Reaching and Teaching Stressed and Anxious Learners in Grades 4-8: Strategies for Relieving Distress and Trauma in Schools and Classrooms

by Barbara E. Oehlberg

Overview

" Offers those of us who interact with students an opportunity to respond with sensitivity and reflective action. Barbara Oehlberg not only identifies the issues, but also provides activities that can help us gain greater insight into the child′s world and provide opportunities for empowerment and healing."
-Susan Ross, Coordinator of Health Services
Canton City Schools, OH

"With the wisdom in this important work, we can help our children develop new strategies for successful living in a stressful world."
-Stephen Canneto, Director
Art for a Child′s Safe America Foundation

"Links sound neurological research with practical activities for educators and youth workers."
-Martha de Acosta, Director
Education and Training Programs
Milton S. Eisenhower Foundation

From trauma, stress, and hopelessness to safety, challenge, and optimism!

Not all children cope equally well with the stresses and traumas life throws their way, and every educator recognizes that "deer in the headlights" look some children get when current events and past traumas combine to trigger a fight-or-flight stress response. No matter how safe the classroom may be in reality, trauma deactivates cognitive skills, and learning cannot resume until the child′s equilibrium has been restored.

This important new resource helps educators understand how trauma and stress interfere with cognitive skills, and how classroom and school activities can be used to restore feelings of safety, empowerment, and well-being. Topics include:

• Neurobiology of the developing child and how cognitive lock-out from the neocortex occurs during stress responses
• Strategies for reactivating cognitive skills, memory, and the ability to learn following stress responses
• How acting-out behaviors are linked to stress and trauma
• How to generate a united effort on school safety and violence prevention issues

Teachers, counselors, principals, and administrators will find that these innovative strategies enhance feelings of safety and optimism in all learning environments and programs, transforming hopelessness and anxiety into resiliency and hope.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483361741
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	01/06/2006
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

After completing the post-graduate program in Child Development and Family Studies at the University of Akron, Barbara Oehlberg was employed by the Family Life Program, Office of Adult Education, Cleveland Public Schools.  She wrote, Parenting for Peaceful Families:  A Resource Guide for Parent Educators, for Ohio’s Governor R. Celeste during that time. Since retirement, Barbara has become an avid reader of neurological research and has become certified as a Child Trauma Consultant by the Institute for Trauma; Loss in Children She serves on their Board of Advisors. She has authored another book on classroom transformation of stress, preschool to grade three. Making it Better:Activities for Children Living in a Stressful World, was published in 1996. Barbara teaches CEU courses for educators through Kent State and Ashland Universities She serves as a consultant for Ohio’s Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management and provides inservices to Ohio’s schools. She can be reached at [e-mail].

Table of Contents

Foreword by Susan G. Clark
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction: Children Haven’t Changed; Childhood Has
Glossary: The Vocabulary of Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma
Part I: Brain Changes and How They Affect Student Behaviors and Learning
1. The Impact of Losses and Stress on the Student’s Mind and Body
Losses
Stress
When Traumatic Memories Are Triggered
Cognitive Lockout
Interventions Are Possible
2. Regaining Cognitive Access: The Process of Transforming Stress and the Sense of Helplessness
Transforming Perceptions of Helplessness
Strengthening Self-Regulation
Part II: Activities for Transforming the Helplessness Generated by Stress and Fear
3. Language Arts: Creative Writing and Journaling
Topics for Creative Writing and Journaling
Issues of Loss and Being Lost or Invisible
Issues of Rejection or Being Excluded
Issues of Brokenness, Helplessness, or Futurelessness
Issues of Betrayal or Broken Promises
Issues of Emotional Intelligence (Dealing with Feelings)
Issues of Hope, Empowerment, and Healing
Debating Points and Issues
Prose and Poetry
Integrating Art and Creative Writing into Core Curriculum Areas
Ad Campaigns
Comic Books
Mandalas
4. Social Studies and History: Creative Topics
Historical Cartoons and Storyboards
Fictional Comic Books About Historical Characters
Artistic Media Projects for History or Social Studies
Creating Scripts for Hypothetical Radio Interviews
Writing Radio Scripts for “What if …” Programs
Creating Public Service Announcements
5. Character Education
Internal Strengths: Emotional Intelligence
A Classroom Directory of Feelings and Emotions
A Feelings Mural: Addressing All Feelings
A Box of Respect: Addressing Self-Acceptance, Self-Respect, and the Ability to Respect and Empathize With Others
The Iceberg Project: Addressing Issues of Respect, Empathy, and Trust
Letters to Hurts: Addressing Empathy, Compassion, Courage, Anger Issues, Forgiveness, and Generosity
Drawing a Dream: Addressing Issues of Anger, Work Ethic, Forgiveness, and Hopelessness
Facing Fears: Addressing Fears, Courage, Anger, and the Ability to Overcome
Playground Charters: Addressing Issues of Leadership, Integrity, Conflict, Hopefulness, and Justice
Where Are the Heroes?
Issues of Emotional Honesty, Leadership, Risky Behaviors, and Choices
Honoring Strengths With a Character Wall
The Character Board Game
Physical Strengths
Internal Capacities for Self-Regulation and Stress Management
Leading a Relaxation Exercise
6. Building Resiliency Through Afterschool, Summer Camp, and Recreational Programming
Afterschool Programs
Specific Activities for Afterschool Programs
Logos
Collaborations for Creative Projects With Younger Children: Plays, Puppets, and Masks
Designing Board Games
Physical and Mental Exercises
Sand Trays
Clubs for a Sense of Belonging and Identity
Crossword Puzzles
Theater and Arts Groups or Camps
Drama Scripts for Stage or Radio: Building a World Fit for Children
Comedy Scripts
Movement and Dance
The Power of the Beat: The Rhythm of Healing
Media Production
Summer Camps or Activity Programs
Boys and Girls Clubs, Scouting, and 4-H
Section III: Schools That Work: A Sense of Safety for All
7. Sustaining Enhanced Learning Environments
Opportunities for Classroom Change
Avoiding the Stress of Threats
Alternative Responses
Classroom Guidelines
Restorative Discipline
"Discipline That Restores"
Stress Reduction Strategies for the Classroom
8. School Safety Issues: Violence Prevention
Generating a United Effort: Leadership and Staff Development
Specific Strategies for Overall Security and Sense of Safety Throughout the School Building
Strategies Specifically for Middle Schools
Supports for Reentering Students
Supports for New or Transferring Students
Suspension and Expulsion Policies
Crisis Preparation
Conflict and Anger Management
Violence Prevention Strategies
Early Prevention
Bullying
Inclusion
Restorative Justice
9. Meaningful Change in the U.S. Education System
Initiating Change from the Ground Up
Generating Support
Resource A: Crossword Puzzles
Resource B: Answers to the Crossword Puzzles
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

This book will help the teacher create a classroom in which all students feel safe, where they can learn to express themselves in appropriate ways, and where they may develop trusting relationships with adults. The purposes of schooling are important and the meaning of learning is profound, but without a safe place to be, the heart of the child cannot be touched and the power of education to transform lives and our world is not possible. What lies within each child is the key to the future.

From the Foreword - Susan G. Clark

"Reaching and Teaching Overstressed Learners in Grades 4-8 links sound neurological research with practical activities for educators and youth workers. Oehlberg expands our focus of attention about why young people are not learning. The activities she proposes are conducive to creating a safe climate where young people feel they belong and it is safe to learn. "

Martha de Acosta

"Neglect, abuse, violence, and homelessness have altered the way many of our children relate to each other, their families, and school communities. Through her examination of the neurological research and brain development literature, Oehlberg helps illuminate our understanding of the root causes of our students' lack of attention and destructive behaviors...With the wisdom in this important work, we can help our children develop new strategies for successful living in a stressful world. "

Stephen Canneto

"Having knowledge of loss, stress and anxiety experienced by our children offers those of us who interact with them an opportunity to respond with sensitivity and reflective action. Barbara Oehlberg not only identifies the issues, but also provides activities that can help us gain greater insight into the child's world and provide opportunities for empowerment and healing. "

Susan Ross

"An 'aroused' child, a child in distress, will experience problems with attending, focusing, retaining, and recalling information—all critical functions. Oehlberg's book provides a wealth of activities that can actually reduce arousal/anxiety in children which research has clearly shown can lead to healthier cognitive functions as well as behavioral stability. This should be a mandated resource for all schools. "

William Steele

"(The author) shares her message of hope and healing through an understanding of the impact of trauma, stress and loss on young children. Once we begin to accept and metabolize the research (on) changes that can occur in the developing brain when under stress and trauma, we can begin to address the many behavioral isues and challenges that we face in raising and teaching our children. "

Nacie T. Arnold