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PEDAGOGY & LEARNING

Leave The Door Open

By Donica Merhazion
29-Jan-25
Leave The Door Open
A student finding a quiet moment to recharge in the classroom, creating a safe space for connection and calm. (Photo source: Donica Merhazion)

So many well intentioned initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity for students and adults hit roadblocks if they don’t address the question: Does every person here have a safe space? The word "safe" in this discussion is used outside of the context of child protection and physical safety and instead focuses on psychological safety, wellbeing, and belonging. 

I started teaching Middle School Humanities last year after several years in elementary grades. This new teaching experience combines everything I love: reading, writing, studying the human condition, and learning different ways to absorb different perspectives. Learning is not about whether you agree with others' opinions—it's about taking the time to understand them regardless of how far they may differ from yours. My roots in learning support are at the core of my passion for teaching. All you special educators out there, do you remember that personal story that pulled you in deep? The son, the daughter, the cousin, the friend who struggled within the education system so much that it pushed you to do something, anything to make it easier for the next person. Perhaps that someone was yourself.

Having “the feels” is the foundation on which we thrive and persevere through the tough teaching moments. We must have connections with our students. They know it when we don’t. When we feel like banging our heads against a wall, we must remind ourselves of the "why" of our frustration when students don’t fit our systems—that's what we are all in, right? Systems. 

The roots of today's education systems - our four-walled classrooms- can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution when growing factories needed people to do repetitive work to manufacture items on a large scale. Obedience, uniformity, and standards were indicators of successful futures as factory workers. Children left their families' bakeries, shoe shops, and farms to get the training they needed at intentionally formulaic schools designed to teach them to meet the demands of those uniform paths. Students passed on from one level to another until they were ready to do the production work. Our modern-day equivalent process is - elementary, middle, high school, college, and then join the workforce.

In our growing recognition of the neurodiverse nature of the human brain, our school systems incorporate differentiation as a ubiquitous term in implementing instruction so students can have more options. To figure out what those different pathways could be, I spent time over the years investigating the intricacies of reading acquisition through a dyslexia certification program, studied language acquisition through an English language learners (ELL) program, and blended that with learning about effective classroom management strategies through programs like Responsive Classroom- and many more. The common thread going through all these instructional strategies is flexibility and a willingness to learn from the students. I gathered what I learned, stuck it into my toolbox, and carried it to the general education setting. I dreamed of opening windows and doors within the system so students could have more choices - an essential ingredient to grow motivation and perseverance.

The toolbox opened up and worked its magic—individualized instruction, small group rotations, inquiry-based blended learning, flexible seating, differentiation, co-teaching—you name it—we tried it. The happy surprise I didn’t anticipate when entering the general education space was what I would learn from the extra helping of time that wasn’t always available as a learning support teacher. Individualized learning structures allow students to learn in ways that suit them best without needing so much of the pull-outs. I was also gifted more time with each student to get to know them outside of the musts and must-nots. 

Creating environments where students feel safe is tricky. We teachers love to create spaces within our interpretation of safety. It's in our classroom design, in our “All are welcome here” posters, and in our carefully crafted anchor charts, but how does that translate to those we teach? My big learning in my new role was understanding how students translated “I feel safe here.” We all come from different definitions of the word. Without our safety needs being met, no learning is happening in any space, no matter how beautiful or well thought out.

So, what does a safe space mean to you? You may have as many answers as the people you ask. The real magic happened when the door was left open, allowing a happenstance series of teachable moments. 

Last year, a student from a different grade needed a quiet place to have her lunch. Without it, she was off-center, which prevented her from learning. Her definition of safe is quiet, calm, warm, and loving… there's more to her - we continue to learn. All the lunch areas were too noisy, so we tried our luck by giving her a space in my class - just a few minutes to sit quietly and eat. Every day, we sat together, and she shared a little bit about her day. She listened to the soft music playing and got that little space and time she needed to recalibrate after her busy mornings. We become besties.

The door stayed open, and other students peeked in. 

“Is this a lunch place?”

“Sure, welcome!” 

Several months into this serendipitous adventure, students from different classes and grades made unexpected connections with each other in that quiet space. At first, they all went to their little corners and opened their favorite books while munching on their lunch. Eventually, they gravitated toward each other, and the hesitant, quiet talk began to form unlikely friendships, advice-giving sessions, and story trading. 

The door stayed open. 

I watched with great interest. Over time, the safer they felt, the wider their smiles, and the more relaxed they became. The sullen one became a comic who made the anxious one laugh. A sage for whom conversation usually is challenging dispensed friendship advice freely as others took note. 

So, what is there to learn here? 

Love and belonging sit right on top of safety and security in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They are the foundations for building self-esteem and self-actualization—aka learning. Do we create environments where we tell students what they need to feel safe based on what we know, or should we humble ourselves to a place of “I don’t know what you need yet, but I’m willing to find out?”

We have as many definitions of safe as there are people on our campuses. To create truly inclusive environments, the answer may lie in leaving that door open so the answers can wander in and surprise us with their wisdom.





Donica Merhazion is a middle school educator at the International School of Kenya with extensive experience in special education, specializing in Orton-Gillingham instruction and inclusive practices that address diverse learning needs. Her expertise includes implementing Responsive Classroom strategies and blended learning to create dynamic, student-centered environments. She is committed to differentiated instruction that prioritizes individual strengths and challenges, fostering self-worth and confidence while addressing the unique needs of students with disabilities. By designing equitable, inquiry-driven learning experiences, she equips learners with critical thinking skills and resilience, empowering them to overcome barriers and thrive as lifelong learners.

Website: http://dmerhazion.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donica_merhazion/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donica-merhazion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




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Comments

03-Feb-25 - Miriam
Donica, I have loved this article. My take home is: "The real magic happened when the door was left open, allowing a happenstance series of teachable moments."

And sometimes the door that really needs to be left open is the door of our hearts.

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