Katrina Grabner

Here are some ways, when we notice feeling activated in our nervous system or we notice a student is activated, we can respond:

Notice

Cultivate a curious, gentle state of awareness within yourself. Notice your own body’s clues, such as sensations, which may help you notice if you are in a survival response. It might be a simple thought such as: “I notice a part of me is in flight response right now”. This helps you to “un-blend” from that part which may be taking over, this is also a practice of mindfulness and externalization (Fisher, 2017).

Regulate

When activated what does your nervous system need for grounding and soothing? Can you feel your feet on the ground?  Can you look slowly around the room you are in and orient to where you are through your senses?  Is there any movement that might be supportive for you in this moment? Can you notice your breath or deepen into your breath? Do you need space, such as a boundary? Maybe you gently put a hand on your arm for soothing. Maybe you take a short walk to the bathroom and allow your body to shake and move for a few minutes. Perhaps you need to sense the safety and co-regulation of another, and you call a close friend on your break.

Grounded presence

Become aware of your:

• facial expressions (can they soften?)
• eye contact (less or more depending on student and yourself, don’t push anything)
• tone of voice (can it lower or soften?)
• posture (are you in a bear posture or curled in?) (can you find a neutral spine)(if you are standing up and the student is sitting can you lower yourself to a sitting position)
• gestures (can you slow them down?)
• can you be more congruent (words match body language)
• can you connect in some way to a felt sense of warmth, positive regard or compassion toward the student (“I wonder if they are in a survival response right now too…”)

Attune

• Validate and reflect back what you are hearing both to the student an also to yourself as you have your own inner self-talk:
  • Be curious about their internal state in a meaningful way
  • “I notice that you may be upset right now”
  • Collaborative problem solving with “I wonder…” statements
    • “I wonder how we might figure this out together?”
  • Affirm: “I appreciate that you are sharing what your needs are right now”
    • “I might not be able to meet this request fully, however I’m so glad you are noticing your boundaries and voicing that.”
  • Respond in a timely manner when possible
• Understand that when a student is highly activated, they are going to have difficulty learning, focusing, or responding. Don’t put that student on the spot in front of others in these moments. Mostly likely they will only go further into their survival response as they feel shame. When possible, wait and try to respond one-on-one.
• Be patient with your students and yourself. Building trust takes time and for students with past education wounds it may take the whole semester for them to begin to sense relative safety with you or trust. However, one positive experience with you, may change the way they relate to many other professors moving forward. We really can play a big role in reparative learning experiences!

Cultivating a grounded presence prior to class

Educators can intentionally cultivate a grounded and regulated presence before entering the classroom, preparing themselves to meet students. While the concept of therapeutic presence has been extensively discussed within therapeutic contexts, its relevance in educational settings has received less attention. Therapeutic presence supports a sense of safety and connection by engaging the ventral vagal pathways of the parasympathetic nervous system (Geller, 2018). Research suggests that presence of ventral vagal activation resulting from therapeutic presence is viewed as a prerequisite for empathy and the development of a sustained, attuned therapeutic relationship (Geller, 2018; Hayes & Vinca, 2011; Pos et al., 2010).  In practice, cultivating this grounded presence might involve taking time before class to “open up the space, gather thoughts, get nourished, and center inside…standing in stillness, feeling the soles of feet as they touch the floor, and taking a few deep and slow breaths can facilitate this process. (Geller, 2018).

Long-term strategies

Longer term ways we can support a greater sense of relative safety in our learning environments can include:

• addressing the impacts of systemic oppression
• cultivating a sense of belonging in the classroom environment
• offering choice when it comes to accessibility and environmental needs (fidget toys, doodling, bathroom breaks)
• offering movement breaks when possible
• being aware of sensory overwhelm for certain students as sensory overwhelm can impact our nervous system state. eg. the impact of noise levels in the classroom
• being aware of triggers for students such as topics about war or family violence and offer choices about leaving if needed and warnings about content
• developing your capacity to stay present when you experience discomfort during difficult conversations
• participating in various contemplative practices both individually and collectively which often bring us into a ventral vagal state (greater nervous system regulation)
• incorporating several different channels for student feedback
• moving away from punishment and shame as forms of motivation for students as it often leads to students having less access to their prefrontal cortex and can create learning that is motivated from a ‘please and appease response’ survival response
• being clear with yourself about your own boundaries and needs at work, so that you can communicate clearly with students and co-workers
• seeing repair is normal and important and not a sign of failure (become a skilled repairer- don’t be ashamed if this is a journey that takes time and practice)
• addressing ways from the top-down that our university can cultivate a culture that fosters co-regulation and a felt sense of ease and relative safety, which radiates outward to students
• being aware of other resources for students that you may direct them to depending on their needs and situations

Most importantly, stay curious with yourself and your students and don’t forget that everyone’s nervous system is doing its very best to protect and sustain life.  As we co-create environments where we sense greater relative safety and find more ease in our bodies, it is possible for our nervous systems to adapt and develop new patterns.

References