Trauma-informed care in the classroom : a qualitative study of teachers who effectively create safe spaces for all students.

Studies showed that the COVID-19 lockdowns significantly affected teenagers’ mental health (Branquinho et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2020; Gazmarian et al., 2021; Guessoum et al., 2020; Joseph, 2020; Magson et al., 2020; McKegney, 2021; Meyers, 202; Smith et al., 2020). Following the lockdown, depression and anxiety rates rose in adolescents (Branquinho et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2020; Gazmarian et al., 2021; Guessoum et al., 2020; O’Kane et al., 2021; Smith et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020). Unfortunately, this problem is manifesting in school spaces as misbehavior, disinterest, and the inability to pay attention (Adubasim & Ugwu, 2019; Felitti et al., 1998; Frydman & Mayor, 2017; O’Kane et al., 2021; O’Neill et al., 2010; Perry, 2009; Wolpow et al., 2009). Research shows there are ways to combat adolescents’ declining mental health, however, it requires considerable training that many classroom teachers do not have (Avery et al., 2020; Bath, 2008; Brunzell et al., 2015; Carello & Butler, 2015; Crandell et al., 2019; Doncliff, 2020; Keller-Dupree, 2013; Martin et al., 2017; O’Neill et al., 2010). Nevertheless, some teachers successfully address the social and emotional needs of their students. To capture and analyze these successful strategies, I designed a qualitative single case study to shed light on four teacher participants’ perceptions about the strategies they use to successfully address their students’ social and emotional needs. Specifically, I designed this research to understand what four participant teachers did in their classrooms to foster an atmosphere of trauma-informed care. There were several themes common to all four teacher participants. Through analysis of observations, interviews, and discussions, I discovered that all four participants had similar strategies to create safe classroom spaces for all students. Although the teacher participants included in this study did not have formal training in trauma-informed care, they managed to incorporate these themes into their classrooms: (a) safety; (b) trustworthiness; (c) collaboration and mutuality; and (d) empowerment, voice, and choice. Furthermore, I identified two additional emergent themes of (a) success and (b) collaboration between classroom teachers.