EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESOURCE CENTER

TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE

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Below, I discuss a technique called Trauma-Informed Care that can be used in classrooms and social service forums, for example. The thing is, in our Western culture especially, we are all traumatized to a certain degree. Damage in infancy to sensitive neural pathways "…can place us anywhere in the spectrum of gradients from slightly impaired to completely clueless about the emotional nuances and tones in sounds and spoken words and their meanings. This is also part of the symptomology of Asperger's Syndrome..." (from Feelings Matter by Ceanne DeRohan)

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SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

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"18 in the past 24 days," is how one news story began on February 15, 2018, the day after the Parkland School shooting-a Valentine's Day massacre. That's almost one every other day! In 2019 there have been at least 30 school shootings, most recently at Saugus Hight School in California. No one would argue that the situation is out of hand and changes need to be implemented.  But what changes? Where? In the public school system? What changes will make a difference? And how can they be carried out successfully? Most schools are now training teachers and students how to deal with this new threat when something occurs. But the element of surprise still has the upper hand. Are kids supposed to live in fear everyday, at a place that was always upheld as safe? In the past few decades, much of that illusion of safety has been shattered in a myriad of ways, however, besides mass shootings, like Catholic priest molestations, cyber bullying, for example.

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There are no easy answers but I am ready to share some thoughts on the matter. In the past, violent video games played by children under age 7 were thought to be a contributing factor, but studies over time have shown that  there is not enough evidence to support that case.  (See the link below.) Maybe more studies need to be done. Clearly, there needs to be more restrictions on the granting of gun permits. For starters, a student who has been expelled from school within a certain time period (say 5-7 years) before trying to buy any kind of gun should be denied it! The manufacturing of semi-automatic weapons could be largely curtailed and maybe only be available for purchase by the military, S.W.A.T. teams and under other special circumstances. And the posting on social media of any kind of threat to the safety of others should be considered a FELONY and be taken very seriously. Similar to someone making a comment about a bomb at the airport, that person should be sought out and taken into custody immediately.  Maybe all these actions could be put together to create a Bill, with ensuing steps taken to pass it into Law. "You can be an effective advocate for young children and families when you familiarize yourself with how the public policy process works and the times in which your advocacy can have the greatest impact." The above quote was borrowed from Zero to Three, which explains how you can introduce a bill to your senator or representative, who in turn can take the further legislative steps necessary. You can meet with your local politician to discuss it. Many of them have "Town Talk" meetings where you can express your views and present this information, or whatever suggestions you may have in order to implement change. 

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Other steps that can be taken would be to: 1) Limit the days high school students actually convene in one place. The rest of the time they can fulfill their academic duties on-line and participate in the "real world". 2) Narrow the compulsory school age from 7-16 like they have done in most Scandinavian countries. Decades of studies have shown that learning is not squelched by narrowing that gap; rather on the contrary, children learn at a greater rate of speed and with better comprehension when formal studying is not introduced until they have satisfied their urge for all-day play, typically coinciding with the age of reason, when they become capable of more abstract thought processes. 3) Situate metal detectors at every entrance to every public school in the country! And, finally, 4) Whole Brain training and more brain development research. Children need to learn, from a very young age, how to deal with their emotions, how to communicate their feelings appropriately, and about conflict resolution. The martial arts are great for that. Children need to be taught how to benefit from conflict, how to grow and strengthen from it. If any or all of the above measures were put into place, I am certain some disasters would be avoided and lives would be saved. 

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Related Kidshops® : "Conflict Resolution", "Mindfulness, Self-Management and How to Be Happy"

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