Looking not at behavior, but what triggers it

Looking not at behavior, but what triggers it
An artfully devised curriculum means little to a student whose mind is fixed on last night's shooting outside or violent fight between parents, writes Laura Pappano in The Harvard Education Letter. Years of research reveal the prevalence of "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs) in the United States -- more than 68 percent of children have experienced a traumatic event by age 16 -- with higher ACE scores correlating to health, education, and social problems. Federal data show 686,000 children were victims of abuse or neglect in 2012, the most recent information. A growing interest in "trauma-sensitive" schools has educators checking raised voices, discarding detention slips, and looking not at bad behavior but what triggered it, Pappano reports. In trauma-sensitive schools, staff let traumatized students exit class mid-­lesson if they feel overwhelmed, or change "automatic thoughts" when confronting a student acting out. A number of available resources urge weaving trauma-sensitive thinking into school culture and staff training, tapping mental health experts, teaching in ways that make students feel safe, and building nonacademic relationships and rules that reflect the role of trauma in misbehavior. In an era of high-pressure performance, sensitivity and leeway feels counterintuitive, but giving students flexibility lets them stay engaged. More

Source:  Public Education News Blast

Published by LEAP

Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) is an education support organization that works as a collaborative partner in high-poverty communities.

Views: 74

▶ Reply to This

JOIN SL 2.0

SUBSCRIBE TO

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP 2.0

Feedspot named School Leadership 2.0 one of the "Top 25 Educational Leadership Blogs"

"School Leadership 2.0 is the premier virtual learning community for school leaders from around the globe."

---------------------------

 Our community is a subscription-based paid service ($19.95/year or only $1.99 per month for a trial membership)  that will provide school leaders with outstanding resources. Learn more about membership to this service by clicking one of our links below.

 

Click HERE to subscribe as an individual.

 

Click HERE to learn about group membership (i.e., association, leadership teams)

__________________

CREATE AN EMPLOYER PROFILE AND GET JOB ALERTS AT 

SCHOOLLEADERSHIPJOBS.COM

New Partnership

image0.jpeg

Mentors.net - a Professional Development Resource

Mentors.net was founded in 1995 as a professional development resource for school administrators leading new teacher induction programs. It soon evolved into a destination where both new and student teachers could reflect on their teaching experiences. Now, nearly thirty years later, Mentors.net has taken on a new direction—serving as a platform for beginning teachers, preservice educators, and

other professionals to share their insights and experiences from the early years of teaching, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence. We invite you to contribute by sharing your experiences in the form of a journal article, story, reflection, or timely tips, especially on how you incorporate AI into your teaching

practice. Submissions may range from a 500-word personal reflection to a 2,000-word article with formal citations.

© 2026   Created by William Brennan and Michael Keany   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service