Supporting Children with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Overview and Purpose

My topic is on how teachers can support children with trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

ACEs or adverse childhood experiences are very common in America. According to the Harvard University website on ACEs, approximately two-thirds of Americans have experienced one ACE, and one-sixth have experienced four or more ACEs (2024). As a result of a shift in parenting, cost of living, technology, the pandemic, change in justice system, racism, etc. children are faced with toxic stress now more than ever. Although schools know ACEs are a huge problem for many students, they are not well equip to support their needs. With the focus on academics, mental health is often pushed to the wayside. However, with the commonality of ACEs, schools need to prioritize holistic learning to support these children. Mental health professionals, social-emotional learning, outreach programs, and professional developments are pragmatic ways schools can make positive change. This course is intended for anyone within the field of education who wants to make positive change to support children who have experienced trauma. The focus of this course will be on elementary students, however a lot of the information is transferrable to older students as well.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

This course is intended for any educational professional who wants to do more for students in need. All learners are welcome, no matter their experience. We will begin the course with brief introductory terms and examples. As we continue through the course reflection is crucial to learning. Not all of the content in this course will apply to your classroom and that is okay. Take what you like or think is applicable. The focus of this course will be on elementary students (Birth-6th) as that is my certification area, however information can also be applicable to older students. The organization of the course is designed to support any technological device and will likely spend a few days engaging with the content and reflecting. Although not necessary, I suggest participants keeping a notebook with them as they complete the course for their reflections as well as possible ideas they want to implement into their classroom.

Performance-Based Objectives

Define the various types of ACEs children can experience and explain how this affects them.

Have knowledge of various strategies to support students who have experienced trauma.

Identify ways participants will change/update/revise their current practices.

Course Units

Unit 1: Identifying ACEs and Understanding Long-Term Effects

-Define the term ACEs and various reasons children may experience toxic stress.

-Recognize long-term effects of ACEs.

Unit 2: Self-Reflection of experience with ACEs

-Identify common warning signs of ACEs

-Reflect on types of ACEs they may have personally experienced or ACEs students in their classroom may have experienced.

-Reflect on various strategies you may/may not have tried.

Unit 3: Pragmatic Strategies to Support Children with ACEs

-Identify ways to support children who have suffered trauma, within the classroom.

-Identify ways to support families who may be struggling.

Curriculum Map

References and Resources

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html

Ludvik, D. (2020, November 9). Establishing healthy parent-teacher relationships for early learning success. Early Learning Network. https://earlylearningnetwork.unl.edu/2018/08/29/parent-teacher-relationships/

Preventing adverse childhood experiences. (2021, August 23). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [1].

What are ACEs? and how do they relate to toxic stress? (2020, October 30). Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. [2]

Webster E. M. (2022). The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and

Development in Young Children. Global pediatric health, 9, 2333794X221078708. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X221078708