Reclaiming School in the Aftermath of Trauma—Advice Based on Experience

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 Trauma offers 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.

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.