Schools — A Safe Haven for Children.

HAPPY, CAREFREE — Words once used to describe Childhood.

Not anymore !

Kids today bear the weight of adult sized problems.

They face a lot more stress than ever before. No doubt some amount of stress can be challenging and motivating, But overwhelming issues which the child perceives as a threat can disrupt the engineering of the brain and put the child at risk for various stress related disorders.

One stops to wonder what has changed so much that make our children anxious or exhibit signs of maladjustment.

Have our children become extra touchy and reactive to their circumstances?

Or has the environment around them begun demanding a lot more from them, more than what they can cope with?

Today, a child’s environment is surrounded with expectations — expectations to perform academically , to make friends and be accepted , to look a certain way, to be popular and successful, to keep up with the current beauty standards and so much more.

They are the ‘too much ‘ generation — too much information to take in , too many activities to do, too many choices to make, too much attention being given to them

As they soak up life and begin to understand the world around them, they also internalize the feeling of ‘I am not good enough’

This coupled with a disorganised chaotic home environment where parents are less responsive to the child’s needs make day to day living for the child difficult to cope with.

The fear, disapproval and instability they grow with, take a toll on their self-worth, and many of them walk around with deep emotional wounds.

These scars may be silent and invisible to the world outside but these children plod along through their daily routine feeling numb or hollow inside or as if they are carrying a heavy backpack over their shoulders.

So how do these children respond? — They either reel under the pressure or put on an armour to protect themselves from being hurt or losing control.

This armour can take the form of avoidance, overreaction to minor issues, complaining of aches and pains, or acting out in school.

Left to themselves they will not take off this armour lest they get hurt

But when a caring adult steps in, these children feel safe and empowered to put down the weight of the armour they are carrying.

Other than home, school is the only other place where children spend a good deal of time. Therefore teachers have the onus, the opportunity and the potential to create safe spaces in our schools and classrooms.

Teachers are the guardians of the classroom — That space where students feel unthreatened when they walk in, for the day.

It’s there that they feel safe to take off the pressing weight of their armour, hang it by their desks and freely engage in and enjoy the day.

This safe haven may be the only place the child gets to wrangle with his vulnerability, get curious, burrow around and exhale freely without suffocation.

Consistent and supportive relationships between teachers and children and a positive school environment can buffer the effects of any adversity that the child is grappling with.

In the coming years schools need to look beyond transmitting only content knowledge. Content knowledge though necessary, can cater to only a narrow sliver of the child’s overall development. What is more imperative today is creating a safe environment where children feel loved and protected. This will free their minds and allow them to exhale the fear or any other negativity they carry around with them.

So how does a school go about making itself a safe space for its students ?

· Reinforce the school goals around respect and inclusion of every child.

· Establish clear school policies on bullying and its consequences.

· Assess how children in your classroom behave and develop meaningful action plans to help them maximise their strengths and address any difficulties they may have.

· Identify the armours they wear; invest time to listen and connect with them. Its only by being approachable and developing meaningful associations can you encourage them to put down their armour

· Having Art, Music or Dance as a part of the school routine everyday helps kids to feel good, work with their difficult feelings and consequently learn better.

· Move away from punishing indiscipline to figuring out what’s driving the behaviour, understanding and moving in to help.

For schools this is a process which involves being aware and investing time in their children.

A safe classroom displaces any nervous energy that the child brings in.It’s such a classroom the child looks forward to come to each day, Here he builds friendships, and feels empowered to seek support and remain in control.

It isn’t then an exaggeration to say that, when our teachers push through challenges to create a safe space for our children, they are changing the trajectory of a child’s life.