Trauma and Trauma Responses
Trauma often keeps the brain stuck in this mode.
What is survival mode?
What are the three brain states?
Executive/thinking, emotional, and survival.
Name one of the 8 sensory systems and give an example of how it might show up in the classroom.
What does a trauma-informed classroom look like?
A classroom that is safe, predictable, supportive, relationship-based, and responsive to children’s emotional and sensory needs.
Mateo knocks down other children’s block towers and then watches their reactions closely. What skill might he still be developing?
Social interaction skills, joining peer play.
Name one survival response children may show when stressed.
What are fight, flight, freeze, or fawn?
When a child is regulated, what might you notice in the classroom?
What is calm body, ability to participate, listen, and engage in activities or learning?
When a child shows sensory-seeking behavior, should the goal be to stop the behavior or support the need?
Support the sensory need.
In a trauma-informed classroom, why is connection with a caring adult considered one of the most powerful supports for children?
Because consistent, trusting relationships help children feel safe and support emotional regulation and development.
What factors may influence Mateo’s ability to participate in group time vs. one-on-one interactions?
Why might punishment or threats escalate a traumatized child’s behavior?
Because it increases stress and reinforces a sense of threat.
Why can’t children effectively self-regulate and listen to adults when they are highly dysregulated?
Because the brain’s thinking systems are offline during high stress, children are not able to access what they know.
A child is often very loud, screams during play and transitions, and has difficulty lowering their volume. What can you do to support this child?
What type of teaching approach is used in a successful trauma-informed classroom?
Play-based learning.
During circle time, Mateo rolls around on the carpet, bumping into peers and makes silly noises to distract his peers from the story. What might be happening for Mateo?
Mateo is struggling to regulate his body in a group setting, seeking movement or other sensory input, and may resort to connection seeking with peers when overwhelmed.
During clean-up time, a child throws toys and yells at the teacher. Instead of disobedience, how might a trauma-informed lens interpret this behavior?
A fight response. Triggered by sensory overwhelm, lack of control, transition difficulty, or uncertainty/avoidance of what comes next.
Young children learn self-regulation first through what?
Name one strategy that helps preschoolers regulate emotions.
Co-regulation with a trusted regulated adult.
Naming feelings, sensory tools, quiet spaces, and breathing strategies.
A child becomes very upset during transitions, drops to the floor, and refuses to move when it’s time to clean up or switch activities. They may cry, freeze, or try to run away. What can you do to support this child?
At naptime, a child refuses to lie down, may cry, leave their cot, or become disruptive. What can you do to support this child?
Mateo becomes very upset when another child sits in “his spot.” What is he likely seeking?
Control, predictability, and environmental safety.
A child frequently lies about small things (like who spilled water or took a toy). What survival skill might this behavior represent?
This may be a protective response to avoid punishment or a perceived threat?
A child screams and throws materials during an art activity. Instead of immediately removing them, what trauma-informed strategy might a teacher try first?
Co-regulation, teaching them how to use the activity, offering choices (break or help), or movement break.
Climbing on furniture, running around the classroom, and crashing into things are examples of what type of sensory need? What is something you can do to support them?
Movement/Proprioceptive seeking
You notice a child wandering around the classroom not engaging in any specific activity. The child then begins running around the room and disrupting peers. What environmental factors may be contributing?
After observing Mateo for several weeks, what are five trauma-informed strategies you would use to support him?