Early Childhood Teacher Perspectives Regarding Preparedness to Teach Children Experiencing Trauma

 Problem

There is a need for teacher preparation experiences that focus on trauma, the influence of trauma on children and teachers, and techniques to help children and teachers become successful. The problem is the absence of teacher preparation on how trauma impacts students, and trauma-sensitive instruction.

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how teachers’ perspectives about teacher preparation experiences influenced their teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments for preschool children who have experienced trauma. The purpose of this study is how to manage the social-emotional welfare of students, that forces teachers to learn how to appropriately and calmly respond to difficult student behaviors while on the job (Phifer & Hull, 2016). The knowledge possessed by teachers and the methods they use to respond to trauma have the potential to positively or negatively impact traumatized children (Cole, Eisner, Gregory, & Ristuccia, 2013). It is important for teachers to understand the connections between decreased learning, academic achievement, and childhood mental health problems caused by trauma (Wong, 2008).

Population/ Participants

Interviews to gather and analyze data about how teachers’ perspectives of teacher preparation experiences influence their teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments for preschool children who have experienced trauma. A collection and examination of data from participants who have similar knowledge and experiences (Patton, 2015). The criteria for participant contributions included: preschool teachers with varying years’ experience, degrees, and preparation experiences, who also felt they had taught children who experienced trauma.

Methodology

I exercised purposeful sampling for this study. Purposeful sampling in qualitative research allowed me to choose individuals to participate in the study for specific reasons that resulted from central concepts and contours of the research questions (Ravitch & Carl, 2016). Utilizing purposeful sampling, I collected and examined data from participants who have similar knowledge and experiences (Patton, 2015). Purposeful sampling was utilized to compare and focus on the causes for variances between settings and individuals. Purposeful sampling accomplished diversity in the population therefore guaranteeing that the outcomes correctly represented the variation within the population and not just the norm or a subset. It was important that the sampling size be selected to fit the goals and the purpose of the research study, the resources available, the questions being asked, and the limitations of the study (Patton, 2015)

 

Data Sources

Brock, L. L., & Curby, T. W. (2014). Emotional support consistency and teacher–child relationships forecast social competence and problem behaviors in prekindergarten and kindergarten. Early Education and Development, 25(5), 661– 680. doi:10.1080/10409289.2014.866020

This source was important because the goal of the present study is to understand whether the relation between the consistency of teachers' emotional support and children's behavior is mediated by teacher–child relationships. 

Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2018). Why do you work with struggling students? Teacher perceptions of meaningful work in trauma-impacted classrooms. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(2) 116-142. doi:10.14221/ajte.2018v43n2.7

This source is important because given the challenging, daily work of educating trauma-affected students, the findings of this study supported the contention that teachers in trauma-affected classrooms experience MW if they observed their own workplace wellbeing and have effective practice pedagogy.

Tsiakara, A., & Digelidis, N. (2015). Learning environment and type of goals: How it affects preschool children’s performance and their perceptions of their performance. Early Child Development and Care, 185(13), 464-474. doi:10.1080/03004430.2014.936427

This resource is important because the aim of this research was to study the effect of learning environment and type of goals on preschool children's performance during a play, and preschool children's perception of their performance and preschool children's satisfaction with developmentally appropriate practices.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a gap exists in the research regarding teachers’ perspectives about how teacher preparation influences the strategies used to teach and support preschool children who have experienced trauma. The purposeful sampling was used to explore how teachers’ perspectives about teacher preparation experiences influenced their teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments for preschool children who have experienced trauma.

 

How this study reflects developmentally appropriate practice related to meaningful learning in supportive environments for young children.

Developmentally appropriate practices is about creating a caring, equitable community of equitable learners. According to NAEYC (2020) “Educators are prepared to recognize signs of stress and trauma in young children and seek access to early childhood mental health experts, supports, and resources to provide healing-centered approaches to assist children” (NAEYC 2020). Educators recognize that children who have experienced trauma may need frequent, explicit, and consistent reminders that they are psychologically and physically safe. Educators also keep children’s resilience in mind, knowing that simple actions like being consistently warm and caring support healthy development for all children including those who have experienced trauma.

The information gleaned from this dissertation may further your work related to fostering supportive learning environments through positive classroom cultures and classroom communities for young children and their families.

The results of this study filled a gap in the literature. There was research regarding trauma and research regarding teacher preparation. However, there was a lack of research specifically focusing on how teachers’ perspectives about teacher preparation experiences influenced their teaching strategies and the creation of supportive environments when working with preschool children who have experienced trauma. This new knowledge in the field may provide teachers with a voice to evaluate and communicate insights regarding teacher preparation experiences that may contribute to the addition and creation of new teacher preparation opportunities that will focus specifically on the content of trauma and young children.


References

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2020a). Creating a caring, equitable community of learners.Links to an external site. In, Developmentally Appropriate Practice: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (pp. 15–17). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/dap/creating-community 

 

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