Refugee Students & Trauma: Looking Inside Two Ohio Primary Schools

Presenter Information

Valerie Sartor, University of AkronFollow

Abstract

Thousands of refugee families enter the US every year, expecting that their children will successfully adapt, attend school, and learn English. Yet many refugee children experience trauma: acute mental and emotional distress, before and after they enter the US. Such trauma affects their mental wellbeing and consequently, their abilities to perform at school (Henley & Robinson, 2011). Educators need information and training to understand and support the emotional health of their refugee students. Because of behavioral issues associated with trauma, refugee students may be misdiagnosed as having learning disabilities. This article describes behaviors that teachers, administrators, and staffs in two Akron, Ohio primary schools observed in potentially traumatized refugee children. It then addresses how school educators responded to support these children emotionally.

Recommended Citation

Sartor, Valerie (2018) "Refugee Students & Trauma: Looking Inside Two Ohio Primary Schools," Ohio Journal of Teacher Education: Vol. 32: No. 2, Article 19.
Available at: https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/ojte/vol32/iss2/19