Healing in Schools Through a Values-Based Framework: Integrating Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Justice, and Multicultural Education
Review from the article: Healing in Schools: A Framework for Joining Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Justice, and Multicultural Education for Whole School Reform.
In this article, the authors discuss how three different approaches— Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Justice, and Multicultural Education — can complement each other and address blind spots that may be left unresolved when used individually. The objective is to propose a framework that encompasses a broader scope by acknowledging the commonalities and synergies between them which aspires to enhance its effectiveness by considering four dimensions: Self (Teachers), Students, Schools, and Communities (including families).
They advocate for “healing schools” in two senses: schools that function as spaces promoting healing and well-being among students and families, and schools that need healing due to their role as perpetuators of toxic environments. This framework is based on the power of collectiveness and dialogue, with an approach to reform that comes from within and is inextricably linked to justice, as it addresses systemic and historical constraints.
The authors explore the interconnectedness of resilience, trauma, and healing, highlighting the shared link between individual and collective trauma. This is particularly relevant to our research as we investigate its effects on students’ school experiences, such as lower academic achievement, behavioral issues, and absenteeism. The importance of physical and emotional safety, positive relationships, and support in managing emotions is also addressed through three perspectives: Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), Restorative Justice (RJ), and Multicultural Education (MCE).
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) focuses on understanding and addressing the impacts of trauma on individuals. It prioritizes safety, connections, and emotional management. Restorative Justice (RJ) strives to cultivate fair and inclusive learning environments, foster healthy relationships, and repair harm. This is achieved through practices such as restorative questioning and community-building circles. Multicultural Education (MCE) challenges monocultural perspectives by integrating diverse points of view, histories, and experiences into the curriculum, promoting equity and inclusivity.
In this framework, the authors introduce four core values that sustain the process of creating an equitable and just learning environment. These values are Relationships, Safety, Belonging, and Agency.
Relationships are at the center, acknowledging that trauma and injustices can reduce individuals’ ability to connect with others. This begins with educators’ self-awareness and cultural humility, which allows them to also prioritize the value of safety, essential for students’ healing and learning, as exposure to trauma can shatter their fundamental assumptions about the world and impact how they navigate through life. Belonging is acknowledged as a fundamental human need that plays a crucial role in students’ motivation, engagement, and well-being. Educators are encouraged to promote belonging by fostering trusting relationships, creating classroom environments that respect students’ unique identities, and implementing practices that address interpersonal discrimination. Agency aims to empower students and teachers to actively participate in shaping their lives, schools, and communities. This can be achieved by providing opportunities for involvement in decision-making processes and addressing issues that are important to them. These values can influence how students perceive themselves and shape their future possibilities.
By starting with values, schools can internalize, incorporate, and act from these principles and develop a “way of being” with students rather than just a “way of doing” which can add to their futures and development processes.
This article provides valuable insights for our project, focusing on important values that consistently foster inclusive environments and create safe spaces for learning. Community and belonging have emerged as fundamental aspects of development, where thoughtful practices can encourage individuals to feel self-confident and part of an environment that not only avoids perpetuating trauma but also embraces and makes them feel seen and secure. Schools can become spaces for growth, where solid foundations are built to shape students’ futures and promote healing. This extends beyond their role as students, as they become members of larger communities that enable them to flourish and thrive.
Taking a systemic approach that considers multiple facets and overlaps them in a way that allows us to try to avoid blind spots that may not be beneficial for students and teachers, where we can embrace diversity while providing equal opportunities for all.
Parameswaran, U.D., Molloy, J. & Kuttner, P. Healing Schools: A Framework for Joining Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Justice, and Multicultural Education for Whole School Reform. Urban Rev (2023).
