Do you want to know how to address the needs of students who come to class having experienced trauma? Are you interested in learning specific techniques so you have what it takes to create a trauma-sensitive classroom? The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom, by Patricia Jennings, provides all the tools and strategies you need not only to recognize the signs of trauma and adversity in students but also to play that important role in helping students overcome their challenges and focus on their strengths. This will enable students to be more successful in the classroom and help teachers care for themselves first, so they have the resilience to maintain mindful compassion while teaching.

This course renews annually and is ongoing.

Registration for this course is completed through Teacher Study via the external link provided. You will pay the course registration fee to them. The clock hours for this event are sponsored by ESD 112.  When you complete the course, you will receive instructions for claiming your clock hours in pdEnroller.  You will need to upload your certificate of completion when you claim the clock hours.  Once the hours are claimed and all the steps are completed, the clock hours will record to a pdEnroller transcript. 

The fee for this course is $175. The $90 clock hour fee is in addition to the registration fee.  The clock hour fee is waived for members of the ESD 112 Clock Hour Cooperative.   

1) Purchase and read The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom, Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching, by Patricia A. Jennings. You can find this book at amazon.com or your favorite bookstore. 

2) Write complete answers to all of the questions on the Book Study Handout. The handout is provided to you after registration is completed.

3) Students will complete the Trauma-Sensitive School Checklist, found on page 42 of the text. They will then write a 2-3 page paper, reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of their school setting based on this checklist, and incorporating a plan of improvement specifically focused on one of the five components listed; School-Wide Policies and Practices, Classroom Strategies and Techniques, Collaborations and Linkages with Mental Health Supports, Family Partnerships or Community Linkages.  Students will typically choose the component that they have some control over. Most classroom teachers, for example, would choose either Classroom Strategies and Techniques or Family Partnerships. School counselors and mental health specialists would choose Collaborations and Linkages with Mental Health Supports. Administrators taking this course would choose School-Wide Policies and Practices. Educators who deal with community partnerships would choose Community Linkages.