Students with Trauma

As a teacher I know (as teachers everywhere know) there are students in my classrooms who have experienced or are experiencing trauma. Some of that trauma is minor and some is absolutely horrifying. Some students are getting support for their trauma, either family initiated or through the school, but there are students that I have tried and tried and tried to get help for and haven't been able to. They either aren't considered 'bad' enough or there is no help available.

It is soul destroying not being able to get your students the help they need. There is an impact for these students and for the classroom environment. As a teacher I am keen to find things that I can do, at a whole class level, that make a real difference.

Recently I listened to (I listen to a lot of audio books) 'The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma' by Bessel Van Der Klok, M.D. It was absolutely fascinating and reminded me again how incredible humans are. The book covers a lot of different trauma situations from war to natural disasters to violence, neglect and illness. Van Der Klok also explains different treatment options including when they are most effective and for whom they work best. It blew my mind.

At times I listened as the teacher looking for ways that I could help the students in my classrooms. What stuck with me was that children who experience trauma benefit from feeling safe, having a sense of belonging or unity, enjoying moments of true joy and experiencing rhythm. I am a classroom teacher not a psychologist but there are things, really simple things, I could do that would help.

I have noticed some students create their own rhythm by tapping a pencil or a foot, making hand movements, swinging on a chair or rocking their upper body. Rhythmic activities are soothing, promote feelings of safety and calm our bodies by resetting the nervous system when it is overwhelmed. Doing anything that is rhythmic helps.

Van der Klok offers some quick, easy and effective ideas for the classroom. All of the examples are more effective when they are done in a safe environment (ideally the classroom) and are done with others.

The examples he gives include:

• choral singing

• drumming (I have found drumming on tables with pens works great)

• marching

• dancing

• skipping

• ball skills (bouncing, passing and kicking a ball)

• swinging (monkey bars, swings, hanging off bars)

• drawing and colouring patterns

• chanting.

Classrooms are busy places with a lot of things that need to be included in a day. We are all looking for quick, purposeful, activities that make a difference for our students. We cannot change what happens while our students are not at school but we have a huge impact when they are in our classroom. I think it is worth finding snippets of time to do something rhythmic, as a class, that is fun. These snippets will benefit all students but for those who have or are experiencing trauma they can offer a real opportunity to bring some healing and add joy to their lives.