Foundations: Safe Relationships

• Why safe relationships matter: When a student does not feel safe- engagement, learning, and processing what a teacher says is not happening. The amygdala has hijacked the learning part of the brain (prefrontal cortex). 
• By creating a trusting, safe classroom that rewards self-control, you can help your students develop social-emotional health.
  •  How we build them- 3 simple ways to let your students feel seen and heard (this is part of building a safe relationship with them). Call them by name.
  •  Find out what they are interested in
  •  Provide daily check-ins. Short moments of connection allow you to discover what is happening in each student’s life. You can follow up by asking follow-up questions or checking in -” Are you still feeling upset about ____?” How are you feeling now that you have had some time at school?” 

It is important for you, the loving teacher, to remember: It is not that you are not a safe adult but that the world is not a safe place for this child.