Reimagining Teacher Education: Embedding Trauma-Informed Practices and Mental Health Supports Post-Crisis

• In Event: Voices of Emotional First Responders: Honoring Teacher Humanity Through Trauma and Overlapping Crises

Abstract

This study explores the urgent need to integrate trauma-informed pedagogy into teacher preparation programs and to fund multilingual mental health supports in public schools. The return to in-person schooling after the COVID-19 pandemic introduced complex challenges for educators and students alike. Teachers faced "firsts," including re-establishing classroom routines and managing significant emotional and behavioral changes in students. As schools shifted focus from purely academic achievement to student behavior, social-emotional learning (SEL) programs were introduced. While SEL fostered important skills like self-regulation and emotional awareness over time, it alone was insufficient to address the deeper, recurring traumas experienced by many school communities.
The 2025 Eaton Fires in Southern California underscored this ongoing reality of trauma, displacing students and staff and forcing repeated school closures. Educators once again stepped up to support students emotionally and academically, yet many felt unprepared to meet the complex needs of those who had lost homes, loved ones, or a sense of safety. This highlights the gap between SEL initiatives and the comprehensive trauma-responsive support necessary for healing and resilience.

Trauma-informed pedagogy moves beyond SEL by emphasizing the creation of emotionally and psychologically safe learning environments. It equips teachers to recognize signs of trauma, respond with empathy, and adjust their teaching practices accordingly. A foundational principle is that without safety, learning cannot effectively occur. Preparing educators with this knowledge ensures that schools can be places of structure, predictability, and support—critical factors for trauma-affected students.

To achieve this, trauma-informed content must be embedded throughout teacher education curricula. Courses in educational psychology and classroom management should cover the neurological and behavioral impacts of trauma, including natural disasters and pandemics, alongside culturally responsive strategies. Practical training should involve role-playing, case study analyses, and field experiences that expose pre-service teachers to trauma-informed practices. SEL should be integrated as a complementary tool that models mindfulness, self-regulation, and self-care, both for students and educators.

Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential, involving counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals to foster a culture of care and communication. Importantly, teacher preparation must also focus on educators’ own well-being, offering strategies to manage emotional responses and prevent burnout, given that teachers themselves experience trauma and the emotional toll of supporting vulnerable students.

This research advocates for a fundamental shift in teacher education to meet the realities of overlapping crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Eaton Fires. By embedding trauma-informed pedagogy and multilingual mental health supports in preparation programs, future educators will be better equipped to serve and heal alongside their students.

Together with related work, these findings contribute to a broader effort to “unforget” the histories of trauma and resilience that shape teaching and learning. It calls on educational institutions to move beyond symbolic gestures and prioritize lasting, equitable support for educators and students. Ultimately, this work envisions a future where schools are sites of healing and justice, prepared for the complex challenges of a changing world.

Authors

• Ellin Avanesian, Pepperdine University

• Elianna Campos, Pasadena Unified