The unintended consequences of integrating trauma-informed teaching into teacher education

In response to the growing need for trauma-informed teaching, more teacher education programs are incorporating trauma-informed content to prepare preservice teachers for their future classrooms. For this study, we examined student coursework and clinical experiences related to student trauma and trauma-informed teaching with a group of preservice teachers (N = 25). A thematic analysis of written reflections and interviews revealed deficit-based ideologies connected to student trauma with minimal attention directed at student strengths and resilience. Preservice teachers viewed student trauma in relation to behavioral issues, as circumstances that teachers have to deal with, and as a result of family and community deficiencies. A few students recognized trauma in relation to resilience by viewing schools and teachers as a protective factor. Informal stories shared by cooperating teachers appeared to feed these deficit views, as well as some course-related materials and projects. Recommendations for teacher educators are discussed.