Understanding Student Behavior | Trauma-Informed Speaker
When a student curses, shuts down, or walks out of class, the typical reaction is punishment.
But what if we paused and asked, “What is this student trying to say with their behavior?”
Because behavior is communication—and sometimes it’s the only language a student has left.
Students who act out are rarely trying to disrespect you. They’re trying to express something—hurt, fear, overwhelm, abandonment, or confusion.
If we only address the action without addressing the root, we’re solving the wrong problem.
➡️ Statistic: 1 in 3 children in the U.S. has experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE). — CDC
That means nearly every classroom includes students navigating trauma—often in silence.
My trauma-informed school assemblies and staff trainings focus on:
Recognizing behavioral red flags as signals, not just disruptions
Teaching students to name their emotions before they act them out
Creating classroom cultures where emotions aren’t punished—they’re processed
Giving students emotional regulation tools they can use in real time
I help educators and students speak a shared language: empathy.
Instead of punitive cycles, I help schools implement practices that:
Encourage accountability with support
Increase emotional fluency among students
Promote safer, more inclusive school environments
Reduce repeated behavioral incidents long-term
If you want more than short-term behavior management, you need long-term mindset transformation.
🔗 Book a Trauma-Informed Assembly or Training
📝 “If someone could really hear you right now, what would you want them to know about how you feel?”
Discipline without understanding is damage control.
Discipline with compassion is character development.
When we ask, “What are you trying to say?”
We start giving students the space—and skills—to say it in healthier ways.