Whole-Child Framework: From the Author's Desk

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Every chapter of The Hundred Percent Child includes a From the Author's Desk section — a genuine professional story drawn from my two decades of experience in child development. These insights are not mere illustrations; they are the core reason I authored this book. I aim to share two of these experiences that highlight educational theory and the importance of trauma-informed teaching.

From Chapter 2 — Fred Rogers as an Educational Theorist

Early in my career, I had a child in my twos classroom who would have random outbursts and bite his peers. I described him to colleagues as disruptive and angry. That language shaped everything — the relationship with his family became strained, coworkers labeled him a bad child, and his behavior worsened. I was observing his external actions without considering his internal experiences and the impact on his child development.

Then one day, instead of correcting him, I looked at him and said, 'I know you are upset. What can I do to make it better?' His whole body shifted to a relaxed mode. He pointed to the door, and we went for a walk.

That walk taught me more about Fred Rogers' principles related to educational theory — particularly that anything mentionable is manageable — than any training ever had. I had spent weeks trying to fix behavior that was simply a feeling without an outlet. When I provided a means for expression, he walked through it.

What I know now, and wish I had known then, is that we often neglect to ask children how they feel because as adults, we weren't taught to express our own feelings. This discomfort leads us to skip crucial conversations — with our colleagues, with families, and most harmfully, with children. However, those feelings do not just vanish; they manifest in biting and outbursts. The day my own daughter told me she did not like the way a teacher spoke to her, I grasped the full weight of Rogers' conviction. The way we speak to children influences their understanding of communication; it can either break their self-esteem or build it — one word at a time. Embracing trauma-informed teaching can guide us in how to better support their emotional needs.

“Every child in my care deserved a Hundred Percent educator, particularly in the context of child development. I strived to embody that for them through my understanding of educational theory. I did not always succeed in this endeavor, especially when considering trauma-informed teaching methods, but I never stopped trying — and I never ceased learning from those experiences.” Sharon Ouakil

Every chapter contains a real story from my career, highlighting important aspects of child development. There's the four-year-old genius misunderstood by every system around him, the marshmallow and spaghetti building project that brought pride to parents' faces, and the classroom where students felt the pain of loss at the end of the year because they were leaving a cherished home. Then there's Raymond, who revealed he had been doing it wrong for twelve years since nobody ever taught him the principles of effective learning inherent in educational theory, particularly those aligned with trauma-informed teaching. 

These stories — and the research behind them — are encapsulated in The Hundred Percent Child.