The new role of teachers today: Being a trauma-informed teacher

With the increasing recognition of the impacts of traumatic events on children, interest in trauma-informed educational approaches has grown in the global literature. This has led to the development of an understanding that emphasizes the need to comprehend the physiological, social, emotional, and academic effects of trauma on children and the necessity of making changes in educational systems. The concept of trauma-informed education involves creating a safe and supportive classroom environment, being attentive to triggers and trauma responses, promoting self-regulation, and providing appropriate support to students who have experienced trauma. Accordingly, educators must be knowledgeable and skilled in recognizing the effects of trauma on children, reducing these effects, and providing appropriate support. Thus, a trauma-informed teacher can identify the difficulties children face at an early stage, reduce the risk of re-traumatization, prevent the worsening of distress by providing suitable support and resources, and create a safe environment for healing. However, despite Turkey being a vulnerable country in terms of trauma, the relationship between trauma and education has not been adequately addressed in Turkey. This study comprehensively examines the concept of trauma-informed teaching. As a result of the study, it is recommended to establish trauma-informed school systems that reflect our cultural sensitivities, to develop sensitive and evidence-based practices and research, and to increase and support the competencies of trauma-informed teachers in this regard.