A safe space for learning
How to create a classroom environment where students feel emotionally safe
Studies have shown that students with higher levels of emotional wellbeing learn better [1]. Learning only happens after students’ emotional needs are met: allowing them to take more risks, to be less afraid of failure, to push themselves and to be more engaged in lesson content. Incidentally, they tend to perform better academically too [2].
So, in a world where students are always connected to the news and social media, where climate change anxiety and pandemic hangovers weigh heavy, where fear of failure, friendship dynamics and the pressures of academia can all make life feel a bit unsure, how can you help your students feel emotionally safe in a classroom environment? Here is a list of some suggestions for creating an emotionally safe environment…
1. Show you value everybody
The cornerstone of emotionally safe classrooms are positive relationships where all participants feel heard and respected [3]. This can be encouraged by:
- Creating opportunities for meaningful discussion and debate, and offering conversation structures for students to use.
- Greeting students as they come into the classroom – you might be the first person who has spoken directly to them that day.
- Taking the time to get to know students individually and creating a sense of belonging and community, from celebrating birthdays to noticing and recognising their strengths. This should be done with every student – even the most challenging ones. Celebrating strengths with students and their parents is important, especially during difficult times.
2. Celebrate failures and success equally
In order to take risks and challenge themselves, students need to see learning as a process. They need to view failures as positive steps towards success and to know that a FAIL is simply a “First Attempt In Learning”! A culture that celebrates failures as well as successes will help students develop resilience and perseverance. In order to reinforce this further, you can:
- Help students change their dialogue from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I can’t do this yet’. That one word makes all the difference! [4]
- Model failure. This can be your own failure – making mistakes in front of your class can be opportunities to demonstrate how we can use them as stepping stones in learning. It could also be sharing stories of success after failure – like this video ‘How a Failed Invention Led to a Potentially Life-Saving New Idea’ or ‘Musharaf’s story from Educating Yorkshire’.
- When a student responds incorrectly to a question, focus on validating their answer and thanking them for engaging before redirecting. You could say, ‘I like where you’re going with that, let’s come back to it. Does anyone else want to share their thoughts?’ You could also encourage them to expand their thinking by asking questions such as ‘Have you considered this?’ or ‘That’s really interesting, thank you for inputting. Could you explain your thought process?’
3. Foster self-awareness
Research shows that ‘when students do not fully trust their abilities to perform their academic tasks, they show emotions such as boredom, anxiety, sadness, or frustration, and exhibit behaviours such as passivity, distraction, and mental detachment’ [5] – none of which are ideal building blocks for emotional security. To address this, you can:
- Incorporate positive language into everyday classroom routines to promote self-esteem. Here are some ideas for younger students that could be adapted for any age range.
- Use constructive feedback which includes something positive as well as steps for improvement.
- Use the free BrainWaves lessons that focus on self-awareness to build self-esteem, including:
At the beginning of each BrainWaves lesson, a slide is presented with guidelines for creating a safe and respectful classroom. The teacher is encouraged to ask if anyone has any objections or questions and ensure that everyone in the class confirms that they agree to the guidelines. The intention of sharing these guidelines is to support open and honest conversions in the classroom, to enhance learning. All the BrainWaves lessons are available for free (you just need to register for an account) so why not take a look to get you started?
Conclusion
At the heart of emotionally safe classrooms is the teaching of emotional intelligence. By equipping students with tools to manage mental wellbeing, build healthy relationships and communicate effectively, we strengthen their emotional safety net and help them feel more secure in the learning environment and beyond. By creating a collaborative, empathetic classroom where students feel valued, we help them flourish and set them up for success beyond the four walls of the classroom.
References
- Morrison, L. & Vorhaus, J. (2012). The Impact of Pupil Behaviour and Wellbeing on Educational Outcomes Childhood Wellbeing Research Centre. Department for Education.
- Oxford Impact: Wellbeing impact study.
- The Quaglia Institute for School Voice and Aspirations: School Voice Report 2016.
- TED Talk: Carol Dweck: The power of yet.
- Acosta-Gonzaga, E. (2023). The Effects of Self-Esteem and Academic Engagement on University Students’ Performance.
About the author
Naomi French is a Research Partner Liaison Manager at BrainWaves, responsible for supporting schools and sixth form colleges on the BrainWaves Research Programme. She was previously a year 6 class teacher and subject leader for PSHE.
Even more inspiration!
Want even more ideas on how to improve student wellbeing in the classroom? Check out our blog on ‘Top tips for introducing positive emotions into your classroom and our PERMA webinar series for more ideas.