In the Instagram post where I bared my soul to share with my supportive (yet critical) community, the main image read: "Full disclosure: I'm struggling to decenter a brain-based view of trauma. Here's why." Please view the post for the full caption! 

The response was almost instant. The post definitely didn't go viral, but some trauma scholars in my IG community shared their understanding and how they decenter a brain-based view of trauma...and why. 

Here are some of the most impactful comments (in no particular order): 
@revolvelearning (J. Reed) said, "Once educators are aware of how the brain works in escalated states because of the unique context of each child...they sometimes fall into a 'poor little brain,' mentality with limited beliefs about their students and fear to build the relationships necessary to see through those moments. There are a ton of steps and support teachers need after the revelation of brain science." 

@unconditionallearning (Alex Shevrin Venet) said, "It's definitely a both/and! The brain science is really important to know about AND when it's all we focus on, we lose so much and risk pathologizing kids. I also wonder what you mean by "works" - like, yes, knowing the brain stuff "works" in the sense that it allows adults to help regulate, etc but you also don't actually need to read Perry or understand the technical stuff to do that. There's a human centered way of being that predates the ability to do a brain scan. It's complex for sure. Why I always come back to both/and!"

@themindseed (Ali Rutger) said: "I’ve been thinking of this too. We can’t decontextualize trauma from systems, it does a disservice and ignores so many sources of injury."

And @hoobubz (Dr. Steph Cariaga) said: "Appreciate your processing here. The use of the science becomes problematic when regulation strategies are used to “calm” the student down instead of helping marginalized students understand and have compassion for many coping strategies that have helped them survive a violent world. Sometimes we need to escalate and we need to develop our culture’s larger capacity for big feelings. So I guess the questions are: we’re teaching students to regulate for what? for whom? And possibly at what cost? How are we helping young people understand the conditions that cause and disproportionately reinforce trauma, while giving them tools to be with more choice, consciousness, and agency?"

So, the thing I keep coming back to through my paradigm shift is the fact that I have a very hard time holding two things in my head at once. As @unconditionallearning said, it's a both/and, meaning it helps to understand how trauma impacts self regulation and learning AND we need to understand that there are ways of working with trauma-affected students that have nothing to do with brain science and everything to do with humanizing relationships and equity-centered thinking. As I continue to shift my paradigm, I am understanding the shift as less of a move from one thing (brain-focused idea) to another (systems and assets based view of trauma) and more of a flexible and nebulous combination of the two. 

Another comment that helped so much to conceptualize the necessity to decenter brain-based thinking was @hoobubz comment. She wrote an amazing article recently on the inequitable and damaging nature of SEL. Her comment resonated with that article, focusing on using critical pedagogy and provide students with tools to be fully aware of their situations. She has pushed me to look critically at notions of "compliance" in education, seeing it as oppressive. 

With the comments from this post in mind as well as a ton of reading I've done on equity-centered trauma-informed practices, my new understanding balances:

• Awareness of and activism to change societal conditions responsible for trauma in the lives of marginalized students. This includes giving students tools to combat inequities and a rejection of compliance. 
• A reconceptualization of the notion of regulation- in other words, always wondering why we're expecting students to be regulated and what if we allowed them to fully experience their emotions?
• An understanding that humanizing relationships, teacher self-awareness, robust communities of support within schools, and the ability for systems to look at restructuring their approaches are far more supportive to students than labeling them as damaged.
• Patience with myself, because, as Alex said, "It's complex for sure. Why I always come back to both/and!" Holding two seemingly opposing "truths" in my mind at once is boggling, yet necessary and possible. 

We are all vulnerable in this world, students may be more vulnerable than teachers if they lack privileges associated with being white and/or middle or upper middle class. We must stop pathologizing students by painting them as in need of healing in ways that we assume we are not. Look at the systems for the roots of the problems, not the individual students. 

More than anything, I look forward to returning to the classroom next year for my dissertation. I want to put this new understanding to the test with real students and real teachers! Stay tuned for more of my learning and what happens during my dissertation! For now, sign up for my weekly blog post! 

Venet, A. S. (2019). Role-clarity and boundaries for trauma-informed teachers. Educational Considerations, 44(2). 

​Students, particularly those affected by trauma, thrive with consistency and clear expectations from teachers. What’s more, teachers who hold clear boundaries are more likely to feel confident in their ability to support the academic success of trauma-affected youth. Knowing your limits and what should be expected of you in your role as a trauma-informed teacher can start by defining your own boundaries. Not sure where the boundaries should be? Read on to find out!

Student trauma can manifest in the classroom in many ways. Some survivors of trauma may be easily distracted and fidgety, others may have a hard time managing anger and irritability. Whatever it is that students are doing as a result of their trauma (or as a result of being human!) you should know when and how it is appropriate for you to support them. In the same vein, knowing when it’s appropriate for you to support students can also help you know when it’s time to call for help.

So, when is it appropriate for you to help students?

I absolutely love Alex Shevrin Venet’s analogy for knowing when you should be the one to help students and when you need to call for help (click here, not for her analogy, but for an incredible article she wrote on teacher's role in TI networks).

In a breakout session in the Fall 2020 Trauma-Informed Schools Institute, she explained that you should picture yourself as a homeowner when considering where your boundaries are. Things break in our homes. Some problems we can solve, some we can’t.

Let’s say the light is not turning on. One thing you are totally qualified to do is change the lightbulb. As long as you have a replacement bulb and can reach the socket, you are good to go. But what if you change the bulb and the light still doesn’t work? It might be a wiring issue inside the ceiling. If you try to fix the wiring, you can create irreparable damage or even burn the house down. There’s no clear rule for where you can support students and where you need to call for help. You must be constantly reflecting to learn your own limits.

What are some ways to support students? Check out my blog post on developing replacement behaviors and my post on reflective listening for some tools for you to help students when manifestations of trauma make it hard for them to be successful in your classroom. 

For this boundary, consider what you are comfortable sharing with students and what you are okay with them bringing into the classroom. The more I learn about Elizabeth Dutro’s Testimony and Witness, the more I realize that the threshold for stories of adversity in the classroom is set pretty low.

​Even so, there are limits to what you are personally comfortable with. If you cross those boundaries, you can risk your own mental well-being. Always be reflecting and mindful so you notice when there is a red flag and you need to take a step back. As you start to recognize when something is too much for you or when you may have crossed a line, you will become better at avoiding crossing those boundaries in the future. ​

I confess, when I first heard about Elizabeth Dutro’s concept of testimony and witness, I felt really uncomfortable. Testimony and witness is a powerful tool to make literacy instruction trauma-informed. Want to know why it made me squirm? Keep reading to find out why and learn how my thinking has dramatically shifted! 

Start by brainstorming things that have been really difficult for you, that have challenged you, and that you either overcame and are proud for having done so or that you’re still struggling with.

Ways to do this include journaling and chatting with your colleagues, friends, or loved ones. Decide what feels appropriate for your students and what feels comfortable for you. Dutro points out that teachers typically underestimate two things: students’ abilities to handle difficult stories and students’ compassion and empathy when bearing witness. Keep that in mind when considering what to include.

​Also, take baby steps. See my previous post on overcoming the discomfort of allowing trauma stories in your classroom for some specific steps to take to get from terrified to ready. ​

First, realize that students will not always (and may never) share their own testimony. That is not the point. The point is for them to see you as human, feel validation that their life experiences matter, and know that their stories are welcome, should they choose to share. Students, in Dutro's research, have overwhelmingly showed compassion and understanding, witnessing trauma stories with grace. 

Should students experience difficult manifestations of past trauma during your own sharing, in the sharing of peers, in reading trauma stories, or in sharing their own, you must realize you are not alone. In fact, before beginning testimony and witness, it may be wise to connect with your school mental health practitioners to make sure you know the conduits for connecting students to services.

Even so, a "first aid" of such trauma responses can be simply listening quietly and/or letting students know they are safe. The same goes when students share their own testimonies. Bear witness by listening with your whole being. See my blog post on reflective listening for some tips on listening deeply. 

The role of teachers in trauma-informed networks is not always very clear. One practice that helps teachers find footing is testimony and witness, as described by Elizabeth Dutro. It refers to teachers sharing their own adversities with students to begin cycles of sharing and hearing life's difficult and important moments. 

Tough topics are uncomfortable. They are prickly and can open old wounds. Yet, these same topics are what make the human experience so meaningful.

​Not sure how to overcome the discomfort of allowing trauma and the fullness of life into your classroom? Keep reading to learn how to overcome those barriers to "identify larger themes for connection and invitation and, in turn, allow children to see their life experiences, including trauma, as part and parcel of what matters in school" (Dutro, 2019, p. 31). 

Start by educating yourself and others on how and why to incorporate trauma stories in your classroom. Here's a video of the famed trauma and literacy scholar, Dr. Elizabeth Dutro explaining the problems with how schools have treated trauma and some eloquent examples and thoughts on humanizing students' trauma experiences through literacy. 

I recommend also reading Dutro's (2019) concise and poignant book "The Vulnerable Heart of Literacy: Center Trauma as Powerful Pedagogy." In this book, she outlines the powerful practice of testimony and critical witness. That is, she walks the reader through opening up and allowing your own vulnerabilities into the classroom before asking your students to do so. 

We often ask (sometimes require) students to write about and discuss their emotions without expressing our own adversities. I remember once when a student lost his cool in my classroom and stormed out. When we chatted later about it, my colleague and I were talking to him and she said, "You don't think Erin ever gets upset or has a bad day?" His response was, "No, she's perfect."

​I will never forget that. It would have been so powerful for him to have had me share something that was difficult for me as he aired his challenges daily. Without me sharing and with him always doing so, there was an imbalance. Learn the concept of testimony and critical witness and incorporate it into your instruction. 

We have PLCs and committee meetings in schools and we talk about data and behavior plans. But, do you have anyone you can turn to with the more personal and emotional side of the job? Maybe. Maybe not.

What I mean is, to overcome the challenges implicit in bringing tough topics into your classroom, you need others who a) will help you grapple with what is appropriate and what isn't AKA what your boundaries are and b) have your back when/if you get push back from other adults. Develop this network on social media (DM me @betraumainformed on IG and @erinesilcox on Twitter and I'll connect you!) and in your building.

​Not only will doing so give you the confidence to make some changes in your pedagogy, but it will also get you in touch with others who have valuable resources to share. 

Not all incorporations of trauma stories need to be earth shattering. In fact, they may never be all that wild and challenging.

One way to start getting comfortable providing testimony of adversity and bearing witness to students is to play a little game called "high, low, funny." This or any other game in which students share a little bit about themselves and you join in the sharing, can break down walls of what counts in schools.

​In "high, low, funny" everyone (who is comfortable doing so) shares one thing that was a high or a good thing, one low or challenging, fear inducing, frustrating, or scary situation, and one funny. Sharing even one low can begin to expand what stories are welcome. Be sure to NEVER require students to share trauma stories. Don't probe. Just listen. 

Print-based literacies are sometimes inadequate to do justice to the emotions of life's greatest challenges. Consider opening up your expectations of students' products to include multimodalities.

Yes, journaling, writing poetry, and discussion are powerful tools for expressing the emotions of trauma, but sometimes self-expression is more forthcoming when we bust open the art closet and allow students more freedom.

​Van der Kolk (2014) said, "the limitless creative possibilities of art allow young people to express their feelings without having to talk" (p. 244-245). Multimodalities including digital production may provide students with a bit more privacy as they can use symbolism and make design decisions about how to represent their stories. 

If you think you're ready to incorporate trauma stories and stories of adversity into your classroom and welcome those of your students, start by educating yourself. Dutro's book is super short and chock full of rationale and examples.

​Also, by connecting yourself with like minded adults who understand what you're trying to do or at least support your efforts, you can increase your confidence and tool box. Start small with implementation and play some simple games that begin to open the floor to adversity. Finally, consider going multimodal to decrease barriers of expression. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you want more resources! 

​Have you heard about the idea of bringing trauma stories, trauma-informed literature, or simply stories of adversity into your classroom literacy practices? Not sure you feel comfortable doing so? Keep reading to learn where that resistance might be coming from. 

To begin, if you’re not sure what I mean by trauma stories, see my recent blog post: Growing with Trauma Stories in the Classroom. In essence, I’m talking about literature and expository stories that deal with powerful themes of the human condition and some tough topics like immigration, deportation, incarceration, death/dying, illness, divorce, and abuse/neglect (to name a few).

​In addition, I’m referring to teachers’ and students’ stories of adversity. ​ See, doesn't that already make you a little uncomfortable? It's so normal...

We struggled to find a good branch to hang the bag from and, when we did, we all worked together to pull the bag up. Unfortunately, one student jumped and pulled the bag with all of his weight, snapping the branch. Luckily, none of the students were injured but the branch fell fully on my head and concussed me.

​Students gathered around in concern and wanted to keep eyes on me and monitor me. There is no doubt that that experience brought us closer, even though it meant I had to leave the trip and lay in bed for a week. There is also no doubt that my vulnerability was an invitation for them to see me as human and share their own difficult stories. 

Another aim of working with difficult subjects in the classroom is to give students language to conceptualize what they are thinking and a recognition that these themes of challenge are nearly universal, albeit uniquely individual. Teachers can use these powerful themes of adversity to develop a strong classroom community. ​

Trauma-informed book lists are all over the place right now. Below, find a list of resources I've checked out, including a huge list of diverse trauma-informed books from Latoya Nelso (@raising_resilience) to improve inclusivity in your classroom:

• Trauma-Informed Diverse Reading List
• NCTE Books About Experiencing and Overcoming Trauma
• Children’s Books About Trauma and Grief
• Recommended Books for Children Coping with Trauma and Loss
• Children’s Books to Help Talk About Trauma/ACES
• TIME: Kids’ Books Can Help with Trauma​​

Trauma-informed books can act as testimony for students to normalize trauma. Also, when teachers reciprocate the vulnerability of trauma stories by sharing their own adversities, in ways they are comfortable with, they can destigmatize trauma and help students see adversity as universal, rather than damaging.

​Trauma-stories and the processes of testimony and witness also help students put language to tough feelings and learn ways to cope with adversity. Take a look at the lists I've recommended and be sure that if you purchase any books, you do so from black owned bookstores (Latoya provides a great list in your padlet)! 

Teachers and researchers are doing some amazing things when it comes to literacy pedagogy and trauma-informed practices. Not sure what that all looks like? Keep reading to learn how educators are currently employing trauma-informed practices in service of literacy instruction! Plus, stay tuned for several more posts elaborating on these ideas with links to research, tools, and social media. 

Attention to Privacy and Boundaries:
​So many of the things teachers are doing to bring TIPs into the literacy classroom overlap. Here's one example. In my previous post, I wrote about journaling. Here, I'm talking about privacy and boundaries, which are huge things to attend to when having students journal on sensitive and taboo topics.

​In a future post, I'll share just what you should consider when having students journal about personal stories or in response to trauma literature. Attention to boundaries and privacy also includes quiet and confidential behavior management practices (not necessarily related to literacy but nonetheless valuable). Again, stay tuned for more on what teachers and researchers are recommending with privacy and boundaries in the literacy classroom. 

Recognizing the Potentially Traumatizing Nature of Traditional Literacy Instruction for BIPOCs:
​Race-based traumas happen in schools all the time, yet they often go unnoticed (Alvarez et al., 2016). Part of racism that often appears in schools is the mis/under-representation of BIPOCs in course materials, including literature and authorship. Many literacy teachers are working wonders with making their literacy instruction more inclusive. In a future post, I'll provide resources and share strategies for authentically inclusive literacy instruction. 

Expanding What Counts in the Literacy Classroom:
Not only are teachers going beyond the mainstream characters, storylines, and authorship, but they are also expanding what is permitted in literacy as topics, instruction, and evidence of learning. Students are writing, reading, and discussing about a wider array of stories along the continuum of human experience. They're also moving beyond print-based materials to learn and represent their learning. 

Conclusion: 
Literacy teachers across the nation are making huge moves to make their instruction more trauma-informed and inclusive. This includes attention to privacy and boundaries, recognizing the damaging impacts of mis/underrepresentation of BIPOCs, and expanding what counts in the literacy classroom. Stay tuned for so many posts with practical tools and resources to incorporate trauma-informed practices in your literacy instruction! 

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Many of you are already incorporating trauma-informed practices with grace and sensitivity into your literacy instruction. Want to know what I'm seeing out there that aligns TIPs with literacy instruction? Keep reading for the first of two posts briefly outlining what TILPs are happening right now! Also, stay tuned for subsequent posts going deeper into each practice with external references and tools. 

Conclusion: 
This first of two posts outlines some foundational descriptions of three ways literacy educators are incorporating trauma-informed practices in their classrooms. These include book choice/bibliotherapy, defining the role of the teacher, and the use of journaling. Stay tuned for the second post describing how teachers are attending to boundaries and privacy, the recognition of race-based traumas in traditional literacy education, and expanding what counts (including related to multimodality and what students are allowed to share). 

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