Trauma-informed pedagogy is an approach to teaching and learning that is responsive to the diverse experiences of both individual and community trauma within academic settings. It focuses on fostering resilience in learners by creating safe, supportive, and inclusive environments that remove barriers to participation and prevent re-traumatization. This approach also recognizes how learning environments have contributed to the harm and exclusion of historically, persistently, and systemically marginalized communities in academia.
Educators who practice trauma-informed teaching prioritize building trust, ensuring consistency, promoting consent-based processes, and centering well-being. These strategies allow for adjustments in teaching and curriculum to meet the varied needs of students. Importantly, trauma-informed pedagogy does not shy away from difficult conversations or challenging subjects, but instead, ensures that the learning environment remains both academically supportive and emotionally nurturing.
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- Short Articles
- Journal Articles
- Kumagai AK, Jackson B, Razack S. Cutting Close to the Bone: Student Trauma, Free Speech, and Institutional Responsibility in Medical Education. Academic medicine. 2017;92:318-323.
- Trundle C, Vaeau T. Cultivating a trauma‐informed pedagogy decolonizing pathways for anthropology in aotearoa new zealand. American ethnologist. 08/2023;50(3):446-452. doi: 10.1111/amet.13187.
- Arbour M. Trauma‐Informed pedagogy: Instructional strategies to support student success. Journal of midwifery & women’s health. 01/2024;69(1):25-32. doi: 10.1111/jmwh.13539.
- Books
- Stromberg E. Trauma informed pedagogy in higher education : A faculty guide for teaching and learning. Routledge; 2023.
- Thompson P. Trauma-informed pedagogies A guide for responding to crisis and inequality in higher education. Springer International Publishing; 2022.