Research has shown trauma-informed care in schools is effective in reducing the impact of trauma on children, as well as bolstering future success in those who are at-risk for experiencing trauma. Improving students school climate, emotion regulation strategies, learning behaviors, and friendships in middle school students is effective in…

Trauma-informed care is a relatively new construct in K-12 education, and districts across the United States are seeking avenues to meet the needs of their students. The COVID-19 pandemic elevated the need for districts to develop appropriate supports to address student and adult trauma. Traumatic events can affect a child's mental, physical,…

A long-standing, traditional teacher professional development relationship was expanded to involve school mental health professionals in supporting the implementation of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and fostering social-emotional learning district-wide. The ultimate goal of the collaboration was to foster a balanced focus on…

As violence, behavioral outbursts, and truancy continues to rise in classrooms across our state and nation, educators struggle to find ways to engage and connect with their students. Teachers and support staff realize that what is happening to their students outside of school is having an impact on their ability to learn. They are learning that…

This article takes up Black critical geography, Rhetorical Genre Studies (RGS), and trauma-informed pedagogy (TIP) to argue that preventing rhetorical violence in our classrooms cannot be accomplished without ensuring students feel safe bringing their whole selves into the classroom. Specifically, Black theorizations of space and genre systems…

Awareness of trauma and the impact it has on children is a growing concern for schools in the United States. Exposure to trauma has been linked to challenges with learning, social/emotional health, and behaviors, all of which can negatively impact school experience and lead to issues with engagement and high school completion. We discuss…

Restorative practices and trauma-informed practices are being implemented in schools to improve the learning environment and reduce discipline referrals. This study aimed to determine how educators' level of understanding regarding restorative practices and trauma could affect how they interact with students that have experienced trauma. This…

High school students need Social Emotional learning integrated into classrooms, but what that looks like is not well defined for art educators. When one tries to look, most research points to art therapy strategies which leave art educators feeling ill-equipped to implement in their classrooms. This study explored the implementation of visual…

The EdResearch for "Action Overview Series" summarizes the research on key topics to provide K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students. Authors -- leading experts from across the field of education research -- are charged with highlighting key findings from…

This mixed methods study was conducted in an urban school district with 172 schools. In schools, students who require mental health support are treated by school psychologists, school social workers, and school counselors. This study examines these clinicians' differing training, knowledge of, and clinical practice related to trauma, to determine…

The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was to understand the lived experiences and demonstrated resilience of nontraditional, two-year college students from underrepresented populations who have exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and injustice. The intent of this research study was to investigate…

Classroom teachers play many roles throughout the school day, but mental health professional is not a hat that should be tried on without serious training. The goal of this research is to build teachers skills and confidence in supporting students. The number of children facing adversity and trauma is on the rise and these factors have a serious…

Public schools in the United States have become more diverse over the past two decades, and there is an emerging push for equity considerations in instruction in public schools across the country. However, there is a lack of clarity around the types of messages that teachers receive about teaching with an equity lens and how teachers enact…

Research Connections developed this document in collaboration with the Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center for use during the OCC National Tribal Conference 2024 on April 9-11, 2024. This resource list highlights sample resources from the Research Connections library on the Conference topic areas. It also includes links to additional…

Responding to a growing call for culturally sustaining pedagogy, this article describes a Community of Practice (CoP) project in Minnesota. Guided by two Indigenous mentors, a cohort of 15 Indigenous and Non-Indigenous educators engaged in collective inquiry regarding how Indigenous histories, worldviews, and learning approaches can become part of…