The Science of Safety: Psychological Wellbeing Inside and Outside the Classroom

Outline

I. Welcome & Warm-Up (5 min)
Goal: Set the tone, establish psychological safety for participants. (Activity to bring folks in)
Welcome and Objectives Overview
-Briefly share session goals.

Interactive Think Moment:
“Think-Pair-Share”: Prompt: “Where or when do you feel most connected with your students outside the classroom?” (Partner sharing)

II. Understanding Psychological Safety (15 min)
Goal: Build foundational understanding using research.
-Mini-Lecture with Visuals/Slides:
-What is psychological safety?
-Why it matters for learning (tie in research: e.g., Amy Edmondson, CASEL).
-The connection to brain science and belonging.

Interactive Activity:
Barrier Brainstorm: Small groups list behaviors or systems that might unintentionally make students feel unsafe (e.g., tone, discipline policies, public praise/shame, etc.)

III. Principle Connections (10 min)
Goal: Explicitly tie workshop to key principles.
Use a visual slide or handout with the two guiding principles:

-Relationship-building across spaces.
-Cultivating safety, belonging, and durable skills.
-Prompt: “Which of these principles do you feel most confident about, and which one do you want to grow in?” (silent self-reflection or paired share)

IV. Strategies for Building Psychological Safety (10 min)
Goal: Offer concrete, research-based practices educators can implement.
-Inside & Outside the Classroom
Hallway affirmations

Activity:
Interactive Strategy Gallery Walk:

-Stations/posters with real examples for each space (hallway, recess, etc.)

-Application:
Participants rotate, reflect, and write one new idea they’ll try.

V. Centering Student Voice & Identity (10 min)
Goal: Emphasize how honoring voice, identity, and culture supports safety.
Mini-Case Study/Scenario:

-Show two brief contrasting vignettes

Group discussion: “What was the difference in impact?”

Share 2–3 affirming language stems or non-verbal cues.

VI. Practice & Planning (15–20 min)
Goal: Move from ideas to application.
"Now & Next" Planning Tool (Handout or Jamboard):

VII. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 min)
Quick Exit Poll

Outcomes

Educators will:

-Gain a research-based understanding of what psychological safety looks and feels like for students, and why it is essential for engagement, risk-taking, and meaningful learning.

-Learn specific, actionable strategies to build and maintain strong, affirming relationships with students — not just in classrooms, but across all school settings (e.g., recess, hallways, lunchrooms, extracurricular spaces).

-Leave with tools to create environments where students feel seen, heard, and valued, helping all learners feel they belong — a foundation for developing empathy, creativity, and collaboration.

-Reflect on using informal, non-academic moments as powerful opportunities to build trust, affirm identity, and support students' emotional needs.

-Be equipped to recognize and respond to varied student needs, fostering inclusion and reducing barriers to learning — especially for those who may feel marginalized or disconnected.

-Reflect on creating safe spaces, where educators can more effectively support students in developing durable skills like empathy (through relationship-building), creativity (by encouraging expression), and collaboration (by fostering trust and openness).

Supporting research

Every Connection Matters: How to Build, Maintain, and Restore Relationships Inside the Classroom and Out by Michael & Nita Creekmore (2024)

Integrating Educator Well-Being, Growth, and Evaluation: Four Foundations for Leaders
written by Lori Cohen & Elizabeth Denevi (2025)

The Courageous Classroom: Creating a Culture of Safety for Students to Learn and Thrive by Janet Taylor & Jed Dearybury (2021)

https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/do-your-students-feel-wanted written by Michael & Nita Creekmore

https://ascd.org/el/articles/how-to-make-your-school-psychologically-safe by Michael & Nita Creekmore