Childhood Trauma: What Is It, And How To Help Our Students Heal

Elementary schools are filled with children of varied backgrounds. Many of these children come to school having experienced trauma. It is an educators job to address not only the academic needs of the students, but the social-emotional ones as well. Chapter one of this Capstone gives background information as to why this work is important to the author, and to the field of education. Chapter two sheds light on to research done on childhood trauma, and gives teachers a way to incorporate trauma-sensitive practices into the classroom and larger elementary school setting. Chapter three describes the staff development Capstone project, and chapter four gives a reaction to the work. This capstone uses synthesized research to answer the question, How can teachers and support staff address childhood trauma in the elementary classroom and larger elementary school environment? Reading concluded that childhood trauma can be positively addressed in the school setting through a combination of school-based therapies, and purposeful trauma-informed classrooms