Are we ready to deal with the trauma from the Coronavirus for our students and staff?
I spoke with our son and his wife (who are high school teachers) yesterday who live in Weschester County in New York and right next door to New Rochelle. Schools have closed and others are planning on closing. Our son and his wife shared that students are having difficulty thinking, they are worried, and all they can talk about is the virus. As our country is mitigating and trying to decrease the spread of the virus, many of our children are experiencing trauma for the first time while other children are just experiencing another level of trauma.
While we are making decisions to close and/or open schools, how to deliver instruction if we have to close schools for longer periods of time, sanitizing and cleaning our buildings, etc., we must also ask ourselves the following questions:
- How are we going to address and support students at various age levels emotionally and behaviorally during and after this crisis for the short-term and potential long-term effects?
- What information do we share with our students without scaring them?
- How is our district going to provide support to our staff members who might be traumatized during this time?
- How will we calm our school communities?
Trauma
There are many causes of trauma. In considering the COVID 19 virus, districts and campuses must be aware of the following scenarios that our students and staff may experience during these unprecedented times that can cause trauma (not meant to be all inclusive):
- A sense of chaos
- Death of a loved one
- Chronically depressed family members
- Separation of a parent
- Disruptions in day-to-day lives that may have other consequences
- Basic needs not being met
Potential Responses to Trauma
Children and staff who truly experience a sense of trauma during this time may exhibit it in various ways. Some of our children will be experiencing trauma by internalizing those feelings and others will act out their feelings by exhibiting some of the following behaviors (not meant to be all inclusive):
- Distrust
- Withdrawal
- Difficulty paying attention and/or retaining information
- Acting out behaviors
- Appearing helpless, anxious, angry, or nervous
- Sense of uncertainty
Trauma Responsive School Components
Being a truly trauma-responsive school requires comprehensive training (required by HB18 in Texas 86th legislative session) for all staff. If your district has not provided that yet, here are some components that are included in trauma-informed campuses (not meant to be all inclusive):
- School safety prevention plan that addresses how to handle trauma when schools experience natural disasters, death, suicide, etc.
- Full-time counselors available to meet responsive needs of students experiencing trauma and providing classroom lessons on coping with changes from trauma and self-care.
- Well-defined Tier system for dealing with behaviors/emotions that may be exhibited due to trauma.
- Educating and involving families and communities in understanding trauma.
- Staff training on trauma-informed practices as well as how the brain and nervous system are impacted and react to trauma.
Trauma Responsive Teacher Practices
Many of the strategies that teachers should use with students experiencing trauma are really best practices that should be used daily with all students. Here are some of the identified trauma-informed practices (not meant to be all inclusive):
- Be age appropriate in expectations for students emotions and behavior when schools reopen from being closed or are directly affected by the virus.
- Determine what support systems are available in your district that need to be in place for all students.
- Ask your school counselor to teach or work with teachers to show stress management techniques such as relaxation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises.
- Teach students self-affirmation statements to self-regulate anxiety, such as “I am in a safe place where I am being taken care of.”
- Observe and reflect.
- Provide a positive safe environment where students feelings are valued and recognized and never minimized.
- Help students identify names for their feelings.
- Guide students through what they can control and what they need to let go of – if it is out of their control.
- Stay calm.
- Offer and allow students to sign up to visit with their professional school counselor as needed.
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Texas School Procedures
Trauma Resources for Subscribing Districts
6 Part Trauma Training for All Staff
Training Section>Campus Staff>Trauma
