Category Archives: Meeting Basic Needs

Classroom Management, Cooperative Learning, Meeting Basic Needs, Neurodiversity, Optimal Learning, Pedagogy, Regulation, Self-Regulation, Social Emotional Learning, Soft Skills, Strengths-Based Model, Teacher Win, Teaching Practices

Truth for Teachers – The Swiss Cheese Model

Three posts in a row!

You may be familiar with Angela Watson’s work on her “Truth for Teachers” blog and podcast. It’s been a while since I’d checked in and I’m glad I did cause I found this.

The Swiss Cheese Model: Letting Go of “All or Nothing” Thinking (September 4, 2022)

The simple explanation of the model goes something like this: there is not one strategy that will solve a complex issue in a classroom or school. These complex issues needs to be addressed through a multifaceted approach because there is no one strategy-fits-all. We use the metaphor of a slice of swiss cheese being a single strategy. The strategy will work for some students but the holes represent how some students will slip through the hole and continue to struggle. So, we layer another slice of cheese (another strategy) which will cover some of those holes and help some of the remaining students find success. You can add a third slice and you get the idea – layers of strategies & supports to tackle complex issues.

I like this analogy as it lines up well with my messaging with school teams – it’s going to take a team approach with different strategies in action to move the student towards learning (which is what we do – develop & strengthen a student’s skill set).

The article does a much better job of explaining than I did. Give it a read and, as always, tell me how you applied it by posting a comment or two.

Meeting Basic Needs, Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Optimal Learning, Regulation, Self-Regulation, Social Emotional Learning, Soft Skills, Teaching Practices

Power of Building Relationships in Education

Crisis Prevention Institute – The Power of Building Relationships in Education (August 2023)

I have been a certified CPI trainer in my school district on non-violent crisis intervention. The Crisis Development Model can be a powerful tool in helping educators understand the levels of behaviour and the steps we take in addressing it.

The Integrated Experience tells us that behaviour influences behaviour. We may not be able to control the choices of others but we are in control of ours. In building safe and healthy relationships with students and colleagues, we need to understand our influence on others. We can build others up as quickly as we can bring others down.

This article is a portion of a conversation from a CPI podcast and it speaks to the idea of “purposeful interactions” and addressing escalated / dysregulated behaviours in the classroom through relationships.

Students thrive on positive (safe & healthy & supportive) relationships. They provide a strong foundation for individuals to try new things, to be honest and to be vulnerable which are important life-long skills.

Culturally Responsive Teaching, Meeting Basic Needs, Pedagogy, Regulation, Relationships, Self-Regulation, Social Emotional Learning

Emotions Come and Go in Waves

EdSurge – Emotions Come and Go in Waves. We Can Teach our Students How to Surf Them (October 2022).

Social-emotional learning continues to be an important part of modern teaching. With so much going on for our students and ourselves, having the skills to navigate difficult situations is essential. SEL skills have to be explicit taught and practiced. It should be a part of each instructional day at different times. This normalizes it and that’s the hope – that our students do this as a means of taking care of themselves and others.