How Schools Can Improve

What’s Up, Parents, Teachers, and Therapists?
My name is Seth Perler, and I’m an executive function coach. This means that I help struggling students navigate this thing called education so that they can have a great life. In this video, I’m going to talk about the number one most important thing that I think schools need.

As we know, schools are filled with a lot of incredible, well-meaning, awesome, hard-working teachers who are often underpaid, under-resourced, overworked, and have too many students, etc. We know the story. These teachers are working within the confines of a system that is often archaic and outdated. While there’s some innovation happening, we still essentially have the same educational model we’ve had for far too long. We don’t challenge or change things or even think about things that need changing. Why not? I don’t know. But there are so many ways to improve schools.

If I were to ask, I run an expert summit every year with about 25 experts. If I were to ask each of them, “What do you think is the number one thing we could do to change schools?” they would all have different answers. If I asked them to pretend that schools never existed and they were part of a team tasked with creating schools from scratch, they’d all have different ideas. So, what I want to focus on here is: Given how things are now (since they’re not likely to change), what is the number one thing we could do to improve?

The reason I’m telling you this, parents, teachers, and therapists, is because knowing this one thing—if you agree with me—can help you support the kids you care about. If you’re a parent, you can apply this to your own child. If you’re a teacher, you can apply it to the kids you’re working with. If you’re a therapist, tutor, or para-professional, this can help you too.

What is that number one thing?
The number one thing I would change if I could change anything about schools is this: I would make every school in the world **trauma-informed.** I would have trauma-informed teachers, trauma-informed administrators, and trauma-informed schools. Parents would learn what it means to be trauma-informed. And here’s what “trauma-informed” means.

I’m thrilled to hear from therapists, especially, who may have a lot of experience with this. Let us know how you would define it, as it’ll help all of us gain a better understanding. But here’s my take on it. Trauma-informed work is a big part of what I do as an executive function coach. I’m not just trying to get kids good grades. Who cares about grades if life doesn’t feel good? If it’s always a struggle, grades won’t matter in the long run.

Trauma-Informed: The Body and The Story
To me, being trauma-informed means addressing two main areas: the story and the body. What do I mean by that?

We all have two kinds of trauma: Big T trauma and little t trauma. Big T trauma includes major events like a burglary, a war, or a car accident. Little t trauma is more subtle. It happens repeatedly over time—like ongoing emotional neglect or bullying. We all experience these little t traumas, even if we don’t realize it because we’re not trauma-informed.

In a classroom, if students have experienced trauma and the teachers aren’t aware of it, the students may be having physiological responses to trauma—responses that might not have anything to do with the class at all. They might be experiencing feelings that affect their nervous system, but we just move forward as though everything is fine, focusing on our goals, curriculum, standardized tests, and everything the school expects of us. But how do we help?

The Body and The Story
So, we have big t and little t trauma. I also want to focus on the body and the story. The story is the narrative or thoughts in our mind—our perceptions or attitudes about something. It’s how we think about a situation. For example, if someone has a fear of snakes, that narrative makes them perceive danger when there might be none. On the other hand, someone who works with snakes regularly might be totally calm in the same situation. Both are experiencing the same event, but their bodies are reacting differently because of their perceptions.

Similarly, a student might have a narrative in their mind about an upcoming test. They might think, “Oh my gosh, I forgot to study!” or “I’m going to fail!” That’s a narrative that leads to fear and anxiety. On the other hand, someone else might be thinking, “I’m ready for this test. I feel confident.” Their bodies are reacting differently because of their perception.

The problem is that sometimes our stories aren’t proportional to the actual threat. Our nervous system is designed to help us stay safe and perceive threats, but it can sometimes misinterpret situations. For example, a student might be terrified of a test, but the test itself isn’t physically dangerous. Still, the nervous system reacts as though it is, triggering fear.

The Body’s Response
This is where the body comes into play. When we perceive a threat, whether it’s a test, a difficult conversation, or a traumatic memory, our brain sends a signal to our amygdala. The amygdala then signals our adrenal glands to release adrenaline, which triggers the fight, flight, or freeze response. This can happen in a classroom setting, where kids are experiencing physical reactions—like a racing heart or sweaty palms—due to the emotional and mental stress of the situation, but they might not even realize why.

When students are unaware of their trauma responses and teachers aren’t trained to recognize them, it can lead to a lot of misinterpretation. Teachers might think a student is misbehaving or simply not paying attention, but in reality, the student is having a nervous system response to a situation that may have nothing to do with the classroom at all.

Being Trauma-Informed
When we are trauma-informed, we become aware of the stories in our heads and the physiological responses in our bodies. We stop reacting automatically to situations and instead respond thoughtfully. When we learn to reflect on our narratives and check in with our feelings, we make better decisions.

For instance, if a student is anxious about a test, the teacher might recognize that the anxiety isn’t just about the test itself but could be tied to other factors, like past experiences or a history of trauma. By being trauma-informed, the teacher can help the student respond to the situation in a more mindful way.

Cognitive Biases and Distortions
It’s also important to be aware of something called cognitive biases or cognitive distortions. These are ways our minds can trick us into believing things that aren’t true. We tend to gravitate toward information that confirms our existing beliefs, and that can lead us astray. In today’s world of misinformation, this is particularly problematic. We’re constantly bombarded with messages that align with our biases.

For kids, this is especially concerning. I want them to grow up as conscious beings who think for themselves, critically evaluate information, and challenge false narratives. When we react to life based on biases or distorted thinking, we miss out on the opportunity to respond thoughtfully.

The Importance of Self-Awareness
In summary, when we are trauma-informed, we become more self-aware and better equipped to deal with our own feelings and reactions. We can recognize when our bodies are responding to past traumas, when our stories are distorting reality, and when our minds are feeding us inaccurate information. With this awareness, we can make more adaptive choices that improve our quality of life—and the lives of the students we care about.

Conclusion
I hope this has been helpful. Again, my name is Seth Perler, and I help struggling students navigate education to create better futures for themselves. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up, share it with someone who might benefit from it, and consider subscribing.

You can also check out my website for more resources at sethperler.com, or my summit at executivefunctionsummit.com.

My wish for you today is that you find peace of mind and heart. Go connect with the people you care about. That’s the most important thing.

Take care!