Traumas Impact
on learning
By: Aziza Hassan, Talia Kienast, Cynthia Rangoni, Annie
Oommen, Suma Ha
Goals
By the end of our
presentation you will:
Acknowledge what certain behaviours
could mean, how it may present in the
classroom
Have a brief understanding of how
trauma impacts youth's ability to
absorb information
Understand trauma informed
interventions you as a CYC can utilize
in the classroom setting
Trauma
behaviour in
the classroom
Attention
Seeking
What Trauma
Looks Like
Lack
Motivation
Crying
psychosomatic Shyness
Clingy
Anger
Revert
Hypervigilance
Perfectionism
Fatigue Forgetfulness
In adolescence:
Weight
fluctuation
Loss of interest
Risky Behaviour
Independence
Pessimism
Rebelliousness
Oversharing
Trauma behaviour in the classroom
Trauma-affected students may experience intrusive thoughts or flashbacks that
keep them from paying attention in class.
A young person's capacity to relate to others and control their emotions is often
disrupted by trauma, especially when it occurs when they are young.
Some teachers might view the inability to concentrate as laziness, and
despondency can come across as shyness.
Girls are more likely to withdraw from social situations, become silent, or turn
inward, whereas boys are more likely to become openly agitated or disrupt class.
Trauma's
cognitive impact
on learning
trauma
and the
brain...
Brain remains in a state of hyper vigilance which, impairs ability
to pay attention, establish appropriate boundaries and
cognitively process information.
Worse performance with immediate verbal recall, and working
memory tests
Can create problems with a youth's ability to effectively
communicate, and memorize and organize information
Effects youths self-regulation of behaviour, attachment and
brain development.
Including the inability to control anger, aggression, and other
impulses, which may result in acting out and other
externalized behaviours in the classroom
trauma and the brain:
Symptoms In the Classroom
Negative peer & adult relationships: For older children trauma can also impact them in
regards to their ability to form positive relationships with their teachers and peers.
Learning disabilities/poor skill development: patterns of learning problems become
apparent, accompanied by other trauma symptoms
Trauma Flashbacks (involuntary visual, auditory and/or sensory memories of the trauma):
may see side effects such as low energy/motivation, lack of sleep, anxiety
Dissociation (splitting from current consciousness): student appears to blank out, poor
memory, highly inconsistent work
HOW CAN YOU
HELP?
Strategies and Interventions to help CYC practitioners
Create physical (P) and emotional (E) safety
strategies
in
classroom
Be aware of personal space (P)
Provide appropriate physical touch when a
child seeks it (P)
Ask permission before any physical contact
(P)
Giving unwanted or asked for affection can
re-traumatize or trigger a child (P)
Physical comfort can help calm children and
help them learn to regulate their emotions
(P)
Create physical (P) and emotional (E) safety
strategies
in
classroom
Give time and space for child living with
trauma to talk about it if they want so the
child knows it’s ok to talk about what is
happening for them (E)
Monitor children - Kids with trauma are often
very sensitive to teasing/bullying and can
feel unsafe. Let the child know they have
support (E)
Maintain structure and consistency
Classroom routine
regular check-in
strategies
in
classroom
keep children informed of schedule and
changes
Use discipline
give consequences instead of punishments
provide help, not warnings as children may
not have a sense of attachment to adult
pleasing
accommodate child's needs to their
developmental age, not their biological age
How trauma impacts
learning
Trauma can impact young people in various ways
it can be caused by one event or by an ongoing
issue whether at home or at school. Some of the
behaviours that may be displayed by a young
person who has been impacted by trauma can be
mistaken for a defiant child or just misbehaving.
THANK YOU
Sources
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