Integrating Culturally Responsive Teaching and Trauma-Informed Practices

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) and trauma-informed practices (TIP) are essential, interconnected approaches for supporting K–12 students, especially those from historically marginalized backgrounds who may experience higher rates of trauma.  

CRT acknowledges and values the diverse cultural backgrounds of students, encouraging educators to adapt their teaching methods and curriculum to reflect the cultural identities of their students, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement.

Trauma-informed practices (TIP) are designed to recognize and respond to the impact of trauma on students’ learning and behavior, such as creating communities of support. This approach emphasizes creating a safe and supportive environment that fosters trust, empowerment, and resilience.

By integrating CRT with TIP, educators not only validate students’ lived experiences but also provide pathways for healing and academic success, recognizing that addressing both cultural and emotional needs is critical to equitable education. 

The Intersection of CRT and TIP

Creating the conditions for culturally responsive teaching and trauma-informed care in K–12 settings is entrenched in three critical elements: recognizing and affirming the cultural backgrounds of students, integrating diverse perspectives into daily classroom learning, and fostering a sense of belonging. To accomplish this, consider trying the following.

1. Create safe spaces. Use seating arrangements that promote inclusiveness (e.g., arrange desks or tables in a circle or U-shape so that students can see each other, which fosters open communication and a sense of community. Alternatively, organize desks or tables into small groups of four to six to allow for collaborative work. Consider providing access to flexible seating options like floor cushions, standing desks, or soft chairs.

Establish norms for respect and active listening. For example, practice listen without interrupting—allow the speaker to share their thoughts fully before responding; use reflection-clarify (paraphrase or ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding and show that you value the speaker’s words, such as saying, “So what I’m hearing you say is…”).

Create a set of common phrases, visual cues, or reminders that reflect the classroom’s values and agreements, while honoring the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students (e.g., “Respect each other’s ideas”), and create a poster in multiple languages for the classroom. You might also include language frames like “I hear your perspective, and I’d like to add…” to model respectful discourse, encouraging students to use similar phrases in discussions.

2. Get to know your students, and teach them how to get to know one another. Implement regular check-ins to understand students’ backgrounds and interests. Using an informal method like exit tickets or a weekly reflection journal, start each week with a survey or a quick one-on-one conversation to learn about students’ current interests, current challenges, and any experiences they wish to share.

Foster peer connections and create opportunities for trust-building and celebration of the experiences of the class—for example, organize a “Cultural Sharing Day,” when students share something significant from their heritage or personal lives, or have a “Community Circle,” where students take turns speaking about their experiences or feelings in a safe, supportive environment.

Encourage collaborative learning and group projects that celebrate diverse perspectives. Create buddy systems for students to support each other emotionally and academically.

3. Integrate prior knowledge and diverse learning materials into the conversation and content. Build opportunities for student discourse that bring students’ stories and knowledge forward—for example, think-pair-share: Give students a question or topic related to the lesson. First, they think individually about their response, drawing from their personal experiences and knowledge. Then, they pair up with a classmate to discuss their thoughts. Finally, they share their ideas with the whole class. Modify according to the age/grade levels of your students.

Curate texts and resources that reflect various cultures and experiences. I recommend Culturally Responsive Teaching: Theory, Research, and Practice, by Geneva Gay; Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, by bell hooks; and The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children, by Gloria Ladson-Billings.

Include materials that address historical and contemporary issues relevant to students’ lives. Consider Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, by Zaretta Hammond; Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education, by Alex Shevrin Venet; and “Teaching Tolerance.”

Implement a “cultural sharing” segment—partner with a translator, if needed, and invite students to share aspects of their backgrounds, such as traditions, languages, or family stories, based on comfort levels during a designated time each week or month. They can use various formats—a short presentation, a visual project, or storytelling, depending on their comfort levels.

Guiding with a Trauma-Informed Lens

While you don’t need to know the details about a person’s trauma to be able to emotionally support them, it’s imperative that in working with diverse student populations, you’re aware that many of them and their families have been significantly impacted by trauma. Maintaining a trauma-informed lens with language and behavior challenges teachers to do the following:

Collaborate with students to build community, and make sure you feel equipped to provide responsive classroom management.

Establish clear expectations and routines to reduce anxiety, and use positive reinforcement and restorative practices instead of punitive measures. Create a “positive behavior ticket” system to recognize and reward students for desirable behaviors, which they can redeem for small privileges, and/or hold a restorative circle where students discuss the impact of the behavior and collaborate on ways to repair harm. This promotes empathy, accountability, and relationship-building.

Create quiet areas in the classroom where students can go if they feel overwhelmed.

Have flexible options for choosing and presenting assignments or demonstrating proficiency for a performance task. For example, students might demonstrate their understanding by creating a video presentation, writing a traditional essay, designing a visual timeline, or developing a podcast episode. This flexibility lets students leverage their strengths and interests.

Take the time to recognize and understand trauma and its potential triggers.

• Learn how to identify signs of trauma in students and understand potential triggers.
• Submit a query email to your school leadership, school counselors, social workers, Special Education department, and other school partners to explore how to implement strategies for de-escalation and support.

 Promote the understanding and use of emotional regulation skills.

• Teach students strategies for managing their emotions, such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness activities, and reflective journaling.
• Incorporate short breaks during lessons for students to practice these techniques.

 Utilize trauma-informed language—positive, supportive language—and avoid triggering or stigmatizing terms. This takes time, and you can often take cues from your students. Use language that’s nonjudgmental, affirming, and empathetic, while being careful to avoid terms that could trigger shame, fear, or feelings of inadequacy in students. Avoid discussing someone “creating a problem” or being a “problem student.” Consider an affirming statement like “I notice you’re having a hard time focusing right now; let’s work together to find a solution,” or “It looks like you’re frustrated—how can I help?”

Frame discussions around growth and resilience, as well as a belief in the students’ worth. For instance, if there’s a discussion about challenges, you could share a personal example and note, “Everyone faces setbacks, but it’s how we grow from them that matters. I believe each of you has the strength to overcome difficulties, and your unique experiences help make our class stronger.”

Another key part of the work is constructing partnerships with families and community organizations to better understand backgrounds and communication styles. Ideas include hosting events that celebrate cultural diversity and inviting community input about curriculum decisions. Partner with local cultural organizations and families to cohost a “Community Culture Night,” where families and community leaders are invited to share their traditions, foods, music, and stories. Leading up to the event, teachers could hold focus groups with families to learn about preferred communication styles and involve them in planning.

Building a school community anchored in culturally responsive teaching and trauma-responsive practices first requires building a culture and climate that encompasses how critical these are for true school improvement. Consistent, sustainable messaging, along with reflective practice around one’s own mental health, bias, and lived experiences, is crucial in order to teach and collaborate with diverse student populations.

One step at a time, one story at a time, engaging in this work is as rewarding as it is challenging, but your teaching, as well as your relationships with students and families, will thank you for it.