Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Alternative Format

Degree

Master of Arts

Program

Education

Supervisor

Rodger, Susan C.

Abstract

As the majority of literature regarding experiences at school has centered around students, there remained a gap in the collective understanding of the lived experiences of teachers. This research consisted of secondary analyses on archival data and aimed to gain insight into teacher opinions and needs by examining teacher awareness and knowledge of Trauma-and-Violence- Informed-Care (TVIC), current Professional Development, and future PD needs. Sixty-seven teachers completed a survey, with twelve subsequently engaging in semi- structured interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and measures of association, while qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. Results indicate that teachers are aware of trauma, but are not necessarily sure how to address it in the classroom. Teachers also indicated that their current PD activities do not meet their needs, and they require specific PD dedicated to trauma. The recommendations provided by teachers can inform future PD decisions and programming.

Summary for Lay Audience

Teachers are considered to be the main caring adult outside of the home. As such, they become responsible for many aspects of student well-being, including social, emotional, educational, physical and most recently, mental wellness and trauma support. Trauma is recognized as persistent effects resulting from an experience or multiple experiences that are damaging to an individual. Trauma is incredibly common, and it is associated with many academic, social, and other outcomes, making it necessary to understand trauma, how it presents, and how to effectively support individuals with experience of trauma. These important responsibilities, on top of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, meetings and other requirements can place a lot of strain on teachers. The increased proportion of teacher burnout and attrition is significant, leading to a need to understand and work to meet teacher needs. The current study entailed secondary analyses on research previously conducted for a previous project. That research was conducted in two phases; first, teachers completed a survey about their background, attitudes and beliefs about trauma and violence, and Professional Development experiences and needs. Subsequently, interested teachers participated in semi- structured interviews aiming to gain detailed information about their experiences of Professional Development, Trauma-and-Trauma-and-Violence-Informed-Care (TVIC), and future needs in these areas. Survey participants included 67 experienced associate teachers listed as “active” on a University Teacher Education program roster, while interview participants consisted of 12 teachers from the survey group who indicated willingness to complete an interview. Results of this research demonstrate that teachers have an understanding that trauma exists, and how it manifests in the classroom. They implement some strategies to support students who may have or are currently experiencing trauma, however teachers overwhelmingly identified a need for PD activities dedicated to trauma and TVIC. The teachers identified system level challenges with their previous Professional Development experiences, and made recommendations to improve PD so that it would better support them, and have more relevance and applicability to their work. These findings are a starting point in understanding teacher needs that can be used to inform both future research in the area as well as future PD activities for teachers.

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