May 2019 Foster Care Special Edition

ENVISION EQUITY MAY 2019
these three qualities in a child will drastically increase their ability to succeed at home and in
the classroom.
Consistency
Children who have experienced trauma need time to process what has happened in their lives.
Something has happened to them that has caused them to be removed from their family and
start a lot of
“new”.
Understandably,
this takes time
to come to terms
with and the
new adults in
their lives need
to comprehend
that these
children are not
going to jump in
and be okay
immediately.
Students from a
traumatic background typically come from inconsistency and chaos. By having consistent
routines that are applicable to all students, you will bring a sense of normalcy back to the
student’s life. Along with these types of expectations, students will also need to see fairness
and follow through. Consequences need to be the most consistent system in your classroom
and in your home. Very simply put, “if this happens then this happens,” and it needs to happen
every time. If some students receive a consequence while others do not, you will not be
providing a consistent environment that promotes normalcy. However, the most consistent
thing about education and life in general, is inconsistency.
Things happen during the school day and in life that cause schedules and routines to change.
One thing you can do to help students who have experienced trauma to cope with these
variations is to communicate them clearly. Remember, children who are in foster care come
from chaos, so much that inconsistencies have become their normal. This is the main barrier
between them developing healthy, positive relationships with the adults in their lives. By
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