Classroom Practices for

Stressed Children (Part 2)

Karen Peterson, Ph.D.

Department of Human Development

WSU Vancouver

Vancouver, WA 98686

petersok@vancouver.wsu.edu

Author: “Helping Them Heal: How

Teachers Can Support Young Children Who

Experience Stress and Trauma” 2014, Gryphon House.

“Starting Strong”

7th Annual ConferenceAugust 3-5, 2015 – Tacoma, WA

Self Efficacy: Identifying personal

preferences/accomplishments

• Self-Efficacy: Awareness and identification of

one’s own capacity for accomplishment

• Requires concrete evidence of self – not

primarily linked to external feedback and/or

responses

• Requires practice and intentional

documentation of reflections, actions, images

of accomplishments, and realistic, respectful

options for taking responsibility (contributing)

Building Self Efficacy

• Goal:

• Expand the range (collection) of skills children can readily use across a variety of settings

• Have children “know” they have skills as well as value

• Strategies:

• Strengthening core social skills

• Distinguishing emotional cues (emotional intelligence)

• Identifying personal preferences and accomplishments (self-efficacy)

• Developing understanding of context(s) –social stories

Self Competence:

Distinguishing Emotional Cues

• Recognizing (awareness of)

physical expressions of emotions

• Associating name with expression

• Expanding emotional awareness

“vocabulary” and identity (naming)

Self Efficacy: Core Social Skills

• Goal: Help children identify and learn appropriate, self supportive ways of responding to situations

• May have learned maladaptive coping responses in social situations

• (i.e. bullying their way through a social encounter with other children)

• Strategies:

• Provide an environment conducive to skill building and reward positive social interaction whenever possible

• Target the “Big 4” as core personal-social skills/behaviors

• Taking turns

• Observing others

• Listening to others

• Following the directions of others

Self Efficacy: Identifying Personal

Preferences/Accomplishments

• Steps to strengthen “observation” skills

• Two options….

•Focus picture review: what is

happening; who/what is there? Is this

indoors/outdoors? What details are

seen…dress, age, gender, activity;

season, time of day, place, etc.

• “Sit & watch” guided observation

(behavior management) exercise

Self Efficacy: Identifying Personal

Preferences/Accomplishments

• Social Stories – invented stories to help

behavior management and personal identity

• Story completion

• “I was really surprised when I looked into my

lunchbox and found______”

• Would you rather…jump into Jell-o or peanut

butter? Be a giant ant or a tiny elephant?

• Use of photographs – children and others

engaged in process

Social Stories

Final Comments…..

• Reducing stress effects in young children can result in positive long-term positive outcomes –

• waiting for “maturity” will not result in more easily obtained results

• What stressed children need is mature adult guidance, understanding and wisdom….Children’s stress responses are not personal

• Focus on the three “P’s”

• Persistence

• Patience

• Perspective

• Berson, I. & Baggerly, J. (2009). Building resistance to trauma. Childhood Education 85 (6): 375-379.

• Fox, L., & Lentini, R.H. (2007). “You got it!” Teaching social and emotional skills. Young Children, 61(6), 1-7.

• Karr-Morse, R. (2012). Scared sick: The role of childhood trauma in adult disease. New York: Basic Books.

• Katz, J. (2014). Guiding children’s social and emotional development: A reflective approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

• Katz, L. & D. McClelland. (1992). Fostering children’s social competence: The teacher’s role. Research into Practice Series. Washington D.C. NAEYC

• Loy, M. (2010). Children and stress: A handbook. Duluth, MN: Whole Person Associates.

• Osofsky, J. (2004). Young children and trauma: Interventions and treatment. New York: Guilford.

• Peterson, K. (2014). Helping them heal: How teachers can support children who experience stress and trauma. Lewisville, NC: Gryphon House.

• Perry, B. (2007). Early childhood and brain development: How experience shapes child, community, and culture. DVD: Child Trauma Academy

• Werner, E. (2013). What can we learn about resilience from large-scale longitudinal studies? Handbook of resilience in children. 87-102. NY: Springer

References/Resources

WEB - REFERENCES-RESOURCES

• www.aaets.org - American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress

• www.acestudy.org – ACE study description and related research

• www.casel.org - CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social and

Emotional Learning)

• www.csefel.vanderbilt.edu - Center for Social Emotional

Foundations for Learning

• www.www.mindfulschools.org (Mindful practice in classrooms)

• www.nctsnet.org – Child Traumatic Stress Network

• www.developingchild.havard.edu – Center of the Developing Child

(resources and research analysis papers)

• www.devereux.org – Devereux Center for Resilient Children

• www.nctic.org – National Center for Trauma Informed Care

• www.childtrauma.org – Child Trauma Academy