The Teacher’s Role

Just as you strive to have a physically safe classroom where children don’t get hurt, you should also provide an emotionally safe classroom. If a child does not feel safe in the classroom, then chances are good that learning will not happen.

It is relatively easy to determine if a classroom is physically safe. Is it sufficiently warm in the winter? Are sharp objects kept away from children? But it’s not as easy to determine the emotional safety of a classroom. Edward de Bono, a leading authority in the field of creative thinking, stresses the importance of emotional safety in the classroom on his Web site, www.edwdebono.com. An emotionally safe classroom includes these aspects:

• Belonging — The teacher sets standards that require the compliance of students. For example, the rule that one person speaks at a time gives value to what the student says and teaches good manners as well.
• Achieving — The students must have the possibility of meeting the academic expectations that you set for them.
• Consistency — The teacher explains the expectations for the class and consistently applies them.
• Meaning — Students need to see a personal meaning in their class work. This helps them to feel connected and safe.
• Acting as a role model — If the teacher can help a child see how to negotiate the traps and obstacles of life, the child will feel safer.

Beryl Lourens, an educational consultant specializing in emotional literacy, describes her work to create emotionally safe places for children. She uses the “I Can” model, which encourages a classroom climate where children are valued, supported and affirmed. Briefly, the model states:

• I am good — The foundation for an emotionally safe classroom is good values — structures, procedures and strategies that promote character-building on a daily basis.
• I am loved — Teachers model good values at all times, respecting themselves and the children and, in turn, expecting them to do the same.
• I belong — Values such as respect and compassion contribute to the development of a strong classroom community.
• I can make good decisions — The use of democratic procedures gives children the opportunity to be involved in some decision-making.
• I can feel and understand — Teachers use strategies to help children identify and talk about their emotions.
• I can think — Children gain confidence in their ability to solve everyday problems through the teaching and practice of creative and critical thinking skills.
• I can manage conflict — Children are taught conflict resolution strategies.
• I can learn well — Teachers recognize and use methods that are appropriate for children with different learning styles and multiple intelligences.
• Whole school — Not only should the classroom be safe, but also the entire school should offer a caring atmosphere.
• Parents and caregivers — Parents and caregivers are the primary educator of the child. Schools need to reach out to parents whenever possible and encourage them to support the values encouraged in the school setting.

Nina Kucyk, a trauma and loss counselor at Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Ohio, states, “The need for safety — physical, emotional and psychological — is so basic and important that unless met, higher-level needs, such as belonging, wanting to succeed, etc., become extremely difficult to achieve.” Kucyk sees the learning environment as a place where students experience the following:

• Feel a sense of belonging
• Have permission to make mistakes
• Have permission to forget
• Are encouraged
• Are valued for their unique skills and talents
• Have the ability to make choices
• Are free from judgment
• Are respected for their physical appearance and academic, athletic, creative and social capabilities
• Have the freedom to have and to express their own feelings and opinions without fear of recrimination