This sub-section draws on quotations and/or a short, animated video vignette as catalysts for thinking about the module’s topic, either as a starting for, or ending point to, professional dialogue. It also provides a “third point” to surface prior knowledge and experiences or to explore divergent perspectives and assumptions about, or discomfort with, the topic in a safe fashion.

Option A: View the COPA/OTF Capsule for Teachers entitled Collaborating on Well-being and Safety (bit.ly/Capsules4Teachers) and use it as an entry point to, or catalyst for, a deeper discussion about effective ways to address well-being and safety issues with parents and guardians.

Option B: Use a think-write-pair/share approach, anchored to the quotations that follow, to begin a conversation about effective ways to address well-being and safety issues with parents and guardians.

Think

Individually, select one of the following quotations (in whole or in part) that resonates with, or stands out for, you.  Remember, the quotation can resonate either because you agree or disagree with it.

“Research and experience has showed that with understanding and co-operation on the part of administrators, teachers, parents and students, a young person’s education does not have to be derailed by a mental illness or mental health problem.”

(Canadian Mental Health Association, 2014)

“Educators play an important role in identifying signs of potential mental health problems, [but] they do not work alone.  A team approach by the parent(s)/guardian, other school staff, and sometimes specialists from the board and community is imperative in addressing these problems.”

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013, p. 19)

“Home, school and community partnerships engage parents, extended family, school staff, child care and family support programs and community groups in a mutually beneficial way to support, enhance and promote opportunities for learning and well-being.”

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014b, p. 5)

“The school is a community comprised of many members: students, teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and guardians and community members. Furthermore, schools are located in a community context, where agencies with relevant expertise or services may exist.”

(Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions & Ontario Teachers’ Federation, 2011, p. 72)

Write

Record or write why or how the quotation “stands out” for you.

Pair/Share

With a colleague or as a small group of colleagues, take turns sharing your quotation and ideas/thoughts about it.

This sub-section uses a fictional but authentic or plausible scenario involving teachers/educators’ interactions with parents/guardians. It encourages the use of innovative, critical thinking and problem-finding/solving approaches to explore uncomfortable or problematic situations or issues. It also offers opportunities to rehearse possible responses or actions in a non-threatening context or forum. Lastly, it provides a “third point” as a foundation for safe, professional dialogue.

Read the case study/scenario that follows:

Dinesh is in your grade five physical education class.  Dinesh’s parents were both killed in a car accident some years before and Dinesh survived the accident but received serious injuries to his lower body which require the use of a wheelchair.  Dinesh, with the support of his grandparents who are raising him and have legal custody of him, insists that he wants to participate as fully as possible in the class and be involved in the games and activities.  All signs suggest that Dinesh is widely liked by his classmates and, indeed, by students across the school and he has a close knit group of friends.

You are only a few days into instructing your students about basketball, when you receive a phone call in which a parent of one of the students in the same class as Dinesh indicates that he is worried that his son could injure Dinesh or be injured by his wheelchair during basketball matches and asks that you consider having Dinesh “sit out” during this part of the program.

In pairs or a small group, discuss the following series of prompts in relation to it:

• What is the concern in the scenario?
• What connections to your experience as a teacher/educator come to mind?  As a parent?
• What might be some possible ways to effectively address this issue/concern in concert with parents and guardians?  Remember to consider educational research; legislation/regulations; federation and board policies/protocols.
• Given the possible avenues you’ve identified above, which one(s) would you elect to pursue in this instance?  What action plan/sequence of steps would you put in place?

This sub-section offers a suggested way to co-create new knowledge or tools or to synthesize knowledge and skills gained from the module. It also offers a suggested path to collaborate in making improvements to current or existing practices or tools.

As a division team or working/standing committee, examine students’, staff members’ and parents’ perceptions (e.g., qualitative/quantitative data/evidence collected from school climate or parent/guardian surveys) about the degree to which classrooms and the wider school meet students’ and parents’ safety and well-being concerns and needs in its school-specific policies and procedures. Consider both the strengths and needs that surface. Use this information to reinforce effective current practices and to inform the development of possible new approaches for adoption in classrooms and across the school.  Share with parents and guardians the collective actions the school and its staff are undertaking to respond to identified areas of need.

This sub-section offers a way to reflect on, self-assess and/or set goals in the area of focus in the module. It also helps to support independent, reflective opportunities that can help shape affirmations of, or changes in, practice or guide additional professional learning connected to module’s focus.

Think about an issue, event or incident in which you were involved (as a student, a teacher, or a parent) and in which your health or well-being was negatively affected but ultimately turned out well.

Consider the following prompts in light of your own experience:

a.    What were the initial factors within your sphere of influence to control (what you could reasonably do to influence the outcome)?

b.    What were the initial factors, outside your sphere of influence or control, that aggravated or worsened the impact on your health and well-being?

c.     What were the human and other resources that subsequently were available to you or which you sought out, and which contributed to solving, curing or improving the health or well-being issue.

d.    Reflect on the degree to which your own professional or personal experience has influenced your own approach to raising or addressing safety, health and well-being issues with parents and guardians.

This sub-section draws on quotations and/or a short, animated video vignette as catalysts for thinking about the module’s topic, either as a starting for, or ending point to, professional dialogue. It also provides a “third point” to surface prior knowledge and experiences or to explore divergent perspectives and assumptions about, or discomfort with, the topic in a safe fashion.

Option A: View the COPA/OTF Capsule for Teachers entitled Collaborating on Well-being and Safety (bit.ly/Capsules4Teachers) and use it as an entry point to, or catalyst for, a deeper discussion about effective ways to address well-being and safety issues with parents and guardians.

Option B: Use a think-write-pair/share approach, anchored to the quotations that follow, to begin a conversation about effective ways to address well-being and safety issues with parents and guardians.

Think

Individually, select one of the following quotations (in whole or in part) that resonates with, or stands out for, you.  Remember, the quotation can resonate either because you agree or disagree with it.

“Research and experience has showed that with understanding and co-operation on the part of administrators, teachers, parents and students, a young person’s education does not have to be derailed by a mental illness or mental health problem.”

(Canadian Mental Health Association, 2014)

“Educators play an important role in identifying signs of potential mental health problems, [but] they do not work alone.  A team approach by the parent(s)/guardian, other school staff, and sometimes specialists from the board and community is imperative in addressing these problems.”

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2013, p. 19)

“Home, school and community partnerships engage parents, extended family, school staff, child care and family support programs and community groups in a mutually beneficial way to support, enhance and promote opportunities for learning and well-being.”

(Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014b, p. 5)

“The school is a community comprised of many members: students, teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and guardians and community members. Furthermore, schools are located in a community context, where agencies with relevant expertise or services may exist.”

(Centre ontarien de prévention des agressions & Ontario Teachers’ Federation, 2011, p. 72)

Write

Record or write why or how the quotation “stands out” for you.

Pair/Share

With a colleague or as a small group of colleagues, take turns sharing your quotation and ideas/thoughts about it.

This sub-section uses a fictional but authentic or plausible scenario involving teachers/educators’ interactions with parents/guardians. It encourages the use of innovative, critical thinking and problem-finding/solving approaches to explore uncomfortable or problematic situations or issues. It also offers opportunities to rehearse possible responses or actions in a non-threatening context or forum. Lastly, it provides a “third point” as a foundation for safe, professional dialogue.

Read the case study/scenario that follows:

You are a teacher-librarian. Kyle is a grade 10 student and the brother of an older student with whom you interacted often in the library before she graduated. Ever since you’ve known him, he has frequented the library both for independent, quiet reading and to socialize with friends. Of late, however, you have noticed that Kyle does not come to the library as often and, when he does, he huddles alone in a back corner, without any reading material and away from his usual circle of friends. When you express concern and ask what’s wrong, he shrugs and is non-committal – again, an unusual behaviour for the characteristically outgoing, respectful teen.

In pairs or a small group, discuss the following series of prompts in relation to it:

• What is the concern in the scenario?
• What connections to your experience as a teacher/educator come to mind?  As a parent?
• What might be some possible ways to effectively address this issue/concern in concert with parents and guardians?  Remember to consider educational research; legislation/regulations; federation and board policies/protocols.
• Given the possible avenues you’ve identified above, which one(s) would you elect to pursue in this instance?  What action plan/sequence of steps would you put in place?

This sub-section offers a suggested way to co-create new knowledge or tools or to synthesize knowledge and skills gained from the module. It also offers a suggested path to collaborate in making improvements to current or existing practices or tools.

As a department or working/standing committee, examine students’, teachers’ and parents’ perceptions (e.g., qualitative/quantitative data/evidence collected from school climate or parent/guardian surveys) about the degree to which classrooms and the wider school meet students’ and parents’ safety and well-being concerns and needs in its school-specific policies and procedures. Consider both the strengths and needs that surface. Use this information to reinforce effective current practices and to inform the development of possible new approaches for adoption in classrooms and across the school. Share with parents and guardians the collective actions the school and its staff are undertaking to respond to identified areas of need.

This sub-section offers a way to reflect on, self-assess and/or set goals in the area of focus in the module. It also helps to support independent, reflective opportunities that can help shape affirmations of, or changes in, practice or guide additional professional learning connected to module’s focus.

Think about an issue, event or incident in which you were involved (as a student, a teacher, or a parent) and in which your health or well-being was negatively affected but ultimately turned out well.

Consider the following prompts in light of your own experience:

a.    What were the initial factors within your sphere of influence to control (what you could reasonably do to influence the outcome)?

b.    What were the initial factors outside your sphere of influence or control that aggravated or worsened the impact on your health and well-being?

c.     What were the human and other resources that subsequently were available to you or which you sought out, and which contributed to solving, curing or improving the health or well-being issue.

d.    Reflect on the degree to which your own professional or personal experience has influenced your own approach to raising or addressing safety, health and well-being issues with parents and guardians.