The Benefits of Trauma-Informed Classrooms – Katelyn Travis | Alumni Feature

Building a visual arts classroom in which students feel safe to create, explore, and make mistakes is one of the most fundamentally important steps in building a successful learning environment. While serving as a Resident Teaching Artist, I had the opportunity to observe every homeroom during social-emotional learning lessons while working with the Westgate Mental Health Team. I noticed consistent correlations between certain classroom environment components and students’ behavioral incidents while in this room. These observations inspired me to further research what specific aspects of a classroom environment are positively impactful on students, especially students with trauma, disabilities, or learning difficulties. When constructing a trauma-informed classroom, educators should keep three l key priorities in mind related to student experience: safety, engagement, and trust. 

A trauma-informed classroom prioritizes students’ emotional, psychological, and physical safety and creates a strong sense of security. This stability is essential for helping students feel more comfortable, less anxious, and more willing to participate in classroom activities. 

Another major benefit of a trauma-informed environment is the opportunity to enhance student learning and expression. Student focus, engagement, and academic performance is positively correlated with how safe and supported students feel while in the classroom. For example, when given a non-verbal outlet to process and express their feelings, students can better express themselves creatively, express their feelings, and even cope with past or present trauma. This can be especially therapeutic for students who may need extra assistance with managing their emotions and developing healthy coping strategies.

Trauma-informed practices, lastly, can help build and maintain trust between students and teachers. Developing positive relationships leads to significant behavioral improvements, which is important to consider for Title-1 funded schools in which behavioral incidents may occur more regularly. Building trust between students and teachers will consequently foster positive peer interactions, which overall contributes to creating a positive, kind atmosphere in the classroom and in the school. Teachers must always understand, too, that challenging behaviors  can be a result of existing trauma experienced by the students; with this, educators should attempt to respond more compassionately, which will lead to better behavioral outcomes and overall a more harmonious classroom. 

Centering trauma-informed practices in the classroom is essential for helping students to not only succeed academically, but also to find joy in education. Especially for students with trauma, disabilities, and learning difficulties, creating a trauma-informed environment is invaluable–when students feel safe, supported, and important to their school community, they will be more likely to prioritize their education and continue attending school throughout childhood. In the art room specifically, educators have an incredible opportunity to build a space that is not only meant for creation, but is also beneficial for building relationships between students, community, and the visual arts. 

Katelyn Travis is originally from Seattle, WA and has loved fashion and design since the age of 11. Katelyn graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in child development. She is a fashion designer who uses sustainably sourced materials to create and sell pieces of clothing to benefit her community. Katelyn served as a Resident Teaching Artist in the Greater Denver Area during the 2023-24 school year and will be starting her first year as Westgate Elementary School’s full-time art teacher.