Trauma-Informed Teaching in Times of Crisis
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A trauma-informed approach to teaching recognizes that both acute and ongoing traumatic stress impacts learning. Although not typically in a position to remove the crises or challenges students face, instructors are uniquely positioned to provide essential factors that can allow every student to learn and flourish.
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Introduction
Local, national, and global events impact us in various ways and can lead to stress, anxiety, grief, and trauma. Exposure to difficult events, even from a distance, can interfere with student learning as well as impact instructor well-being and teaching, but there are a number of strategies instructors can employ to support student learning during times of crisis or challenge.
Stress is a physiological or mental response to an external factor that can be a singular experience or can be an ongoing response over a longer period of time. The emotions that students and instructors feel are intimately connected with the ways in which they think, and emotions can influence whether learning is supported or inhibited. In fact, in times of crisis and ongoing stress, students may find it difficult to complete basic tasks like managing time, prioritizing work, attending required activities, and engaging with others.
As Mays Imad describes in her article, “Leveraging the Neuroscience of Now,” a trauma-informed approach to teaching recognizes that both acute and ongoing traumatic stress impacts learning. Although not typically in a position to remove the crises or challenges students face, instructors are uniquely positioned to provide essential factors that can allow every student to learn and flourish. These essential factors include: an environment of psychological safety, opportunities for meaningful connections, and supportive resources.
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Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices
- Acknowledge that events outside the classroom may contribute to stress and impact learning. In addition, acknowledge that students and instructors may not all be affected by events in the same way.
- Provide space for students to reflect on and share how they are feeling, if they would like to. Consider whether you are prepared for these discussions or reflection activities and permit students to opt out if they wish. Remember that it is not the instructor’s role to help students through the crisis or challenge and that attempting to do so without providing appropriate support and resources may be counterproductive.
- Connect learners with supportive resources that are available to them. Many of the resources offered through UIC are listed below.
- Consider how course activities and policies might contribute to stress and whether it is possible to make adjustments. For example, is it possible to be flexible with due dates or to include options for more frequent, lower stakes assessments instead of a high stakes exam? Can additional review sessions be provided prior to assessments or can students make choices about the format of a project or assignment?
- Check in with students again, at a later date, to let them know that support and concern are ongoing and to remind students of resources available to them.
- Support your own well-being. Develop a self-care plan and seek out resources to help you enact that plan. Instructors are best able to support students when they have first addressed their own well-being. You will find some resources for instructors listed below.
We are happy to talk with you about strategies for your particular teaching situation. You may request a confidential consultation with CATE.
Resources to Support Your Teaching
The CATE Inclusive and Equity Minded Teaching Guides provide information on inclusive teaching practices that support the development of learning environments where students feel a sense of belonging and safety.
Additional resources are available through these guides:
- Teaching in Times of Stress and Challenge from Columbia University’s Center for Teaching and Learning
- Teaching in Times of Crisis from Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching
- Discussing Traumatic Events from University of California, Berkeley’s Teaching Resource Center
- Teaching in Times of Crisis from Northern Illinois University’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
Resources on Campus
The Dean of Students offers assistance to students who may be experiencing academic, health, or other life crises. They also provide faculty and staff guidance on how best to support students.
Counseling Center provides a safe and confidential setting for students and creates personalized treatment plans for students to access short-term and long-term therapy options.
Employee Assistance Programs provides free professional confidential assessments, short-term counseling referrals, and follow-up for UIC employees and their families.
The Faculty Guide to Supporting Student Mental Health highlights suggestions for how faculty can contribute to creating a culture of care on campus, including referring to key campus resources that can support student mental health and well-being
The Office of Applied Psychological Services is a mental health clinic in the psychology department that services the entire UIC community, including faculty, staff and students.
The Office for Access and Equity is committed to equal opportunity, diversity, inclusiveness, equal access and equitable treatment for faculty, staff and students throughout the university.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Engagement guides efforts to advance access, equity, and inclusion:
- The Bias Reporting Tool enables all members of the UIC community to report incidents of bias, harassment, or discrimination. Submissions can be made anonymously if so desired.
- The seven Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change on campus offer a welcoming and inclusive space for students, faculty, and staff seeking intercultural engagement and community.
- Undocumented Student Support offers resources and services for students who are undocumented or from mixed immigration status families.
References
Imad, Mays. “Leveraging the Neuroscience of Now.” Inside Higher Ed, June 2, 2020.
- Imad describes how stress and trauma impact a student’s ability to engage in the learning process and provides seven strategies that faculty can implement to support students in the classroom.
Imad, Mays. “Advice for how faculty can keep going and find clarity and resolve during this challenging moment (opinion).” Inside Higher Ed, November 23, 2020.
- Expanding on her June 2, 2020 article, “Leveraging the Neuroscience of Now,” Imad turns her focus to faculty and addresses the importance of supporting faculty well-being as a means of supporting students. She offers faculty eight suggestions or reminders for staying grounded during challenging personal, local, and national times.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2020). “I’m So Stressed Out! Infographic (NIMH Identifier No. OM 20-4319).” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health.
- This fact sheet from the National Institute of Mental Health explains differences between stress and anxiety, provides strategies for coping with stress and anxiety, and includes resources for those in need of support. An infographic that can be shared on a course site is also included.