TOWARDS RACE CENTERED TRAUMA-INFORMED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR WHITE TEACHERS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

In the face of today’s twin pandemics, COVID-19 and our country’s structural racism, schools are implementing trauma-informed professional learning opportunities to better prepare teachers to meet their students’ needs. However, many of these trainings only address individual forms of trauma, disregarding systemic forms of trauma, such as racial trauma. Research demonstrates that White teachers often respond to issues of race by disengaging or becoming defensive, responses rooted in shame. This literature review draws on race centered trauma-informed professional learning research to support White teachers in working through White teacher identity development and shame resilience towards the goals of (1) cultivating critical self-awareness, (2) understanding and dismantling systems of racial dysfunction and trauma in schools, and (3) supporting and honoring their Black students’ needs with racial trauma in schools. This literature review synthesizes recommendations from race centered professional learning experiences that equip White teachers to create effective trauma-informed classrooms and schools.