"Children with histories of exposure to violence or relational trauma often enter school without age-appropriate self-regulatory skills. Classroom activities that promote choice making and self-reflection help children experience themselves as competent and in control. A classroom climate of encouragement and support provides the safe haven that these children need to face the future with confidence and hope."
"A trauma-sensitive approach to reading and writing instruction provides children with opportunities to experience the pleasure of shared reading in the company of a caring adult. Teachers use mediated learning experiences to produce purposeful readers and precise, accurate writers. Care is given to provide children with the emotional safety and support they need so that they can focus on what they are doing and be successful. Comprehension strategies are introduced and practiced within a social context; in turn that encourages collaboration with one another to arrive at a better understanding of what they are reading. Children are then better able to use what they are learning to set and achieve personal goals."
At the very beginning of Ch. 5, Dr. Craig states that "The path to self-regulation begins with a primary attachment figure relationship." I'd venture to say that most students have at least one parent who can respond to their children positively, but I wonder if some children's negative interactions with male adults in their lives affects me. On the next page, one of the pointers under What You Can Do is making sure there is "a consensus about behavioral expectations." Most of my students at my other school have had two or even three music teachers. The main music teacher at that school has had most of these kids, and reminds me that they need to know she's on my side.
ReplyDeleteI gleaned quite a bit from the What Do You Thinks on p. 101 and at the end of Ch. 5. I know a particular Kindergartner who could benefit from having somewhere safe to rest and feel safe. That seemed to be the overriding concept we talked about yesterday.
I'm not sure how much of Ch. 6 would be directly applicable to me, but I'm sure our reading specialists were able to get some good tips.