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Learn how a regulated environment, healthy teacher-student relationship, and understanding emotional needs can lead to change and healing for traumatized students. Utilize neuroplasticity of the nervous system and ask the right questions to shift perspectives and improve behavior.
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Together we win A Relational Approach to Help the Traumatized Student – Based on the book, Help for Billy
Changing the Window Increasing stress toleranceNeuroplasticity of the of the Nervous system can provide the answers for change and healing
Healthy teacher-student relationship • Regulated environment • Meeting the children’s emotional needs • Reducing stress that leads to overwhelm Equals a chance for Change
Ask the Right Questions Asking the right questions takes as much skill as giving the right answers –Robert Half
“How can I change Billy’s behavior?” • VS. “What is driving Billy’s behavior?” What Else is really going on here?What does this child need?How can I change my perspective?What keeps me only looking at the behaviorWhat is the Behavior communicating right nowWhat in the environment could be triggering the behavior?
“What can I do at this very moment to improve my relationship with Billy?”
The Classroom Create a classroom designed for regulation https://selfregulationintheclassroom.wikispaces.com/Games+and+Exercises Rocking Chair, pacing, standing exercises, movement, breathing exercises
Classroom Designed for Regulation Take time to greet students. “welcome, this class would not be the same without you.”Recognize moods and help regulateListenTake interest in what’s important with each studentAsking Billy to help, and let them helpStay in a warm place in your heart
Social and Emotional Issues Mastery of social skills directly impacts a child’s academic performance
What is Driving Billy’s Inability to Socialize Appropriately? 1. Socially immature- A kindergartner in a 3rd graders body.2. Not a social thinker- difficult time reading tone, facial cues, and feelings3. Terrified of rejection – Traumatized kids live in a state of fear every moment of every day.
Teaching the Traumatized Student the Four L’s Language- need help learning social language, identifying emotions and connecting them to wordsLogic- Help Billy to think rationally and away from magical thinkingLearning- Training Billy’s brain to properly interpret social cues and facial expression. The inability to form social relationships should be considered equal to a dyslexic studentListening- listening drills that practice keeping focused with good eye contact may be required
If you want to increase academic achievement, increase relationship. If you want children to be motivated they have to be regulated
Teachers Redefining the teacher-student relationshipHumans are species designed to be in a relationship.Relationships define HumanityFirst priority in the classroom, even over learning should be the teacher-student relationshipRelationships bring security and safety
Relationship Entrainment – process of actively changing the natural patterns of one object, or person, to the patterns of another object or person • Institute of Heartmath has been studying the heart’s impact on the brain. The heart creates 40-60 times more amplitude than the brain. The cardiac field extends about 10 feet away from the body. • A person’s heart beat can be measured in another person’s brainwave influencing their mood, attitudes, and feelings.
Cultural and Personal Beliefs “I have to get Billy to behave! I do not want to be seen as a bad teacher
Teacher subconsciously correlates Billy’s behavior to the effectiveness of being a teacher. She puts stress on Billy to behave. • Billy feels this stress and due to his high sensitivity to stress he acts out. • Teacher interprets this behavior to mean she is ineffective. This is uncomfortable feeling for her, so she works harder for Billy to behave in order to settle her own nervous system. • Billy feels this stress, cannot sustain his own regulation, and his negative behaviors intensify. • The teacher feels worse and moves to feeling overwhelmed, ineffective, unworthy, and increases intensity toward Billy to get his act together. • Billy knows only how to react and is now caught in a negative feedback look and escalates even more into his negativity.
The cord must be cut between the teacher’s effectiveness and the student’s behavior
Unfinished business Being aware of our windows of stress tolerance
In closing • Relational Influences create motivation • “What can I do right now to connect with this child?” • If you want your student to be motivated they have to be regulated
References: • Help For Billy, by Heather T. Forbes, LCSW