Full Answer Section

The trunk of the tree represents the school community, which is essential for supporting all students. The roots of the tree represent the school’s trauma-sensitive and resilience-enhancing practices.

Plan of Action

Safety

• Create a safe and supportive school environment by establishing clear expectations and rules, modeling respectful and supportive behavior, and providing positive reinforcement for good behavior.
• Implement trauma-informed practices, such as understanding the impact of trauma on students’ behavior and learning, and providing students with opportunities to feel safe and supported.
• Provide students with access to mental health and trauma-specific services.

Connectedness

• Create a school culture where all students feel welcome, respected, and valued.
• Provide students with opportunities to connect with peers and adults through clubs, activities, and social-emotional learning programs.
• Encourage teachers to build relationships with their students and to create a classroom environment where students feel safe to share their thoughts and feelings.

Self-Regulation

• Teach students self-regulation skills, such as identifying and managing their emotions, coping with stress, and making responsible decisions.
• Provide students with opportunities to practice self-regulation skills in the classroom and in other school settings.
• Create a classroom environment that supports self-regulation, such as providing students with sensory-friendly tools and spaces.

Academic Success

• Provide students with a high-quality academic program that is aligned with their individual needs.
• Use differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
• Provide students with opportunities to learn in a variety of ways, such as through hands-on activities, group projects, and independent work.
• Create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning, such as providing students with clear instructions, adequate time to complete tasks, and opportunities for feedback and revision.

Conclusion

This visual model provides a framework for creating a trauma-sensitive and resilience-enhancing elementary school. By implementing the plan of action outlined above, schools can help all students to feel safe, connected, self-regulated, and academically successful.