A trauma-informed pedagogy is one that recognizes the existence and impact of trauma and works to prevent trauma and mitigate its negative effects. It recognizes that individual needs may differ and seeks to provide each individual with the support they need rather than imposing identical resources and inflexible expectations on all.

Engaging in trauma-informed teaching enhances learning, connection, creativity, and collaboration.

UWM instructors are uniquely positioned to create a culture of care for students. This process can begin through a review of collective practices and policies, with particular attention to course expectations and syllabi, to determine whether the policies promote equal treatment with minimal regard for differing circumstances or, conversely, allow or encourage equitable treatment based on a more holistic approach to a student’s situation and conditions that they need to be successful. A reshaping of department cultures to promote empathy for students’ diverse backgrounds and situations can foster institutional empathy.

Permission for flexibility with accountability needs to be built into the entire UWM culture and policies, and into departments, units, and individual courses. Trauma and stress impact folks in unique ways due to wide variations in exposure to trauma and stress, identities held, socioeconomic status, and available support and resources. For these reasons the University’s approach will need to be tailored to best address the diversity of student experiences.

It is possible to be both caring and to uphold high academic standards in the classroom; in fact, thoughtfully practiced trauma-informed teaching makes it more possible for students with varied needs to successfully achieve intended course learning outcomes. Infusing care into the classroom can It is possible to be both caring and uphold the academic rigor in the classroom.  Infusing care into the classroom can strengthen UWM’s community of care, leading to greater student retention and success.

Some suggested ways to integrate care into the classroom are:

• Seek to understand; listen to student feedback about their learning needs and experiences in the course. Include an opening check-in at the start of the course, to give individual students a confidential way to share with you anything they’d like you to know that might affect their performance in the course. Throughout the term, incorporate regular brief check-ins to gather student feedback about how they’re experiencing course content and activities. Individual feedback can be gathered through Canvas surveys or on notecards collected at the end of a class period. Digital polling offers an efficient way to elicit immediate, anonymous feedback from the class as a whole..
• Model vulnerability and self-care. Try sharing a little about your experiences, to the extent you are comfortable. Speak to what you do for self-care to combat stress. This can create pathways for reciprocal care and a supportive environment in the classroom. Offer grace and compassion, and give yourself the same.
• Encourage self-care (physical, emotional and mental). Encourage self-care activities, including connecting with friends/social support networks, getting outside, meditating, getting physical activity, etc. You can also include mindfulness and breathing practices in class sessions as appropriate. Some faculty do breathing exercises before each class. Some examples are available here: https://uwm.edu/wellness/mindfulness/
• Co-create the classroom space. Check in with your students while reviewing the syllabus and assignments to see when assignments should be due, when check-ins should occur, etc.  Alternatively, let students know early in the semester which items you have flexibility on, and which ones you don’t.
• Foster connections and community. Use introductions, which enable students to connect with one another throughout the class, especially at the beginning of the semester. Social support is paramount in persevering through traumatic events, and building a community, even a small one in the classroom, is incredibly important.
• Give flexibility with assignments, tests, etc. to the extent possible. Establish shared accountability when doing so (e.g., clear expectations associated with extensions or alterations to routine processes).
  • A majority of students believe deadlines should be flexible for extenuating circumstances; however, students also rely on deadlines for motivation or staying on track. Some flexibility is great, but structures and accountability can exist within that flexibility.
  • It’s often possible to “build in” flexibility, especially when courses are designed with frequent, low-stakes assessments. Examples of such built-in flexibility include: dropping the lowest score(s) and/or permitting students to skip an occasional small assignment; giving all students a “free pass” to submit an assignment late; setting due dates windows and or including “grace periods” in which students can still submit an assignment late without penalty.
• Include student resources in your syllabus information, let students know that you can help connect them to resources, and empower them to reach out for help. Show students the Support U website for more specifics on resources or connect them with the Dean of Students Office: https://uwm.edu/student-support/

Additional Principles and Practices to Enhance Classroom Emotional Safety, adapted from the University of Buffalo.