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Education and the Child of Trauma, Page 3

Reduced Peer Interaction: Reduced peer interaction for this child may perhaps prove to be the most beneficial modification to aid in his developmental improvement. Often times, a child with a trauma history will be the target of bullying or taunting. Being relieved of an environment in which emotional bullying can be at its worst, will allow this child to function in the least restrictive environment, eliminating the stress stemming from the emotions of fear, shame, and anger. Peer contact defined as lunchtime, physical education, recess, etc.

Daily, Consistent, One on One Mentoring: A one to one mentor will provide the child with a secure figure within which he can develop a sense of trust, security and dependence. Independence for this child is counter indicated. The relationship development with such a person can create an environment for corrective emotional experiences with a trusted figure outside of the primary caregiver.

Secure, Low-Stimulus Environment: A low-stimulus environment will maintain the child in an environment of minimal stressors. Due to the sensitive nature of this child’s Stress Response System, the lower the external stimulus the more opportunity the child has to maintain a state of regulation, hence, calm. This state of neurophysiologic functioning is pertinent to the success of this child in the formal educational environment.

High Structure: Structure with minimal change provides the child an opportunity to acclimate to the expectations of the coming school day and maintain resonance and regulation gained throughout the previous evening and night rest cycle.

Interactive Communication: The one to one mentor must be proactive in using a.) tone of voice that is firm yet non-threatening, b.) ensuring the understanding of communication through requesting and gaining eye contact, c.) providing the child with non-threatening physical expressions such as hugs, pats, head rubs, etc. These seemingly standard actions are oftentimes underrated when working with children. These gestures further enable the child to develop trust and dependence, which will be pertinent factors in situations of stress.

Counseling Sessions within the Educational Setting: Weekly sessions will allow all involved to monitor progress, set goals, and assist the child in developing guided imagery techniques and appropriate methods of emotional expression.

Daily Telephone Contact from the Parent: Daily contact will maximize the child’s ability to maintain regulatory functioning throughout the school day. Contact with the primary caregiver will provide the child with an added sense of security while in the educational environment. Daily contact with the one on one mentor will initiate a rapport between the school and the home, which will greatly improve collaboration and communication.

In Summary

Though it may appear to the untrained eye that such changes may further jeopardize the educational growth of this student, this assumption could not be further from the need for developmental appropriateness. The modification to this child’s current educational exposure will assist greatly in his ability to develop the skills necessary to better utilize his cognitive abilities when placed in emotionally stressful situations. As this child continues to function in the least restrictive environment created for maintained emotional regulation, his cognitive ability will be allowed to function without the constant interference of stress overload. As the time between highly stressful events becomes longer his brain will be allotted an opportunity for development. This aspect of development within the limbic system is ultimately responsible for stress regulation and the effective use of cognitive ability. Determining such progress can be assessed incrementally and over time, through much the same means as with other children. Such measure might include reporting by those directly involved in the student’s activities, the assessment of completion of required educational tasks, and occasional comparison testing in such unstructured tasks as handwriting.

It may possibly be feasible to begin to reintroduce this student into the full-time environment within a six-month time frame, with close monitoring. When this time nears, it is highly recommended that an IEP meeting be held to determine appropriate degrees of introduction and the assurance that consistent monitoring will take place.

School time experiences for all children are valuable learning opportunities. Unfortunately for children with trauma histories, school can also become a very negative experience which only serves to keep them in their current state of arrested emotional development. Take the time to assess the history of this child and make the appropriate modifications to their school learning experience.

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