
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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