Applied educational neuroscience and trauma: teachers' perceptions and practices after professional development

Abstract

Elementary teachers are challenged to meet the needs of all types of learners within their classrooms; high ability, learning disabled, average ability, and students suffering from childhood trauma. Childhood trauma impacts the brain of a young person and may keep them in a state of fight, flight, or shutdown, making it difficult to learn. Many behaviors stem from childhood trauma as young learners try to navigate their worlds of learning, build relationships, and develop resilience. Dr. Lori Desautels from Butler University has created a framework for training educators on how best to create a learning environment that supports all learners by educating teachers on their brain and body state, teaching teachers and students neuroanatomy, attachment, and regulation. This study examined potential changes teachers made to their classroom practices and perspectives of childhood trauma after receiving professional development on Applied Educational Neuroscience and trauma. Categories assessed included: 1) Support Staff Development, 2) Creating Safe and Supportive Environments, 3) Assessing Needs and Providing Support, 4) Building Social and Emotional Skills, 5) Collaboration with Students and Families, and 6) Adapting Policies and Procedures, and potential changes in exclusionary discipline practices. This mixed methods study employed teacher interviews, pre- and post-surveys around the professional development offered, and quantitative data collection of pre- and post-professional development student exclusionary discipline referrals. A total of 14 teachers were interviewed, 54 teachers participated in the pre-survey, and 57 teachers participated in the post-survey. Statistically significant differences in pre- to post-survey findings included teachers’ reports of topics related to trauma being regularly addressed during professional development events, policies being in place around bullying and violence, the minimization of potential trauma-related triggers, and the involvement of parents in reviewing and developing policies and procedures. Teacher interviews rendered prominent themes, which were categorized as “new learnings for teachers” (student behavior can come from traumatic experiences, behavior can be physical/verbal aggression or shutting down, behavior impacts teacher wellbeing, and emotional contagion) and “changes in practices” (teacher demonstration of empathy as opposed to harsh discipline, opportunities for regulation, structure and predictability, and purposeful attempts to build relationships). Although student discipline data provided inconclusive results of the impact of Applied Educational Neuroscience and trauma training on discipline referrals, further research is needed to establish potential long-term changes in teachers’ discipline practices. Implications for educational leaders include the importance of providing teachers with training on childhood trauma to foster learning environments that maximize the potential of every child.