Stress, Trauma, and the Brain: Insights for Educators--How Stress Impacts the Brain

Summary

The video script discusses the misconception that children intentionally misbehave in class, highlighting that such behaviors often stem from stress-induced cortical shutdown rather than deliberate choice. It introduces the Neurosequential Model, emphasizing the state-dependent nature of brain function, where stress can significantly impair cognitive abilities. The script underscores the importance of a sense of belonging and safety for optimal brain function, particularly in educational settings, and stresses the detrimental effects of bullying and marginalization on a child's learning process.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Misbehavior in children is often a misunderstanding of their brain's sequential processing and not a deliberate act against authority figures.
• 🤔 The thinking part of the brain is not always in control; lower brain functions can override it, leading to seemingly intentional misbehavior.
• 📉 State-dependent functioning means that a person's cognitive abilities can significantly decrease under stress, affecting memory retrieval and problem-solving.
• 🧐 The brain's state greatly influences cognitive function; a calm state allows for optimal brain function, while distress can lead to a 'cortical shutdown'.
• 📚 Children who have experienced trauma or ongoing stress may struggle academically due to the activation of stress response systems that impair cognitive abilities.
• 🏡 Factors such as poverty, housing or food insecurity, and social marginalization can trigger stress responses in children, impacting their learning potential.
• 🔐 A sense of safety and belonging is crucial for optimal brain function; when children feel secure, their cortex is more receptive to learning.
• 🤝 Social acceptance and a supportive environment are key to helping children feel safe and belong, which in turn enhances their learning capabilities.
• 🚫 Bullying and social exclusion can be detrimental to a child's learning process, as they create a sense of insecurity and dysregulation.
• 🧩 The Neurosequential Model educates educators on the importance of understanding the brain's state-dependent nature to better support children's learning and behavior.

Q & A

What is the common misconception about children's misbehaviors in the classroom?

The common misconception is that children who misbehave in the classroom do so intentionally and knowingly, as if they have planned it out and deliberately choose to disrupt the class.

How does the sequential nature of human processing relate to children's behavior?

The sequential nature of human processing implies that behaviors are not always the result of deliberate decisions made at a higher cognitive level but can be triggered by stimuli that affect lower brain functions, causing a temporary shutdown of the thinking part of the brain.

What is state-dependent functioning as mentioned in the Neurosequential Model?

State-dependent functioning refers to the idea that the human brain's cognitive abilities are influenced by the individual's current state. In a calm state, certain cognitive systems are accessible, but when the individual experiences distress, these systems may become inaccessible.

Why might a child who knows the class rules still break them?

A child might break class rules not because they have forgotten them, but due to a temporary cortical shutdown caused by stress or other emotional triggers, which impairs their ability to access the knowledge of the rules at that moment.

How can a sense of belonging affect a child's learning and behavior in school?

A sense of belonging and feeling safe in the classroom environment is crucial for optimal brain function and learning. If a child feels excluded or unsafe, their stress response system can be activated, leading to a shutdown of the cortex and hindering learning.

What is the impact of stress activation on a child's cognitive abilities?

Stress activation can significantly impair a child's cognitive abilities by causing a state-dependent decrease in functioning. For instance, a child with an IQ of 130 might exhibit problem-solving capabilities equivalent to an IQ of 105 under pressure.

What are some examples of conditions that can activate a child's stress response system?

Conditions such as poverty, housing or food insecurity, marginalization, or feeling like an outsider due to immigration status, race, or religion can activate a child's stress response system, affecting their ability to learn and behave appropriately in school.

Why is bullying particularly harmful in the context of the Neurosequential Model?

Bullying is harmful because it can lead to a child feeling extruded and unsafe, which in turn dysregulates their stress response system and makes them feel like they do not belong. This can result in a shutdown of the cortex, impairing their ability to learn.

How does the Neurosequential Model help educators understand and address behavioral issues?

The Neurosequential Model provides educators with insights into the brain's state-dependent functioning and the impact of stress on cognitive abilities, helping them to understand the underlying causes of behavioral issues and to create a more supportive and safe learning environment.

What role do relationships and social connections play in a child's sense of safety and belonging?

As social animals, humans, including children, rely on positive relationships and social connections to feel a sense of belonging and safety. These factors are crucial for the brain's ability to function optimally, as they influence whether the cortex remains open for learning and cognitive processing.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Understanding Misbehaviors in Children

The paragraph explains that misbehaviors in children are often misunderstood as intentional actions. The speaker clarifies that these behaviors are not planned but are a result of external stimuli that disrupt the brain's thinking processes. The concept of 'state-dependent functioning' is introduced, which means that a person's cognitive abilities are influenced by their emotional state. The speaker uses the example of forgetting information under pressure to illustrate this point. The paragraph also touches on how stress and trauma can affect a child's ability to learn, emphasizing the importance of a sense of safety and belonging for optimal brain function.

05:01

🌟 The Neurosequential Model in Education

This paragraph discusses the Neurosequential Model, a framework that aims to help educators understand the impact of a child's emotional state on their learning capabilities. The speaker highlights the importance of recognizing that a child's behavior is often a response to their environment and experiences, rather than a deliberate choice. The paragraph suggests that by understanding the Neurosequential Model, educators can better support children who have been exposed to stress or trauma, creating a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

Keywords

💡Misbehaviors

Misbehaviors refer to actions that deviate from expected norms or rules, often seen as disruptive or inappropriate. In the video, it is explained that these behaviors in children are not intentional but stem from a lack of control over their brain's response to stimuli, highlighting the misunderstanding of children's cognitive processes.

💡Cortical Shutdown

Cortical shutdown refers to a temporary loss of function in the cerebral cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for higher-order thinking and decision-making. The video uses this term to describe how stress or negative emotions can impair a child's ability to think clearly, leading to seemingly misbehavioral actions.

💡State-Dependent Functioning

State-dependent functioning is a concept that explains how the brain's performance varies depending on the individual's emotional or physiological state. The video emphasizes that a calm state allows for optimal cognitive function, while distress can significantly impair it, affecting memory retrieval and problem-solving abilities.

💡Neurosequential Model

The Neurosequential Model is a framework mentioned in the video that helps understand how the brain develops and functions in response to experiences, particularly trauma and stress. It is used to explain why some children might struggle with behavior and learning, emphasizing the importance of a safe and supportive environment for optimal brain function.

💡Trauma

Trauma in the video refers to deeply distressing or disturbing experiences that can have lasting effects on an individual's mental and emotional state. It is noted that exposure to trauma can activate stress responses that can impair cognitive function, affecting children's ability to learn and behave appropriately in school.

💡Stress Activation

Stress activation is the body's response to perceived threats or challenges, which can lead to the release of stress hormones and a 'fight or flight' response. The video explains how chronic stress activation, even from everyday stressors, can negatively impact children's cognitive abilities and emotional regulation.

💡Cognition

Cognition refers to the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. The video discusses how cognition is highly state-dependent, meaning that a child's ability to think and learn is heavily influenced by their emotional state and sense of safety.

💡Safety

Safety in the context of the video is about a child's perception of security and belonging, which is crucial for optimal brain function and learning. Feeling safe allows the brain's cortex to function effectively, while a lack of safety can lead to stress responses that impair cognitive abilities.

💡Belonging

Belonging is the sense of being an accepted and valued member of a group. The video highlights that feeling like one belongs, especially in a school environment, is essential for a child's sense of safety and their brain's ability to function at its best.

💡Bullying

Bullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others. In the video, bullying is discussed as a toxic behavior that can make a child feel excluded and unsafe, leading to dysregulation and impaired learning.

💡Social Animals

The term 'social animals' refers to humans' inherent nature to be sociable and live in communities. The video uses this concept to explain why a sense of belonging and social acceptance is so important for children's well-being and cognitive development.

Highlights

The misconception that children's misbehavior is intentional and directed at educators is incorrect.

Human behavior is not always the result of conscious decision-making but can be triggered by subconscious processes.

Misbehavior often stems from a temporary shutdown of the thinking part of the brain due to external stimuli.

Children's understanding of classroom rules can be clear when they are calm and safe.

The brain's ability to follow rules can be compromised when under stress, leading to perceived intentional misbehavior.

State-dependent functioning is a core concept of the Neurosequential Model, illustrating how brain function changes with emotional states.

Cognitive abilities can be significantly reduced under pressure, even in individuals with high IQs.

The brain's problem-solving capabilities can drop dramatically in a short period of time due to stress.

Children exposed to trauma or chronic stress may struggle academically due to stress-induced cortical shutdown.

Factors such as poverty, housing or food insecurity, and social marginalization can activate stress responses in children.

A sense of safety and belonging is crucial for optimal brain function and learning.

Social belonging and acceptance by peers and teachers contribute to a sense of safety and open cognitive functioning.

Bullying can be toxic because it disrupts a child's sense of belonging and safety, hindering learning.

The Neurosequential Model aims to educate educators on the impact of stress and safety on children's brain function and learning.

Understanding the neurobiology of social belonging can help create more effective educational environments.

The importance of a supportive and inclusive classroom environment for children's cognitive development and academic success.

Transcripts

(gentle inspirational music)

- The term frequently used by an educator or an adult

when they're trying to explain, sort of, difficult behaviors

is that the child knows better,

the child's choosing to do this,

and it's intentionally directed at me.

And all three of those are inaccurate.

You can certainly see why somebody would say that,

but that comes from a misunderstanding

of the sequential nature of human processing

and human behavior.

Most of these misbehaviors that kids have in the classroom

are not because they planned it out

on the top part of their head,

and then told the lower parts of their brain,

"Oh, go be a jerk, go disrupt class."

It's because something came in from the bottom

and stirred them up

and shut down the thinking part of their brain.

So when you sit down with them

and they're calm and feel safe,

the thinking part of their brain goes,

"Oh yeah, I know better.

I know you shouldn't do that,

I know the rules of the class."

And then, an hour later,

if you know the rules of the class

and you are breaking them,

the teacher has no other choice

but to think that that's intentional

'cause he knows better.

But, in fact, what's happened is

it's basically temporary cortical shutdown.

And everybody has this in their lives, right?

I mean, think about it,

I don't think anybody out there who's listening

hasn't had a moment

where they were unable to retrieve something that they knew.

And a classic example is if you're with a bunch of people,

and somebody' talking about,

"What was the Academy Award-winning film

a couple years ago?"

And you go, "Oh, I know what it was,

it was the one with that guy that did this and he did that

and I can't remember it."

And then on your drive home you go,

"Oh, it's" blah, blah, blah.

It's not as if the information,

it was in your head,

you just couldn't retrieve it under pressure.

And that's an example of state-dependent functioning,

which is another one of the core concepts

that we teach in the Neurosequential Model.

All functioning of the human brain

is what we call state-dependent.

And what that means is

when you're in a state of calm,

you've got certain systems open that you can use.

But as soon as you start

to get distressed, overwhelmed, frustrated,

you start to lose access to those systems.

It's state-dependent.

So cognition is very state-dependent.

You can take people of IQs of 130,

and you put them in a pressure situation,

and their problem-solving capabilities will decay

to exhibit a problem-solving capability

of an IQ of about 105.

And that's a 25-point drop,

literally can happen in three minutes.

And it's not because they really have an IQ of 105,

it's just because you put them under pressure,

and their ability to function

in that moment was compromised.

And this happens day in and day out

with kids who have been exposed to trauma

or exposed to

patterns of stress activation,

where there's unpredictability or chaos.

It doesn't have to be these extreme, capital T traumas.

It can be kids living in poverty,

kids that have housing or food insecurity,

kids that are marginalized

or feel like they don't belong

because they're immigrants

or they're not the right color,

they're not the right religion.

That will literally activate your stress response system

in ways that make it

activate and shut down the cortex.

And so these kids will have a harder time in school.

It all starts from a sense of safety,

and because of the way human beings are organized,

human beings are very relational creatures.

We're social animals, right?

And so if you feel as if you belong, you feel safe.

I could go into the really complex neurobiology,

but the bottom line is

that there are systems in our brain

that are involved in helping us judge

whether or not we belong

or whether or not we don't belong.

And if we get the sense from our peers

and from our teacher that we belong, we feel safe.

And when you feel safe,

your cortex is open for business.

And this is why things like bullying are so toxic.

When you're starting to be extruded

by other kids in your class for whatever reason,

and the teachers may not catch that,

this child is gonna be dysregulated

and not feel like they belong,

they won't feel safe in the classroom,

and they won't learn.

And it's one of the things

that we try to help educators

learn more about

when we use this Neuroseauential Model.

(gentle inspirational music)