For students who have experienced trauma** at home, including divorce, loss, illness, or abuse, success in school can feel out of reach. In this course, you will learn how to help your students overcome adverse experiences as you develop trauma-sensitive strategies for your classroom. Beginning with brain research, discover the impact trauma has on students’ emotional and academic development. Explore the foundations of trauma-informed teaching, including an emphasis on relationship-building, student choice, safety, and resiliency. This course will also present a thought-provoking look at the importance of self-care for educators working with students impacted by trauma and provide teachers with the tools they need to build their own wellness plan. By changing the way we view and react to children’s academic and social problems, we can help all of our students build the strength they need to find success. 

**In her book, Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom, author Kristin Souers describes trauma as “an exceptional experience in which powerful and dangerous events overwhelm a person’s capacity to cope.”