Course Outline In order to respond effectively to traumatized children, school personnel must learn about the causes and effects of trauma. © AFP / CORBIS This first course offers school personnel a framework with which to understand trauma and its effects on students and their families. Once you have completed Course 1, Part 1, you will proceed to Course 1, Part 2, "School-Based Interventions." Upon completion of Course 1, Parts 1 and 2, you may participate in one or both of the other two parts of Course 2, each of which addresses a specific type of trauma: "Sudden and Unexpected Loss" and "Family and Community Violence."

The goals of the course are to help you to

• increase your knowledge about the causes and effects of childhood trauma
• recognize the signs and symptoms of unresolved childhood trauma
• strengthen your ability to identify students at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder

On completion of this course, you will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of

• factors that place students at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder
• factors that minimize the risk that students will develop posttraumatic stress disorder
• "normal" and pathological responses to trauma

Note: Anyone taking this course is required to complete all pre- and posttests where indicated.

Before continuing, please take the pretest.

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