Teaching Without Trauma-Informed Preparation

A Journey of Experience, Reflection, and Advocacy

Abstract

This narrative currere explores the dissonance between preservice teacher preparation and the lived realities of classroom teaching, particularly in the context of trauma-informed practice (TIP). Drawing from over a decade of experience as a classroom teacher, administrator, and teacher educator, the author reflects on how traditional teacher education programs often emphasize theoretical knowledge and technical planning while neglecting the emotional, relational, and trauma-responsive dimensions of teaching. The paper traces the author’s personal journey through critical moments of classroom practice—many shaped by student trauma—and illustrates how a lack of trauma-informed preparation left her under-equipped to meet students’ social-emotional needs. By using Pinar’s (1975) method of currere, the author reimagines what teacher education could look like if trauma-informed pedagogy were embedded from the beginning. The paper calls for systemic shifts in how universities structure teacher education, urging the integration of clinical experiences, reflective practice, and TIPs as core components rather than supplementary content. This work contributes to the growing conversation around bridging the gap between theory and practice in teacher preparation and advocates for training that prepares educators not just to deliver content, but to respond with empathy and resilience to the complex realities of the students they serve.