Classroom, maths
Good morning everyone. Meet our new colleague. This is Sasha. He came to us from Ukraine.
We are happy to have you with us, Sasha, and hope that you will quickly settle in here. Take your sit, please.
He looks so strange!
Completely different from us.
Why doesn’t he say anything? Weirdo.
Why is he sitting next to me? I don’t want that!
What do you think of judging someone on the first impression?
Do you agree with judge people based on the first impression?
First impressions can be very misleading. A negative judgment can harm and lead to stereotypical thinking and stigmatisation. As the famous proverb says: “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
School corridor, break between lessons
Ha, ha, have you heard this new guy speak funny?
Yes, indeed, as if he were whispering, ha, ha.
And did you see how scared he was when the break bell rang? He got up so suddenly and quickly ran out of the classroom. Weird.
I saw him crying yesterday when he came home after school. After all, he had no reason!
Maggy told me that he came here with his whole family, they fled the war. So really, it’s terrible…
What situations can have long lasting effects on people going through war?
What situations can have long lasting effects on people going through war?
Anything that affects the sense of sight, hearing and smell is recorded in the mind and strongly affects mental health. This is why Sasha reacted in such a specific way to the sound of the bell. He has probably experienced traumatic situations where he has heard the sounds made by rockets, the sound of gunfire, the rumble of falling bombs.
Classroom, lesson with the class teacher
Dear students, I would like to introduce you to a guest. Miss Kovalsky works at a community centre that helps refugees from Ukraine.
Good morning. As you know, because of the war in Ukraine, many Ukrainians are leaving their country and looking for a safer place for their families.
Yes, I heard about it in the media.
So, you may also know that people who have experienced war – soldiers and civilians – suffer the enormous consequences of psychological trauma.
It is caused by a constant fear for one’s own life and the lives of loved ones.
What are traumas?
What are traumas?
There are different types of traumas, but one of the most serious is the one caused by participation in warfare. Powerlessness and fear, loss of agency and control over one’s life, constant fear for one’s life and the lives of loved ones trigger this type of trauma. After such experiences, it may or may not develop into PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Reducing the effects of trauma, especially that caused by war, is quite a long process, requiring understanding, favour and empathy from others (e. g. teachers, classmates).
After Mrs Kowalski’s intervention
Oh, I think I was unfair to Sasha!
Hmm, maybe he’s not so uncool after all?
Poor Sasha, he must have experienced a lot!
Why not invite Sasha to my birthday party? He’s quite handsome…
Is it worth listening to a specialist who knows the problem well and what trauma is?
Is it worth listening to a specialist who knows the problem well and what trauma is?
Meeting a specialist who knows and understands the subject is very valuable. Lack of knowledge about what trauma is and the effects it can have causes misconceptions and stigmatisation. The behaviour of a person who has experienced something frightening can seem strange and then we start to think stereotypically: it is better to avoid such a person, this is a freak, seems ridiculous.
Katie’s birthday party
Happy birthday, dear Kate!
Happy birthday, all the best, Kate!
I am glad you are with me today and that we have Sasha with us tonight.
Yes, we have a new friend after all. How cool that you’re in our bunch, Sasha.
Thank you very much, you are great!
Haha, five grand. This would be a great film title!
What an amazing idea! And I was in a school film group in my previous school.
Really?
Yes, and we made a super film based on Romeo and Juliet. It even won an award at a regional student film review.
Sasha, you are great!
Dear friends, we have a goal: to make a film “5 grand”. And imagine how we will surprise our English teacher. “Duckling” will go crazy with excitement!!
Starting tomorrow we will get down to business. It’s has been decided.
Can someone personally help a friend who has experienced the trauma of war (or any other kind of trauma)?
Can someone personally help a friend who has experienced the trauma of war (or any other kind of trauma)?
A young person experiencing the trauma of war has the chance to recover mentally in an empathetic environment. If they finds a group of peers who care for them and treat normally, without stigmatising, they are more likely to cope with the terrible experiences they have gone through. Shared interests and activities can guarantee a faster recovery.
FINAL THOUGHTS
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We should break the taboos on traumas and their effects.
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It is useful to create safe places to share information and emotions that people with trauma may experience.
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It is necessary to make the traumatised adolescent understand that what they are feeling is normal and caused by the situation they are in.
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Avoiding stereotypes and stigmatisation makes us look at the situation objectively.
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Non-stigmatising thinking makes unexpectedly interesting new friends.