When Behavior Speaks: The Power of Trauma-Informed Care in Schools

6 min read

In one of our fifth-grade classrooms, a student named Malik was frequently sent to the office for what was labeled “defiant behavior.” He would shut down during writing periods, sometimes balling up his paper or putting his head down for the entire lesson. Initially, staff saw his behavior as noncompliance. But after participating in a trauma-informed professional development session focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), we began asking different questions. Our school social worker led a case discussion that helped us realize Malik had recently lost a family member to gun violence and was experiencing unstable housing. His behavior wasn’t defiance. It was grief and chronic stress manifesting in the only way he knew how. This shift in understanding changed how we responded. Instead of disciplinary referrals, we implemented a check-in/check-out system with a trusted adult and offered him additional time and support during writing tasks. His participation improved within weeks, and he began sharing his thoughts in class again.

This moment marked a turning point for our team. Trauma-informed approaches helped us interpret behavior not as a problem to be fixed but as communication to be understood. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network emphasizes that trauma-informed schools prioritize safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment in every interaction with students and staff¹. This lens transformed how we approached not just students like Malik, but our entire classroom environment. Instead of reacting to behavior, we started building systems that anticipate and support the emotional needs rooted in students’ lived experiences.

Building Peer Collaboration Around Trauma-Sensitive Practices

One of the most effective ways we’ve sustained trauma-informed approaches has been through intentional collaboration among staff. At our school, we created a monthly “Wellness Circle” where teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service providers come together to share strategies, voice concerns, and reflect on challenging student interactions. These sessions are grounded in confidentiality and mutual support, a practice inspired by restorative practices frameworks often used in urban education settings². During these circles, we’ve exchanged ideas about using grounding techniques, such as calm corners or sensory tools, and discussed how to incorporate predictable routines that help reduce anxiety in our students.

Peer feedback has also played a critical role. After observing my classroom, a colleague pointed out how a student was becoming agitated during transitions and suggested I incorporate visual timers and advance warnings. Implementing that small change reduced that student’s outbursts by half. These professional dialogues have been more than strategy swaps; they’ve cultivated a shared language and collective responsibility for student wellness. As research from the Urban Institute has shown, schools that foster adult collaboration around trauma-informed care are more likely to sustain these practices long term³.

Prioritizing Self-Awareness and Empathy in Staff Development

Trauma-informed work demands a high level of self-awareness. Early in this journey, I realized how my own stress responses were affecting my classroom. For example, when I felt overwhelmed, I became more directive and less patient, which escalated situations rather than de-escalating them. Reflective supervision and mindfulness-based training helped me recognize these patterns and respond with greater empathy. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines trauma-informed care as not only understanding trauma's impact on others but also acknowledging how it affects providers and systems⁴. This dual focus has helped our staff reduce burnout and increase emotional regulation.

Empathy, while often thought of as an innate trait, is a skill that can be developed through intentional practice. We’ve integrated activities into staff meetings that build empathy, such as role-playing scenarios from the student’s perspective or journaling about a time when we felt unheard or misunderstood. These exercises have helped us move beyond judgment and into connection. As a school serving a high population of students in poverty, where exposure to trauma is statistically higher, fostering empathy has become essential to sustaining meaningful relationships and improving academic engagement⁵.

Embedding Trauma-Informed Practice into School Culture

Trauma-informed approaches are not isolated interventions; they must be embedded into the fabric of school culture. We have worked to align our school policies with trauma-sensitive principles. For instance, we revised our discipline policy to include restorative conversations and reflection sheets instead of automatic suspensions. We also implemented a “reset room” where students can take a break with adult supervision when emotionally dysregulated. These changes were informed by research showing that punitive discipline disproportionately affects students who have experienced trauma and often exacerbates behavioral issues rather than resolving them⁶.

From morning meetings in every classroom to school-wide celebrations of student resilience, we’ve built rituals that affirm safety, connection, and consistency. These structural shifts signal to students that their well-being is a priority. They also create a more predictable and nurturing environment where students feel seen and heard. As a result, we’ve observed increased attendance rates and stronger student-teacher relationships. Trauma-informed practice has reshaped not only how we discipline but how we celebrate, teach, and relate to one another.

Strengthening Student Engagement and Emotional Resilience

Since adopting a trauma-informed framework, we’ve seen a measurable difference in student engagement. Students are more likely to participate in class discussions, complete assignments, and seek help when they feel emotionally safe. This mirrors findings from the American Institutes for Research, which indicate that trauma-sensitive schools have higher levels of student engagement and academic performance when emotional safety is prioritized⁷. In our school, the use of relationship mapping helped ensure that every student had at least one adult they felt connected to. That simple yet powerful tool improved our ability to intervene early and support student needs more effectively.

Resilience is not just an individual trait but a process nurtured through supportive relationships and consistent environments. We’ve seen students who once struggled with regulation develop coping strategies and advocate for their needs. Through social-emotional learning curricula and daily mindfulness practices, students are learning to name their emotions, ask for breaks, and reflect on their behavior. These are not just academic skills; they are life skills. As educators, our role in cultivating resilience has become as important as teaching content. Trauma-informed care has given us the language and tools to do both with intention and care.

Bibliography

National Child Traumatic Stress Network. “Creating, Supporting, and Sustaining Trauma-Informed Schools: A System Framework.” Los Angeles, CA, and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, 2017.
Evans, Katherine R., and Dorothy Vaandering. The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education: Fostering Responsibility, Healing, and Hope in Schools. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.
Urban Institute. “Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools across Two States: An Implementation Study.” Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2021.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). “Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach.” HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA, 2014.
Blodgett, Cynthia, and Jane Lanigan. “The Association Between Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) and School Success in Elementary School Children.” School Psychology Quarterly 33, no. 1 (2018): 137–146.
Skiba, Russell J., et al. “Race Is Not Neutral: A National Investigation of African American and Latino Disproportionality in School Discipline.” School Psychology Review 40, no. 1 (2011): 85–107.
American Institutes for Research. “How Trauma-Informed Schools Help Students Heal and Learn.” Washington, DC: AIR, 2019. https://www.air.org/resource/how-trauma-informed-schools-help-students-heal-and-learn