Now more than ever, there is a need for early childhood professionals to comprehensively integrate trauma-sensitive practices into their work with children and families. This essential resource offers instructional strategies teachers can use daily to support their students dealing with trauma in early learning environments. Readers will learn to create opportunities for children to use their natural languageplayto reduce their stress, to cope with adversity, to build resilience, and even to heal from trauma. Nicholson and Kurtz provide vignettes, case study examples, textboxes, photographs, and descriptions of adapted therapeutic strategies ready for implementation in the classroom. Practical and comprehensive, this book is ideal for both prospective and veteran early childhood educators seeking to understand trauma-informed practices when working with young children (birth8) in a range of environments.
Now more than ever, there is a need for early childhood professionals to comprehensively integrate trauma-sensitive practices into their work with children and families. This essential resource offers instructional strategies teachers can use daily to support their students dealing with trauma in early learning environments.
Introduction
1. Learning to Observe and Value the Stories Children Tell
Us through Play
2. Building Consistent, Attuned, and Responsive Relationships
with Young Children through Play
3. Arranging the Environment to Reduce
Childrens Stress and Support Healing through Play
4. Play-Based
Instructional Strategies that Support Children to Cope, Build Resilience, and
Heal from Toxic Stress and Trauma
5. Case Studies of the Power of Play to
Support Childrens Stress Reduction, Resilience, and Healing
Julie Nicholson, PhD, is a Professor of Practice, Associate Editor of Early Child Development and Care, author, international speaker/trainer, and MBA candidate (2023) concentrating on finance and data analytics.
Julie Kurtz, MS, is an author and national speaker consulting and training on trauma and resilience. Julie is the founder and CEO of the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®.