What's Next?
Professional Development
After reading a case study involving a student raising potentially triggering content in the classroom, I realized that it took far too long for me to research and reflect on what action I would be expected to take immediately. This is an indication that I should further my training so that I will be better prepared if such a scenario would arise in my secondary English classroom. In my current practice teaching adults in postsecondary institutions, there are different protocols in place and different responsibilities when teaching adults. However, when working with children and teens there are additional considerations.
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A useful resource which I relied on for the case study was the Ontario College of Teachers' (OCT) Professional Advisory on a teacher's Duty to Report. The site plainly describes a teacher's responsibility in such cases as abuse is suspected, the consequences for not taking appropriate action, and signs of abuse teachers should be watchful for to protect students in their care, and the school community. Access to all of the OCT's Professional Advisories can be found at this link.
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After considering the case study further, I wondered if professional development in the field of Trauma-Informed Teaching and Learning (TITL) may be appropriate. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be an AQ listed on the OCT site with TITL as a focus, though, I will continue searching. There does seem to be an appetite for this type of training amongst current teachers and administrators, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (Smith & de Klerk, 2022). Currently, TITL does not factor strongly into pre-service teacher training, at least in the United States (Brunzell et al., 2019; Reddig & VanLone, 2024). Canadian results would require a specific curriculum review.
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In the meantime, I did find a course called "An Introduction to Trauma-informed Practice," on the Ontario Learns site, so I may consider enrolling in that course in May in hopes of completing it before starting with a school board in September. ​
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Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2019). Shifting Teacher Practice in Trauma-Affected Classrooms: Practice Pedagogy Strategies Within a Trauma-Informed Positive Education Model. School Mental Health, 11(3), 600–614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-018-09308-8
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Reddig, N., & VanLone, J. (2024). Pre-Service Teacher Preparation in Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: A Review of State Competencies. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 23(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2022.2066547
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Smith, N., & de Klerk, E. D. (2022). Teachers’ perceptions and policy directives for transformative teacher leadership initiatives during and beyond covid-19. School Leadership & Management, 42(3), 275–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2088490