chapter two
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The Importance of Attitude and Mindset in Working With Trauma Mr. Lynch is a high school teacher working in a school that serves a neighborhood where many students experience trauma and instability at home. There are times, especially after weekends or extended school breaks, when students’ home experiences spill over and cause problems in his classroom. Mr. Lynch usually has to deal with most of these behaviors first thing in the morning during his homeroom period. Mr. Lynch has learned to be prepared for these behaviors, not take them personally, and temper his reactions to maintain a sense of stability and calmness. He usually gets to school at least an hour before the students to get prepared for the day. As a part of his preparation, he checks to make sure the classroom is not crowded or cluttered. He makes sure he has his automatic check-in process ready and has needed student materials ready to go and easily accessible. The final preparation Mr. Lynch does is mental. He thinks through the possible situations he may face and how he plans to address them. He turns on energizing music to help him gain a productive mindset and engages in productive self-talk to set his thoughts for success. He repeats to himself, “I get to do this” rather than “I have to do this.” Because he spends time preparing the environment and mentally preparing himself, he is ready to provide the attitude and environment the students need to help them connect with him and mentally move away from the traumatic situations they may be facing outside of school. 31
