What You'll Get From This Course

Over half of all children in public schools across the country have experienced some form of trauma. The trauma students endure will impact their school experience in predictable and unpredictable ways. This course is designed to prepare subs to consider teaching and learning in a classroom through a trauma-informed lens.

You will learn:

  • to understand what traumas students might experience
  • how to create a culture of safety in the classroom - even when you are only there for a short time
  • to recognize when a student might be triggered and how to respond
  • what to do when a student exhibits behaviors that suggest they are coping with stress


This course is filled with helpful material. We're so excited for you to get started. Happy learning!

Course curriculum

    1. Trauma-Informed Teaching: Pre-Course Reflection

    2. Intro to Trauma-Informed Teaching

    3. What to Expect in This Course

    4. Trauma-Informed Teaching Course Workbook

    1. What is Trauma?

    2. Traumatic Experiences

    3. Trauma and Child Development

    4. Reflection: Understanding Trauma

    5. Community: Understanding Trauma

    6. Physical & Emotional Safety

    7. Trauma & School

    8. Trauma & Learning

    9. Reflection: Trauma & School

    10. Community: Trauma & School

    11. Why Trauma for Subs?

    1. 4 Proactive Strategies

    2. Be Predictable

    3. Communicate Clear Expectations

    4. Reflect: Structured Classroom

    5. Community: Structured Classroom

    6. Build Trust

    7. Give Supportive Feedback

    1. What is a Trigger?

    2. Fight, Flight, & Freeze

    3. Reflect: The 3 Fs

    4. Community: The 3 Fs

    5. Observe & Stay Calm

    1. 4 Responsive Strategies

    2. Help

    3. Prompt

    4. Wait

    5. Process

    6. Reflect: What is going on here?

    7. Community: What is going on here?

    8. Getting Support From Outside the Classroom

    1. Assess your Triggers & Biases

    2. Build Resilience

    3. Reflect: Manage Compassion Fatigue

    4. Community: Manage Compassion Fatigue

    5. Trauma- Informed Teaching Resources

About this course

  • 43 lessons