Reclaiming School in the Aftermath of Trauma Advice Based on Experience

by Mears, Carolyn Lunsford

• ISBN13: 9781137268549
• ISBN10: 1137268549
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-15
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

September 11. . . Virginia Tech . . . Columbine . . . Hurricane Katrina . . . Traumatic events with long lasting consequences. Lives are upended, safety is threatened, and all are forced to find a way to adapt to a new normal. Educators in schools where students have experienced trauma face difficult challenges, for how are they to promote academic growth and attainment of educational goals in such a situation?Reclaiming School in the Aftermath of Traumaoffers wisdom born of experience as well as insights acquired through years of study. Authors contributing to this text share their experiences in the aftermath of tragedy and describe helpful approaches for reclaiming school after trauma interrupts the lives of students, faculty, and school communities.

Author Biography

Carolyn L. Mears is the author of the award-winning study Experiences of Columbine Parents: Finding a Way to Tomorrow and Interviewing for Education and Social Science Research: The Gateway Approach, holds a research position, serves on the Graduate School of Social Work Trauma Certificate Board, and is dissertation advisor and adjunct faculty at the Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver.

Table of Contents

"This one is hard to put down! By meeting numerous individuals who have survived the pain of disaster and the healing of recovery, readers learn how to confront future events so as to become not just who they are, but who they would like to be. Experiences from school shootings ranging from Columbine and Platte Canyon High Schools, Virginia Tech, and the Jokela School Center in Tuusula, Finland, are juxtaposed with those who survived Katrina, the 9/11 attacks, and school bullying. We leave with an enriched understanding of how pain can be put to work. The writing is crisp; the analyses are told by those who actually were there; and the lessons provide food for thought to all, be they teachers, administrators, parents, or community members. A must-read!" - Thomas E. Drabek, author of The Human Side of Disaster; Professor Emeritus, University of Denver



"Reclaiming School in the Aftermath of Trauma is a must-read. The strategies shared by Carolyn Mears are a great resource for any school that is faced with tragedy. The stories shared are inspirational for readers to see how communities and schools were able to overcome adversity in their lives and communities and provide a road map to recovery.' - Frank DeAngelis, Principal, Columbine High School



"This book has particular relevance to international schools because these schools are often located in unstable countries or places where the risks are higher for terrorism or catastrophic events. Equally important to taking preventative measures is to prepare for the aftermath of an unforeseen trauma or catastrophe. By presenting the varied real life accounts this book provides a framework for every school administration to ask the questions that will help develop a plan that is best for each unique school." –Katherine Johnson, Director, Human Resources, Singapore American School

"Carolyn Mears . . . provides an excellent firsthand analysis of the reactions and phases individuals experience on the pathway to recovery. She also provides a variety of practical and realistic activities to help with the recovery process." - John Nicoletti, Police Psychologist, Nicoletti-Flater Associates



"This book should be required reading on every campus, regardless of size. Recent history has shown no school is immune to random violence. Carolyn Mears offers a guide to responding to the unthinkable; a practical map to shortening the road to recovery." - Donald Donahue, Assistant Professor, University of Maryland; Former Program Director, Health Policy & Preparedness at the Potomac Institute for Policy