As I write this piece, our schools have just encountered another tragedy. Our thoughts go out to all the families in Georgia who have been affected by this event. This event can trigger many feelings and emotional outbursts from anyone. Because of the weight of this tragedy, we need to remember the importance of preparation to support our students after any trauma. Our Neuro-diverse individuals may find it difficult to process events like this. We must understand how we can be proactive as well as react positively to these individuals.
How can we be proactive? Many administrators and teachers may focus on emergency drills. Aside from the drills we see across the country, we are also seeing active shooter drills. These have their place currently. However, there is more that can be done with the thinking of our students as well when it comes to the follow-up. One of the programs that is research-based is the Hopeful Minds program. This program focuses first on the knowledge that hope is an action. The action around hope is to learn practical life skills like goal setting, organization, and habits that increase both physical and mental health. The idea behind using this program is two-fold. First, it assists an individual in developing life skills which can be applied to all aspects of life. We use goal-setting and healthy habits each day in our lives. Yet, these skills are not always presented in anything more than another lesson for the day. Second, it helps create a better sense of awareness within individuals so that when a tragedy like this occurs, they are better able to cope with it and move forward.
We know that this program works with our Neuro-typical population, and even see it being translated into support for larger groups like cities and workplaces. As for our Neuro-diverse population, it also works. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak with Kathryn Goetzke, who is the developer of this program and has brought it to groups globally over the last decade. As we looked at how the program is constructed, we saw many activities that were appropriate and accessible for our individuals. When we look at Kathryn’s core areas which fall under the acronym SHINE; stress skills, healthy happiness habits, inspired actions, nourishing networks, and eliminating challenges, we see the basis for life skills that our students need. By taking the time to include lessons and work with these activities, we can create another layer towards independence and self-sufficiency. We want to setup all individuals with life skills that can provide confidence and resiliency. Resiliency is important here as there is another way of addressing our overall faculty concerns as well.
Here in early September, we also reflect on the events of 9/11. I can vividly remember sitting in my office and having one of my department chairs enter as school announcements were on. He mentioned that he had just heard that a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers in New York. We chatted for a moment when the news broke about the second plane. It was just a few moments later when my Assistant Principal came into the office and let me know that the Cleveland Police called to let him know to lock down our campus.
This event created significant trauma for many throughout the country. I remember the shock of learning that one of my high school classmates lost his life that day and had to temper my own feelings. A few weeks later when I was asked to speak at our alma mater during a memorial for him. The message was one of resilience and actionable hope. Little did I know at the time that studies were occurring which looked at both the trauma events like 9/11 and school violence creating what would lead to potential support programs down the road.
I purposely used the term resilience above. Longitudinal studies by the FBI have shown that lack of resilience is the leading cause of violent outbursts, especially shootings, in schools. There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness that overcomes some individuals that leads them to thinking in horrendous ways. Those same studies also report that these incidences are not something which occur randomly. The students who perpetrate these tragedies have given off signals for one to two years prior to the event. These signals are either ignored by those who can pick them up or not followed up upon with potential support plans for that student. These signals should be viewed as cries for help, and we want to be there to support. Simply introducing the campus or building to active shooter drills does not get down to the cause of the issue.
One more thing that you want to consider is how you speak with your individuals after a tragedy like this. Focusing on how they feel and why is important for their well-being. We want to acknowledge their feelings as valid, while we are working on how they can address those feelings in positive manners. Making sure to being open and not minimizing their feelings are critical approaches to their support. Don’t be afraid to utilize sensory products while they are processing and train the behavior that certain products can be used whenever they have similar feelings. Using a sensory product that is socially appropriate can train a behavior that can last a lifetime and is a reminder of how to deal with certain feelings in a positive manner.
Should you have any questions on these products or approaches, feel free to reach out to me at rheipp@schoolhealth.com. Our support of each other strengthens our ability to help our individuals in creating some self-sufficient practices that can last well beyond their days in school.