Restoring Students’ Innate Power: Trauma-Responsive Strategies for Multilingual Newcomers . by Lori Durchslag

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-06-14 17:08:26 UTC

I have a lot of take aways, BUT I will limit myself to one. In Chapter 3, Yaafouri speaks on the importance of SEL strategies in conjunction with a trauma-informed approach. "The processes involved in developing social-emotional learning can enhance the practices that facilitate trauma-informed care," (50). In District 54, we already do so much to teach the whole-child, that I was really looking for new ways to implement these practices next year. I think the 4 R's will be a great place to start! For specific improvements moving into next school year, we could begin by more strongly addressing what Yaafouri mentioned on page 55: "Educators often teach SEL absent of the larger sociopolitical context, which is fraught with injustice and inequity and affects our students' lives." In short, we need to respond to injustices with SEL strategies throughout the entire school day, instead of just one 30-minute block during the week. We need to become comfortable with being uncomfortable!

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-06-20 14:44:07 UTC

There were so many simple grab-and-go strategies to build connections and relationships as "agents of change" (60). As a school, I think we could implement the "Glasses on/off" activity during an E&I PD. As a teacher, the strategies I would like to implement in my classroom next year are: interaction appointments, social scripts, sentence stems for conflict resolution, and especially the DBT House. Having these materials ready to go at the begining of the year could help best utilize a teachable moment when it arises. Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the strategies suggested for building reciprocity on p. 67 were already things I've done in my classroom!

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-07-01 16:02:51 UTC

The chapter begins by describing an idea that District 54 has already recognized to be true: psychological safety is a necessary state of calm that exists within the learning process and certain risk factors can make you more anxious in that same learning environment. Yaafouri provides many suggestions for how schools "should be intentional in its efforts to expose, enhance, or invent new protect factors" (101) that will encourage growth, independence, and stability. In my classroom, I can do this by diving deeper into the analysis of the DBT House and share my own door elements with my students to build connection and psychological safety. I also love the list-group-label strategy and I can already see how it would be especially helpful with newcomers when they first arrive in my classroom.

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-01 23:43:28 UTC

I think these three chapters really helped us look at the "why" behind CRP. It is encouraging to know that we are already doing some of the practices. I totally agree with Tori that the implementation and reinforcement of SEL strategies should be integrated into our daily best practices. Going off of that, chapter 3 also reminds us that "SEL skills must be taught in a relevant context" and that "by teaching SEL alongside students' authentically lived experiences, we can not only prepare our students to engage civically and peacefully across our differences, but also to become the change makers and leaders we need". Speaking of those authentic experiences, Yaafouri offers another great reminder in chapter 2 that "the language of students' cultural-ethnic identities is meaningful and worthy of deeper conversation... There is so much more to our students' stories". As this new school year starts, I look forward to reflecting on and improving my instructional practices and the learning structures in my classroom in a more culturally responsive way.

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-11 03:39:23 UTC

The first three chapters left me wondering how we could have deeper knowledge and conversation about our students. So one strategy I can't wait to try in my classroom is the DBT House because it provides an efficient way for us to get to know our students through drawing and prompts. Also, I appreciated how Yaafouri expressed her own doubt on the purpose of the door. It's a great reminder for us that our practices should be responsive to our students' needs.

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-07-15 14:46:59 UTC

I have always known that student voice, choice, and collaboration is important in any learning environment. It was refreshing to relearn about cultural differences and how in some countries, "Respect looks like animated participation and sounds like overlapping interjections," (131). In my classroom I tend toward environments that do allow for lots of discourse, as I find myself thriving more in this type of space as well! Overall, I was elated to read about structure I already have in place, especially in my struggling LAC classes. This is what I've committed to and come to love as our LAC structure, which helps the students ultimately build more agency. I begin the year by writing and communicating casually with students as a low-stakes way to build comfortability and belonging. I also make it a point to "identify the goals to be met," (135) often with the students themselves, since they are sixth graders! This usually happens at the beginning of a new unit. I then ask them about their preferred "interaction styles" and provide those as options for task completion throughout the year. Finally, we might use cooperative language strategies in a gradual release model, like sentence stems and a strong vocabulary focus.

Sam

samanthadzieman — 2024-07-15 20:10:35 UTC

What a great read thus far! I feel like I am learning so much. It is also affirming in many ways. Specifically I agree with Tori’s comment about the Nonnegotioable 4 as being one of the standout things I read in these three chapters.

These 4 indicators can facilitate power restoration and helps to give educators a strong place to start when making sure to create an encouraging and welcoming environment for our RAEM students as well as our other students.

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-17 00:55:59 UTC

Worry Box is a strategy that I would like to try applying in my classroom along with our SEL curriculum. It's not unusual seeing a couple students come into school every day with something on their mind that is weighing them down. Having a safe and private place to contain their worry, reflect on the scale of it, and eventually toss it away or seek help if needed can be very empowering. Also it dawned on me that maybe the DBT House can be used for our goal setting? The windows can be used for academic goals and door for heart/SEL goal. Just a thought!

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-18 00:58:06 UTC

As an immigrant myself, Elvina's story resonates with me in many aspects, especially her hope for teachers to provide background knowledge before discussions. I would also add onto that hope that students' funds of knowledge be incorporated into learning, as Yaafouri points out that "Students' various cultural reference points and lived experiences belong in the classroom and school." It is encouraging to know that many of the things we are doing in the classroom are already promoting students' voice and choices, whether it's providing choices within limits, or guiding students' to "bounce off" ideas with prompts. I am interested in more intentionally guiding our first graders in understanding different perspectives and growing their cognitive empathy. Solution Circle provides a useful guideline, and I think using more purposeful language during discussions like math numeracy can be a great starting point.

Sarah

2024-07-18 16:29:38 UTC

These three chapters have been so insightful so far. It was interesting to learb about the transitional phases the RAEM experience and I could better understand where my students were in their experience and the challenges students face.

What really stood out to me were teh 4Rs of self regulation and being more mindful and aware of the different ways we can self regulate and thinking about when each strategy might be beneficial. Being sure to build these moments into the daily schedule would help be a model for students and provide opportunities for students to practice these strategies so that hopefully when they are needed they can access teh strategies.

Sarah

sarahimboden — 2024-07-18 19:21:12 UTC

I can think of several instances when interaction appointments would have proven to be beneficial and this is a strategy that I see myself utilizing in the 24-25 school year. Not only is this away to lessen anxiety, it also prepares students and allows them opportunities to practice before the real deal. Students can anticipate what is coming up and I like how it was suggested to work with the same partner for a period of time before inviting in someone new. It's an easy and powerful way to build relationships and confidence. As I was reading and understanding more about the importance of relationships for newcomers, I thought it might be beneficial to partner a newcomer with a staff member as a mentor (kind of like Tier 2 mentors-without the CICO) in order to build a relationship with a trusting adult beyond the classroom. This connection early in the day may ease students anxiety as they enter the classroom.

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-19 01:08:59 UTC

This chapter is filled with strategies to empower our students in knowing and regulating themselves, but I find it especially thought provoking when Yaafouri directs our attention to "our role in reflecting students' strengths, positive self-concepts and goal markers back at them". It reminds me of how much impact we can have on our students with our actions and words. I will forever remember when an 8th grade graduate thanked me for picking him as "Student of the Month" when he was in 2nd grade. I had no idea how much it meant to him! One activity that I'd like to try the first couple weeks of school is the Interactive Self-Portrait. The finished product can be used as locker signs which also serve as positive affirmations. I also think Zones of Responsibility could be a great tool for introducing the key of balance.

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 03:13:12 UTC

As many of you shared, there is just so much good stuff here, it is hard to just pick one. My biggest takeaway would have to be the emphasis on focusing on restoring power instead of the specific traumatic event. Restoring the past moves us forward while the former to roots us in the past. The area that I thought most closely connected with this were the Nonnegotiable 4 (page19.) I know we all understand the importance of these points, but I thought the breakdown was such a vital part. It doesn’t have to be complicated, it has to be safe, calm and consist of a sense of belonging. I kept thinking how much if this information relates to Doug Bolton. I am definitely going to dog ear the section on robust stake holder partnerships as they provided such wonderful ideas to ensure relationships are being fostered.

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 03:44:30 UTC

I really enjoyed reading this chapter as it wasn’t assigned to me in the District Book Study I participated and I gained a deeper insight. I now truly understand the DBT House and wow, I believe this will be such a valuable activity for our kiddos. I wonder if we could make this school wide? I feel the hand activity could be used in smaller groups to help me gain an understanding of where my students feel safe, but also will provide insight into where they don’t feel safe.

The Glasses on/off would be an important activity to use during PLCs. It connects directly to the importance of seeking to understand.

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 03:55:13 UTC

So much great information in this chapter. The permanence and detachment cards are brilliant and such an incredible idea to protect our kiddos from transitional shock. Writing the specific date when school resumes is a simple, but important detail to ensure students understand exactly when you will be reunited. Even the language “I look forward to seeing you..”

Or “ I’’m not going anywhere” are extremely important statements to include in these cards.

The Worry Box is another idea that I plan to use this year. I am thinking of it having a permanent spot on my cart. I just wonder if that will be too public of a spot when it is parked in the hallway. Any insight from the group regarding this?

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 04:18:11 UTC

I feel this chapter highlights so much of what we already do at Campanelli. Collaboration and choice is at the core of our work and this information all connected well. I would emphasize the importance of explicit expectations created by the class to ensure the collaboration is respectful and safe. I loved the Time Management Challenge. It brings collaboration and time management through a creative avenue. I would like to do this at the start of the school year. The Time Management Challenge has an interesting point regrading explicitly sharing cultural time information to support “cultural border crossing.” The author explains how this can alleviate any frustrations that could occur without this social knowledge.

I also liked the modification of a choice sensory calming kit. Having students create their own kits is a brilliant way to show the importance of respecting student choice.

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 15:32:11 UTC

You guys, so much good stuff here. I did want to begin with using the term “spark” instead of “trigger.” I completely agree with Yaafouri that trigger is overused in a simplified way and also the literal name isn’t appropriate to use, however I might try to use a different word. I often use “sparkk ”as a positive term, so think I would rather another term. Anyone have any suggestions?

I am a big believer in zones of regulation and definitely love the whole idea of the Window of Intolerance. I think we could use this a staff pd snd then bring to kiddos.

Again, so many highlights, but I don’t want to go on forever, so going to limit myself to one more: Black Out Poetry. Love this for the obvious self expression and am obsessed how it is accessible to kiddos regardless of their english reading ability. I almost would like to do this as a teacher in a pd for me to create a poem about my personal goals for the year. So cool!

Moira

moiraodonoghue — 2024-07-19 15:45:35 UTC

This was one of my assigned chapters in my previous book club and it remains the biggest takeaway from the entire book.

This quote is a big part of it: “Enough with resilience. We’ve been through enough. Stop telling us to be resilient, and do something to stop the traumas from occurring in the first place.” This connects to the theme of the chapter which is focusing on building empowerment by putting students in the “driver’s seat of their own outcomes.” There are a ton of resources in the book that will empower our kiddos, however the one that I think connects is the focus on brain education. This illustrates how students can control their own emotional growth, thus continuing to empower them. I also think an important note is the connection with caregivers. Connecting home and school will foster a greater connection.

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-20 08:32:22 UTC

"Kids are more resilient than we think." is something I often say when discussing a student's strength on overcoming challenges in learning, but reading this chapter has had me reconsider the meaning behind the idea of resilience and make the shift to recognize that every student's version of resilience and paths to it can be very different because of their unique individual narratives. With that in mind, I wonder what we can do as educators to not only "acknowledge a person's story", but to immerse ourselves in it. One small step I'd love to take right now is to add a question in our beginning of the year parent survey inviting parents to share about their family. Any thoughts on how to word the question? I would also like to try the "student-parent notes" activity during Back to School Night if possible!

Stella

juexingshao — 2024-07-20 08:35:30 UTC

Sorry I won't be able to make it:'( Have fun!!

Sarah

sarahimboden — 2024-07-24 17:29:43 UTC

A strategy that I connected with and can see myself implementing this year is the worry box. In recent years I've seen more anxiety among students and have always worked to help ease those anxieties. This strategy seems easy to implement and powerful for students to decide what they would like to do with that anxiety. Is it something they just want you to be aware of or is there more they would like support with? I can see how this restores power and builds trust for students.

Additionally, I really liked the permanence and detachment cards. Again, this seems like a quick and powerful way to build relationships with students and allows them to know of upcoming changes. It would be easy to have them typed out and ready to go for certain situations so you would only have to tweak a date/time in the future.

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-07-24 20:18:42 UTC

Chapter 7 holds many strategies that would prove useful in the classroom. The first one I will focus on is the Black-Out Poetry strategy. I like this one because it is a powerful tool that could be easily prepped and ready to go in a "Restore Your Power" area of the classroom. In my room, I also like to have my cognitive distractions in this space and the Black-Out Poetry would add a meaningful self-expression layer to the resources I already have. The second strategy I will touch on is the Zones of Responsibility. When done in conjunction with the DBT Hourse, I think it can serve as a mirror for our students, and a window for us to get to know the whole-child.

Stella

2024-07-25 05:22:42 UTC

Super excited to come across an example of “Black Out Poetry” at an art gallery, in which the artist used her medical records and “revealed poetry and resistance.” Truly a great way for students to express themselves.

Tori

torivanacker — 2024-07-26 14:57:07 UTC

I think I could analyze this chapter ten times over, as it contains so many strategies we can employ to restore students' power. The idea that stood out to me for boosting resilience was the emphasis on setting and achieving goals. "Empowered learners set and work toward goals, which is a cornerstone to overcoming adversity," (189). This year I want to be more meaningful with goal-setting, and one idea I have is to focus on micro goal-setting. I know for me these goals can often feel more easily achievable, and so it would be more authentic for me to model this type of goal-setting for my students, as I know it works for me! This could look like an entire bulletin board dedicated to goals, where each student has a space to establish their own belonging first. I'm envisioning students compiling their Campi Era template, DBT House, and micro goals all in this space to be proud of and refer back to throughout the year!

Sarah

sarahimboden — 2024-07-30 13:34:34 UTC

I like how this chapter begins by reminding us that respect develops over time and is an extension of connect and protect. Additionally, I like how it also included the idea of self respect and how this is a struggle for many people. As a school, I think we do an amazing job fostering student choice and collaboration. It is something I think we value as a staff and is present in our classrooms.

A strategy I look forward to trying this year is solution circles. I think is seems both impactful and engaging for students. It could be used with a problem within a classroom or connected to a text/topic. I love how at the end of the activity the students debrief and focus on the different perspectives and ideas.