Identifying and Responding to Students Impacted by Trauma

This project was intended to better educate Kindergarten teachers on childhood trauma and how to support students with best practices. Research indicates that the impact of trauma can be significant. In one study over 60% of participants had experienced at least one traumatic event in their early years (Anda, n.d, Harris 2015). The research question explored was,“How can Kindergarten teachers use trauma-informed teaching practices to better understand and support kindergarten students\u27 needs in the classroom?” The first goal of this project was to better educate and inform teachers about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Teachers learned how to define trauma and events that qualify as ACEs. Case examples were shared for two different students, along with an anecdotal encounter for how trauma has impacted them on a typical school day. Next, the training focused on strategies that teachers could implement to better support students. A jigsaw format was used for teachers to report back to each other in order to offer self directed learning and collaboration. The author outlined specific behavior and the literature reviewed specific models that could be applied within a school