It’s All Connected
Trauma-Informed Care, SEL, Equity,
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
NTTAC Acronym Journey Map
The NTTAC Acronym Journey Map: Coaches Alignment Tool is a visual teaching tool with accompanying dialogue prompts for use by coaches in their work with school and education leadership teams. It is intended to help school communities visualize the similarities, differences, and desired outcomes of school and student support and intervention tools. When combined with the dialogue prompts, coaches can help school communities detail what is needed to actualize, implement, and properly message common student support initiatives.
Student support and school based mental health leadership coaches and facilitators can use the Journey Map Toolkit to help school leadership teams think critically and holistically about the policies, programs, and practices in place to support campus climate transformation and the wellness of the staff, students, and families.
Educator and student support systems are complex and layered.
The wellness of a school community is an ecosystem that functions best when the adult leaders center belonging, community, and restorative practices – but how?
Who is this for?
Coaches, facilitators, and consultants that work with school systems and communities. Some examples:
- Multi-tiered systems of support staff, coaches, and consultants
- Professional development facilitators
- Organizational equity leaders
- PBIS district and site leaders
- Public health and education system leaders
- Social Emotional Learning coaches
- Trauma-informed school champions
Key Topics
- Trauma Informed Practices
- School Based Services
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
- Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
- Equity
- Social Emotional Learning
Resources
Below are a curated list of resources recommended by leading coaches and facilitators from around the nation.
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Books
» Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education | Alex Shevrin Venet
This book uses a framework of six principles for equity-centered, trauma-informed education, and offers practical steps teachers and education leaders can take to shift school policy.
Videos
» What Is an Equity-Based MTSS? (Q&A Ep. 9)
Brief video and essay exploring how districts can bring an equity lens to multi-tiered systems of support. Emphasises use of demographic, behavioral, and student voice data to start the conversation and drive meaningful change.
Blogs and Scholarly Articles
» A response to constructive criticism of social and emotional learning (Timothy P. Shriver and Roger P. Weissberg, March 26, 2020)
Scholarly article addressing the criticisms around SEL; looks deeper into the hype versus reality, issues of equity and culture, and issues of speed and scale.
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» Why We Can’t Afford Whitewashed Social-Emotional Learning (Simmons, 2019)
Encourages teaching SEL within the larger sociopolitical context and shares strategies for teaching, as Simmons calls it, “Fearless SEL”.
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» Equity and SEL – Casel Schoolguide
Urges systemic implementation of SEL and discusses how SEL can promote equity.
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» School Discipline Is Trauma-Insensitive and Trauma-Uninformed
Argues against traditional school discipline policy and discusses the detrimental effects of trauma and chronic stress in children.
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» When SEL is Used as Another Form of Policing
Warns against SEL that centers white, cisgender, patriarchal norms. Shares real-world examples of SEL that fails to address the needs of Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ youth of color.
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» A Selected Review of Trauma-Informed School Practice and Alignment with Educational Practice
Introduces some key bodies of research that inform the CLEAR (Contracting, Listening, Exploration, Action, and Review) model to aid in the creation of strong trauma-informed school practices.
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» Alignment of the PBIS Framework and Trauma Informed Classrooms/ Trauma Sensitive Schools Section 1:
This publication for school leaders examines the compatibility of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and trauma-informed care, and explores what leaders need to consider when aligning PBIS and trauma-informed classrooms.
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» Why Trauma-Informed Approaches Help Advance Racial Equity
This blog from the Committee for Children defines trauma; discusses what a trauma-informed approach to education looks like; how it relates to SEL; what role policy plays; and trauma-informed approaches for racial equity. Additional resources are provided to help readers get involved.
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» Problematizing PBIS: Resource Round-up (Venet, 2020)
Gives background on PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and its problematic roots in behaviorism (providing “positive supports” for “appropriate” behavior–concepts which are often ableist and rooted in whiteness.) Provides resources for further learning.
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» Social Justice Education needs Trauma Informed Care, now more than ever: A response to “Healing…
Argues against the call to push back against trauma-informed care in education, instead advocating for more trauma-informed pedagogy, higher quality care, qualified practitioners, and system-wide implementation. Shares five reasons why trauma-informed care in education needs to be pushed to its full potential.
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Discusses ten different equity traps and tropes and how to avoid them, and provides reflection and discussion questions for further learning and self-interrogation.
Field Guides and Toolkits
This action planning tool for school teams, coaches, and trainers combines guidance from multiple existing resources into one document. Includes guidance, elaboration, and rationale for steps such as team composition and operating procedures, setting and behavioral expectations, classroom procedures, and more.
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» A Commitment to Racial Equity from Center on PBIS
This resource round-up from the Center on PBIS includes field guides, studies, and more in order to promote racial equity within the education system.
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Trauma-informed, research- and strengths-based approach of simple, practical skills for self-awareness. As an open education resource, it fosters universal access as the first step in pursuit of equity, encouraging adaptation for each unique group of people and context.
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» Anti-Racist, Trauma-Informed Teaching (via Teachers College, Columbia University)
Resource for educators who want to better understand trauma-informed teaching through an anti-racist lens. Defines anti-racist and trauma-informed teaching; discusses how to practice it in teaching (including doing so in remote learning settings); and provides recommendations where you can learn more.
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» A Five Point Intervention Approach to Enhancing Equity in School Discipline (Center on PBIS)
This publication from OSEP TA Center discusses five evidence-based strategies for reducing racial disparities and disproportionality in school discipline practices.
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» PBIS Cultural Responsiveness Field Guide
This resource-rich guide was designed to assist trainers and coaches working with school leadership teams seeking to implement culturally responsible practices to enhance equity in school discipline. Includes background and foundation-setting information, classroom procedures, discipline policies, and much more.
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» The Difference Between Social Emotional Curriculum and Trauma-Informed, Responsive and Healing Engaged Curriculum (The Center for Optimal Brain Integration, 2021)
One-pager helps educators understand the neurobiology of trauma and why trauma so often plays a role in the challenging behaviors seen in classrooms.
Podcasts
» Episode 34: Alex Shevrin Venet – Trauma Informed Educators Network Podcast
The Trauma Informed Educators Network Podcast features some of the world’s top experts in the field. This episode features Alex Sevrin Venet, an educator, professional development facilitator, and author. Formerly she was a teacher and leader at a therapeutic school.