Presentation by: Steven Bishop, Learning Designer, Douglas College, Ross Laird, Educational Consultant, Laird Associates, Leva Lee, Manager, BCcampus, Kathryn McNaughton, Hope Miller, Online Learning Designer/Trainer, Douglas College, Sandra Polushin, Coordinator / Faculty, Douglas College Many educational institutions are grappling with the troubling rise of mental health challenges within their communities. Issues such as depression and anxiety are becoming increasingly common not only within the student population but also among instructors and educational administrators, many of whom find their collegial environments to be fraught with new hurdles involving the care and wellness of people. Bedrock human values such as belonging, trust, and emotional safety are becoming harder to develop and sustain in educational environments undergoing turmoil and change from a variety of influences. How might we preserve and nurture these values? How might we commit to practices that cultivate the wellness and well-being of our colleagues and communities? How might we commit to environments of authentic caring in which people feel emotionally safe and valued? Over the past year, a small group of practitioners at several local institutions (BCcampus, Douglas College, Vancouver Community College) has been working on projects designed to encourage emotional care and wellness. In this interactive session on the theme of "Mental Health for all within and across our organizations", these practitioners will each share the hurdles and rewards of their process. The purpose of the session will be to provide participants with perspectives and tools to use in approaching themes of care and wellness at their own institutions -- with colleagues, students, and community partners. The experiential session will be informed by the practice, theory, and research currently being conducted at the partner institutions involved in these projects. Participants will hear about common hurdles involved in promoting the care and wellness of people, will hear perspectives about navigating the complex terrain of human relationships, and will practice tools and ideas for moving forward with their own initiatives. Festival of Learning 2018 - May 28 – 30 at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront in Vancouver, B.C.

1. Cultivating Trust and
Emotional Safety in
Educational Environments

2. Agenda
 Introductions
 Get ’em-moving Activity 1 (Ross)
 1-2-4-All (Kathryn, Leva, and Sandra)
 Get ’em-moving Activity 2 (Steven/Hope)
 “Helpful things to be attentive to on this subject,” (Ross)
 Get ‘em-moving Activity 3 (Kathryn)
 15% Solutions (Steven & Hope)
 Get ‘em-moving/Debrief Activity 4 (Leva & Sandra): Gallery walk
 Wrap-up/summary: Ross
 Takeaways, resources: All

3. Ross Laird, Educational Consultant
 Why is this important to me?
 Cultivating human values (belonging, trust, self-awareness,
empathy, integrity, emotional safety)
 Dedicated educators trying to help their environments be more
humane, encouraging, and supportive
 How to make this work when you might find yourself with few
companions (or even mostly on your own)

4. Kathryn McNaughton, VP, Academic,
Students & Research
 Why is this important to me?
 Ensuring that students, faculty and staff feel emotionally
safe, have a sense of belonging, believe that their work tasks
are challenging but achievable – these build a community
that supports learning, creativity and synergy.

5. Leva Lee, Manager, Learning & Teaching
 Why is this important to me?
 Interested in improving student learning
 Engagement (as in conversations)
 Authenticity (as in stories and relevance)
 Transformation (as in creativity and breakthrough-thinking)
 Building community
 Promoting creativity, metacognition, and brain health
 Educating the whole person
 Like to learn with others

6. Sandra Polushin, Educator, Coordinator &
Lifelong Learner
 Why is this important to me?
 Inclusive education is all our responsibility requiring collaboration and
partnership by all actors involved in teaching and learning.
 Given the multiple modes of delivery, our strategies and processes must
embrace the diversity that exists, while crafting learning environments that
are responsive and proactive to access and accessibility.
 I love learning with those that seek creative and empowering solutions that
minimize barriers and promote healthy learning environments!

7. Steven Bishop, Online Learning Designer
 Why is this important to me?
 An enduring interest in humanizing education, including the
environments that people teach and learn in
 A new interest and research into the intersection between
technology, education, and values

8. Hope Miller, Online Learning Designer
• Why is this important to me?
 Ensuring our stakeholders (faculty, staff, students) are
properly supported
 Whole-person learning community of inquiry at DC,
kickstarted by workshop facilitated by Ross Laird
 Interested in creating a space for students, faculty,
administrators, and staff to converse and learn about
emotionally safe environments

11. 1, 2, 4, ALL
11
How can we promote a welcoming learning
environment?
What strategies can we use to
enhance emotional safety with our learners?

12. How it works: Round 1 (Individual)
12
For this activity, we’ll follow this format:
1: Individually, think about strategies YOU are using that WORK and those that
DON’T WORK. (1 min.)
2: Find a partner to share and develop your ideas asking the same questions. (2
min.)
What's Working for you What's Not Working for you

13. Round 1 cont’d…
13
4: Now find another pair to share and develop your ideas.
(4 min.)
ALL: Share out one idea/action your group would recommend.
What needs to happen to:
- build on what's working
- and change what's not working

14. Round 2 (Students and colleagues)
14
1: Individually, think about strategies you are using that WORK and DON’T WORK
for your students/colleagues. (1 min.)
2: Find a partner to share and develop your ideas using the same questions. (2
min.)
What's Working for your
students/colleagues?
What's Not Working for your
students/colleagues?

15. Round 2 cont’d…
15
4: Now find another pair to share and develop your ideas (4 min.)
ALL: Share out one idea/action your group would recommend.
What needs to happen to:
- build on what's working
- and change what's not working

16. Round 3 (Class/department)
23/10/2017 Creating emotional safety in learning environments 16
1: Individually, think about strategies you are using that WORK and DON’T WORK
for your class/department. (1 min.)
2: Find a partner to share and develop your ideas using the same questions. (2
min.)
What's Working for your
class/department?
What's Not Working for your
class/department?

17. Round 3 cont’d…
17
4: Now find another pair to share and develop your ideas. (4 min.)
ALL: Share out one idea/action your group would recommend.
What needs to happen to:
- build on what's working
- and change what's not working

19. Add a photo from Ross’s website

20. Helpful things to be attentive to
 Healthy Community
Belonging
Trust
Emotional safety (and the “No Asshole
Rule”)

21. Helpful things (cont’d)
 Facing the Shadow
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Empathy (and speaking the unspoken)

22. Helpful things (cont’d)
 Seeking Wonder
Growth mindset
Wisdom in the wound of trauma
Resilience (and character)

24. 15% Solutions
 By yourself, take 2 minutes to think about the
question on the next slide.
 Then, form groups of 4 to share and discuss
ideas. (8 minutes)
 One group member will report out to whole
group where ideas will be collected. (5 minutes)

25. 15% Solutions
 Based on the ideas generated in the
previous activity, what is your 15%
solution? In other words, where do you
have discretion to act? What can you do
without more money, resources, or
authority to move things forward?

26. Add a photo – art gallery