Connecting with students from hard places with Elise White Diaz

Connecting with students from hard places with Elise White Diaz

From Highest Aspirations by Ellevation Education

April 22, 2025 · 55 min

About this episode

Elise White Diaz discusses strategies for connecting with students from challenging backgrounds through trauma-informed practices.

Elise White Diaz, a passionate advocate for trauma-informed multilingual education, joins Highest Aspirations to discuss practical strategies for connecting with and supporting students who have experienced trauma or come from challenging backgrounds. Drawing on her extensive work in diverse settings, Elise emphasizes the power of understanding students' experiences and building trust as foundational elements for effective teaching. This episode explores the impact of trauma on learning and language acquisition, highlighting the importance of emotional attunement in the classroom. Elise introduces her "Discover, Connect, Respond" framework and the practical "Four S's" routine as actionable ways for educators to create safe and supportive environments. Learn how fostering secure connections and responding empathetically to student needs can unlock their potential and promote growth. Key questions we address: What are some key principles of trauma-informed practice that educators should understand when working with multilingual learners who may have experienced adversity? How does trauma impact a student's brain and their ability to acquire language and engage…

People in this episode

Host: Ellevation Education

Guest: Elise White Diaz

Topics covered

  • trauma-informed education
  • multilingual learners
  • emotional attunement
  • building trust
  • classroom strategies
  • attachment theory

Keywords

  • trauma
  • education
  • multilingual
  • trust
  • empathy
  • learning
  • attachment theory
  • classroom strategies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ellevation Education

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