Two-thirds of students go through an adverse childhood experience at some point. Educators have an increasingly important role helping students cope.
Adverse childhood experiences increase the risk a child might be exposed to some of the following health and social problems. These issues can have dramatic impacts on learning, relationships, and mental/physical health, now and in the future.
“Resilience comes through the counter-balancing of the difficult things that may exist in the child’s life with positive things that occur within the family/community. When positive experiences accumulate and students learn coping skills that help them to manage stress, students can increase their chances for positive outcomes. That’s what resilience is all about.”
– Center on the Developing Child at Harvard
While Leader in Me is not a trauma intervention per se, the changes that come through implementation create the foundation necessary to effectively care for students facing trauma and its consequences. Leader in Me practices support application of the six principles identified by The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) as necessary to address ACEs and facilitate healing and resilience.
NCTIC Principle |
Leader in Me Practices |
Leader in Me Research Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | LiM empowers educators with paradigms and practices necessary in identifying and improving dimensions of their school’s physical, social, and emotional culture that most directly impact feelings of safety. | LiM “helps to build a positive school climate… it creates conditions in which teachers relate and communicate more effectively to students, work more collaboratively with one another in planning and coordinating lessons, and spend less instructional time dealing with behavior issues.” – Corcoran, Reily, & Ross. John Hopkins University,2014 |
| Trustworthiness and Transparency | LiM professional learning helps teachers develop productive learning environments by proactively building trusting relationships with students and fostering trust among students. | “At least 85% of the [LiM] students indicated agreement that their teacher cared about them, they liked going to the school, and they are learning a lot.” – ROI Institute, 2014 (p. 6) |
| Peer Support | Adults in LiM schools teach and model positive social behaviors to students. Students apply these behaviors to their peer relationships in ways that promote mutual support and develop high-trust. | “The Leader in Me has positively impacted peer relationships” – Dr. C. Tidd. Walden University, 2016 (p. 42) |
| Collaboration and Mutuality | Adults in LiM schools teach and model positive social behaviors to students. Students apply these behaviors to their peer relationships in ways that promote mutual support and develop high trust. | Teachers and students reported that after implementing Leader in Me the “classroom became a safe environment where all students felt comfortable pursuing goals.” – Baldwin, et al. The College of Saint Rose, 2012 (p. 8) |
| Empowerment, Voice, and Choice | LiM helps educators create environments where student voice and choice are a part of the learning culture and empowering instructional techniques aid in academic achievement as well as self-advocacy and problem solving. | Teachers working with low-income students indicated a hope that their students would “have [their leadership skills] be what defines them and not the circumstances in their lives.” Similarly, for some students, “the leadership skills being taught became a source of possible empowerment and the ability to perhaps improve their lives.” – Evans. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014(p. 106) |
| Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues | The habits of interpersonal effectiveness practiced in LiM schools help students and adults develop awareness, respect, and openness to others, especially for those who may be different, and in times of conflict. | Leader in Me professional learning “help educators in better preparing students to be responsible individuals who use their leadership skills to positively impact their own learning and school and community cultures.” – Caracelo. Walden University, 2012 (p. 3) |
