Trauma in Schools #23 — Preparing the Next Generation of Trauma-minded School Leaders

Dr. Karen Oehme — Courtesy Research Associate and Director of Florida State University

Dr. John King — Director of the Division of Education, Health, and Leadership, Associate Professor, Southern Oregon University

Our guests

Karen Oehme is the director of the Institute for Family Violence Studies and a Distinguished University Scholar at Florida State University’s College of Social Work, as well as the Chair of the Steering Committee for the Academic Resilience Consortium (AcademicResilience.org). Her team creates large scale learning platforms for adult learners and a wide variety of professionals on issues related to trauma and resilience.

John King serves as Director for the Division of Education, Health and Leadership at Southern Oregon University. He is also the university liaison to the Southern Oregon Success Collective impact Network and lead trainer for a multi-year faculty and staff development effort to integrate trauma informed practices and promote strengths-based resilience throughout the university.

The Takeaway

Connections in the school community create the foundation for students to flourish in a safe environment. Asking students why they are behaving certain ways, rather than punishing them, allows kids to express their emotions in a positive manner.

As you listen

Why is teaching trauma-informed practices in teaching programs beneficial for new teachers and their future school community?
What are some things that can help the brain heal from past experiences?
How is a collaborative framework necessary when engaging in trauma-informed practices?
How does leading with compassion in the classroom strengthen the student-teacher relationship?
Why should teachers learn how to regulate their own emotional distress?
How can trauma-informed practice be implemented on a systems level