Learning Opportunities

Traumatic experiences can happen to anyone. These events involve actual or perceived threats to the safety and well-being of a child or someone close to them. Learn how adverse childhood experiences (ACES) change the way children see the world and themselves and can have a serious impact on a child’s learning and social-emotional development. This awareness is foundational in establishing trauma informed schools and fostering safety, hope, and resiliency.

The Trauma Informed Educator - Part A - Supporting Students & Staff through Awareness:  A Whole School Approach

In this 2 hour course we will:

• Learn what trauma is, its prevalence, and how it affects a child/youth’s development, using a Neurosequential Model
• Discuss how trauma impacts learning, behaviour, and relationships at school
• Review core attributes of Trauma Sensitive Schools and ways to create a trauma sensitive community
• Explore the concept of vicarious trauma and the importance of trauma informed practices for yourself and your teams.
• Resources will be provided that you can take back to your schools.

The Trauma Educator - Part B - Strengthing Learning through Safety, Connection & Collaboration:  A Bottom-Up Approach

When educators and school teams become more trauma-aware, they can then incorporate practical strategies and systems that support healthy attachment and foster resiliency with their students and teams. Using the Neurosequential Model, learn how to use a ‘bottom-up’ approach to build strength-based learning and work environments that support safety, connection and collaboration.

In this 2 hour course we will:

• Continue to explore trauma informed practices for yourself and your teams
• Explore the importance of creating effective learning environments through ‘bottom-up’ classrooms, focusing on the 3Rs - regulation, relating and reasoning
• Review universal strategies that promote safety through co-regulation, strengthening relationships, and building student capacity
• Discuss the importance of a whole-school approach and how you can advocate for a trauma informed lens within your school
• Resources will be provided that you can take back to your schools.

Target Audience

Teachers: K-12, School-based Administrators, Support Staff, Instructional Coaches, Learning Coaches, Inclusive Learning Teachers, District Leaders/Consultants, Educational/Instructional Assistants, Specialists who work directly with students, Para-educators and teams who serve children and youth