{"id":6062,"date":"2024-02-21T23:25:40","date_gmt":"2024-02-22T04:25:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/?p=6062"},"modified":"2024-02-21T23:25:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T04:25:42","slug":"science-learning-and-resilience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2024\/02\/science-learning-and-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Learning and Resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Maxwell Wissman<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is inevitable that when teaching science, you will run into students who have experienced trauma. While undoing these traumatic experiences for students is impossible, it is crucial that you as their teacher put them in a position to still learn despite that trauma. Creating resilience in your students can help them allow trauma to not define them in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Power of Relationship –<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her book on trauma in the classroom, Kristin Sours writes, \u201cTrust is a fundamental part of a healthy relationship. A healthy relationship, in turn, is an instrumental aspect of feeling safe – and a sense of safety enables students who have experienced trauma to stay regulated.\u201d The message here is that as a teacher, it is imperative to develop personal connections with you students. By connecting to students\u2019 interests, personalities, and lives outside of the classroom you build rapport and trust with each kid. As that trust grows, so does their sense of safety and belonging. At the end of the day, this sense of safety and belonging can be your biggest tool in creating learners resilient to whatever trauma they face outside of school and help them to focus on learning and growing as a person within it.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When in Doubt, Take a Breath –<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A quote from Victor Frankl is shared in Kristin Sour’s book that applies very directly to working with students who may have had traumatic experiences: \u201cBetween stimulus and response there is a space, and in that space lies our power and freedom.\u201d When students are distracted, acting disrespectful, are unmotivated, or angry, there is a space for us teachers to decide what to do. It is important to calmly and thoughtfully make decisions about how to react to these behaviors, after all we do not know what else the student may be going through in life. By taking more time to think before reacting, we can increase the likelihood of a beneficial outcome for the student, the teacher, and the entire classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Self-Care Challenge –\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teachers in the modern education system have a lot of responsibilities. At times we are simply educators, but at times we are also caregivers. It is important that while negotiating these duties we also care for ourselves. Sours writes, \u201cIt\u2019s time to take ourselves off the shelf. How can we expect students and families we work with to be healthy if we can\u2019t commit to our own wellness? It\u2019s true that genuine, sustained self care is an art.\u201d The importance of this quote comes in the question the author poses. If we cannot take care of ourselves, caring for the complex needs of students and their families becomes impossible. Fostering resilience to trauma in others is incredibly difficult if we ourselves are facing personal challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n