Lesson 2: Safe spaces

Essential questions:

How do we create safe spaces to tell and reflect?

Lesson overview:

In this lesson you and your learners will together explore the idea of ‘safe spaces’ – of where and with whom learners feel safe to share. The lesson introduces the difference between public and private telling. There are some stories that we want to share with others. But there are other stories that we want to keep in our hearts. Using post-its allows for the safety that anonymity provides, and allows learners to be more open without the fear of being judged by their peers. Contracting is then about working collaboratively to identify what a safe space means for telling, and how as a class you can create that space – that is a space that encourages reflection and appreciation of each other’s work and stories.

Keywords:

• Public and private
• Contracting

Materials (where relevant, these are also included in the lesson components below): 

• Slips of paper or different coloured post-its
• Butcher paper or A3 paper
• Markers, pens and pencils
• 'Public and private' presentation
• 'Contracting' teacher training video
• 'My story in post-its' teacher training video