Child development is an extremely complex process that involves a long sequence of physical, language use, cognitive, emotional, and psychological changes allowing the child to gain knowledge and master new skills needed to become more independent from adults. Traumatic experiences often have a detrimental impact on developing learners, and it happens that children who have been exposed to traumatic events display very specific behavioral issues. Social development starts in the family, and traumatic events are often related to parents’ inability to fulfill their responsibilities and treat their children properly.
For instance, one of my colleagues works with a student (she will be referred to as Lisa) who has been abused by her biological mother and is now cared for by her grandparents. Lisa sometimes misbehaves in front of young female specialists but never does that when looked after by older teachers, which is probably a sign of her distrust towards people that she associates with her mother.
If I were to help Lisa to grow up into a well-rounded individual, I would learn more about the traumatic event and consider the ways to involve more narrowly focused specialists in the situation. My first strategy to meet the child’s psychological needs would be to contact Lisa’s grandparents and ask them to share more details concerning the child’s individual psychological triggers and things about other people’s behaviors making her remember the negative events.
Thus, I would become more aware of the practices or words to be avoided when working with the child. Secondly, I would inform Lisa’s grandparents about the child’s persistent misbehavior and strongly encourage them to consult with a qualified child psychologist. This measure would reduce the risks of more advanced psychological issues.
