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Danielle Theis Consulting

Support for children impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

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Trauma Responsive Schools

TraumaResponsiveSchools.org


The Components of Teach to Heal


Teach to Heal Acknowledges Our Unique Opportunity to Provide a New Experience for Children.

Teach to Heal acknowledges that educators have a unique opportunity, through the platform of schools, to provide a new experience for children that have been impacted by trauma.  They can give a child the gift of a new experience with an adult that is not inclusive of fear or inadequacy.  This gift can be generalized beyond school toward new possibilities and pathways.

A Child Centered Paradigm Focuses on the Perception and Experience of the Child.

A child centered paradigm focuses on the perception and experience of the child, along with their unique cognitive makeup, to develop individualized strategies to maximize their academic, social, and emotional learning. 

A Solutions Focused Paradigm Starts with Who we Serve.

A solution focused paradigm starts with who we serve and making progress at the child’s pace.  It is never child, parent, or system blaming.  It encompasses an “until” attitude that embraces the endless possibilities and resilience of children.

A Paradigm Inclusive of Nurturance of New Skills Understands that Educators Meet Children Where They Currently Are.

A paradigm inclusive of nurturance of new skills understands that educators meet children where they currently are as it pertains to academics and social emotional learning.  Focusing on compliance and consequences is not the answer.  We teach children the skills they have not mastered and never blame or shame them for where they are on the continuum of human growth.

Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a Clinically Informed Trauma Responsive Intervention.

Trauma responsive schools must have a high quality intervention modality applied through interventionists positioned in the school for children in crisis. The best time to intervene with children who have big displays is at the time of the crisis.  This is a vulnerable time and must be managed by well trained staff.  Children need to learn how to slow down their emotional state and gain insight into the reasons for their maladaptive patterns so they can adjust them.  Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) is a clinically informed intervention for children who have experienced trauma and display maladaptive patterns of behavior. 

Trauma Responsive Schools Require Clear Role Definition.

Trauma responsive schools must have clear role definition. These are children who have not found adults to be consistent, reliable, predictable, or trustworthy. Roles, and corresponding spaces,  must be clearly defined and maintained.  Kids know there are hierarchies in schools. They know that there are administrators and teachers. They know that teachers manage the classroom. Paraprofessionals or educational assistants should be clearly supporting the instructional direction of the teacher. There should also be interventionists for children experiencing crisis, or are dysregulated to a point that they cannot engage in instruction.  They need the adults in schools to consistently be responsive to them, in a calm and non-reactive way, with congruence to their prospective role.

Trauma Responsive Schools Require Effective Nonverbal Environmental Management.

Trauma responsive schools must have effective nonverbal management of the environment. Staff have to know how to set up classrooms, create transition areas, and utilize the environment as a form of guidance. When traumatized children enter school spaces, they scan the environment looking for risk. Risk can come in the form of who, what, and/or where. Educators have to be very aware and responsive to the subtle cues that traumatized children give us when they teach us how to work with them.

Trauma Responsive Schools Should Implement the Performance Tracking System.

Trauma responsive schools should implement the Performance Tracking System (PTS) as a trauma responsive, multifaceted and tiered system to effectively support student regulation, skills, and engagement. 

Trauma Responsive Schools Require Effective Teaming.

Trauma responsive schools must have effective teaming which involves the necessary guiding tools, data, knowledge, and language that will assist adults serving vulnerable children.  We have to teach adults the components that must be included in these solution focused professional conversations. 

Trauma Responsive Schools Require Quality Instruction and Support.

Trauma responsive schools understand that this population must first establish a sense of safety and adequacy in school in order to make their mind available for instruction and learning.  Quality instruction and support strategies are guided by the successful implementation of the other five components.   Once all six components are successfully in place they are interdependent and fluid. 

For more information on the Teach to Heal, please click here to contact Danielle Theis Consulting.

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I found it incredibly helpful to see how each intervention tied into a primary emotion for the student which in turn helped to guide me in how I should be addressing that student. I also appreciated learning some of the foundations which made gaining understanding of the philosophy and procedures easier. LSCI training will make me take a closer look at my interactions with students in crisis. I will reflect on the underlying reasons for the crisis and determine how I can best address those reasons and hopefully facilitate insight and skills for the student to access in the future.

Behavior Interventionist

I work as a behavioral dean of students and see myself using them daily with students to de-escalate situations.

Dean of Students

I think I will also try to be more mindful of the words I choose to use, specifically paying more attention to making validating responses rather than the first thing that comes to mind as a common response.

General Education Teacher

It is exciting to think about how this information can really be used as an intervention tool to teach students the skills they are lacking. So often we miss out on the importance of teaching the skill versus putting a band aid on the situation in the moment. Communication upfront with staff will be important to help define roles and responsibilities and to state our purpose behind this work. I will need to be strategic in thinking about how we all build a system’s picture for how this will impact our building and practices.

High School Principal

I feel like I finally understand why we aren’t going straight to consequences because growing up there was always a consequence. I do like the conflict cycle because that gives me a better understanding of where the student is coming from.

Paraprofessional

I see myself using this information and skills mostly in the way I interact with students in their moments of dis-regulation. I have new verbiage in what students may be experiencing based on conversation and new skills on how to work with that. I also want to use this information in being more specific with the needs of the student. Now that I have a better picture of what students may be feeling or thinking, I have new skills/tools to help that issue specifically.

Behavior Interventionist

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General Ed

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Student Support

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School Administrators

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Superintendents

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Family

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Colleges / Universities

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Trauma Responsive Schools

Trauma Responsive Schools

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Prevent School Violence

Prevent School Violence

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Compliance Vs New Skills

Compliance Vs New Skills

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Boy screaming

How Do I Respond?

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Educators know, when this population
is successful, all kids are successful.

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Teach To HealDanielle provides trainings and consultative services to support children impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and the adults who serve them, in our schools and communities.

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