The Cost and Benefits of Caring in Spite of Bullying and Violent TraumaMay 24 2010by Annette Schyadre, SSA TrainerWhen schools tap into the power of the students and take time to show that they care, especially students affected by trauma, students become empowered. Taking the time to understand and simply listening to students can give them hope and liberate them from anxiousness and the sense of worthlessness. When students come to school, they bring those traumas with them and these traumatic experiences can affect school performance. Students’ behaviors can fatigue teachers and the entire school staff. It is not only the children bringing their traumas, but adults have their own stresses and conflicts as well. Thus, the drama of the “cost of caring” for others is played out. With teachers and staff becoming fatigued and apathetic, it will affect their level of patience, compassion and creativity. The personal and professional consequences will be compassion fatigue and burnout. With the children watching, the role modeling of adults become a reflection of the compounded traumas of both the adults and the students. I propose that those in the helping professions have self-care plans that are integrated into their daily lives. Programs must be implemented that support consistent classroom management practices, respectful and caring adult interactions, and motivate teachers and staff members to foster connections with the students. Last week in Chicago, I facilitated the Safe School Ambassadors Program training with a selected number of students and teachers and staff. The two days together gave them the hope and the vision of a new way of being. In the training, they were able to revel in a climate conducive to truth, trust, sharing, community, and character-building, support, and compassion. It was a celebration of each voice and self-realization, coupled with acquiring the skills to speak up safely and effectively. After the training, the students and adults returned to their school environment, and one adult expressed, “There was a glow with the greetings and hugs,” amongst those who had the opportunity to be a part of the Safe School Ambassador Training. Adults in the training acknowledged that much of what is present in the day-to-day school environment is hard even for them to deal with. That said, it is that much more important for them to learn some strategies for responding in healthy and effective ways when challenges with others are presented. The art of respectful and effective communication takes consistency, patience and much practice. And that’s one of the outcomes of the Safe School Ambassadors Program!
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