Responding to Traumatic Stress - CERT 11/2021 Cohort 13 by Brian Paniagua https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d Include different types of situations that can cause traumatic stress in students, including the examples discussed during the Virtual Class. Add possible symptoms and response strategies for each symptom. Include each participating cohort member’s name inside the Mindmap. en-us 2022-01-21 04:05:01 UTC 2022-02-10 06:37:34 UTC hello@padlet.com Traumatic Event: Natural Disasters - Laura Rivas https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012390866 Natural disasters can thoroughly impact a child’s life and cause traumatic reactions during childhood that last into adulthood. Some examples of natural disasters that commonly affect population centers are wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. As population centers continue to grow and encroach on wilderness and climate change continues to alter planetary ecosystems, natural disaster-based trauma may also increase.

Symptoms: Traumatic natural disaster events can manifest in many ways in the classroom. Mentally and emotionally, students who have lived through a traumatic natural disaster may find common weather events frightening, such as regular thunderstorms, or may be put on edge by some commonplace things, such as fireplaces, sirens, pools, etc. Additionally, some children may continue to exacerbate their trauma due to the fact that their community and family support systems may have been overwhelmed or destroyed by the natural disaster. In these cases, the child may become homeless, be orphaned, or lose a major family figure. Children may also exhibit separation anxiety, extreme emotional distress, aggression, trouble sleeping, and depression.

Response Strategies:
The Childhood Trauma Reactions: A Guide For Teachers from Preschool to Year 12 (linked above), presents a variety of responses to traumatic events that can be easily implemented in the classroom. They include:
Re-establish routines and a sense of normalcy as quickly as possible! If everything in a student’s life has changed overnight, a classroom that maintains stability while allow students to feel safe and comfortable.

Maintain boundaries. Some teachers may want to give traumatized students more leeway when it comes to behavioral issues. This is okay–but only to a point! Similar to re-establishing routine, students must understand that there are still social norms and rules that need to be followed.

Provide a safe space to de-stress. Students should have access to a quiet, relaxing location where they can get away from stressful stimuli or triggering events.

]]> 2022-01-25 23:40:05 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012390866 Traumatic Stress: Divorce by Tom Fast https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012537309 (https://www.centerforchildcounseling.org/aces-and-divorce/)
Divorce is a common occurrence. Approximately 40-50% of all marriages end in divorce. While divorce is common, the effects that divorce has on a child can be substantial. A stable and safe home life is essential for the wellbeing of child. When a child’s home life gets disrupted, damaged, or changed, a child can experience a variety of mental and emotional effects including anger, fear, anxiety, disappointment, guilt, and self-blame. Ask your friends and family how divorce affected them, they will almost certainly tell you that it affected them negatively and permanently for the rest of their lives.

Symptoms

The symptoms of divorce manifest in a child through a variety of feelings. For example, a child will often feel anger, fear, have increased anxiety, and guilt, among other feelings. These feelings lead to other disruptions in the child’s life, including school, social, sports, and other areas. As teachers, we can have a tremendously positive effect on the lives of our students who are experiencing trauma from divorce. Here is a list of warning signs to look out for:

• Poor performance or declining grades in school due to inability to focus
• Behavioral problems like attention seeking, “acting out”
• Mood swings or prolonged sadness/depression
• Apathy or loss of interest in places or activities they once enjoyed
• Less interest in spending time with friends
• Unwillingness to cooperate with everyday activities/defiance
• Low self-esteem and withdrawal
• Regressing to younger behaviors in an attempt to return to babyhood, clinginess
• New or increased irrational fears

Response Strategies
When teachers are aware of these warning signs, they can assist the child in the midst of their traumatic event. A good first step is to communicate with the child, parents, and school counselor. This way, a teacher can better assess what measures can be implemented to alleviate further stress in the classroom. More specific ways are outlined below (http://www.pedro-carroll.com/professionals/education/):
1. Provide consistency and structure. Structure in the classroom will provide a safe and stable place for the child in the midst of their potentially unsafe and unstable home life.
2. Affirm and reinforce their strengths. Highlight the childs gifts and abilities, let them know they are special and that they are loved.
3. Watch for behavioral signals of underlying problems. When a child acts out through disruptive behavior this usually is because something is not going well at home. Build trust and do your best to find out what is wrong so resources can be given.
4. Encourage the adoption of an evidence-based prevention program in your school. Connect with community resource support groups.
5. Encourage the adoption of evidence-based parenting programs for divorcing or divorced parents. Connect the parents with community parental support groups.
6. Help children develop an accurate understanding of their parents’ divorce. If possible, and if a trusting relationship is present, help the child understand that the divorce is not their fault and they are not to blame in any way.
7. Encourage parents to focus on their children’s best interests. Discourage parents from criticizing the other parent in front of their child.
8. Communicate with parents regularly about their children’s strengths as well as problems or concerns. As always, regular communication is key.

Other resources:
https://www.divorcemag.com/articles/effects-of-divorce-on-children-2
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh6611

]]> 2022-01-26 01:49:33 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012537309 Traumatic Event: Neglect - Cindy https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012670454 https://www.bhscp.org.uk/preventing-abuse-and-neglect/spotting-the-signs/signs-of-neglect/

Knowing the signs of neglect can help to give a voice to children. Any child can suffer neglect, although some may be more vulnerable than others. When families go through a tough time (e.g. experiencing relationship problems, financial hardship, poverty, mental health issues, addiction to drugs or alcohol), parents or carers may struggle to maintain a loving home for their child. Children more vulnerable also include children who are born prematurely, have a disability or have complex health needs, are in care, or are seeking asylum.

Definition:

Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
Provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, such as excluding a child from home, abandoning them and leaving them alone.
Failure to protect a child from physical or emotional harm, or danger.
Failure to ensure that the child has adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate and inappropriate caregivers).
Failure to ensure the child has appropriate medical care and treatment when needed.
Unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.

Signs:

Being frequently absent from school
Inappropriate clothing (e.g. shoes too small, clothes are ill-fitted or unsuitable for the weather conditions)
Clothes are consistently dirty or smelly
Being hungry
Hands are cold, red and swollen
Unkempt appearance and poor hygiene; hair quality is poor or is messy, teeth are dirty, skin dirty
Lacking necessary medical or dental care, including immunisations or glasses
Missing medical appointments
Health problems, including anaemia, body issues, poor muscle tone or prominent joints, regular illness of infections, repeated accidental injuries (often cause by lack of supervision), skin issues (e.g. sores, rashes, flea bites, scabies, ringworm), thin or swollen tummy, weight or growth issues, untreated injuries
Developmental problems, including poor language or social skills
Frequent and untreated nappy rash in infants
Being constantly underweight or considerably losing weight
The parent or carer has failed to keep the child protected from physical harm or danger
Begging or stealing things like money or food
Living in an unsuitable environment (e.g. no heating, messy)
Being left home alone for long periods of time
Taking on the role of a carer for other family members
Changes in behaviour, such as becoming clingy, aggressive, withdrawn, depressed or anxious, displaying obsessive behaviour
Changes in eating habits
Using drugs or alcohol
Self-harm or attempts at suicide

Response to child abuse and neglect:

Report suspected child abuse immediately. As long as you have a sufficient reason to make a report, you are legally protected and cannot be sued. Be sure to give the person or agency you make the report to as much information as possible.
Do not act shocked or disgusted if a child reveals something about his or her abuse to you. Children are inclined to think that you are responding that way because of them, which can have a major impact on their healing and recovery.
Be supportive in your response and let the child know it is not his or her fault. Also remember that you can't promise not to tell since you're legally required to report any suspicion. The Crisis Manual for Early Childhood Teachers suggests the following response: 'I'm glad you told me. You did the right thing. I'm sorry this happened to you.'
Make sure children who are abused have plenty of ways to express themselves. Drawing, painting, and writing are all excellent creative outlets for children to express their thoughts and feelings about what happened to them.
Treat all children with kindness, respect, and empathy. This will help you build positive relationships with children and will also show abused children that a person does not have to use violence or humiliation in their interactions with others.

https://www.kaplanco.com/ii/child-abuse-neglect

]]> 2022-01-26 03:36:13 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2012670454 Stratton Traumatic event: death https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2014490488 Death is an event that we will all experience. That doesn't make it any easier for anyone, and everyone will respond differently to the event. Students aren't any different, and often aren't sure how to express themselves. With students spending a good chunk of their time in classrooms, this can be where we see a lot of the effects of that lack of expression.

That's where most of the work comes in. There is work we can do before any traumatic event occurs to make sure that the room is a comfortable, safe space for the kids to express their feelings and emotions. This can be done by:
- Teaching and modeling of empathy and active listening skills
- creating an environment that responds effectively to conflicts.

Staff can also take a proactive approach by:

Seek development working with specific groups
Sharing support resources
Connect with community organizations

When there is a death, especially one that can effect a large section of your population you can:
- Bring in additional grief support stuff
- having a separate area of the school students can go to if they need time.
- Inform the staff to be aware for students acting differently, and offer that separate area as needed.
- make sure to meet students where they are at. Don't assume to know where they are and what they are feeling. Let them share if they want, but also give them room to process.

]]> 2022-01-26 20:32:56 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2014490488 Medical Trauma - Brian brianpaniagua https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2014861028 Medical trauma may follow life-threatening illness, injury, or painful medical procedures. A child's response to the experience is often subjective, and the intensity of their reaction may:

Impair day-to-day functioning
Affect adherence to medical treatment
Impede optimal recovery

Symptoms & Responses

Re-experiencing is a type of traumatic stress reaction, where the child keeps thinking about the trauma, even if they do not want to. Nightmares and "flashbacks" may make the child feel like they are reliving the trauma all over again. Feeling upset or show physical symptoms when a thought, sight, sound or smell reminds them of the event. It may be helpful to make a plan to cope with their feelings and physical responses that result from re-experiences. Focus on the things the child can still do, and work to outline the steps they can take to both calm themselves and progress towards a goal. Examples might include, taking deep breathes or a break when needed, and incremental re-exposure.

When trying not to think or talk about a traumatic event, children may start to exhibit sign of avoidance. They may want to avoid people, places or activities that remind them of the event. Increased caution and safety is typical, but extreme avoidance or fears can interfere with daily life prevent a child from participating in activities they enjoy. Some strategies for dealing with avoidance are, going back to normal/everyday routines, set normal rules and limits for behavior, allow the child to talk about or express their feelings and worries, and encourage them to spend time with friends.

Another symptom is hyper-arousal, were the "fight or flight" response does not turn off, even when the child is safe. The mental and physical feelings like high alertness or feeling something bad may happen again, jumping from loud noises, and increased heart rate can be scary. In this situation, parents will most likely be the best resources to help soothe and comfort the child. The parents know the child's needs and coping strengths. It would also be appropriate to suggest positive activities and contact with friends and loved ones.

]]> 2022-01-27 01:57:27 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2014861028 Traumatic Stress: Bullying by Chad Bayowski chadbayowski https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015058337 Bullying is both a source of traumatic stress for the victim and a possible symptom of/response to trauma by the one engaging in bullying. Bullying can be active or passive and range in form from a single bully intimidating and harming others to a much larger group singling out an individual to mistreat or neglect.

Signs and symptoms of bullying victims

Unexplainable injuries
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork
Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

Signs someone is bullying others

Get into physical or verbal fights
Have friends who bully others
Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
Blame others for their problems
Don’t accept responsibility for their actions

(source: https://www.stopbullying.gov/bullying/warning-signs)

Response strategies “DOs and DON’Ts”
DOs

Stop the bullying immediately. Stand between the bullied student and the bully(ies), blocking eye contact. Don't send any bystanders away. To avoid escalating the tension, wait until later to sort out the facts. Talk to the parties involved separately once they are calm.
Refer to school rules regarding bullying. Speak in a matter-of-fact tone of voice to describe what you heard or saw. Let all students know bullying is always unacceptable.
Support the bullied child. Do this in a way that allows him or her dignity and to feel safe from retaliation. Make a point to see the child later in private if he or she is upset. Increase supervision to assure bullying is not repeated.
Offer guidance to bystanders. Let them know how they might appropriately intervene or get help next time. Tell them you noticed their inaction or that you're pleased with the way they tried to help.
Impose immediate consequences. Wait until all parties have calmed down. Do not require that students apologize or make amends that may be insincere. The consequences should be logical and connected to the offense. A first step could be taking away social privileges i.e. recess or lunch in the cafeteria.
Notify colleagues and parents.
Let the bully know he or she is being watched.
Follow up and intervene as necessary.
Support the bullied child and the bully, enabling them to vent feelings and recognize their own behavior. The bully may need to learn new methods of using his or her power and influence in the classroom.

DON'Ts

Don't confuse bullying with conflict. Bullying is a form of victimization, and addressing it as a "conflict" downplays the negative behavior and the seriousness of the effects. Educators should strive to send the message that "no one deserves to be bullied," and to let the bully know the behavior is wholly inappropriate.
Don't use peer mediation. It can be very upsetting for a child who has been bullied to face his or her tormentor in mediation. Giving both parties an equal voice can empower the bully and make the bullied student feel worse. In addition, there is no evidence that peer mediation is effective in stopping bullying.
Don't use group treatment for bullies. Some schools use therapeutic strategies such as anger management, skill-building, empathy-building and self-esteem building to reach the bully. In practice, group members can actually reinforce each others' bullying and antisocial behavior.

(source: https://www.learningforjustice.org/professional-development/bullying-guidelines-for-teachers)

]]> 2022-01-27 04:35:29 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015058337 Refugee Trauma - Cole https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015522610 Refugees can face experiences of trauma from war and persecution in their home countries, the period of displacement, as well as the process of resettling in their new country. These traumas can manifest in many different ways and affect children of different ages differently.

Signs:

As stated above above the signs from this trauma can manifest in different age groups in different ways. However, there are some non age specific signs that affect the students ability to learn such as:

Anxiety, sadness, irritability, hopelessness
Trouble paying attention, trouble managing behavior/emotions, lack of desire to play with other or do activities,
Trouble sleeping, sleeping too much, nightmares

Some more age specific ones include:
Bedwetting for preschoolers, fear of separation from parents at the elementary level, and problems in conduct and with relationships with parents, peers, and educators at the high school level.

Response Strategies:

The main response for those with traumas from their experiences as refugees is known as the 'TSTR - Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees'. This splits the strategies into essentially three tiers (there are four, but for tiers three and four similar strategies are implemented)

Tier 1 deals with some basic community outreach, providing information and materials for new refugee groups so they can access information and better recognize signs of trauma, as well as focusing on building trust between communities.

Tier 2 is used to deal with reducing the stigma associated with these community outreach groups and to help the community outreach identify children who may need additional mental health care.

Tiers 3/4 are for youth which display a significant need for mental health intervention. These children receive community based, linguistically and culturally sensitive care. ]]> 2022-01-27 10:07:07 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015522610 Suicidal ideation by Marcela Rojas https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015613669 One in five high school students in the USA will seriously consider suicide in a 12-month period, and 7% will attempt it. Unfortunately, suicide is now the second leasing cause of death for teenagers (age 10 to 19), in particularly if they are from a special demographic group such as gay, lesbian and bisexual or Native Americans. The cause of suicidal thought can come from a multitude of reason, such as:

mental illness or psychiatric diagnosis
family history of suicide and/or exposure to suicide
family history of mental illness
physical or sexual abuse
losses
aggressive behaviour or impulsivity
lack of social support or social isolation
poor coping skills
access to ways of harming oneself, like guns, knives, etc.
difficulties in dealing with sexual orientation
physical illness
family disruptions (divorce or problems with the law)
traumatic event.

Warning signs include:

preoccupation with death (e.g., recurring themes of death or self-destruction in artwork or written assignments
intense sadness and/or hopelessness
not caring about activities that used to matter
social withdrawal from family, friends, sports, or social activities
substance abuse
sleep disturbance (either not sleeping or staying awake all night)
giving away possessions
risky behaviour
lack of energy
inability to think clearly or problems with concentration
declining school performance or increased absences from school
increased irritability
changes in appetite.

To reduce suicide rates among teens, the best strategies are prevention of the crisis. Two school in particular have implemented social and emotional learning programs to create a school environment where students feel supported and cared.

The Freedom High School in Virginia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLdGC6uxf6A) has created a series of strategies to make students feel connected with each other and with the staff and bring depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation as part of the day-to-day conversation:

Students are put into small advisory groups (14 students) led by seniors or other teachers.
The school has a four-hour training for students to become peer leaders, suicide prevention ambassadors.
The school has workshops where students share stories of strengths to build coping skills using resources such as family support, positive friendships, mentors and healthy activities.

The Fall-Hamilton elementary school in Nashville, TN, (https://www.edutopia.org/video/making-students-feel-safe) has implemented a full social and emotional learning program since 2015 with the purpose of making students feel safe. Part of their strategies include

Check-in and check-out systems where students are paired with a teacher. They meet every day, at the beginning of the day, they shared three goals for the day, and, at the end of the day, they do a check-out where the student ranks him/herself 0, 1, 2 for each goal. This simple strategy makes students feel that there is someone in the school that cares. At the same time, having that daily follow up, helps the school identify students who may be at risk of harming themselves, and help the student connect to the mental health service they need.
Tap-in and tap-out system is for teachers to support each other. The school understands the importance of self-care at the teacher level since, as a teacher, you cannot fully support the students if you do not feel well yourself. For that reason, the school has adopted a "we got your back approach" and each teacher has a peer that they can easily text to cover each other's class if needed.

]]> 2022-01-27 11:07:42 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2015613669 Refugee trauma- Ryan https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2016017103 Since the 1980s, the U.S. alone has resettled approximately 3 million refugees. Of course, not all refugees suffer from trauma, although some do. This kind of trauma is not only troublesome, but very hard to understand. Refugees who have been displaced often present with a variety of negative behaviors for instance:

Fear or anxiety
Sadness or irritability
Thoughts about the traumatic event that won't go away
Avoiding thinking or talking about anything that reminds him or her of the traumatic event
Acting as if the event is happening right now
Trouble managing behavior or emotion
Nightmares
Trouble paying attention
Trouble falling asleep, or sleeping too much
Getting upset when things happen that remind him or her of the traumatic event
Lack of desire to play with others

The good news is there are many ways to help refugees struggling from post traumatic stress.

Research the students' cultural norms and values.
Encourage students to embrace their culture and values .
Present their cultures and values as a strength.
If needed provide an interpreter students or family members.
Utilize social and emotional learning.
Empathize with the students.
Let the child know what to expect
Remain consistent and predictable.

]]> 2022-01-27 14:48:43 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2016017103 Traumatic Stress - Emotional Abuse - Lange Wei https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2022429874 Emotional abuse, which is sometimes called psychological abuse, is a pattern of behavior that damages a child's sense of self worth and negatively impacts their emotional development. In addition to withholding love and support, the person emotionally abusing the child also may reject, criticize, threaten, demean, and berate the child. They also may humiliate the child, engage in name-calling, and insult them.

Signs that a child might be experiencing emotional abuse can include:

Avoiding or running away from home
Low self-image, self-esteem and confidence
Delays in development or decline in school work
Often anxious, distressed or afraid of doing something wrong
Demanding, disruptive or secretive behavior
Extremes of behavior – very aggressive to very passive
Trying too hard to please or failure to connect with parents
Being withdrawn or having difficulty relating to others
Feels worthless, unloved or unwanted
Increased fear, guilt and self-blame
Lying, stealing or lack of trust in adults
Self-harming or suicidal thoughts
Drug and alcohol use

Impact of Emotional Abuse

The consequences of child abuse in any form can be severe and can persist into adulthood. A child often believes that they are responsible for the abuse and that it means they are unloved, unlovable, and unwanted. Here are four of the major long-term effects of emotional abuse and deprivation.

1. Attachment Issues

Emotional abuse can interfere with a child’s ability to form and maintain healthy attachments. Attachment issues in early childhood have been linked to insecure attachments in adulthood. Children also might be at an increased risk for poor peer relations, trouble with intimacy, difficulty with conflict resolution, and relational aggression.

2. Behavioral and Social Problems

Emotional abuse in childhood also has been linked to delinquency and sexually aggressive behavior in young adults.

3. Repeating the Cycle of Abuse

Without appropriate intervention, people who were abused as children are more likely to abuse their kids than people who did not experience abuse

4. Suicide and Mental Illness

Teens who experienced emotional abuse as children are more likely to be diagnosed with at least one mental illness, such as depression or anxiety, which can persist into adulthood. People with a history of emotional abuse are also at an increased risk of attempting suicide.

Treating Child Emotional Abuse：

Parents who act out emotional abuse may have experienced abuse as children. It’s a vicious cycle that needs a lot of strength to break. Child emotional abuse treatment is important for both children and parents in abuse situations, so everyone can heal and move forward in a healthy way.

Treatment can begin after the child's safety is secured. Treatment isn't a short-term solution and needs a long-term commitment from everyone involved. ‌

In some cases, medical care is necessary. Most of the time, children receive therapy from a trained professional who specializes in child psychology. A professional helps by:

Helping a victim of abuse learn how to trust again
Showing a child what healthy behavior and relationships look like
Teaching a child how to manage conflict ‌
Boosting self-esteem and establishing a sense of self-worth

Resource：
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/child-abuse/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370867

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/pediatrics/services/child-protection-and-family-health/child-abuse-and-neglect-treatment/

]]> 2022-01-31 23:39:22 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2022429874 Calvin Parks. Community Violence Trauma https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2027076312 https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/community-violence

Community Violence is Violence witnessed by an individual in a public area near their home by someone they know, they barely know, or don't know at all. Different types of Community Violence is

bullying
fights among gangs and other groups
shootings in public areas such as schools and communities
civil wars in foreign countries or “war-like” conditions in US cities
spontaneous or terrorist attacks

Unfortunately you can not plan for Community Violence it can happen at any time. Sometimes you may can see it getting ready to happen but most times it is spontaneous. This makes the fear in the Community rise. Children and their families must survive in these communities in fear. These acts of violence are normally intended for a specific individual but can be spreaded to more than one person or unfortunately an innocent person. Intentional Community Violence acts include:

Homicides
Sexual Assaults
Robberies
Attacks with weapons

It would be tough for a student to focus or what to do anything else if one of these acts were to happen to him/her, but to have the thought of a possibility that either or these can happen to oneself or a family member can make someone not want to leave the house let alone go to school. Students become survivors at young ages. Your thought process about your future is thrown off due to the fear of not having a future. Lost faith in society because of the lack of control in their community. These are what some youths in different communities describe Community Violence impacts

I don’t know who to trust anymore.
I’m on edge all the time, like something’s going to happen to me, and I can’t be caught off guard.
I’ll do anything to stay safe. That’s why I carry a gun or knife, like my friends do.
I don’t expect to graduate from school. I’ll probably die young anyway.
I worry most about my little brother and sister getting shot.
My friends say I’m different since the shooting.
Sometimes thoughts pop up in my head, and I’m right back to the night my world changed.
I’m more tempted to get drunk or high to numb it all.
I feel angry even when nobody is messing with me.
I get jumpy or nervous at the smallest things or little sounds.
I just can’t stop thinking about all the violence, how it’s never going to end.

]]> 2022-02-03 09:04:56 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2027076312 Cyberbullying by Na LIN nalin10 https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2031440255 What is cyber bullying?

A primer on cyberbullying: what is it, who does it affect, and what is its impact on children and adolescents

UNICEF/China/2019

Whereas in previous generations, children being bullied could escape such abuse or harassment by going home or being alone, no such safe haven exists for children in a digital world.
The State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in A Digital World

What is cyberbullying?

Bullying can be defined as intentional and aggressive behaviour occurring repeatedly against a victim where there is a real or perceived power imbalance, and where the victim feels vulnerable and powerless to defend himself or herself. When bullying occurs in the online world – through computers, cell phones or other electronic devices - it’s referred to it as bullying online, or cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying involves sending electronic messages (sometimes anonymously), including text, pictures or videos, aimed at harassing, threatening, excluding or spreading rumors about another person via digital platforms such as online social networks, chat rooms, blogs, instant messaging applications and text messaging.

Who are involved when cyberbullying takes place?

Children can be involved in online bullying in different roles:

Victims of bullying or children who are bullied are likely to experience interpersonal difficulties, to be depressed, lonely or anxious, to have low self-esteem and to suffer academically.

Perpetrators of bullying or children who bully, whether in person or online, often act out of frustration, humiliation and anger, or to achieve social status, and their actions can inflict physical, psychological and social harm.

Bystanders or witnesses of someone else being a victim of bullying have the capacity to impact the situation, either positively, by helping put a stop to the incident or negatively, by encouraging the bully either directly or indirectly, thus making the situation worse.

How is online bullying related to violence in schools?

Violence in schools comes in many forms, including the common occurrence of bullying. Young people are living more and more of their lives online, and that includes their academic lives. The classroom no longer ends once a student leaves class. And, unfortunately, neither does schoolyard bullying. The front door was once a barrier to schoolyard bullies; now, social media allows them to follow their victims into their homes. Improving young people’s education experience means accounting for the environment they encounter online as well as offline.

What impact does online bullying have on children and young people?

Cyberbullying causes profound harm as it can quickly reach a wide audience and leaves a permanent footprint online for all involved. Unlike in-person bullying, cyberbullying can reach a victim anywhere, at any moment, often leaving the child being bullied in a perpetual state of anxiety.

Victims of cyberbullying are more likely to skip school than other students. They also are more likely to receive poor grades and experience low self-esteem and health problems. In extreme situations, cyberbullying has led to suicide.

Why is cyberbullying potentially more harmful than offline bullying?

The potential for bullies to hide behind a nameless profile or pose as someone other than themselves and—in a single click—instantly disseminate violent, hurtful or humiliating words or images is unprecedented. Moreover, once such content is posted, deleting it is difficult, which increases the risk of victims being victimized again and makes it hard for them to recover.

Who is ultimately responsible for protecting children online?

Protecting children online is a shared responsibility. Collaboration and cooperation between caregivers, parents, teachers, schools, governments, law enforcement, civil society and the private sector is essential.

]]> 2022-02-06 13:54:59 UTC https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2031440255 Traumatic Event: Chronic Illness of a Parent - Kristen Hollister https://padlet.com/brianpaniagua/owgsvzt2ipqlov2d/wish/2039509919 Definition: Chronic diseases are conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit daily living or both. Some examples are heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

In a 2019 study on chronic illness's influencing a child's early development, researchers from the University of Western Australia, found that children of chronically ill mothers had a higher risk of physical, social, and communication difficulties. And in some children a higher risk of language and cognitive difficulties. They found that the risk level of these increased with each additional year of exposure to maternal chronic illness.

How does a parent’s chronic illness impact their child?

When a student is experiencing trauma, a teacher may see signs of it in the classroom but they will likely never have a clear yes or no. Here are some signs teachers can look out for.
Signs in the Classroom:

Extreme Shyness and difficulty engaging with others
Disproportionate reaction to unexpected changes
Trouble managing emotions(extreme anger, crying)
Clinginess
Difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next
Forgetfulness
Frequent complaints of feeling sick
Difficulty focusing
Missed deadlines
Poor academic performance
Perfectionist tendencies
Physical or verbal aggression

Recognizing the Signs of Trauma

There are small ways that teachers can make classrooms more friendly and supportive to students managing impacts of trauma.
Responses and how teachers can help:

Provide structure and consistency.
Ease transitions.
Develop Strengths and interests.
Give students their power back by allowing to feel like they have control.
- Provide choice.
Consistently make them feel seen and heard.
Empowering language
- "I hear you. I see you. I believe you"
- "You are important. Your voice is important"
- "I can't change your experiences, but I am here to listen to you and help you in whatever ways I can. What would be helpful from me at this moment?"
Reach out to your school's counselor.
Be there.

8 Ways to Support Students Who Experience Trauma

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