Trauma-Informed School Libraries

by Meghan Harper, January 2020

Trauma-informed education is focused on understanding how to engage, support, and respond to students who have been impacted by trauma. This approach is becoming more commonplace in schools as the benefits and successes are documented, and there are numerous relevant practices that school librarians can develop and adopt. First, for some background, in the whole school context, key principles of trauma-informed education include:

1. A shared understanding among all staff
2. Support for all children to feel safe physically, socially, emotionally, and academically
3. Addressing students' needs in holistic ways, accounting for relationships, self-regulation, academic competency, and physical and emotional well-being
4. Explicitly connecting students to the school community, providing multiple opportunities to develop and practice skills (Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative 2019).

The Centers for Disease Control (2019) suggest that more than one-half to two-thirds of children nationally experience trauma. Two out of three children will experience at least one traumatic event by the time they are eighteen. Multiple studies have attempted to identify the quantitative evidence of childhood trauma. However, accurately identifying the breadth and depth of the traumatic experiences of children is difficult because trauma is often not reported or underreported by both adults and children. Researchers suggest that in the long run it is better for all children to experience trauma-informed education.

It's risky to assume that our students haven't experienced trauma—according to a seminal study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood trauma is far more pervasive than previously believed and is often invisible. And chat participants asserted that trauma-informed and SEL [social emotional learning] practices benefit all children, building critical skills like self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and an openness to teamwork and cooperation (Venet 2018).

The effects of trauma can manifest in a variety of visible ways and unfortunately in invisible ways as well. As described by Sam Himelstein of the Center for Adolescent Studies, trauma can change the brain and thus, as a result, students can exhibit a decline in their ability to process information. Some common characteristics of a child that has experienced trauma may include issues with

• Impulse control
• Skewed emotional responses
• Blaming others
• Decreased IQ and reading ability
• Lack of concentration
• Perceived inability to relate to others
• Perfectionism (Himelstein 2016)

One of the most troubling aspects of trauma and its effects on students is the long-lasting negative impact on overall individual health and well-being. Research findings suggest childhood trauma, stress, and maltreatment and health directly correlate with adult quality of life. A seminal study known as the ACE Study or Adverse Childhood Experiences Study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente examined the effects of traumatic events longitudinally from child to adult. Key findings of included:

1. Almost two-thirds of the 17,000 study participants reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), and more than one in five reported three or more.
2. Those participants who reported to having four adverse childhood experiences were associated with a seven-fold increase in alcoholism
3. An ACE score above six was associated with a thirty-fold increase in attempted suicide. The study concluded that as the number of ACEs increases so does the risk for sexually transmitted diseases, smoking, adolescent pregnancy, sexual violence, heart and liver disease,depression, poor work performance, financial stress, and other problems ("About" 2019).

The Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative suggests that school-wide efforts should promote educator teamwork and the focus should be on meeting the needs of all students (2016). Furthermore, the administration and all personnel should expect and prepare for students' needs to change over time. Although the reported effects of trauma may seem to cause insurmountable negative impact on students, research findings have some equally positive findings about the resiliency of children who have experienced trauma. Resiliency does help children overcome the effects of trauma. And the good news is the resiliency can be learned and fostered by school librarians. Resiliency is not a gift bestowed upon an individual at birth. Resiliency can be cultivated through trauma-informed practices. Researchers tell us:

The good news is that although some people seem to be born with more resilience than others, those whose resilience is lower can learn how to boost their ability to cope, thrive and flourish when the going gets tough ("Resilience at Work" 2006).

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), "Resiliency is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress" (APA). The APA suggests the following initiatives to build individual resiliency:

• Coping skills can be learned to help individuals move through adversity (develop perspective, create a new narrative, see alternatives)
• Identifying and cultivating a sense of purpose (faith, culture, identity)
• Creating opportunities for social connections ("The Road to Resilience" 2011).

School librarians can easily begin to incorporate trauma-informed practices that promote resiliency and wellness through facility design, collection development, programming, and using trauma-sensitive communication.

Facility Design

Facility design is critical to making students feel safe and comfortable and fostering well-being. School library spaces can be designed and reorganized to incorporate a variety of zones that support multiple activities and accommodate student learning, health, and wellness needs. Design should provide opportunities for students to work collaboratively, engage in positive social interaction, or experience teamwork as well as areas where students can be reflective, private, and quiet. Spaces promoting mindfulness or relaxation to facilitate health and well-being require small changes and reap big dividends in helping students de-stress. Furnished with comfortable chairs or soothing music accessible via QR codes, these spaces can facilitate creative expression such as coloring, drawing, or journaling. Likewise, makerspaces can provide for discovery, exploration, and invention. Relaxation areas can include community jigsaw puzzles or games that encourage a shared experience or teamwork among students. Life spaces that foster sewing, knitting, gardening, or inspire other hobbies encourage relaxation and engage students collectively or independently. Overall, with a little imagination and ingenuity school librarians can create a versatile, flexible space supporting many different types of activities that will benefit students' overall well-being. Increasing library access for students throughout the school day should also be considered, adapting schedules to meet the needs of students. Some students may have trouble coping with others or managing the sensory overload that can occur in a noisy, environment such as on the playground or in a lunch common area. Consider collaborating with community partners to provide before or afterschool care for students of all ages. These partnerships can provide academic, social, or family strengthening programs for those who may benefit.

Collection Development

The library's collection of print and online resources can have a significant positive impact on students' wellness and their ability to overcome adversity. Highlighting books that address common issues experienced by children, providing programming around resources such as book clubs, interactive displays, or book talks increases awareness and access to high quality resources. The provision of "lunch and learn" workshops that highlight both resources and stress reducing activities such as guided mindfulness, yoga, or therapy dog programming helps students learn coping skills. Librarians can seek online resources as virtual additions to the library catalog to raise awareness of school library services and resources to help students build resiliency and overcome traumatic events through quality vetted virtual resources. Connect library resources with other community and government resources that address trauma and market these resources to library stakeholders or integrate them into library instruction. Providing access to quality literature through readers' advisory, instruction, guided bibliotherapy, or enhancing access via the school library's virtual collection can be significant in helping children cope. Researchers suggest:

Using children's literature, teachers can help their class through difficult situations, enable individual students to transcend their own challenges and teach students to consider all viewpoints, respect differences, and become more self-aware (Gallegos 2019).

When children find themselves represented in literature and other forms of media, they begin to see themselves as worthy of notice. Books are windows to the world. Through literature children develop empathy by increasing their understanding about how people around the world are alike and different from themselves; a positive correlation exists between empathy development and lowered prejudicial attitudes and behaviors (Lowe 2006).

School librarians can bundle library and community resources, for example pairing nonfiction, fiction, biographies, memoirs with highlighted community resources. Enhance the subject headings in the library catalog to assist with findability of resources on issues.

Trauma-Sensitive Communication

Librarians are the heart of the school library. School librarians create the safe space that students will flock to when feeling in need of a refuge. Librarians are the creators, facilitators, and designers of services that provide the caring interaction students desperately need. They have unique opportunities to engage students in interpersonal communication whether it is through one-on-one reference interactions, class instruction, readers' advisory, or simply in day-to-day dialogue. School librarians who practice trauma-sensitive communication can increase students' feelings of being cared for. One tenet of trauma-informed practices is to decrease the likelihood of children being retraumatized. One aspect of this is the awareness of the power of words. Using trauma-neutral language and avoiding pejorative labels is foundational to creating a welcoming, safe environment. Rachel Wolchin advises, "Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don't mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime" (Meah 2019).

Trauma-neutral terminology can include the following:

1. Refer to individuals with substance abuse disorders rather than addicts/junkie/drunk or use "thriver" rather than survivor or victim.
2. Ask what has happened to you instead of what's wrong with you.
3. Avoid labels. Focus on behavior rather than the person. Avoid the terms perpetrator, offender, abuser, or batterer; these labels could refer to an individual's family member, parent, or caregiver and imply judgment.
4. Reflect on your own experience but AVOID saying "I know how you feel."
5. Be aware. Your language should not reflect your beliefs or assumptions about an individual or a situation.
6. Language should reflect kindness, respect, courteousness, and compassion for others.
7. Use people-first language such as: "Person experiencing homelessness" rather than "homeless person," "Person living with an addiction" rather than "suffering/battling an addiction," "Person arrested with drug conviction" rather than "drug offender."

Summary

School librarians can create a trauma-informed library with small, significant changes in their current practices that will positively impact students' day-to-day experiences in the library. An awareness of trauma-informed practices and incorporating foundational tenets of the trauma-informed approach in the school library will foster student resiliency, wellness, and hope.

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "About the CDC-Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/acestudy/about.html. Accessed 2019.

Gallegos, Dolores. Incorporating Literature into Lesson Plans" Lecture notes. http://www.wlacgallegos.com/uploads/2/6/4/4/26446573/incporporating_books_lecture.pdf. Accessed 2019.

Himelstein, Sam. "Trauma and the Brain: An Introduction for Professionals Working with Teens." Center for Adolescent Studies blog (June 11, 2016). https://centerforadolescentstudies.com/trauma-and-brain/.

Lowe, Danielle F. "Helping Children Cope through Literature." Forum of Public Policy Online 2009, no. 1 (2009). http://forumonpublicpolicy.com/.

Meah, Asad. "40 Inspirational Rachel Wolchin Quotes on Success." Awaken the Greatness Within. https://www.awakenthegreatnesswithin.com/40-inspirational-rachel-wolchin-quotes-on-success/. Accessed 2019.

"Resilience at Work." Centre for Confidence and Well-Being, 2006. http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/flourishinglives.php?p=cGlkPTQ4MSZpZD0xNTg1.

"The Road to Resilience: What Is Resilience?" American Psychological Association, 2011. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience.

"Trauma-Sensitive Schools: Brief Tips and Policy Recommendations." National Association of School Psychologists, 2016. http://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/mental-health/trauma-sensitive-schools.

Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative. "The Solution: Trauma-Sensitive Schools." Helping Traumatized Children Learn. https://traumasensitiveschools.org/trauma-and-learning/the-solution-trauma-sensitive-schools/. Accessed 2019.

Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative. "A Trauma-Sensitive School Addresses Students' Needs in Holistic Ways." Helping Traumatized Children Learn, Learning Community blog (August 30, 2016). https://traumasensitiveschools.org/addresses-students-needs-in-holistic-ways/.

Venet, Alex Shevrin. "The How and Why of Trauma-Informed Teaching." Edutopia (August 3, 2018). https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-and-why-trauma-informed-teaching.