Twenty-eighth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

This action research project examines how working on trauma-informed professional development affected special education staff. The primary takeaway from the research is the value of truly interacting with your staff and creating a safe environment for them to share. While their answers on two self-reported assessments were under-representative of their emotional state, the data pulled from semi-structured interviews contained warning signs for two of the four teachers in the study. These teachers also reported poor self-care, which contributed to the confirmation that they were experiencing. Another recommendation is to increase the variety, type, and frequency of social events for the school staff to provide opportunities to decrease the effects of compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary trauma.