Ch. 4 The Impact of Family Violence on Relationships

"Children exposed to violence or other forms of relational trauma have difficulty forming satisfying relationships with caring adults.  Damaged by the effects of insecure or disorganized patterns of attachment, these children develop behavioral coping mechanisms that trigger negative reactions from both adults and peers.  Classroom environments where teachers reinforce safety and provide ongoing support give children the hope they need to survive.  Opportunities to form meaningful relationships with teachers can help children overcome their perception of the world as a dangerous and hostile place."

Ch. 3 How Family Violence Influences Children's Language & Memory

"Early exposure to violence influences children's functional use of language in ways that impede their ability to learn and remember.  Stress and hyperarousal make it difficult for them to attend to the content of instruction.  Emotionally charged fragments of implicit memory often sabotage relationships with peers and adults, making it difficult for the children to participate in classroom activities and rountines.  They need relationships with teachers who are willing to scaffold classroom rountines through the use of procedural and automatic memory pathways. They also need a classroom climate that is conducive to the formation of positive emotional memories associated with learning."