The following information was previously included in a January 2026 Teaching Resource created by the Teaching and Learning Center.
This resource provides practical strategies to support a care-centered approach to teaching based on the principles of trauma-informed pedagogy. The goal of trauma-informed pedagogy is to support students by creating an environment in which the nervous system can relax in order to increase student success, deepen learning, and position everyone in the learning community as worthy of respect, compassion, and trust.
Be Transparent
Try methods outlined by the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework to establish direct communication with students. TILT calls for instructors to openly dialogue with students about how and why they learn, as well as their rationale for course and assessment design. This has been shown to contribute to students’ sense of self-efficacy, or the belief that they can succeed.
TILT Higher Ed provides suggestions and discipline-specific examples that communicate your dedication to supporting students’ learning. These include:
- Explicitly sharing an assignment’s learning objectives before students are asked to complete it.
- Allowing student input into course content where appropriate. Ask students to submit particular questions or interests about a topic beforehand and then speaking to those interests during class.
- Sharing rubrics with students in advance of deadlines and inviting them to practice applying the criteria to example work.
- Debriefing with the class after major summative assessments.
Foster Trust
Students impacted by trauma may have difficulty trusting instructors, particularly if the classroom has been a site of trauma for them in the past. Practice consistency and structure in your classroom routines and communication so that students know what to expect, and clarify boundaries and expectations. For example, you might identify a range of “email hours” in your syllabus and remind students that you will respond to student concerns during these scheduled times.
Another key element of building trust is soliciting and responding to student feedback. You may choose to set up a system for students to submit feedback anonymously at any time via a Google Form. You might also do a mid-quarter feedback survey where you ask students for feedback on your teaching and also to reflect on themselves as active participants in the course (review the TLC’s Mid-Quarter Surveys: Best Practices and Sample Questions for a survey example). Afterwards, you might present the results in class, sharing what you plan to implement that quarter, what you cannot implement, and what you may choose to implement in the future. This shows students that you take their feedback seriously.
As you ask students to trust you, remember to trust your students. What you may initially interpret as a sign of “resistance to learning … may be due to a traumatic stress response” (Harper and Neubauer, 2021, p. 17). Rather than making assumptions about behavioral issues, approach students with unconditional positive regard. Acknowledge them as complex people whose lives extend far beyond the classroom.
Recognize the Moment
Acknowledging the impact of current events in class can help students feel supported during challenging times. Friedman (2023) notes how instructors who demonstrate sensitivity and create space for students to share how they are impacted can have the powerful effect of allowing students to “normalize their own experiences and perceptions” during difficult periods (p. 21).
Beyond the moment, Khúc (2024) advocates for normalizing unwellness as the status quo for students by building flexibility into policies that produce pressure. For example, allowing students two no-questions-asked absences per quarter can alleviate the stress of asking permission to miss class. You may even choose to forgo tracking attendance to enable students who are chronically ill or who face other challenging circumstances to participate in the course. Please see the TLC’s Teaching Strategies to Support Academic Continuity Through Difficult Times Teaching Bulletin for more guidance.
Nurture Belonging
Belonging refers to a student’s sense of connectedness to a classroom or campus community. Instructors who are most effective at fostering student belonging have clear and high expectations of all students; provide the necessary support for students to meet those expectations; and create classroom climates in which students’ lived experiences and identities are valued and in which students have opportunities to connect to one another and the instructor (Taff & Clifton, 2022; Hagenauer & Volet, 2014).
One simple way to foster belonging is doing icebreakers throughout the quarter, and not only during the first session. You might try something simple, such as prompting students to share two words describing how they are doing at the beginning of class. If you have a large class, you might use iClicker, which can allow you to build a word cloud out of students’ responses so that you can see commonalities.
Another way to foster belonging is by empowering students to bring in their own interests and experiences where relevant. Classroom practices can both “contribute to students’ care networks or … intensify minoritization,” which is why Golden (2020) insists that it is important to pay attention and make space for students’ narratives about themselves and their experiences (p. 74). Please see the TLC’s Inclusive Teaching Guide or our teaching resource on Fostering and Sustaining Student Belonging Throughout the Term for more guidance.
Reflect on Your Positionality
As an instructor, you are in a position of authority in relation to students. However, your intersecting social context and identities may impact how students perceive that authority, as well as how you embody it. Some questions you might ask yourself to engage in critical reflection are:
- What assumptions or hierarchies inform your disciplines? How does your current teaching practice or the content of your curriculum align?
- Are there new or different perspectives that could be included in your curriculum?
- What context can you share with students about the history of your discipline that determine what kind of work that is rewarded?
- How do you occupy your role as an authority figure in the classroom? What effect does your performance of authority have on students?
- Consider your positionality in relation to your role. Where does power “come and collide, lock and intersect” in your personal experience navigating various institutions, departments, or other communities that you’ve been part of (Crenshaw, 1989)?
Accounting for your own experiences within educational systems can prime you to extend understanding and compassion to your students. You can also reflect on your current teaching practices and whether they are suited to a diverse group of learners. Reviews the TLC’s Teaching Guide on Inclusive Teaching for more on student-centered pedagogical approaches that foster an environment in which all students feel valued. Our resource on Tips for Digital Accessibility in Instruction helpful to ensure that you are using materials accessible to all students.
Campus Resources for Students
UCLA Red Folder: Reference guide to mental health resources for faculty, staff, and TAs or RAs who may interact with students in distress.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): Offers confidential mental health support to help students thrive academically and personally. For emergencies, contact CAPS’ 24/7 Crisis Counseling at (310) 825-0768.
UCLA CAPS CORE Team: A mobile response team of licensed behavioral health specialists who provide compassionate interventions, support, and resources to UCLA students experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center: Provides comprehensive healthcare services.
Refer a Student: Case Managers are available to assist students struggling with mental or physical health, facing an unexpected challenge or crisis, or experiencing a personal loss. Students can refer a classmate, roommate, or any other UCLA student.
Be Well Bruin: Online resource to increase students’ access to campus health and well-being resources.
Resilience In Your Student Experience (RISE) Center: Promotes student wellbeing through workshops, events, and resources focused on resilience and mental health.