Trauma-Informed Leadership in the 21st Century

Abstract

The 21st century has been marked by war, migration, racial and political tensions, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. The impact of these events on communities is evident in research findings on trauma and education in the 21st century. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the impact of trauma on the learning environment and the ways which trauma-informed leadership may mitigate its effects in the classroom. A literature review will present existing research on trauma, learning in the classroom, educator performance, and trauma-informed relational leadership. A description of the physiological effects of trauma, examples of manifestations in the classroom, and leadership and educator mitigation strategies are provided. The chapter ends with recommendations of leadership's role in modeling trauma-informed practices and mitigation strategies.