Teachers should create a trauma-informed educational setting by reframing student behaviors as survival strategies rather than disobedience. The classroom environment should have minimal stimulation, distractions, and clutter. Teachers also need to learn strategies to not exacerbate trauma, partner with fearful children, give students choices and attention, and help students learn to calm themselves and communicate their feelings. Coercive approaches should be avoided.

1. Dr. Camille Mora Ed.D. – Parent Perceptions of Trauma-informed Assessment – Excerpt
MWERA Conference Handout 1
BEST PRACTICES FOR A TRAUMA-INFORMED
EDUCATIONAL SETTING HANDOUT
Best Practice Lit. Citation
Trauma-informed academic setting. Call et al., 2014, p.2
Reframe student behaviors as survival strategies rather than
disobedience.
Call et al., 2014, p.3
Keep classroom stimulation down and keep visual distractions on the
walls to a minimum. Keep classrooms clutter free.
Call et al., 2014, p.5
Teachers learn behavioral intervention strategies that do not
exacerbate trauma.
Call et al., 2014, p.5
Teachers partner with fearful children to help them
overcome fears.
Call et al., 2014, p.5
Give children a voice and hear their feelings. Call et al., 2014
Give children undivided attention, choices (control can create a safe
feeling), compromises, and re-dos.
Call et al., 2014
Classrooms should not be too loud, tactile activities should
have an alternative (such as a brush instead of finger paint).
Call et al., 2014
Soft eye contact, warm voice, greet students at the door. Call et al., 2014
Teachers understand emotional regulation and teach students
to calm themselves
Call et al., 2014,
Avoid coercive approaches, which do NOT work with this population. Call et al., 2014
Labeling feelings, so kids can learn to communicate them. Call et al., 2014
Call, C., Purvis, K., Parris, S. R., & Cross, D. (2014, September). Creating trauma-informed
classrooms. Adoption Advocate, 75, 1-10.