Trauma, Triggers, and Teaching — What Every Educator Should Know

Are you an educator struggling with challenging student behavior? If you work in alternative education or any school setting, this video is for you. Host Dr. Delisa Rodgers from Barbara's Lighthouse Resource Center unpacks the crucial difference between trauma responses and defiance, arguing that we must stop disciplining the trauma and start understanding the source of a student's pain. We are called to create environments where healing can begin, not just to fix students. Learn how to recognize the invisible burdens students carry and shift your approach to support both student success and staff well-being. In This Video, You Will Learn: Understanding Behavior as Communication: Why outbursts and withdrawal are often a signal that a student doesn't feel safe, seen, or doesn't know how to handle their feelings. Survival vs. Defiance: How a child's nervous system, when hijacked by stress, forces them into "fight, flight, or freeze" mode, making it impossible to comply. We discuss how to shift your question from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" The Reality of Compassion Fatigue: Why rest is a critical necessity, not a weakness, and how leaders can build cultures that prioritize staff well-being. Building Safe Classrooms: The power of predictability, clear expectations, consistent routines, and calm adult responses in transforming a high-stress environment. Subscribe to Barbara's Lighthouse Resource Center for more insights on trauma-informed education! #TraumaInformed #Education #TeacherSupport #ClassroomManagement #SEL #AlternativeEducation