Student trauma, trauma-informed teaching, and self-care in preservice teachers’ clinical experiences

ABSTRACT

This study examined preservice teacher coursework and experiences related to student trauma, classroom management, and self-care during a junior-year clinical placement (N = 25), as well as through follow-up interviews with a subgroup of participants one year later (N = 8). An inductive, thematic analysis led to the identification of four broad themes related to teacher–student relationships, field-based learning, adopting a philosophy of control versus flexibility, and the professional practice of self-care. All participants observed the impact of trauma in their classrooms, but only a few witnessed trauma-informed strategies that centered relationships and the humanistic side of teaching. Preservice teachers placed in trauma-informed classrooms felt the most prepared to implement trauma-informed strategies, while most preservice teachers questioned their ability to create a positive and responsive space for students who had experienced trauma. Data were used to create a conceptual model of findings to help guide future work with preservice teachers and clinical experiences.

KEYWORDS:

• Childhood trauma
• self-care
• trauma-informed teaching
• clinical experiences
• preservice teachers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kyle Miller

Kyle Miller was an urban educator and school support coordinator before joining the School of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State University. She teaches courses related to child development, elementary education, and research methods. Her research focuses on home–school relationships, father engagement, and social justice.

Karen Flint Stipp

Karen Flint Stipp practiced as a school social worker before earning her PhD in Social Welfare. She is now an Associate Professor at Illinois State University where she emphasizes trauma’s effects on social work clients, and the importance of self-care for practitioners.

Shamaine Bazemore-Bertrand

Shamaine Bazemore-Bertrand is an Associate Professor in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at The College of New Jersey. As a former elementary teacher, she teaches classes on multicultural education and equity, as well as supervising clinical experiences. Her research focuses on centering Blackness in elementary education, school–university partnerships, and using photovoice as a teaching tool.