Integration of Trauma and Cultural

Responsive Practices in a School

System of Support

Presenters:

Concie Pedroza, Ed. D., Director of Department of Racial Equity Advancement

David Lewis, Psy. D, Director/Program Manager, Behavioral Health Services

Objectives for today:

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1. Participants will understand how cultural responsive

and trauma responsive practices are interrelated;

they will learn working definitions of both.

2. Participants will learn about strategies that support

families and students within a school environment

that builds positive identity and esteem for students.

3. Participants will identify 2-3 practices that they will

begin implementing in their school or organization

moving forward.

Seattle Public School District

Total enrollment (Oct. 2017): 53,380

Schools: 103

Languages/dialects: 154

Four-year graduation rate: 79%

Free and Reduced Price Meal Eligible Students:

33.9%

Students from Non-English Speaking

Background: 24.6%

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Formula for Success

High Quality Teachers &

Leaders

(PAR)

Student-Focused

Collaboration

(MTSS)

Commitment to Racial

Equity

(EOG)

Every Student Graduates Seattle Ready

Foundations for SuccessFamily Engagement, Community Partnerships, Performance Management

Equitable Access

Racial Equitable Analysis

Workforce Equity

Professional Development

Welcoming School

Partnerships

Multiple Pathways to Success

Recognizing Diversity

Forms of Racism

Individual Institutional Structural

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Racial Equity at Seattle Public Schools

“The concept of racial equity goes

beyond formal racial equality – where all

students are treated the same – to

fostering a barrier-free environment

where all students, regardless of their

race have the opportunity to

achieve.”

SPS Policy No. 0030:

Ensuring Educational & Racial Equity

Impact of Poverty vs. Racism on Student Achievement

Racial Incidences at a Glance

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Slurs and epithets are used.

Hate symbols -- or inflammatory symbols like nooses -- are used.

The target(s) believe the incident was motivated by bias.

The acts are directed against members of groups whose presence in the community

or school is opposed.

Ongoing school or community conflicts may have initiated or contributed to the

act.

Being in close proximity to others involved by an organized hate group or its

members.

A pattern of incidents in which the targets are of a different race,

religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation.

Fear of stereotype threat or microaggression occurring.

Ongoing unfair discipline practices targeting one group of students over

another.

The Kirwan Institute, 2016

2Role of the Unconscious Mind

The subconscious mind uses three processes

to make sense of the millions of bits of

information that we perceive:

1. Sorting into categories

2. Creating associations between things

3. Filling in the gaps when we only

receive partial information

These three processes together add up to

schemas: the “frames” through which our

brains help us understand and navigate the

world.

Achieving Equity in Education

Overcome

the

challenges

and

emerge

stronger

than everCulturally Responsive Teaching

Race, Culture & the Brain

#R2E

SJ

Culturally Responsiveness

In Schools

“Cultural responsiveness is not a

practice; it’s what informs our

practice so we can make better

teaching choices for eliciting,

engaging, motivating, supporting,

and expanding the intellectual

capacity of ALL our students.”

-Dr. Yvette Jackson, Pedagogy of

Confidence (2014)

An educator’s ability to:

Recognize students’ cultural displays of learning

and meaning making, and

Respond positively & constructively with

teaching moves that use cultural knowledge as a

scaffold to connect what the student knows to

new concepts and content in order to promote

effective information processing.

All the while,

The educator understands the importance of

being in relationship and having social-emotional

to the student in order to create a safe space

for learning.

School Climate

Culturally & Trauma Trauma Responsive

Concie Pedroza & David Lewis

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Theory of Action

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Improve school culture

and climate and increase

understanding of

functions of behavior

Decreases in

challenging

behaviors

Lower

anxiety

Increased

attendance

Increased

learning time

Academic Gains

Department of Coordinated School Health, 2018

MTSS

Tier 3

ACADEMIC BEHAVIORAL

80%

5%

Tier 215%

Fluidity and flexibility in

grouping, and

individualizing

instruction and

behavioral supports

Culturally Responsive

Pedagogy

Trauma Informed

Practices

Tier 1SEL

Curricula

PBIS

Framework

Positive Beliefs

Positive Relationships

Positive Learning

Positive Partnerships

Frame of Reference

David Lewis 2017

Stereotypes

Is the world a

safe place?

Are people

trustworthy?

Relational Student Centered Approaches

Why are we seeing what we are seeing?

• Socially

• Emotionally

• Behaviorally

• Academically

“What happened to you?” instead of “What’s wrong with you?”

We need information to understand our students & families?

“Help me Better understand your experience.”

David Lewis 201720

Generational Trauma

David Lewis 2017

Grandma Grandpa

Dad Mom

Good Stress vs. Toxic Stress

Self Regulated

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Normal Range

Dysregulated

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Toxic Range

* D. Lewis; Toxic Stress Level Scales 2017

CortisolCortisol

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Turn & Talk:

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When have you noticed a

situation where good

stress turned into toxic

stress?

What were 1-2 things that

contributed to making the

situation worse?

What are 1-2 things that

made things better in this

situation?

24Toxic Stress Causes; S. Hanauer , D. Lewis 2016

SPS Student Climate Survey

5 interim survey topics

Belonging: Students feel connected at school, are

treated with respected and feel supported by caring

friends and adults

Classroom Environment: Students are friendly,

collaborative, focused on learning, and respectful to

each other and adults in their classrooms.

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SPS Student Climate Survey

Healthy Community: School is a positive, respectful

environment that students enjoy and are proud to be part of.

School Safety: Students feel safe at school; (Emotional and

Identity safety) bullying & harassment is addressed

Social emotional Learning: Students have developed self-

awareness and self-management, social awareness, relationship

skills, and responsible decision making.

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3 – 2 – 1 Reflection

3 things that resonated with you about today’s learning…

2 ideas/concepts that you are still curious about…

1 thing that as a result of today, you will be implementing in your practice…

Next Steps

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