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Over the past few decades, research has provided new information on the impact of trauma and sustained early adversity on children’s developing brains (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2020). We know that children’s brains may become wired to respond acutely to any perceived stress. Children may have trouble paying attention and following directions, and they may act out in class. While these findings have challenging implications in the classroom, they reflect how children often adapt to their environments. This important science is increasing awareness among educators about the various ways trauma affects child development. This awareness has also given rise to trauma-sensitive practices and approaches to teaching and learning. When educators implement these practices and approaches, they provide their students with a safe and supportive learning environment where children can learn the skills to lessen the emotional burden of trauma. Creating a Resilience-Focused Classroom In the wake of the pandemic, children are coming to school with levels of trauma, stress, and anxiety on a scale we have never seen. As an educator, you likely have your share of stressors in your life, too. You were drawn to this profession not only because of your desire to teach, but also because of your empathy and concern for children’s well-being. In many cases, the emotional load of feeling incapable of helping a child who is struggling may also impact you negatively. Put simply, their trauma can become your trauma—by nature of your empathy. But take heart, the same coping skills and resilience strategies you develop in your students will also be helpful to you. We give you this book to spark a resilience-informed movement in education— practices and strategies that support children’s capacities to thrive in the face of adversities, large and small. Because studies (Walsh, 1996, 2003, 2006) document the positive influence of significant relationships on a child’s resilience capacities, we also offer this book as a guide for building partnerships and support systems with families and communities. In your work with a child’s family, you may speak explicitly to the skills you are trying to foster that promote resilience and emphasize that families can also support these skills. Many of the activities we give in the book are ones that families can do at home
14 The Educator’s Guide to Building Child & Family Resilience
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