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After The First Two Weeks Of Class, A First Year Teacher

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After the first two weeks of class, a first year teacher recognized that one of her young students was disengaged and avoided communication during class discussion. The teacher recognized the importance of developing a deeper relationship with her students by getting to know each of them on a personal level. What she knew about her disinterested student is that he had experienced a traumatic life event and was physically abused as a young child. He was not in a stable or safe environment for extended periods of time and found it difficult to trust adults. He was hesitant to open up and discuss his feelings. During class, he kept to himself and shut down when directly addressed. The teacher emphasized how open-dialogue and communication …show more content…

Physical Implications It is important for caregivers, social workers, clinicians, and teachers to understand the warnings and residual impacts of childhood trauma. Teachers must be fully present and aware of the symptoms and the impact that traumatic events bestow on a child. The physical impact of childhood trauma is associated with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and hyperarousal. Children that experienced abuse or neglect showed signs of unease, uncertainty, and distress. Children are easily startled and experienced hyperarousal from a constant state of alertness of danger (Herman, 1997). Outcomes included in heightened arousal are disturbances of sleep and eating habits, higher heart rate, and feelings of aggression. Children who experienced abuse were on constant alert and learned to recognize danger signals in an attempt to protect themselves or appease the abuser (Herman, 1997). Children avoided attracting attention and avoided any physical display of inner aggression through demonstrations of automatic obedience (Herman, 1997). Children of trauma have a tendency to be more vulnerable and have a greater risk of being revictimized or violated in the future (Herman, 1997). Social Implications When a child’s basic sense of trust and safety was damaged, they developed an impaired concept of meaningful relationships. An abuser

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