An Ecological Perspective on Emerging Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices

crosby, shantel d;

Childhood trauma affects many youths across the United States and has a devastating impact on their functioning, well-being, and overall academic and vocational outcomes. Experiences of psychological trauma can impede cognitive, social, and emotional development in childhood, which can impair youth academic achievement, behavior, interpersonal skills, and general success in school. Trauma-informed educational practices in schools can provide much needed support to these students, improving their projected academic success and
future life outcomes. Ecological theory can also provide an important framework for exploring holistic intervention by assisting students in the multiple contexts of their lives. This article describes emerging trauma-informed responses to students, examined through the
lens of the ecological perspective. A review of these practices demonstrates that ecological perspective provides an appropriate and relevant foundation for trauma-informed educational practice with traumatized students. The article concludes with a discussion of the findings along with their implications for social work practice.