Childhood Trauma and Behaviour: Responsive Pedagogies for safe and joyful learning
Join us in a 4 part series to explore the interconnected nature of Children’s Trauma, behaviour and development.
Narrative reflections will provide continuity between sessions, during which you'll be able to mix theory with creative practices to learn, experiment with and fine-tune your use of techniques, tools and strategies as you form your own unique ‘trauma responsive pedagogy toolkit’.
Session 1- 03/02/25: The Uniqueness of Childhood Trauma: safety, relationships, and brain development. What is Childhood Trauma, and what exactly do we mean when we say ‘safety’? The first session of the series will explore how safety, relationships and trauma are connected.
Experiences of trauma change the way children’s bodies and brains work and grow - Learn the ‘ins and outs’ of how trauma impacts development in this bite sized overview and prepare yourself for deeper learning throughout the series.
Session 2- 17/02/25: Seeing the Child: Past experiences, present behaviours, complex needs. Where do you begin when it comes to making sense of children’s confusing, disruptive, and often time-consuming, behaviours? Delve deeper into trauma and behaviour as we unpack how children’s past experiences influence their behaviour in the present.
Explore why children (and their needs!) must stay at the heart of Trauma Responsive pedagogies. We will introduce the concept of visual-narrative mapping, a highly effective practice, and one which you will expand and adapt, as you continue through sessions 3 and 4.
Session 3- 03/03/25: Responsive pedagogies for promoting safe and joyful engagement Session 3 will add valuable pedagogical-relational practices to your toolkit - Learn ways to gather and organise children’s information and expand on your growing maps from session 2.
We will touch on the ideas of ‘relational resourcing’ and ‘Therapeutic intent’ and apply these notions to guide our thinking and planning. Group discussions will lead to resourcing your pedagogical toolkits with needs based, child-centered reparative strategies, for you to take back and use with in your program!
Session 4-17/03/25: Trauma and Child Rights: Children's Voices 'taking flight'
How do we be advocates for the child’s right to have their ‘voice’ heard and for it to influence decisions affecting them?
Our final session of the series will explore voice through the Reggio Emilia lens of ‘The Hundred Languages’, and build your identity as a child advocate in decision-making forums.
We will have time to explore the practice of child consultation, filling your toolkits with playful and art-rich ideas to gather 'child voice' that you can use in programs, regardless of age, stage, or capability.
Links to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
How's your utilisation?
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
3.3 Use teaching strategies
3.5 Use effective classroom communication
4.1 Support student participation
4.2 Manage classroom activities
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice