Supporting All Students: Teacher Education and the Realities of Trauma

Abstract

This article addresses the potential for preparing teachers to instruct students who are living in contexts of trauma as well as the implications of excluding such preparation. Literature in education, social work, and health care are drawn from to highlight important concepts related to trauma. These include types of trauma, effects of trauma on learning, trauma-informed teaching strategies, and the secondary trauma often experienced by bystanders such as teachers. The current state of trauma training in U.S. teacher educational programs is considered generally as well as within the authors’ specific institutions. Against this backdrop, case study research was conducted of novice and experienced teachers in the United States teaching in contexts in which their students with immigrant and refugee backgrounds were experiencing the impacts of political trauma. Interviews took place immediately after executive orders imposing immigration limits intended to stop or reduce refugee resettlement and asylum applications were signed. Interviews were analyzed using a qualitative theoretical analysis methodology to identify how teachers supported their students, each other, and themselves during this time of trauma. The findings included both promising teaching approaches as well as a glaring absence of explicit support given to teachers directly and a lack of teacher self-care. The authors suggest a re-envisioning of teacher preparation responsive to the impact of trauma that can lead to the well-being of both students and their teachers.