Mental Health

Resources for Responding to Trauma and Tragedy

Guidance for supporting students who have experienced trauma or grief and for coping with violence and disasters.

January 5, 2016 Updated November 13, 2017

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Childhood Trauma and Positive Health: Learn about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and how they can impact a child’s developing brain and are linked to high-risk behaviors, chronic diseases, and negative health outcomes in adulthood. (The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2017)
How Trauma Is Changing Children’s Brains: Explore the latest research on the effects trauma has on young people’s brains, and learn strategies you can use to make your classroom feel safer. (NEA Today, 2016)
Responding to Trauma in Your Classroom: Examine the signs and causes of student trauma, and explore strategies for responding to and supporting students who are experiencing trauma. (Teaching Tolerance, 2016)
How Teachers Help Students Who’ve Survived Trauma: Read about how experiences with trauma impact student learning, and review several expert suggestions on ways that educators and schools can help. (The Atlantic, 2014)
Helping Kids Recover From Trauma: Discover how resilience can be fostered by supportive factors in schools, and read takeaways from research. (Edutopia, 2009)

Brains in Pain Cannot Learn: Learn three ways to calm the stress response in students affected by anxiety or depression. (Edutopia, 2016)
5 Ways to Help Students in Trauma: Read strategies and tips for creating a calming classroom environment that can help troubled students learn. (Edutopia, 2016)
Helping Students Who Have Experienced Trauma: Explore seven strategies you can use in your classroom to help support and empower students in trauma. (Edutopia, 2016)
How Not to Be a Mountain Troll: Take a look at four strategies that educators can use to build trust with students, especially vulnerable students who may have experienced abuse from adults. (ASCD’s Educational Leadership, 2015)
Emotional Recovery Begins With Teachers: Examine five RULER-based suggestions (recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotions) for helping adults and children cope with the aftermath of school violence or other experiences with trauma. (Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence)
Activities to Help Students Cope With Traumatic Experiences: Discover games, videos, and other activities to help children endure traumatic experiences. (Sesame Street in Communities)

Trauma-Informed Practices Benefit All Students: Learn how utilizing school-wide trauma-informed practices can benefit the entire school community, including helping all students learn coping skills and self-efficacy. (Edutopia, 2017)
How Schools Are Helping Traumatized Students Learn Again: Discover best practices, strategies, and tips your school can employ to foster safe, calming, and supportive learning spaces. (NEA Today, 2016)
Student Trauma: How School Leaders Can Respond: Explore the latest proven strategies that can help your school make a difference in the lives of students. This guide includes a rich collection of additional resources. (Education Week, 2016)
It’s Not What’s Wrong With the Children, It’s What’s Happened to Them: Find a list of school-based alternatives to zero-tolerance policies that can help nurture resilience in youths who have experienced adversity. (Edutopia, 2015)
A Guide to Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Understand the causes of trauma, discover how trauma manifests in schools, and learn about a framework that can help educators develop trauma-sensitive schools. (Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative/Massachusetts Advocates for Children, 2013)

Helping Students Cope in a Violent World: Explore 10 useful and practical strategies for discussing violence in the classroom, fostering student coping skills, and helping students make sense of violence. (Edutopia, 2016)
Tips for Resilience in the Face of Horror: Learn how educators and parents can help protect children and themselves from the effects of vicarious trauma. The linked article “Resources for Helping Children Cope with Trauma” is also worth reading. (Greater Good, 2013)

Reaching Students With Emotional Disturbances: Learn the latest tips and strategies for supporting students who are grieving or have experienced emotional trauma. (Edutopia, 2017)
7 Ways to Calm a Young Brain in Trauma: Discover concrete ways you can support your youngest learners and offer guidance through emotional trauma. (Edutopia, 2017)
Supporting Grieving Students: Explore guidance and resources to help with the difficult task of reaching out to grieving students. (Edutopia, 2015)
5 Tips for Supporting Grieving Students: Consider printing out these five tips as a reference to help support students who are coping with the death of a friend or family member. (Edutopia, 2013)