a student receives (both at home and at school) has a great impact on their ability to cope with trauma. What has the student learned about their own brain? If nothing, then their response to trauma will likely be greater than a student who has been taught about their own brain and how it works. Even better prepared are students who have learned coping strategies. Knowing what is happening to your brain and how to regulate yourself are two huge skill sets that have a direct impact on student response to trauma.
We as educators need to, in my humble opinion, need to treat everyone as if they have had some type of trauma in their lives. In reality, many have; but those that have not will also benefit from the strategies discussed in this book. They are just good practice. We need to build relationships and live by the golden rule even (especially) when interacting with students whose backgrounds we are unfamiliar with.)
I really resonate with Jen’s comment that in today’s world we need to treat every student as if they have had at least one ACE. The 2011 data in the book states that 45% of students had at least one. In 2019, unfortunately, I believe that number is even higher. Furthermore, times really have changed, and educators today fulfill sooo many roles for their students. Thus, it is always best to err on the side of caution. You truly never know what a child has been through and the lingering impact.
As professionals, we need to do our best to build relationships and trust with each student we encounter. We need to listen, meet them where they are, and support them in building their toolbox of resiliency skills.