Skip to main content

Post 3: Reflections on Cultivating Safe Spaces

 Safe Spaces

This week, I was blessed with an introduction to Elaine Alec's book, "Calling My Spirit Back".

Alec is Syilx and Sewepemc community leader, advisor, and planner. Through stories, she shares a collection of teachings and protocols shared with her by elders, knowledge keepers, language speakers, and community helpers. This book speaks to the idea of walking on two legs that I spoke to in my first post. She speaks on how to use Indigenous knowledge to support community and economic planning and has experience working with divisive and sensitive settings in her work with government and community individuals and groups. 
It was this concept of creating a safe space for self and for others that sparked a connection for me in my focus on supporting behaviour challenges with Indigenous principles. I’m beginning to consider more the aspect of working with the adult team involved (family, teacher, district staff, para-professionals, administration, etc) and not simply the child. 
Alec provides four protocols to cultivate safe spaces and the protocols provide an agreement of how people will be together and how they will treat each other: 
The following set of protocols is needed to hear what is in each other's hearts, so that everyone feels validated and heard. It is an acknowledgement that everyone is human, and keeping our emotions inside affects the way we might participate in decision-making. Decisions made from sadness, hurt or anger can cloud our thinking” (p. 179).
I considered each of Alec’s protocols as it would apply to a school-based team meeting regarding a student’s challenging or problematic behaviour.
  1. Promote Inclusion: Every person at the table is provided with an opportunity to share without interruption. Listening without debate and judgment, even when not in agreement. In my experience, not everyone may share at a larger meeting, which can leave the family or the teacher feeling on display or on trial. 
  2. Promote Validation: This involves remaining present and listening without formulating responses or rebuttals. Alec acknowledges that this protocol can be the most difficult. One speaker may go off topic or speak for longer than agreed upon; a listener may feel attacked or defensive of something being said.
  3. Promote Well-Being: As a team, self care and taking care of each other is important here. One person cannot take the entire responsibility of the issue at hand. Alec cautions here that personal information that individuals share should not be shared. I think this is so important in building trust with families and schools. Staff rooms can be places where teachers seek support, advice, and reassurance in difficult situations; unfortunately, I have experienced and witnessed sharing that feels like gossiping and harmful.
  4. Promote Freedom: People have the freedom to participate and make choices according to what feels right for them. The school-based team meeting is not going to be a place where everyone feels comfortable and able to be present in the above outlined ways. Everyone comes to the table with different experiences. I strongly believe that families should be given alternate options to attending meetings in person. A teacher feeling unsafe or unsupported may have a co-worker attend. 

I found a great deal of value in this book, as a parent, educator, and an Indigenous woman. I think I will be able to use teachings from this book in my life and work.

Alec, Elaine. (2020). Calling My Spirit Back. Tellwell Talent.



Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 26, 2023 at 2:07 PM

    Hi Maureen,

    As a former SBT chair, I really liked how you applied these principles to a school based team meeting. I agree with Alec in that it can be difficult to listen without formulating a response, especially at a school based team meeting where teachers are often seeking support and answers. When we listen to the whole story, without jumping in, we can often provide better advice and recommendations. Building trust with families is so important - we want their voice to be heard at meetings about their children, even if it is vicariously being shared through a staff representative like a classroom teacher or case manager. It really is important to lay down ground rules of confidentiality - I, too, have heard "gossip" that should have been relayed behind closed doors with those who need to know. We also have to remind staff about having those types of conversations in front of other children. There are always little ears listening, so those quick exchanges in the hallway or in classroom doorways are not confidential spaces either. It sounds like you are doing some good work with your SBT, and finding inspiration in the professional books you are reading! :)

    Take care,
    Tina

    Sorry for the "anonymous" profile - I received an error message saying "unable to sign in to comment" but didn't want to abandon the post!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Post 5: Curriculm Changes in British Columbia

This week's assigned readings that spoke to how curriculum is influenced and how complex any type of reform in education can be inspired me to look in more depth at the British Columbia curriculum which was redesigned in 2015. The changes to the B.C. curriculum were implemented in 2015, however the changes coming were being presented to the public and educators in 2012. Enabling Innovation: Transforming Curriculum and Assessment i s an article published by the B.C. Ministry of Education that described the process that guided the reform. Input and recommendations from the Curriculum and Assessment Framework Advisory Group (comprised of non-specified partner groups and academic institutions), and which supported by Regional working teams (consisting of involved principals, superintendents, district staff, teachers, parents, school trustees, and students): increased flexibility in learning to allow for students to explore personal interests flexible instructional design that allows f...
3 comments
Read more

Post 1: 2 Worlds, 2 Legs, and Moving Forward

I have recently been introduced to the pharse, walking on two legs , although it would seem I've been doing so my whole life. Walking on two legs is a term that represents combining Indigenous ways of knowing and being with Western knowledge and ways of living. Growing up with an Indigenous mother and non-Indigenous father, I experienced the phenomenon of experiencing both worlds and the feeling of not fitting in entirely with either. As an adult, I was able to appreciate the experience and value the gifts and gifts that each perspective has brought to my life. In a public school system, I have experienced as a student, a parent, and as an educator the effects of a colonized classroom and public chool system. I am also the daughter, niece, and cousin of residential school survivors. As an educator, I feel the responsibility and motivation to improve the school experience for all students--and for students who are struggling in particular. I recognize the privileges I have had the o...
3 comments
Read more

Post 2: Supporting Classroom Teachers in Implementing Behaviour Supports

  In my past 15 years of teaching, supporting students with exceptional needs has been prominent for me both as a general classroom teacher and as a Learning Assistance Resource Teacher supporting students and teachers with plans and resources. Typically in my school district, we work under the framework of a Three Tier Model for behavioural support:  Tier 1 addresses the entire school population. Clear expectations and rules are taught and procedures are outlined and supervised. There are consequences in place when students do not follow these outlines and school or class-wide expectations are revisited often.  Image from pbis.org Tier 2 applies to a smaller school population and will involve some reteaching and supports. This may involve a small group reviewing lunchtime rules during a lunch hour or a points system within the school or classroom that has items or activities that specifically motivate students exhibiting problem behaviours. Thi s level of support will l...
1 comment
Read more