Trauma-Informed Workshop Series
We invite Trent faculty and staff to join us for a 2-part workshop series on Trauma-Informed Pedagogy, hosted by the Trent Teaching Commons (TTC). Trauma-Informed Pedagogy emphasizes the student as a whole person rather than simply as a learner and asks educators to think through how we might build classroom policies and practices to help foster student resilience.
These workshops were developed in collaboration with Dr. Jeanie Tietjen, a leading expert in trauma-informed pedagogy. Jeanie is a Professor of English at MassBay Community College. She is also the founder and director of the Institute for Trauma, Adversity, and Resilience in Higher Education. You can learn more about Trauma-Informed Pedagogy on our Teaching and Learning Resource Hub.
Workshop 1: Using Trauma-Informed Principles to Support Student Academic Resilience.
This first session explores what trauma-informed pedagogy is, where it comes from, and why it is becoming a popular pedagogical framework. We will learn about the neurobiological basis of trauma and how it affects our brains, our bodies, and our ability to learn. We will emphasize the key pillars of a trauma-informed pedagogy and look at some basic classroom philosophies you might consider when implementing this approach.
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Time: 10am-noon
Workshop 2: Trauma-Informed Pedagogy and Practice.
This second workshop builds on the information and strategies from the first session and looks at practical strategies for implementing trauma-informed principles in your teaching. We explore trauma-informed practices related to course preparation, classroom teaching, assessment and grading, and post-course reflection. We will have opportunities for discussion and work through sample case studies.
We recommend attending Workshop 1 to have the necessary background information to fully participate in Workshop 2.
Date: Tuesday, May 12, 10am-12pm
Time: 10am-noon
Workshop Facilitators:
Lillian Alberry: Lillian is an eLearning Designer at the Trent Teaching Commons . She has more than 20 years of experience in online learning and course/resource development. She holds an MA in Learning and Technology and a graduate certificate in Instructional Design from Royal Roads University. Her research interests are in accessibility and universal design in online learning and virtual simulation.
Dana Capell: With over 20 years of experience in a variety of educational settings, Dana brings to her work as Senior Education Developer a deep appreciation of instructional and assessment practices that help students develop critical skills and that promote student well-being. In her former role as an Academic Skills Instructor, Dana provided individual and group support to students working across the disciplines; within the TTC, Dana works to create resources to support GTA’s and faculty’s use of innovative and effective course design, instructional strategies, and assessment practices.
Devon Stillwell: Devon has worked at Trent since 2018 as a course instructor. She has taught courses in gender and social justice, and in the history department. Since 2022, she has worked in the Trent Teaching Commons as an Education Developer with a focus on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Over the past year, she has coordinated the development of the TTC’s trauma-informed resources. She is looking forward to sharing them with faculty and incorporating trauma-informed principles into her own courses.