“School districts reach out constantly to us for in-person training,” Faulkner says. “There is such a need, especially in rural schools who don’t have consistent access to mental health providers.”
“This program helps educators and school systems by providing some understanding of trauma. We’re not asking educators to be mental health clinicians, but we are giving them the training to notice what’s going on in their classrooms and tools to effectively communicate with their students and the parents.”
In addition to eight core trauma modules, the new program has eight additional modules specifically for educators, Faulkner says. “We built it based on our research and conversations with K-12 educators from across the country who shared samples of the situations they encounter in their schools.”
Specific and timely, the program trains participants to recognize what trauma looks like in the classroom and apply trauma-informed principles to issues including school safety, classroom strategy, resilience, and educator wellness.
In the two years following its launch, UNCG’s NC Academy for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience offered trainings, outreach, and consultation impacting 1,200 teachers and school personnel, 15,000 K-12 students, and 500 community professionals.
