Types of Trauma
Childhood trauma seriously threatens an individual’s well-being and can impede functional development on biological and mental levels. Multiple circumstances can be sources of such traumas: physical (fractures, scratches), cognitive (mental trauma), and any other that may pose potential problems for the child now and in the future. There are different types of traumas in children and associated stress: this includes acute, chronic, complex, secondary, and toxic types (Brummer & Thorsborne, 2020).
First, acute traumas are created instantly and in emergencies, whether physical abuse or bullying, accidents, or other types of trauma. Second, these are chronic stressors that result from the prolonged experience of traumatic events, examples of which are systematic domestic violence and school bullying.
Third are complex traumas that arise from the integration of several prior traumas. To illustrate this, we can take the example of a child who is simultaneously bullied at school due to parental divorce and domestic violence. The aggregation of such traumas can generally be described as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which refer to the adverse effects of childhood traumas. Fourth are secondary traumas when working with children who experience trauma regularly. Fifth, toxic stress directly affects the nervous system but has no relaxation, which means the body is constantly under stress.
Prolonged exposure to stressors has a destructive effect on a child’s health. On the one hand, living under stress leads to dysfunctionality of the nervous system, which leads to constant anxiety, emotional instability, and nervousness. On the other hand, a stressful life can lead to impaired child development, including physical and cognitive lags (Brummer & Thorsborne, 2020). One cannot rule out how living a stressful life can affect an individual’s behavior and create an environment in which other children may abuse and bully such a child.
Upper and Lower Brain
In the course, I explored the concept of the upper and lower brain in relation to the structure of the child’s nervous system. Thus, the lower brain is responsible for essential human functions and basic emotions, such as anger and fear. In contrast, the upper brain is responsible for all other complex mental processes.
The total brain develops from the bottom up, so cognitive development lags behind the development of the upper brain. The upper brain does not develop on its own but depends on the processes of upbringing and education. In other words, delays in child development may be due to insufficient pedagogical processes.
To effectively nurture and develop a child within their age range, it is necessary to provide the right pedagogical approach and take stressors into account. When educators consider ACEs and understand the complexity of a child’s traumatic history, the likelihood of fostering a trusting and supportive environment increases. In addition, as demonstrated in the course, analyzing ACEs helps to fragment an existing problem into discrete parts and create adaptive solutions to remove barriers to healthy child development. Simultaneously, if educators and counselors understand a child’s ACEs, they can create a safe environment where barriers and stressors have less impact on the individual, promoting well-being.
Considerations Regarding Trauma in Education
Educators must consider multiple factors when analyzing a child’s traumatic experiences. In this context, it is crucial to pay close attention to body language and maintain clear and effective communication. First, the educator must be able to listen to the child’s body, which involves non-verbal communication, including hand movements, body postures, and facial expressions. Such signs can reveal a great deal about a child’s behavior and feelings, so professionals must be able to recognize them. Second, communication with the child should be based on the principles of clear communication, which means that the child should clearly understand what the adult wants from them. Clear communication also underscores the importance of presence, which fosters trust between communication partners and creates a safe environment for the child.
Ultimately, the course concluded that punishment cannot be an effective measure for nurturing and supporting the child. A positive pedagogical environment is created when the child feels safe and free to make mistakes. Therefore, a solution-based approach rather than punishment is an effective pedagogical practice for child skill development and positive learning.
Reference
Brummer, J. & Thorsborne, M. (2020). Building a trauma-informed restorative school paperback. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.