Back-to-school season is here, and it’s time to rethink this classroom tradition. Learn trauma-responsive alternatives that work better for ALL students.
As the beginning of the school year approaches and educators increasingly recognize the need for trauma-responsive practices in schools, it’s crucial to examine seemingly innocent classroom traditions that may inadvertently harm students. The ubiquitous “What I did this summer” writing assignment—about as predictable as August humidity—represents one such practice that conflicts with trauma-responsive teaching principles.
If you’re a teacher looking for trauma-responsive writing prompts, back-to-school alternatives, or inclusive classroom activities that support all students, this post will give you practical strategies you can implement immediately.
In this post, we’ll explore why these traditional back-to-school writing prompts can be problematic and share evidence-based alternatives that support ALL students while still achieving your classroom community-building goals.
What Makes a Classroom Assignment Trauma-Responsive?
Trauma-responsive teaching is more than just being “nice” to students; it’s an evidence-based approach that can transform your classroom climate.
Trauma-responsive teaching recognizes that many students have experienced events that disrupted their sense of safety and well-being. This approach prioritizes safety, builds trust, provides choice, and actively resists re-traumatization. The key shift is changing the question from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” while focusing on students’ strengths and resilience.
5 Ways “What I Did This Summer” Assignments Harm Students
1. Economic and Social Privilege Assumptions
Traditional summer writing prompts carry embedded assumptions about students’ experiences that reflect economic and social privilege. These assignments assume that:
- Students had enriching, positive summer experiences worth sharing (beyond binge-watching YouTube and perfecting the art of staying in pajamas until noon)
- Families had the financial resources for vacations, camps, or special activities
- Home environments were stable and supportive during the summer break
- Students had access to transportation, activities, and opportunities for memorable experiences
2. Family Structure and Stability Assumptions
These assignments assume traditional family structures and positive family relationships. The assignment becomes a painful reminder of what they lack rather than a celebratory sharing opportunity for students who may have experienced:
- Family separation or divorce proceedings over the summer
- Foster care placement changes
- Homelessness or housing instability
- Family conflict or domestic violence
- Loss of a family member
These assumptions are particularly problematic for students experiencing trauma-plus—the compounding losses that amplify trauma’s impact, especially for foster children who face not just original trauma but cascading losses of school, friends, community, and stability. For these students, “What I did this summer” assignments can feel especially alienating when their summer involved placement changes, new schools, or rebuilding their entire support network yet again.
3. Forced Disclosure Without Choice
Student choice is fundamental to trauma-responsive teaching. When teachers require students to write about their summer experiences, they remove the element of choice that is crucial for trauma survivors. Students may feel pressured to either lie about their experiences or share traumatic events they’re not ready to discuss.
4. Triggering Hypervigilance and Stress Responses
Repeated trauma or chronic adversity can put the brain on high alert, looking for the next threat. This is called hypervigilance, and it can cause students to overreact to seemingly neutral events. For students who experienced trauma over the summer, being asked to write about that time period can trigger stress responses and interfere with their ability to focus and learn.
5. Creating Isolation and Shame
Students who cannot participate authentically in these assignments may experience increased feelings of isolation, difference, and shame—emotions that trauma survivors already struggle with disproportionately. When other students share exciting vacation stories while they have nothing positive to share, these students may feel further marginalized.
Better Back-to-School Writing Prompts: Trauma-Responsive Alternatives
Looking for inclusive writing prompts that work for every student? Here are research-backed alternatives that build community without causing harm.
Choice-Based Writing Prompts That Actually Work
Student choice is fundamental to trauma-responsive teaching. Instead of mandating summer reflection, offer multiple options:
- “Write about a time you felt proud of yourself.”
- “Describe something you’re looking forward to this year.”
- “Share a skill or hobby you enjoy.”
- “Write about a place that feels safe and comfortable to you.”
- “Describe something you taught yourself.”
- “Tell about a time you helped someone else.”
Present-Focused Assignments for Classroom Community
Community-building activities don’t have to rely on personal disclosure. Focus on the here-and-now with prompts like:
- “What would you like your classmates to know about you?”
- “What are your hopes for our classroom this year?”
- “Describe your ideal learning environment.”
- “What makes you feel safe and supported in a classroom?”
- “What strengths do you bring to our learning community?”
Strength-Based Writing Ideas
Strength-based teaching helps all students succeed. Create assignments that highlight students’ resilience and capabilities:
- “Write about a challenge you overcame.”
- “Describe something you’re good at and how you got better at it.”
- “Share about someone who believes in you.”
- “Tell about a goal you’re working toward.”
- “Write about something that makes you unique.”
The Bottom Line: Better Assignments = Better Outcomes for All Students
While traditional back-to-school writing assignments often aim to build classroom community, they can inadvertently harm students who have experienced trauma, economic hardship, or family instability.
The good news? Trauma-responsive teaching strategies achieve the same community-building and writing development goals while ensuring that all students can participate authentically and safely.
The shift toward inclusive classroom practices represents a broader movement that recognizes the diverse experiences and needs of all students. By implementing these strategies, you can transform potentially harmful traditions into opportunities for genuine connection, empowerment, and academic growth.
Ready to get started? Try just one trauma-responsive writing prompt in your classroom this year and see the difference it makes for your students.
Want More Trauma-Responsive Teaching Ideas?
Coming Soon: My upcoming book with Dr. Jill M. Davis, From Breakdowns to Breakthroughs, will provide 10 complete strategies including:
- Reframe and Respond: See behavior as communication
- Focus on Strengths, Not Deficits: Build resilience through strengths-based approaches
- Ditch the Public Behavior Chart: Dismantle retraumatizing discipline systems
- Create Calming Physical Environments: Design low-sensory, regulation-supporting spaces
- Assign with Empathy: Reimagine homework and design trauma-responsive curriculum
Get ready to transform your classroom into a healing space where every student can thrive with step-by-step implementation guides, real classroom scenarios, and detailed techniques for supporting all students, including those experiencing trauma-plus.
Have you tried trauma-responsive writing prompts in your classroom? Share your experience in the comments below!
References
Alexander, J. (2019). Building trauma-sensitive schools: Your guide to creating safe, supportive learning environments for all students. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Berardi, A. A., & Morton, B. (2019). Trauma-informed school practices: Building expertise to transform schools. School Mental Health, 11(2), 313-329.
Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2018). The trauma-informed school: A whole-school approach to nurturing competence, confidence, and compassion. ASCD.
Campbell, C. (2015). The socioeconomic consequences of dropping out of high school: Evidence from an analysis of siblings. Social Science Research, 51, 108-118.
Carello, J., & Butler, L. D. (2014). Potentially perilous pedagogies: Teaching trauma is not the same as trauma-informed teaching. Traumatology, 20(2), 153-168.
Institute of Education Sciences. (2022). Classroom strategies to support students experiencing trauma. IES Blog. https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/classroom-strategies-support-students-experiencing-trauma
Jacoby-Senghor, D. S., Sinclair, S., & Shelton, J. N. (2015). A lesson in bias: The relationship between implicit racial bias and performance in pedagogical contexts. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 63, 50-55.
Kumar, R., Karabenick, S. A., & Burgoon, J. N. (2015). Teachers’ implicit attitudes, explicit beliefs, and the mediating role of respect and cultural responsibility on mastery and performance-focused instructional practices. Journal of Educational Psychology, 107(2), 533-545.
Marcucci, O. (2020). The effect of implicit bias on teachers’ expectations and recommendations for students of color. Journal of School Choice, 14(4), 590-614.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (2017). Trauma-informed schools: A reference and action guide. https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/trauma_informed_schools_action_guide.pdf
Perry, B. D. (2009). Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: Clinical applications of the neurosequential model of therapeutics. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14(4), 240-255.
Perry, B. D., & Hambrick, E. P. (2008). The neurosequential model of therapeutics. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17(3), 38-43.
Quinn, D. M. (2020). Experimental evidence on teachers’ racial bias in student evaluation: The role of grading scales. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 42(3), 375-392.
Searight, B. K., & Searight, H. R. (2014). University student self-disclosure in writing assignments. Teaching of Psychology, 41(4), 316-322.
Sloan, D. M., Marx, B. P., Epstein, E. M., & Lexington, J. M. (2007). Does altering the writing instructions influence outcome associated with written disclosure? Behavior Therapy, 38(2), 155-168.
Smyth, J. M., True, N., & Souto, J. (2001). Effects of writing about traumatic experiences: The necessity for narrative structuring. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 20(2), 161-172.
Souers, K., & Hall, P. (2016). Fostering resilient learners: Strategies for creating a trauma-sensitive classroom. ASCD.
Souers, K., & Hall, P. (2019). Relationship, responsibility, and regulation: Trauma-invested practices for fostering resilient learners. Educational Leadership, 77(4), 18-24.
Sorrels, B. (2015). Reaching and teaching children exposed to trauma. Gryphon House.
Staats, C., Capatosto, K., Tenney, L., & Mamo, S. (2017). State of the science: Implicit bias review 2017. Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS Publication No. SMA 14-4884). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Thomas, M. S., Crosby, S., & Vanderhaar, J. (2019). Trauma-informed practices in schools across two decades: An interdisciplinary review of research. Review of Educational Research, 89(4), 477-520.
Travagin, G., Margola, D., & Revenson, T. A. (2015). How effective are expressive writing interventions for adolescents? A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 36, 42-55.
TREP-Educator. (2024). Trauma responsive educational practices. https://www.trepeducator.org/
Understood.org. (2025). What is trauma-informed teaching? https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-trauma-informed-teaching
Venet, A. S. (2021). Equity-centered trauma-informed education: Transforming classrooms, shifting systems. W. W. Norton & Company.
This blog post synthesizes current research on trauma-responsive education practices from leading educational and mental health organizations to provide evidence-based guidance for creating safer, more inclusive classroom environments.