Trauma is a curse that ANYONE can encounter!!
In this age of joy and happiness if students are undergoing trauma, then it's an alarming sign for everyone.
All students are different and so does their behavior.
Being a teacher, you must have observed that few students do not gel up with the rest class.
School is the place where students spend most of their daily time. And their behavioral change can be seen best in the classroom.
But, what's the major reason behind students' trauma?
There might be something happening in their house, they might be treated inappropriately, or there might be ‘n’ other reasons for students to feel that way.
And when student got a problem, teachers should come to the rescue!
Let’s deep dive and see some of the doable ways that you can use as a teacher to help the students with trauma.
1. Build Positive Relationships
Before dealing with the students undergoing trauma, first you need to understand their psychology.
No doubt, you are not a medical or a psychological counselor but your small vigilance towards students can help them overcome great hurdles in their life.
Relationship problems are the major trigger behind traumatic students. These students have to deal with the problems at the home and then come to school to again face their teachers and peers.
Being a teacher, try to find out the students who are acting differently. Rather than judging them, try to understand the reason behind their changing behavior.
You can help these students by building a positive relationship with them.
Small gestures like smiling, sharing your real-life incidents, and trying to know the students individually can help the students make a rapport with you.
This will encourage the students to have faith in you. Besides that, it will act as a catalyst to help students share their problems with you so, you can help them out.
2. Look Beyond the Behavior
Students' behavior is not always a sign of their character.
Being a teacher, you need to understand that there is something beyond the behavior that you need to pay attention to.
For instance, if you ask some student to stand in front of the entire class and solve the problem on the blackboard. But, the student feels hesitant to do so.
Instead, try to ask them “Why can't you do this?” “What's the reason behind it?” “Are you alright?"
Being empathetic towards the student who is undergoing trauma will increase faith in their inner self towards you.
Try to talk with them individually and not in front of the entire class.
This will help you understand the mental state of the student and how you can help them out.
3. Offer a Safe Environment
Trauma occurs in students due to various reasons. And among them, not feeling comfortable in their environment is one such factor.
While students come to the school to spend almost half of their day. It becomes the responsibility of the school and the teachers collectively to offer a comforting environment to the students.
If you try to build a positive environment around the students facing trauma in their life, then they can even start building positive emotions.
There is nothing like “Too Late”!! Agree?
So, why not start from today to give a comfortable environment to the students.
But, the question arises how can you?
It is not at all a big deal!!
Make your class physical layout like furniture or sitting arrangement in such a way that you can help feel students safe and connected.
Put some inspirational quotes or writings on the wall that can help students have a creative mindset.
These small initiatives can make a big difference to the life of the students facing trauma.
Try to think of such ways to create healthy environment!
4. Help Students to Build Character
At the early stage, students need to know what their character strengths are. And it becomes way more important in the case of trauma-affected students.
These students start feeling inferior that doesn't help them to groom.
They even start thing that they are not at all a good fit for anything.
But, being a teacher you can surely help these students.
Try to introduce some skill-based exercises in class. Or indulge the students in some sports and co-curricular activities.
These small efforts can greatly help the students recognize their core strengths. Strength means imbibing great character behaviour such as compassion, empathy, humility, tranquillity and so forth.
Once the students get a clear idea about their character strengths, they can overcome the trauma by focussing on these strengths.
5. Help Build Resilience
Whether you admit it or not but you are well aware of the fact that you can't help the students outside the classroom.
When the students are left on their part, then they need to tackle the traumatic situations single-handedly.
It becomes your core responsibility to teach the students with resilience practice so that they can easily handle the situations outside the classroom.
But, how this teaching can be given to the students?
So, let me tell you this.
If you conduct some skit or play for the students then they get a fair chance to speak up their thoughts and know what their boundaries are.
In addition to that, you can also help the students by reciting them some of the stories or poems from the Literature or great books that can exemplify “Never Die Attitude”.
Make the students so prepared that they know the difference between right and wrong.
If you can achieve so then the happiness you witness will be speechless.
Wrapping it Up!
By going through all this, you must have got a clear picture that trauma in students is something that needs to be addressed seriously.
If the students are not given proper guidance for the same then they can land themselves in a lot of trouble.
In addition to that, it will throb the students of their inner childhood and happiness.
By using these simple ways in your classroom, you can help students with trauma.
Don’t delay in following these strategies in your classroom. There might be some students who urgently need your support and guidance.
Be patient with them and try your level best to help them.
So, I hope now instead of asking the student “What’s the problem?” you will try to find out the reason behind it.
All the Best!
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