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Six Teaching Principles for Fostering Resiliency

From literature on building and fostering  resiliency, Wolpow et al. (2009, pg 71-77) developed an approach to teaching and discipline students with unconditional positive regard. Their approach was developed and organized into six principles needed for students to learn. While the six principles were created to help students who have experienced trauma they are beneficial for all students. 

Principle 1: Always Empower, Never Disempower

The first principle is the empowerment of students. 

  1. Students who have experienced trauma will often seek to control their environment to feel safe.
  2. Avoid battles for control.
  3. Behaviors may be outside the student's control (fight, flight, freeze response).
  4. When correcting a student, be consistent, respectful, and non-violent. 
  5. all discipline should be done with uncontional positive reagard for the student. 

Principle 2: Provide Unconditional Positive Regard

Unconditional positive regard is the various ways an adult shows genuine respect for the students.

Trauma can make it difficult for students to trust, feel worthy of compassion and/or empathy, form relationships, and take initiative. 

Students don't need to be told what is wrong with them. They need an adult who treats them with sustained kindness and empathizes with their challenges. 

Principle 3: Provide and Maintain High Expectations

"Consistent expectations, limits, and routines convey that the student is worthy of unconditional positive regard and attention. Consistency in the classroom allows students to differentiate between arbitrary rules that led to their abuse and purposeful ones that assure their safety and well-being. Limits are most appropriate when immediate, related, age-appropriate, proportional, and delivered in a calm and respectful voice" (Wolpow et al.,2009). 

Principle 4: Check Assumptions, Observe and Question

Trauma is an individual response that requires teachers to observe and question students' behaviors and needs in a responsive and relevant way.  

  1. Learn to identify your assumptions (avoid allowing biases to cloud observations).
  2. Based on observation, ask questions.
  3. Listen to the responses of students to seek relevancy while displaying respect. 

Principle 5: Be a Relationship Coach

"Trauma events call into question basic human relationships. They breach the attachments of family, friendship, love, and community" Wolpow et al. (2009). 

As teachers, we establish relationships with students and assist students in building relationships with peers. 

Teachers can help students take small steps toward mending torn perceptions of community and friends by teaching them how to get along and by supporting relationships between students and parents. 

Principle 6: Provide Guided Opportunities for Helpful Participation

The need to belong. We all need and want to belong in our school, community, and families. 

"When we participate, we feel like we belong. When we make meaningful contributions to the welfare of others, we improve our feelings of self-worth. Supervised opportunities for helpful participation can provide solace, create mutual trust, and affirm the self-worth of those involved. Teachers need to plan, model, and observe ongoing interactions" Wolpow et al. (2009). 

Six Guiding Principles To A Trauma-Informed Approach

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with SAMHSA's National Center for Trauma-Informed care (NCTC) developed a new training on the role of trauma informed care to increase awareness of the impact of trauma.  There are six Guiding principles that should guide a trauma informed approach. 

  • Safety
  • Trustworthiness
  • Peer Support
  • Collaboration and Mutuality
  • Empowerment, Voice and Choice
  • Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues

Safety

All aspects of the school should feel physically and psychologically safe. The physical setting and interpersonal interactions promote a sense of safety. Understanding safety as defined by those served is a high priority. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

Trustworthiness

The school's operations and decisions should be conducted with transparency with the goal of building and maintaining trust with clients and family members, staff, and others involved in the organization. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

Peer Support

Peer support and mutual self-help are keys to establishing safety and hope, building trust, enhancing collaboration, and utilizing their stories and lived experiences to promote recovery and healing. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

Collaboration and Mutuality

The school recognizes that everyone has a role in a trauma-informed approach. Importance is placed on leveling the power differences between staff and students while demonstrating that healing happens in relationships and in the meaningful sharing of power and decision-making. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

Empowerment, Voice and Choice

Individual strengths and experiences are recognized and built upon. The school should foster a belief that in the ability of individuals, organizations, and communities to heal and promote recovery from trauma. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues

Schools should move past cultural stereotypes and biases, offer access to gender-responsive services, leverage the healing value of traditional cultural connections, and incorporate policies, protocols, and processes that are responsive to the racial, ethnic, and cultural needs of individuals served. They should also recognize and address historical trauma. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014)

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