Trauma-Informed Pedagogy

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What is Trauma?

According to the Survey on Mental Health and Stressful Events, 63% of people over the age of 18 in Canada reported that they had been exposed to a traumatic event at some point (Statistics Canada, 2023, para. 5). ​

  • 8% of adults reported moderate to severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder​
  • Transportation accidents, physical assault, life threatening injury/illness, natural disaster, and sexual assault were listed by respondents

​The Impact of Trauma on Learning

The “invisible backpack” (Fox, 2020) represents the hidden emotional burdens, trauma, stress, and other unseen challenges that every person carries through life. Examples include environmental disaster, vehicle accidents, collective trauma, assault, intergenerational trauma, etc. (Thomas et al., 2019).
What trauma can look like in the classroom:​

  • Cognitive, neurological, physiological issues; ​
  • Hypervigilance, disassociation, avoidance; ​
  • Mood disorder, difficulties socializing and building relationships, and/or asking for help.

Trauma-Informed Pedagogy

According to Thomas et al. (2019),​ trauma-informed pedagogy is a set of pedagogical practices and frameworks that effectively respond, at the individual, systems, policy and practice level, to the impacts of trauma in higher education while providing pathways to resiliency.​​

The Purpose is to: ​

  • Address barriers that inhibit participation ;​
  • Avoid incidences of re-traumatization; and​
  • Cultivate a supportive learning environment.

​Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy

  1. Safety – Physical, emotional and academic safety
    Example: know referral pathways (e.g. Personal Wellness Counselling, Accessible Education Services, Indigenous Student Services, International Student Services, etc. – see https://mycampus.flemingcollege.ca/group/portal/student-life) and provide them to students.
  2. Trust & Transparency – Clear and consistent communication.
    Examples: Provide detailed rubrics and exemplars for assessments; publish and remind students of communication expectations (e.g. email turnaround time); explain why you use certain policies or tools.
  3. Peer Support – Leverage positive peer connections.
    Example: Create peer learning groups.
  4. Cultural & Historical Awareness – Teach with awareness of identity and context.
    Examples: acknowledge system load – first-generation, marginalized, or caregiving students may face extra demands; include an equity and/or conduct and/or human rights policy.
  5. Empowerment & Choice – Provide voice and meaningful options
    Examples: cameras optional but encouraged in synchronous online learning; multiple engagement pathways where possible.
  6. Collaboration & Mutuality – Share power and decision-making.
    Example: Discuss and build classroom expectations with your students at the beginning of the semester.

​References and Further Reading