By Grant Simpson, PhD
In a video discussing children who have suffered trauma, the speaker asserted, “Every kid is one caring adult relationship away from being a success story.” The session further delineated the impact of adverse childhood experiences on health and well-being throughout the lifespan. The array of abuses include neglect, emotional, physical, sexual, and even substance. Regardless of the type, trauma has both short- and long-term effects including:
- Difficulties with learning
- Ongoing behavior problems
- Impaired relationships
- Poor social and emotional competence
- Increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases
Delving deeper into the psyche of traumatized children, Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg added that connection is the most important coping strategy, i.e., caring relationships matter. While schools are normative organizations, those which pass on the values of our society and are responsive to human needs, they are also bureaucracies, saddled with rules, regulations and demands that can seem impersonal. This is not an either/or proposition. We need both; one balances the other; when we are out of balance, we make mistakes or incur unintended consequences.
With each new school year comes a palpable excitement and energy on our campuses. What will this year hold? Are we reinvigorated to pursue excellence? Can we marshal the resources requisite to our goals? Do we have the will to face the many challenges of the human condition? Having been associated with TEPSA for many years, I am confident the readership of this column strives to build caring, supportive, effective environments for all students. That’s hard work that requires both intention and action. Further, the knowledge base on children and youth from “hard places” has grown substantially. Thus, school leaders must ensure faculty have both access and opportunities to build awareness and learn new strategies. We cannot assume new professionals come knowing the impact of trauma or having accrued skills in dealing with predictable behaviors.
Likewise, veterans may need a refresher course that not only brings this to the conscious level but helps them serve as mentors to others by describing both successes and failures with different challenges.
I can feel someone already muttering, “Yikes, who has the time or money for that?” Well, the nice thing about today’s world is that our cup is literally buried in the deluge of information out there. At the very least, you could establish a committee to explore the world of available resources that come in user-friendly packaging. For example, Dr. Ginsburg has many YouTube videos, and the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) website is loaded with articles, materials and information about training opportunities. Further, in your own emails/texts/social media, you can begin posting helpful links for teachers and parents to consider.
Likewise, here’s an easy activity for a faculty meeting (15-30 minutes):
- Lift a phrase from your mission statement (e.g. “We are committed to providing a caring, supportive, and effective environment for all learners.”).
- Divide them into grade-level or interdisciplinary small groups.
- Say, “Remember we crafted this statement, and I know everyone here believes in this commitment.”
- Ask, “What is it we actually DO in support of this belief? Use your charts to develop a list of specific behaviors.”
- Have them report out, asking each subsequent group to just add anything not yet said.
- Save the charts as “archives” and “proof” of your efforts. Perhaps have someone transcribe them for digital use.
- Revisit them periodically to keep adding to the list of evidence for all that you do. This becomes good data for reports you have to make. Plus, it’s good practice for folks to document how they turn beliefs into action!
In closing, I’d like to leave you with words from Dr. Ginsburg that affirms so much of what I have learned in my career. He reminds us that youth who need us the most:
- Are often those who push us away.
- Are often those who push our buttons.
- May raise uncomfortable feelings in us.
- Often don’t give us the feedback we crave.
This makes the building of connections more daunting! Our challenge becomes finding ways to say and put teeth in, “I’ve got your back.”
Dr. Simpson’s column, “Mistakes School Leaders Make,” was published in TEPSA News from 2009-2017.
TEPSA News, August 2017, Vol 74, No 4
Copyright © 2017 by the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. No part of articles in TEPSA publications or on the website may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association.
