UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative has rereleased its trauma-informed practices online module for K-12 educators after upgrading it based on feedback from teachers and scholars who initially utilized the training.
The initiative offers this asynchronous, self-paced module free to educators throughout Pennsylvania and around the country. In the commonwealth, teachers who complete the module receive six Act 48 credits.
The self-paced online module was developed to assist educators with the challenges of supporting K-12 students, teachers and other school community members who have experienced trauma.
“We thank all the teachers and scholars who have given us constructive criticism to enhance and fine-tune this module,” said the initiative’s director, Boaz Dvir, an associate professor of journalism in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State. “We’re continuously looking to improve all our offerings and welcome any and all suggestions from educators, scholars, parents and other stakeholders. Please keep the feedback and ideas coming.”
The module links trauma-informed professional learning with pedagogy. Topics range from creating a trauma-informed classroom to paying greater attention to self-care. Resources, including visual and auditory, guide users through the sections.
A team made up of initiative staff and affiliate members originally created the module. In alphabetical order, they included Amber Cesare, Dvir, Dara Hass, Brooklyn Leo, Tiffany Lewis, Amanda Smith, Kate Van Haren, and Elana Weinstein. Penn State associate professors Kathy Hill, Scott Metzger and Ashley Patterson provided guidance and assistance.
To access the module, which takes an average of six to eight hours to complete, individuals must register here.
Housed in the Bellisario College, the Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative helps educators navigate a variety of difficult topics and issues, including human rights abuses and trauma.