From Five Minutes to Ninety: Increasing Time on Task with Trauma-Impacted Students

By Charles Mathison

When I first started working with “N,” a 13-year-old student in a residential treatment facility, he could only stay on task for five minutes a day—and even that was a struggle.

N didn’t want to talk. He didn’t want to be at school. He didn’t want to be near me.

And I understood why.

Understanding the Root Cause

According to his IEP and school records from his previous schools, N had no academic goals. He was not literate. He could identify letters, but not read. His trauma history was extensive. His father—now incarcerated—had abused him severely, even dragging him down a flight of stairs at school, causing head trauma. His mother was living in a shelter and unable to care for him. N was now living at the facility full-time.

What made things even harder was this: I was a man. And school was the scene of the trauma. I came to realize that my presence, as a male adult in a school setting, triggered the very associations that made N shut down.

This insight was the first turning point.

🛠️ Starting Where He Was

I made a decision early on: I would not push academics for the sake of routine. I would build trust first. I told N we’d start with just five minutes of work a day—and then he could engage in a preferred activity.

It felt extreme, but it was necessary. Incentive mattered, but more than that, autonomy mattered. He needed to know someone was going to meet him where he was.

The first four months were slow. Getting from 5 minutes to 30 minutes took everything. Most days, N would insult me. He would try to escape the task. He didn’t believe in himself—or in me. But I reminded myself: It’s not personal. It’s the trauma talking.

🔄 The Breakthrough

Once we reached the 30-minute mark, something changed. It was like his brain had adjusted. In the next few months, we jumped from 30 to 90 minutes of active engagement per day. I built in breaks, but he often refused them—he wanted to keep going.

This student who once refused all academic work now enjoyed math, particularly when it involved real-life applications. He learned how to count coins and bills of all denominations within weeks. He mastered addition, subtraction, and was starting multiplication by the time I left the classroom.

🧩 What Worked

Here are the biggest factors that helped N increase his time on task:

1. Recognizing and Addressing Trauma

Before anything academic, I had to understand the emotional landscape. Trauma was affecting his ability to focus, trust, and try. I connected with school staff—therapists, counselors, administrators—to piece together his history and adapt my approach accordingly.

2. Customizing Instruction

I created specially designed instruction tailored to his exact level. For literacy, we started with sight word sentences and rhyming—the most basic elements that still felt like success.

3. Using Short, Predictable Routines

We had clear expectations: try for five minutes, then choose a preferred activity. Over time, the structure became safe, familiar, and something he could count on.

4. Staying Regulated Myself

When N insulted me, I reminded myself: He’s not attacking me. He’s reacting to his pain. I learned to co-regulate, modeling calm and consistency even when things got hard.

5. Building Trust Through Consistency

I showed up every day. I didn't give up on him. I didn’t yell. I didn’t send him away. And over time, he learned I was safe.

Most students I work with don’t have trauma histories this severe. But the lesson still applies: You cannot increase time on task unless you understand what’s taking them off task.

Trauma, unmet needs, and shame can all sit silently underneath avoidance behaviors. If we only focus on compliance, we miss the opportunity to heal and teach.

If you’re trying to increase a student's focus, start here:

Understand their story.

Meet them with compassion, not control.

Break learning into manageable parts.

And celebrate the small wins.

• For N, five minutes turned into ninety. That didn’t happen with magic. It happened with patience, partnership, and a willingness to see the student beneath the behaviors. A professional development worksheet based on this article can be downloaded here

Teacher Worksheet_ Increasing Time-on-Task Through Trauma-Informed Teaching.pdf

Download PDF • 94KB

• Bibliography
  

• Institute of Education Sciences. (2024, August 8). Understanding Trauma and Supporting Staff and Students to Thrive. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/learn/blog/understanding-trauma-and-supporting-staff-and-students-thrive

• Haman, S. (2021). Trauma-Informed Practices and Their Effects on Student Engagement and Time-on-Task. Northwest Iowa Commons. Retrieved from https://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1314&context=education_masters

• Child Mind Institute. (2025, June 5). How Trauma Affects Kids in School. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/how-trauma-affects-kids-school/

• National Education Association. (n.d.). Trauma-Informed Schools. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/trauma-informed-schools