We honor your commitment to creating more socially just and equitable classroom communities for all of your students and their families. We hope you will find the resources on this post to be meaningful. This blog was written as a resource for a webinar we facilitated focused on Culturally Responsive Classrooms Deconstruct Trauma.

A few key points to consider…

It is important to remember to start with your own Self Care and Well Being. Then, only then, will we be able to be of service to others.

Creating a space for healing centered engagement for you and your students is critical. We can never know for sure which of our students have experienced trauma. However, if we utilize Trauma Responsive strategies and practices as a way of being each day, this can create a healing centered approach for all of students.

The predictability of rituals and routines, such as Community Building Circles that are focused on building and strengthening relationships, helps students feel secure in knowing what to expect each day and that they will be seen, heard and valued.  It is essential to use Questions That Promote Equity, are culturally honoring and meaningful to your students.

With regards to racial trauma, pandemic trauma (which we are all experiencing because of COVID) when compounded with complex trauma (racism, poverty) may lead to higher levels of mistrust with institutions. It is vital to lean into more and frequent communication and transparency when interacting with members of the school community.

Below are articles and additional resources on trauma, race, equity and resilience we hope will assist you in your own well being and supporting others…

Healing Together: Community Level Trauma report from JHU looks at its causes, consequences and solution.

How to Manage Manage Trauma by the National Council for Behavioral Health is an info graphic which provides information on the causes of trauma, a symptoms of trauma checklist as well as coping strategies.

How Trauma Can Impact 4 Types of Memory Info Graphic from NICABMN

The Trauma of Racism Report from McSilver Institute   report is divided into the following 3 parts; Research Supports Immediate Action to end Systemic Racial Oppression, The Trauma of Racism and Place Matters.

How to be an Anti-racist Educator

Harvard’s Implicit Bias Test

7 Day Implicit Bias Cleanse Information on understanding implicit bias by the Kirwan Institute on the Study of Race and Ethnicity

A Whole New World & Virtues for a Great Reset:  Justice  “The injury of one shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each, the comfort of all; the honor of one, the honor of all.” 

Dr. Joy DeGruy, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome https://www.joydegruy.com/

Emotion Emancipation Circles Manual https://drive.google.com/file/d/147Yr… Emotion Emancipation Circles were created as a space for healing for those with African ancestry/descendants of slaves in Ameria. The attached is a manual to support communities recover from the lies of White superiority and Black inferiority.

White Fragility https://www.amazon.com/White-Fragilit…

A Compilation of Trauma and Resilience Resources

A Compilation of Race, Equity and Social Justices Resources

Conscious Conversations Between Friends Video discussion between Yasmeen and Dara

Please reach out to use if we can support you further.

Wishing you much love, justice, peace, unity and good health,

Yasmeen Davis and Dara Feldman, webinar co-facilitators

Yasmeen Davis is an Educational Consultant who helps schools and districts implement restorative practices with fidelity.

Before becoming a consultant, Yasmeen worked for Baltimore City Public Schools, Pittsburgh Public Schools and the School District of Philadelphia implementing reading programs, supporting the lowest performing schools in the state, supporting common core roll out, and implementing restorative practices with an equity lens.

Yasmeen enjoys making beauty products, grilling, spending time with her twin 6-year-old nephews.

You can reach Yasmeen at yld214@yahoo.com

Dara Feldman is passionate educator, speaker, author, coach and consultant who is deeply committed to social justice. She is an ASCD Whole Child Faculty Member, a Certified Jack Canfield Success Principles Trainer, a Virtues Project Master Facilitator, a Restorative Practices Facilitator, and Chief Enthusiast Officer of Virtues Matter. Dara is the author of The Heart of Education: Bringing Joy, Meaning and Purpose Back to Teaching and Learning. 

Dara was honored as Disney’s 2005 Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year, Educator of the Year for the National Association for Self Esteem in 2009 and Maryland’s 2015 Mother of the Year. She started Virtues Matter with her husband, Dave, and  has 2 grown children, Dani and Jake, who are also champions of social justice.

You can reach Dara at dara@virtuesmatter.com 301-529-1302