The A-Z of Trauma-Informed Teaching by Sarah Naish

Louise is an adoptive parent and Family Practitioner for Adopt South West. We are grateful for her review of The A-Z of Trauma-Informed Teaching: Strategies and Solutions to Help with Behaviour and Support for Children Aged 3-11, by Sarah Naish 2023.

“This fantastic book is packed full of practical information for teachers and parents. It is very easy to read and you can ‘dip’ into it rather than read it from the beginning to the end. Part 1 details the reasons behind the difficulties we may see and helps us ‘climb into their world’. Part 2 lists an A-Z of the most common issues. It is a comprehensive but easy read offering the practical ideas.

“It is written by authors who understand the present difficulties and limitations in many educational settings. This book will give you the confidence and knowledge to support your child’s school to understand trauma, and to build a strong home and school relationship. I know that teachers will find this immensely useful.

“I am aware that for many adoptive parents, schools are a cause of high anxiety. I am an adoptive parent, and I have 20 years’ experience teaching and working in education settings as well as my role as a post adoption family practitioner. As parents we always advocate for our children and question the ‘School-shaped’ approaches. Everyone should be trauma informed to build unique relationships for children to learn. It will transform your school and the way they think and feel about behaviour and building relationships.

“Trauma-informed teaching starts with an understanding of how trauma can impact learning and behaviour. With this approach, it is important that teachers can think about what the behaviour may be telling them and help the child navigate their big emotions. Trauma can slow down or completely stop our ability to learn. When our bodies sense a threat, energy rushes toward brain regions ready to avert danger, this is essential for keeping us alive. But it also means that energy shifts away from the brain regions that help us learn. This book helps us understand, be curious and begin to unpick a child’s behaviour to support and regulate them.”