Center for Early Childhood Education and Intervention (CECEI)

The pilot evaluation of the Trauma Sensitive Pedagogy (TSP) course will support educators in considering the complex nature of adversity and trauma, along with the many ways these events may influence: 

• Students’ learning and development in the classroom and,
• The entire system of support, including educators, caregivers, and the broader community. 

Leveraging an understanding of how adversity and trauma can influence the classroom and school environment, the TSP course will support educators to develop trauma sensitive pedagogical practices that are necessary to promote a positive context for student learning, increase professional support for educators, and promote positive student-teacher relationships.

Educators participating in the course will be asked to select a child, maintaining anonymity,  currently in their classroom who has experienced adversity or trauma and for whom the educator is concerned with regards to their social, emotional, behavioral and/or academic progress. Through the course, educators will engage in activities designed to help them better support that child.

Upon completion of this course, educators will:

• be knowledgeable about the principles of trauma-informed schools
• understand the effects of adverse events on student development across cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social domains
• understand the impact of adversity on learning
• be able to recognize and capitalize on student strengths to implement effective student-centered pedagogy
• engage in reflective practice around their own beliefs about, and reactions to, traumatic events and how this impacts their classroom pedagogy
• develop and implement Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely-Trauma Informed (SMART-TI) goals and strategies in support of student learning and development
• leverage school and community-based resources to facilitate a trauma-informed system of support for families, students, and teachers

The TSP course is designed to address Pillar 4 of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Specifically, the course responds to Pillar 4.5.2: “Each local school system develops a plan to enhance and expand school behavioral health supports” (which requires schools to prepare staff to address children’s trauma). Your participation in the course will also inform the expanded rollout of TSP to other educators in other states.

Drs. Christy Tirrell-Corbin (University of Maryland) and Carlomagno Panlilio (Pennsylvania State University) will facilitate the TSP course.  

This course will be offered on Tuesdays, 4-6 p.m. from February 25, 2025 through May 20, 2025 (no class on March 11, March 18 or April 15). The course will be offered as a virtual, synchronous format over Zoom.

Participants of this course will receive a $1,000 stipend and certificate of course completion, as well as an opportunity to provide feedback on course design, effectiveness, and scale-up to other districts and states.

To be eligible for this course, you must:

• currently be a PreK3/Head Start-3rd grade lead teacher in a Title I school
• be employed by Anne Arundel, Howard, or Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland
• have at least three years of teaching experience in a grade between PreK3 and 3rd, and in a public school setting
• have the capacity and intend to participate in all course sessions and complete preparatory work outside of course time

Space is limited. For those interested, please complete the application form.

For questions, contact us at TSPatCECEI@umd.edu.