Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in Higher Education: Balancing Rigor, Gatekeeping, and Student Wellbeing

Dr. Jordan Shaw

&

Tina Nightingale

Faculty Institute 2026

Structure

Introduction: The Reality of Teaching in 2026

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Trauma-Informed Principles: SAMHSA Trauma-Informed Principles & Ecological Systems Theory

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The Pressures: Rigor, Gatekeeping, and Student Well-Being

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Teaching Strategies: Predictability, Transparency, Flexibility, and Relationships

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Reflection and Closing: Next Steps in your teaching

Faculty Institute 2026

The Reality of Teaching in 2026

Key points:

• Higher education students are experiencing increasing stress, trauma exposure, and uncertainty

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• Faculty are balancing:
• academic rigor
• professional gatekeeping
• student wellbeing

Trauma-informed pedagogy is often

misunderstood as “lowering standards.”

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Faculty Institute 2026

Trauma-Informed Principles in Education

SAMHSA Trauma-Informed Principles

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• Safety
• Trustworthiness and transparency
• Peer support
• Collaboration and mutuality
• Empowerment and voice
• Cultural humility and responsiveness

Ecological Systems Theory

(Urie Bronfenbrenner)

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• Microsystem
• Mesosystem
• Exosystem
• Macrosystem

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Faculty Institute 2026

The Three Pressures Faculty Navigate

Faculty Institute 2026

Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategies

Predictability and Structure

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• Students feel safer when expectations are clear.

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Transparent Communication

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• Transparency reduces anxiety and confusion

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Flexible Rigor

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• Maintain standards while allowing reasonable flexibility.

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Building Relationships

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• Create intentional moments of connection

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Faculty Institute 2026

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Case Study

Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in Higher Education

Balancing Rigor, Gatekeeping, and Student Wellbeing

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Case Study Scenario: The Overwhelmed Undergraduate Student

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Trauma-Informed Gatekeeping

Faculty must sometimes determine when students are not ready for professional practice.

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Trauma-informed gatekeeping includes:

• clear expectations
• early feedback
• supportive remediation
• documentation
• ethical responsibility to the profession

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Faculty Institute 2026

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Teaching with Humanity

In the Digital Age

Trauma-informed teaching reminds us that learning is still fundamentally relational.

Examples:

• meaningful feedback
• student check-ins
• discussion-based learning
• inclusive classroom practices

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Faculty Institute 2026

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Reflection Activity

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What is one small change you could make in your teaching that would support both rigor and student well-being?

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Faculty Institute 2026