Trauma-Sensitive School Leadership: Building a Learning Environment to Support Healing and Success

Fifty concrete strategies to help school leaders create a learning environment that better serves and supports students living with trauma. Many educators have heard about the need to implement "trauma-sensitive" practices in order to help students heal and succeed. But what does this look like on a day-to-day basis? What does it require of teachers and of those who lead them? In Trauma-Sensitive School Leadership, Bill Ziegler, Dave Ramage, Andrea Parson, and Justin Foster provide a framework to guide administrators and their teams through the process. With reference to research and their own experience as teachers, counselors, and school leaders, the authors explain how to Develop empathetic and supportive relationships among students and staff. Identify biases and barriers that hinder educators' ability to support learners affected by trauma. Design all-school events and daily lesson plans to minimize the likelihood of retraumatizing vulnerable students. Retool discipline practices and physical spaces to foster a more trauma-sensitive culture and climate. Establish supports to help teachers and other staff deal with secondary trauma. Accepting students for who they are and responding compassionately to their needs leads to greater success in academics and life. With 50 recommended strategies and real-life examples of trauma-informed healing practices, Trauma-Sensitive School Leadership can help you transform your school to better serve your students.