Resource provides overview of causes and symptoms, and actionable steps to take to support student learning and development

Almost half of the children in the United States – about 35 million – have experienced trauma. Our special report Teaching Through Trauma explores how California educators are handling students who have been impacted by trauma, and points to a number of resources and tools educators can use.

Now, the Maryland State Education Association, in partnership with First Book, has developed a Trauma Toolkit for educators. The resource provides an overview of the causes and symptoms of trauma, offers insight on frequently asked questions, and provides actionable steps educators can take to support student learning and development.

In the toolkit, educators:

• Learn about the most common sources of childhood trauma
• Learn how trauma affects learning, and how it manifests in students
• Receive tools and techniques to help students manage their social & emotional behavior
• Learn how to gain additional support from your community, student caregivers, and local union
• Learn about the importance of self-care, and how to handle compassion fatigue

The ideas presented in the toolkit are the result of a broad review of books, published papers, and other resources focused on adolescent and childhood trauma and how it impacts students in the classroom and in after-school program settings. It was designed to save educators time by culling together and highlighting the most salient and actionable resources from across this literature review.

Special Report: Teaching Through Trauma

This is part of our series that looks at how educators are handling students with trauma. Read more:

Stories

• Teaching Students with Trauma: Practices that work
• A Culture of Compassion: What trauma-sensitive schools look like
• Phoenix Rising: Healing after natural disasters
• Crisis in Our Classrooms: Frightened, anxious immigrant students try to focus on education
• How COVID-19 Impacts the Undocumented
• Returning to Children’s Community Charter School in Paradise
• No Such Thing as a Bad Kid: Youth-care expert Charles D. Appelstein
• Taking Care of You, Too: Educator self-care is critical
• In Their Own Words: Helping students tell what they’ve lived

Resources

• How to help students after disaster
• Restorative practices that aid in trauma recovery
• Trauma Toolkit for Educators
• Helping our immigrant & undocumented students
• Know your rights with ICE
• Educator self-care tip sheet
• Defining trauma
• Symptoms of trauma
• Guidance from UC San Francisco’s HEARTS