Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices for Dance Educators Online Course

Teaching through a pandemic has increased awareness of the need for more sustainable teaching methods that can be adapted to unpredictable circumstances in educational settings.

Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices for Dance Educators Online Course offers dance educators the information and tools they need to integrate trauma-informed approaches into their classrooms and rehearsals. These trauma-informed practices can be embedded into daily classroom, rehearsal, and performance interactions in an effort to reduce the impact of stress, trauma, and burnout.

Understanding Stress and Trauma
The goal of this course is “to help dance educators understand how stress, trauma, and burnout can show up in their classrooms, rehearsals, and performances as well as in themselves,” says Molly Schenck, course author.

Facilitator Guide and Modules
The online course, which is worth six professional development contact hours, comes with a digital facilitator guide. The facilitator guide provides descriptions, pacing, and time recommendations for each of the five modules as well as implementation tips and prompts for discussions and other group work.

The course can be delivered in person through a facilitator, or teachers can work through the course virtually and at their own pace. Each module takes 45 to 60 minutes to complete.

The five modules equip teachers to implement trauma-informed teaching practices into their dance curriculum. These modules

• introduce teachers to critical information on the theories of trauma-informed teaching,
• illustrate how to integrate the teaching practices into their classrooms and embed them in their curriculum and classroom culture,
• guide teachers in implementing the teaching practices in rehearsals and performances, and
• instruct them on how to evolve their trauma-informed teaching practices.

The modules include practical application exercises and reflection prompts that can also be used with students. A Knowledge Check quiz ends each module, and a comprehensive quiz demonstrates evidence of learning upon completion of the course. All assessments are automatically graded by the system, which provides immediate feedback. The quiz results can be printed, and participants can review their answers or retake the quiz if they want. Teachers can also download a certificate of completion to submit to the facilitator or administrator for professional development credit.

In addition, school districts can purchase a virtual visit with the author, signing on for a virtual hour or more.

Broad Appeal
Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices for Dance Educators Online Course has broad appeal to teachers in many dance styles and genres—as well as arts educators beyond dance, such as music and theater teachers. Coming at a much-needed time, this course will help teachers navigate stress, trauma, and burnout in classes, rehearsals, performances, and themselves through sustainable and compassionate practices.

Audience

Resource for dance educators, performing arts educators, studio owners and teachers, dance company leadership, arts administrators, physical educators, and psychologists and therapists who work with dancers.

Facilitator Guide
Course Introduction

Module 1. Introduction to Trauma-Informed Teaching
1.1 What Trauma-Informed Teaching Is and Is Not
1.2 Defining Scope of Practice and Purpose
1.3 Understanding the Autonomic Nervous System Through Polyvagal Theory
1.4 Theory in Action
1.5 SEL Connection
Knowledge Check

Module 2. Integrating Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices Into the Classroom
2.1 Introduction to Applying a Trauma-Informed Teaching Approach
2.2 Importance of Taking Care of Teachers
2.3 Strategies for Teachers
2.4 Techniques to Apply While Teaching
2.5 Empathy, Compassion, and Sympathy
2.6 SEL Connection
Knowledge Check

Module 3. Embedding Trauma-Informed Teaching Into the Curriculum and Classroom Culture
3.1 Trauma-Informed Creative Practices
3.2 Classroom Structure
3.3 Language and Physical Touch
3.4 Tools and Approaches to Practice
3.5 SEL Connection
Knowledge Check

Module 4. Implementing Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices in Rehearsals and Performances
4.1 Contextualizing Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices in Rehearsals and Performances
4.2 Rehearsal Structure
4.3 Performance Considerations on Stage, Backstage, and in the Audience
4.4 Creative and Solution-Focused Problem-Solving
4.5 SEL Connection
Knowledge Check

Module 5. Continuing Practices for Evolving Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices
5.1 Importance of Contemplative Practices
5.2 Reflecting on Classroom Culture
5.3 Reflecting on Past Behavior
5.4 Unpacking Difficult Situations
5.5 SEL Connection
Knowledge Check

Wrap-Up
Resources
References
Comprehensive Quiz
Optional Survey

The body of work by Molly W. Schenck (MFA, MEd) is rooted in a quest to understand humans. She is fascinated with human movement—whether it’s in the context of social justice, individuals persisting through systems, or how a body moves through space and time. She is also interested in what interrupts the full expression of movement (stress, trauma, burnout, injuries, chronic pain, etc.). This has guided the evolution of her studies and career path. She worked in higher education as an adjunct professor and administrator for 10 years. She taught mind–body courses and group fitness classes for 12 years. She specializes in the intersection of creativity and trauma and routinely implements trauma-informed creative practices. She is the founder of Grey Box Collective, an interdisciplinary, experimental, trauma-informed arts organization that devises original performances around topics of social and emotional well-being (i.e., makes weird art about tough stuff). She is also a certified as a trauma support specialist and personal trainer, is a 500-hour experienced yoga teacher (focused on asanas, pranayama, and meditation), and is a registered somatic dance educator. She is completing the Dynamic Embodiment somatic movement therapy training program to become a registered somatic movement therapist.

Video Demonstration Of The Trauma Informed Teaching Practices For Dance Educators Online Course