In 2017, ATN released an audio summit containing interviews of leading educators nationwide. Julie Beem, ATN’s Executive Director interviewed Jen Alexander, an experienced trauma-informed educator, school counselor, expert on developmental trauma, global speaker, and consultant. Jen is also the author of Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools and Supporting Students and Staff After COVID-19. Her passion is helping others help kids. To learn more, visit her website, MsJenAlexander.com.
Jen lays out for us the framework for how we, as educators, can move toward creating a school-wide trauma-sensitive climate. Listen to learn the specific steps a school or district can take to be on the path to becoming a truly trauma sensitive school.
This interview has been broken down into four parts: Why do we need trauma sensitive schools?, What is Complex Trauma?, What should educators do to make their schools trauma sensitive?, and What about the kids who need more?
Part two of this series talks about Complex Trauma. Jen shares how complex trauma, also known as Developmental Trauma, can show in a classroom. Jen says, “Children with Complex Trauma may have difficulty regulating their emotions and responses.” The understanding of why the child behaves the way they behave, is the first step. All educators entered this field wanting to make difference. In order to do that, we have to pay attention to the needs of the many traumatized students in our schools.
