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A child's developing brain is shaped by the relationships and environments a child experiences from the start. If, at a young age, a child cannot predict where, when or how much stress they will experience at any given time, their brains and bodies can become hardwired to react more quickly with a fight, flight, or freeze response. By the time they are in school, students who experience childhood trauma may struggle to concentrate, exhibit inappropriate behaviors, and are more likely to fall behind academically.
Educators and staff in the education field have a unique opportunity to create trauma-informed environments that support children and families. |
Opportunities to Respond
Trauma-informed schools have seen improvements in academic, behavioral, and health outcomes for students and satisfaction for staff. This document shares opportunities for schools to create healing environments for students.
Guides
Click the images below to access guides that can help you learn the science and respond.
An educator's guide to addressing toxic stress
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An early education professional's guide to addressing toxic stress
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Iowa Model for Early Care and Education:
Early Childhood Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been active in Iowa early learning settings for almost ten years. The vision of EC-PBIS is that the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children practices are present in all settings young children find themselves: home, family child care, child care centers, health and mental health settings, Head Start and preschools.
Early Childhood Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports has been active in Iowa early learning settings for almost ten years. The vision of EC-PBIS is that the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children practices are present in all settings young children find themselves: home, family child care, child care centers, health and mental health settings, Head Start and preschools.
Education Training
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We offer a curriculum for educators and school-based personnel that fulfills Iowa's requirement to be trained in ACEs and toxic stress. Training is available online or in-person, and we offer a train-the-trainer presentation for school-based and education program staff to deliver with ongoing coaching. The goal of our training is to leave you with an understanding that there is a great deal of hope in responding to the impact of ACEs and toxic stress in school systems.
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Additional Resources for Educators
Early Care and Education
This section includes resources for professionals who work with young children or their parents in early care and early education settings.
This section includes resources for professionals who work with young children or their parents in early care and early education settings.
- Head Start Trauma Smart
- Washington’s Family Policy Council Interviews with the Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Development, Faith, K-12 Public Education and Public Health Communities
- North Carolina’s 2,000 Days Campaign: Making the Case for Investing Early in Children’s Lives
- Early Childhood Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (EC-PBIS)
K-12 Education
The links in this section include resources for professionals in the Kindergarten through grade 12 education sector including teachers, aids, administrators, school counselors, staff and other professionals who work closely with educators or school-age youth.
The links in this section include resources for professionals in the Kindergarten through grade 12 education sector including teachers, aids, administrators, school counselors, staff and other professionals who work closely with educators or school-age youth.
- Compassionate Schools: The Heart of Learning and Teaching
- Safe Supportive Learning
- Non-violent Crisis Intervention Training
- Transformation of Children's Mental Health Services: The Role of School Mental Health
- Are the Children Well? A Model and Recommendations for Promoting the Mental Wellness of the Nation’s Young People
- The Health Center at Lincoln in Walla Walla, Washington
- Coping for Capable Kids: Strategies for Parents, Teachers, and Students
- New York Times articles:
- Washington’s Family Policy Council Interviews with the Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Development, Faith, K-12 Public Education and Public Health Communities
- National Child Traumatic Stress Network Resources for School Personnel
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Resources for Schools to Help Students Affected by Trauma Learn
- Massachusetts Advocates for Children
- Trauma Sensitive Schools
- A Cedar Rapids, Iowa school district video on ACEs
- 2014 Developing Brain; Developing Accountability Conference presentations and resources
Post-Secondary Education
The links in this section include resources particularly relevant for professionals in post-secondary education.
The links in this section include resources particularly relevant for professionals in post-secondary education.