We hope we're about to start a trend that trickles into every educational and therapeutic setting out there; fingers crossed!
Magnificent Minds Inc. is a trauma informed school and therapy centre. Our staff receive annual training and ongoing mentorship in creating a trauma-informed environment.
We understand the importance of creating a trauma informed classroom and deeply embody the principles of a trauma informed approach.
A trauma informed classroom is a space where children feel emotionally safe, respected and valued. It is well documented that students need to feel physical and emotional safety in order to learn and develop optimally.
We know that childhood can be difficult.
We know that planting the seed for wellbeing and emotionally stability starts young, and it's expedited by an authentic connection between the student and grown-up.
We know that self-regulation starts with co-regulation; our kids need us to show up empathetically, even when it's hard.
We know that we can't "fix" every problem, and we know that we don't have to! Showing up, holding space and creating a physically and emotionally safe environment is enough.
Taking care of yourself, as a teacher or parent, is an important component of being able to show up and hold space for your students/kids; taking care of yourself as a supervisory or administrative team is an important component of being able to show up and hold space for your team members, and students.
A trauma informed approach acknowledges that every child we meet, comes with a unique learning history imprinted upon them from other learning environments, teachers, family members and unique life experiences. As many of our students are neurodivergent (ASD, ADHD, Anxiety, LDs, etc.) they are at an increased risk of having adverse childhood experiences contributing to possible trauma or stress; they are at increased risk of being misunderstood and marginalized. It is important to remember, as an educator, that while war and domestic violence are possible traumas, so are bullying, living in a pandemic, or even objectively minor conflict within the family system. What's traumatic for one person, may not be traumatic for another; and yet all lived experiences are valid.
In creating warm, inclusive and sensitive classrooms we are mindful of:
word choice
bodily autonomy and consent
tone and delivery
responding not reacting
learner history
learner strengths and needs
our own mental health and ability to be the best for our students
and, any other variable that impacts how our students feel in our presence.
As an agency that has been on the cusp of creating change in an our industry for over a decade, we hope this is an approach that quickly becomes the gold standard in education and therapeutic service delivery.
Want to bring trauma-informed strategies into your classroom? Reach out for consultations or workshops for professionals or organization. Alley@MagnificentMinds.ca
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