Social and emotional learning begins with building trust in relationships. Educators make a difference in the lives of students by creating a positive school climate that is conducive to collaborative learning for all. Every child that enters our classrooms at the start of a school year will be different by the end of that school year. The question is how will they change? By the next school year, will they simply be one year older? Will they simply have a year’s worth of new facts in their heads? Will they be more school-wise and better able to spew back what we want to hear? Or will they be independent thinkers mature enough to tackle the academic and social challenges ahead of them? Every student is a success story waiting to be told. How can you help them to tell their story?
In this Session, Tom Hierck focuses on the need to create safe schools and classrooms where students are empowered to build resilience, cope with traumatic experiences, and achieve at high levels. The impact of trauma on learning can be significant and long lasting. Our response to the impact of trauma needs to move from being situational to being trauma sensitive. The journey starts today.
All educators should work to create the optimal learning environment that allows every student to experience success regardless of his or her current status, approach, baggage, or disposition. This should be the ultimate goal of all schools. This implies that educators are responsible for organizing a physical space that helps cultivate a supportive and positive emotional space and school environment. The beginning of this process occurs when educators examine classroom structures that support proactive practices while recognizing those that may contribute to trauma and other negative outcomes. Participants will also gain effective classroom management strategies and techniques to support all students.