Beloit, WI: Kids with trauma at home become disruptive in school; counseling needed

Nov 10, 2017, Beloit (WI) Daily News: UW EXPERT: KIDS BRING THEIR TRAUMAS TO SCHOOL HTTP://WWW.BELOITDAILYNEWS.COM/LOCAL_NEWS/20171110/UW_EXPERT_KIDS_BRING_THEIR_TRAUMAS_TO_SCHOOL MADISON - Children who have experienced trauma face obstacles to learning that can pose deep challenges in the classroom. And students who have undergone a variety of traumatic events in their lives - poverty, various forms of abuse, homelessness or parents with addictions - do not respond well to traditional forms of discipline. Students in trauma instead need mental health support and trauma-informed classrooms, according to Travis Wright, a University of Wisconsin-Madison Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology and nationally recognized expert in resilience and emotionally responsive teaching.... The responses from children who are living in traumatic situations can prove disruptive for school environments. Such children can be triggered into acting out by a wide range of stimuli. It could be the sound of a book dropping or a light flicking off or a teacher verbally trying to exert control over them in a classroom setting. Some children may flee or disassociate. Others may lash out verbally or even physically. … Children in trauma often run into power struggles with teachers in the classroom. The symptoms of trauma can be perceived by teachers as behavior problems and teachers may resort to behavior management strategies. ...