Elementary Teachers Experiences with Trauma-Informed Practice

Abstract

This qualitative study used in-depth interviews to understand teacher experiences implementing trauma informed practice (TIP) at an elementary school in the Midwestern U.S. School leaders had implemented a large-scale TIP effort a few years prior to the study. The study found that the interviewees supported and implemented TIP and perceived that most other teachers in the school did too. Interviewees also believed that although it was diminishing, resistance to TIP still existed among staff. Study findings indicate that social interaction among staff around TIP was important for its spread. Finally, because many of the instructional practices that make up TIP are not new, but rather practices already known in the field to be effective, our findings shed light on how repackaging and reframing instructional practices may help in instructional reform.