Ideas? Ways teachers help students re-orient after shooter drills?

Lisa:
Interesting question. 

I don't have an answer but do have a story to share. My daughter goes to a public charter school and I'm on the School Council. We had a recent meeting about school safety and how students feel reassured when police officers visit the school. And then we had a conversation about how not all students or staff have the same sense of reassurance and that, depending on adverse community experiences and racism, the presence of police in/at school is anxiety provoking. We decided not to address only school shootings, as relates to school safety, but to talk more about the variety and range of things that make students unsafe, in school, at home, and in the community. It was a good chance for all of us to consider sexual violence, racism, and also what happens in students, staff and schools when there are safety drills, and what might be happening for others when some kinds of danger are ignored or tolerated. Important conversations and discussions for us all to be having. 

Cis 

Lisa,

Your comment hit on the very premise of why I do teacher training on trauma.  Educators need to help their students develop and know how to tap into coping skills, de-stress, and self-regulate.  They should not assume that children, even teens are resilient enough to do this on their own.  Breathing techniques, a strong bond and trust between a teacher and his/her students, positive interactions and a teacher who understands and shares with students how the brain works and how to dissipate stress responses.  Just like a fire drill, if the teacher is complacent and doesn't have a conversation on how to cope in a REAL situation and reassure their students following any drill, students may feel their teacher doesn't care about them.  Those drills are the perfect opportunity for teachers to show they care.  The strongest antidote to anxiety is having a nurturing, trusting bond with a caring adult.  For more, check out this article from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child  https://developingchild.harvar...concepts/resilience/

Matching perspective at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/Traum...osts/513714102357095