Supportive Classroom : Trauma-sensitive Strategies for Fostering Resilience and Creating a Safe, Compassionate Environment for All Students

Build a mindful, trauma-aware classroom today with this practical, easy-to-use book. Designed specifically for busy teachers, it is full of strategies and tools for understanding trauma and building empathy.

One in four children have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event that can affect behavior and learning. But school can be a safe, stress-free environment that can actually reduce bad behavior, foster resilience, and heal trauma. The Supportive Classroom shows teachers and educators how they can provide the different types of trauma-aware support that each student needs.

Written by two experienced school psychologists, The Supportive Classroom offers an easy-to-understand overview of trauma, empathy, and self-care paired with proactive and reactive tools that can be implemented in the classroom right away. These practical ideas include:

- Suggestions for classroom setup
- Proactive behavioral supports
- Checklists for identifying triggers
- Examples of trauma-aware support from real-life students and teachers
- Strategies for recognizing trauma exposure

Every teacher brings their own unique culture, style, and passion into the classroom. This book offers a blueprint for creating a safe, welcoming classroom based in trauma-sensitive practice that can be adapted to your unique classroom.

Laura Anderson, PsyS, is a school psychologist in Phoenix, AZ. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and her master’s and specialist degrees in school psychology at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Laura currently works in a special education early childhood program and was employed in a childcare facility for six years. Since entering the field of school psychology in 2008, her focus has been advocating for preschool through middle school students with significant behavioral needs and training educational professionals on behavioral practices and practical, evidence-based de-escalation strategies. Her professional passions include early intervention, staff wellness and self-care, and proactive behavioral systems. Jon and Laura are married and live and work in Phoenix, AZ.

Jon Bowen, M.A., is a school psychologist and positive behavior support consultant with two decades of experience in diverse school settings. He earned his master’s degree in school psychology from University at Buffalo in 2000 and completed postgraduate work in positive behavior support at Northern Arizona University in 2014. Much of Jon’s professional work has centered on supporting students with socio-emotional, behavioral, learning, and developmental delay challenges at the school-wide, special program and individual levels in order to create supportive environments for all students. Jon has taught at the college level and frequently provides professional development trainings and consultation for school staff, particularly those who care for our most challenged learners. Having had the privilege to work in hundreds of classrooms and learn from a myriad of fellow educators, Jon understands the value of best practices that are practical to implement. When they are not pursuing professional or continuing education endeavors, you are likely to find Jon and Laura catching live music or escaping to the wilderness.