What do you do when a child has been through so much that they simply cant function in a normal classroom? In this episode of Through the Eyes of Trauma, Dr. Salena Smith unpacks what it means to teach children who are still living in survival mode. When behavior isnt defiance, its protection. Through a real story of a foster student on the brink and the educators trying everything to reach her, Dr. Smith shares trauma-informed strategies to stabilize before you strategize, redefine success, support teachers, and reframe the environment so healing can finally begin.

Because you cant teach a child whos fighting to survive; you have to help them feel safe enough to learn.