This master's thesis discusses a pedagogical approach called Trauma-Informed Pedagogy which addresses and considers the findings on trauma in the field of education and social welfare. In the theoretical introduction, I define the concepts of traumatic event, traumatic experience, and trauma. I then describe the types of traumas and the consequences of coping with traumatic experiences. I present the findings of relevant studies on trauma and adverse childhood experiences and further outline the protective factors in the lives of children and adolescents when dealing with traumatic experiences. This is followed by a presentation of different approaches based on the understanding of trauma in the field of education, including a more detailed presentation of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy. In the empirical part, I investigate the experiences of German educators with the use of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy. In a qualitative study conducted through semi-structured interviews, I explore trauma-informed pedagogical interventions they employ in their work practice. I examine the effects of the approach they observe in children and adolescents, as well as in themselves and in their working environment. I am also interested in finding out the challenges and limitations they encounter using Trauma-Informed Pedagogy and their suggestions for improvement of the approach. The research results indicate that educational professionals use a variety of trauma-informed pedagogical interventions in their work that are based on fundamental principles of Trauma-Informed Pedagogy. They observe positive effects on children and adolescents' behaviour and self-understanding, as well as numerous positive changes in their own pedagogical practice and working atmosphere. However, they are confronted with organisational constraints as well as their own uncertainties and challenges in applying the approach. As a suggestion for improving the approach, they emphasize the desire to expand the trauma-pedagogical content and express the need to transfer this knowledge to other relevant fields.
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