Tier 1 Module 4: Understanding Childhood Trauma and Mitigating Stress

Creator: Addison Duane, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow, I4Y – Innovations for Youth, University of California, Berkley.

Description: This professional learning experience will introduce you to the concept of childhood trauma, through exploration of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and other measures of psychological trauma, and explore the situated contexts that surround a developing individual as it relates to ACEs. Using an ecological frame, you will learn the importance of taking up a strengths-based view of children and families, and the impact of trauma on functioning and development. You will also learn about the distinction between stress and trauma and explore the role of schools in mitigating– and preventing– future trauma from occurring.

Goals:

1. Apply strengths-based views to understanding children and trauma
2. Differentiate between stress and trauma
3. Understand the connection between trauma and schooling
4. Identify specific educator practices that can mitigate stress and trauma responses

Estimated time to complete: 2-3 hours

Completion:

• Educators will have 31 days to complete the module. After submitting an assignment for the module, it might take anywhere from 1-2 weeks for it to be graded. As soon as all assignments are submitted and graded, you will receive an email letting you know you've completed the module. Also, if you don't complete the module in time, you will not receive your certificate of completion.
• The certificate participants receive after completing each module is not valid for licensure credit.
  • Licensure Renewal Credit Option: Educators will have to enroll in the Licensure Renewal Course and complete all 6 Tier 1 modules to receive a certificate for one Iowa licensure renewal credit. Educators who are not in the state of Iowa, or who don’t renew their licensure through the Iowa BoEE, should check with their governing body if this experience would be approved for a renewal credit.