by Elise White Diaz
“My mom was supposed to arrive this year, but there is no chance she will be let into the country now.”
“I’m a U.S. citizen, but I’m afraid of being targeted.”
“I’m scared to go to school and be deported.”
These statements were either overheard or relayed to me last year. Worries affecting students’ families and communities don’t disappear when they enter school; they shape how safe—or unsafe—their nervous systems feel in the school environment. And highly evaluative classrooms can unintentionally amplify that sense of threat.
According to Stephen W. Porges, learning environments that rely heavily on evaluation and judgment can cue danger for nervous systems. When this happens, the body shifts toward protection rather than connection, making learning and engagement more difficult. Fortunately, small shifts in the classroom can increase students’ sense of safety by reducing the pressure to perform—something educators can control even in uncertain times.
One of the privileges of my work is providing embedded support for teachers—sometimes modeling the 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom, other times coaching teachers in trauma-informed multilingual instruction. In these visits, I often see teachers implementing the 7 Steps with fidelity and the best intentions. Even so, they may use instructional moves that unintentionally trigger visible stress responses in students—frozen posture, tense expressions, and a sudden drop in language output. With a few small adjustments, teachers’ applications of the 7 steps can be even more trauma-informed. One example of this is small tweaks to Step 3: Randomize and Rotate When Calling on Students.
What I Often See
A teacher asks a question and immediately uses a randomization system—popsicle sticks, a name generator, or another tool—to cold-call a student. While intended to boost engagement, sudden cold-calling can feel highly evaluative.
Potential Nervous System Impact
For some students, sudden public performance can trigger a threat response, shifting the nervous system from curiosity to self-protection. Trauma-informed classrooms often respond by modifying cold-calling or offering alternative ways to participate.
Trauma-Informed Adjustment
Instead of calling on students immediately, provide thinking and discussion time. Students can briefly talk with a partner using a stem like:
“I think…”
Afterward, the teacher invites participation:
“I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
Students are offered multiple ways to share:
- Speak aloud – perhaps their partner’s response
- Show a written response
- Whisper to the teacher
- Point to notes
Trauma-Informed Tweak: Invite choice: “Show me your thinking right here.” Participation remains the goal, but students have agency in how they contribute.
Why This Works
Partner talk gives students time to organize language, test ideas, and regulate their nervous systems before sharing publicly. Offering choice preserves accountability while communicating an important message: We value your thinking, not just the correct answer.
When students walk into classrooms carrying uncertainty or fear, these small instructional moments matter. The 7 Steps already provide opportunities for language and interaction; with small adjustments to the teacher’s implementation of the Steps, we can communicate messages of safety: You are safe here, your thinking matters, and you will be supported as you learn. Small shifts—from evaluation to participation, from performance to supported thinking—can quietly transform the classroom into a space where students feel both challenged and secure enough to grow.
Interested in learning more about trauma-informed education? Register now for Elise’s upcoming virtual workshop on August 27th! In this interactive Zoom workshop, Elise will model how to leverage what we are already doing to make our practice even more trauma-responsive and linguistically rich, using small, user-friendly shifts that drive academic growth. You’ll see trauma-informed multilingual education in action as she models real strategies you can implement immediately. Complete the workshop to earn continuing education credit, plus you’ll receive a free digital resource of ready-to-use strategies. Discover Connect Respond is available for purchase as an optional supplementary reading.
References
Diaz, E. (2025). Discover, connect, respond: A practical approach to trauma-informed instruction. Seidlitz Education.
Porges, S. W. (2017). The pocket guide to the polyvagal theory: The transformative power of feeling safe. W. W. Norton & Company.
Seidlitz, J., & Perryman, B. (2021). 7 steps to a language-rich, interactive classroom. Seidlitz Education.
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