Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is gaining ground in our classrooms. As a TBRI practitioner and educator, I’m thrilled by the practicality of TBRI tools that can be easily implemented in a classroom setting. While requiring practice and consistency, these tools are designed to be manageable for educators, and the results, built on connection, are inevitable.
The Essence of TBRI
TBRI is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention meticulously designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. It draws from years of attachment, sensory processing, and neuroscience research, with connection at its core. This research-based approach is not just a set of tools but a source of empowerment for educators, instilling confidence in their ability to make a positive impact and enhancing their sense of capability.
When first introducing TBRI, educators may mistakenly view its tools as promoting permissiveness, where there are no consequences, rules, or boundaries, or we reward actions rather than punish. This needs to be clarified. Discipline is essential in a classroom or school setting. However, the word ‘discipline’ has been misinterpreted by many as ‘punishment ‘when, in fact, it means ‘to teach ‘. As educators, we can shift our focus from punishment to teaching the life skills our students need to succeed.
Let’s examine each principle (Empowering, Connecting, and Correcting) in a 3-part series and some practical ways to implement classroom strategies.
TBRI in the Classroom: Empowering Principles
We will cover the Empowering Principles in this article. Empowering principles refer to meeting kids’ physiological and ecological needs. Physiological needs are things our bodies need for their internal processes. They include hydration, blood glucose levels, nutrition, sleep, and sensory needs. Ecological needs are the external processes. They include self-regulation, transitions, scaffolding, and daily rituals.
Here are practical ways we can implement meeting those needs in our classrooms.
Physiological Needs
As educators, we play a significant role in promoting healthy habits among our students. Remembering that our bodies need water and nutrition every two hours is essential. Therefore, incorporating snack and water breaks into our classroom routines is doable and beneficial for our students’ well-being.
Snacks
1. Clear, accessible water bottles! Why clear? So you can monitor a student’s water intake!
2. Promote healthy snacks; high-protein is best! A fun way is to establish a ‘YES’ jar chock full of high-protein snacks (an excellent item to put on a parent donation list). Keep this jar in your classroom, and the answer to your students is always “YES! You may have a snack.” It is especially nice for that child who didn’t eat breakfast. The ‘YES’ jar symbolizes inclusivity and care, where every student is encouraged to take a snack when needed, fostering a positive and nurturing classroom environment.
Sleep
Sleep matters. Talk with students’ parents about their kiddos’ sleep patterns. School-age kids need 9-12 hours of sleep a night. Maybe you will have the gift of teaching a parent about healthy sleep. We are better together.
Sensory Needs
Meeting sensory needs can also be part of everyday classroom life. Each student’s needs may be a little different! To determine what some of those needs might be, a sensory checklist can be given to parents to fill out before the school year starts. These will help identify internal senses—are they sensory seeking or avoidant? Practical strategies allow physical activity and play, no matter the age, and healthy touch (a hand on a student’s shoulder, special handshakes, appropriate hugs) can be encouraging.
Ecological Needs
Self-regulation in the classroom is worth the effort! A great place to start at school is a morning meeting. TBRI uses the concept of a nurture group, and the same principles can be used in a morning meeting.
Here are steps to obtaining an effective morning meeting or class check-in:
1. Establish Rules:
- Stick together. We are a team. Stay with the group, participate, pay attention, raise your hand, be respectful, and develop meaningful friendships.
- No hurts, physical or emotional actions, or words.
- Have Fun. When the first two rules are practiced, we will have a great day! Think of symbols made from hand motions to represent each of these for your class. Make it a group effort.
2. Class Check-In:
Use a fun object (feather, glitter wand, or any other exciting item) to pass around as students answer the question of the day (e.g., If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?). Take turns answering as you pass the object.
3. Band-Aids:
Have students pair up. They may ask each other if they have an inside or outside hurt; if yes, they ask permission to place a band-aid on each other. This builds connection and also helps them practice both giving and receiving care.
4. Regulation Check
Lastly, create an activity (it could be anything—that is, movement) and then provide a regulation check. This is a simple way to help students become more aware of their energy levels and learn to regulate them for optimal learning. Are they feeling low energy, medium energy (optimal for learning), or high energy? End with a deep breathing exercise (such as pretending to blow on your soup) to get everyone regulated (medium energy).
Practicing a morning meeting sets your day off to a great start!
Transitions, Scaffolding, and Daily Rituals
Transitions, scaffolding, and daily rituals are worth your time and attention as we close out part one of this series. These are familiar terms in education, yet sometimes, we don’t see them as vital tools to create safety in our classrooms. Transition plans are a must. Kids typically move slowly from one activity to the next, so you should have a plan to create time and space. This may include multiple warnings (for example: In 5 more minutes, we will be lining up for lunch).
Setting out expectations ahead of time is always a good idea. Scaffolding is simply identifying gaps in a child’s development, meeting them where they are, and creating a plan to help them reach their full potential. Including rituals special to your classroom creates marked moments for a child. These can be simple moments, like when you leave for the day when kids can share the best part of their day.
Empowering Principles are easy to practice within your classroom walls. Of all the principles in TBRI, this is a great place to start.
In Part 2 of Teachers and TBRI, we will discuss ways to incorporate the Connecting Principles in your classroom.
©2024 Angie Grant. Used with Permission.
