Unit 3: Emotional Safety and Belonging

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Unit Objectives:

Learners will be able to find ways to assess student needs.
Learners will be able to create an identity affirming classroom.
Learners will learn the importance of classroom routine.

Task 1- An Identity Affirming Classroom

Teacher can support identity-affirming classrooms when they:

Ensure that students see themselves reflected in the curriculum (Steele and Cohn-Vargas, 2013).
When choosing materials, consider diversity between and within cultural or socioeconomic groups.
Ask students to share from their lives and backgrounds (Steele and Cohn-Vargas, 2013).
Elevate students voices and perspectives (Steele and Cohn-Vargas, 2013) by engaging the entire class in problem-solving conversations when challenges arise in the classroom.
Be receptive to student input while consistently helping students look for inclusive, mutually beneficial solutions.

Source: “Belonging and Emotional Safety.” Belonging and Emotional Safety - Casel Schoolguide, https://schoolguide.casel.org/focus-area-3/classroom/a-supportive-classroom-environment/belonging-and-emotional-safety/.

Task 2 Creating a Routine

Establishing Consistent Routines and Procedures

Creating effective routines, procedures and structures allow students to know what to expect when entering your classroom environment. This is effective because it is less stressful for students especially those who may struggle with constant change such as students who have experienced trauma, are on the autism spectrum, or who may struggle behaviorally. This is something that should be created prior to the start of the school year, but can be implemented at any time if done correctly. (CASEL, 2021)

Source: “Belonging and Emotional Safety.” Belonging and Emotional Safety - Casel Schoolguide, https://schoolguide.casel.org/focus-area-3/classroom/a-supportive-classroom-environment/belonging-and-emotional-safety/.

Example Elementary Level Routines

Example Secondary Level Routines

To Do:

Create a classroom Procedures & Routines outline for your own classroom and post it to the discussion page.

Resources for Sense of Belonging and Emotional Safety in the Classroom:

Anti-Bias Tools and Strategies

Emotional Safety

Emotionally Safe Classroom

Identify Safe Classrooms

Trauma Sensitive Learning

Next Unit:Unit 4: Student Centered Discipline