#ChooseACTION to Create + Maintain Brave and Safe Spaces

Creating Brave + Safe Spaces

Co-Constructing Norms

Creating a brave space and a safe space for yourself and your students is a priority in all teaching and learning but preparing for conversations about race and racism requires a mindful approach to doing no harm. Consider your own social location and how that intersects with your students and think about what might be a trigger for some students and how they might be impacted by conversations and activities in class. In each action consider the emotional safety of the most vulnerable person in the room. (knowing that you may not know who that is) Asking students what they need from you and being the educator they need you to be is always good practice. Take time to do this. It doesn't have to be done in a week - community is built over time with consistent practice.

Supporting Mentally Healthy Conversations About Anti-Black Racism With Students.pdf

Supporting Mentally Healthy Conversations about Anti-Black Racism with Students

We are living in challenging times, and for many this is a time when mental health needs are surfacing or being amplified. Thank you for being there to support your students. Please see this guide from Student Mental Health Ontario.

Fostering a Reflective Classroom

engage the students in the process of creating a class contract that clearly defines rules or expectations for participation.

A reflective, supportive classroom community is fostered by:

creating a sense of trust and openness
encouraging participants to speak and listen to each other
making space and time for silent reflection
offering multiple avenues for participation and learning
helping students appreciate the points of view, talents, and contributions of less vocal members

Creating Classroom Norms Video

When students help create their classrooms’ rules and culture, they’re more engaged and invested in learning.

Let's Talk

Regardless of who we are, our intentions, or how long we’ve been teaching, facilitating conversations about race and racism take planning, astute awareness and care. Use the strategies in this resource as you prepare to facilitate difficult conversations about race and racism. You can also use them to build competency when discussing other types of discrimination, such as gender bias, ableism, and religious or anti-LGBT persecution.

This resource helps you to prepare yourself and have a plan for your students.

Invite students to read and reflect on this poem - Invitation to Brave Space

What are their individual and collective commitments to this "Brave Space?" - record on a Google Jam Board or a sticky and display...

Consider a Talking Circle to Create Norms

Gather in a circle and create, or review, the norms that will help build trust. Select a significant object as a talking piece that allows participants to engage equally in the discussion. Whoever holds the talking piece can speak, while the rest of the circle listens supportively. Pose a question or statement to begin. It can be as simple as “How do you feel about today’s lesson?” As the facilitator or circle keeper, you will participate as an equal member of the group. As students become familiar with the process, consider inviting them to be circle keepers.*