Trauma Informed Teaching: Why this trend is important after the pandemic 

COVID 19 was a strange experience for everyone all over the world. While educators have to deal with some form of trauma in kids every year, the cases sky rocketed as children lost parents, siblings and friends to the pandemic. Incidents of abuse at home went up, and there was no escape from it by going away to school. Poverty, disease, uncertainty and loneliness were just some ills that kids faced while they tried to concentrate on studies, and often failed to cope.  

Trauma informed teaching came to the forefront in this backdrop. Each year, educators teach several students who have dealt with trauma in some way. But in 2020 and 2021, trauma affected children in numbers never seen before. To combat this, teachers are using a method called trauma informed teaching.  

What happens in trauma informed teaching?  
This method includes any intervention used by educational institutes to address the needs of trauma-exposed children. It begins with training teachers to identify trauma, understand its magnitude, and then deal with it in the way that benefits a chid most. The intervention often follows a set routine, since traumatised kids feel secure in a controlled, schedule-driven atmosphere.  

The support could range from breathing exercises, to extra time with lessons, to referring the child to a professional therapist. Educators have pointed out that students improve under trauma informed teaching and it shows in their grades as well as better mental health. 

What causes trauma in children? 
Trauma is the result of Adverse Childhood Events or ACE. These include:  

• Physical and mental abuse at home and school  
• Living with addicted family members 
• Parental discord /broken family,  
• Physical or mental disability of the child,  
• Death of a loved one including pets,  
• Childhood neglect,  
• Physical or mental illness, 
• Real or virtual bullying/ stalking / other predatory behaviour  

ACEs have immense traumatic effect on children 

How does trauma informed teaching benefit children?  
Identifying and addressing the needs of children who have endured ACEs improve not just academic performance, but also the overall quality of the lives of the children. Students feel more secure and equipped to handle the trauma. This increases their chance of moving ahead.