Student Perceptions of Safety at School and Strategies for a Felt Sense of Safety
This presentation stems from an ongoing study that aims to better understand how students define and experience a sense of safety at school, particularly in relation to physical, relational, emotional, and pedagogical factors. While trauma-informed approaches have become more prevalent in schools, we know relatively little about how students themselves conceptualize what it means to feel safe in their learning environments. We are surveying and interviewing high school students from a variety of contexts to better understand the multifaceted experience of safety at schools, and will be providing practical strategies for cultivating brave, resilient environments for students!
Lauren Strainge, MEd, US History Teacher, Lowell High School
Lauren Strainge is a United States History teacher in Lowell, Massachusetts living in Haverhill, Massachusetts. In addition to her MEd in Teaching and Curriculum Lauren holds a certificate in Trauma Informed Teaching and just started her 7th year in the profession. When she's not pouring her passion for History into the next generation, you can find her working on one of many crafts at home!
Leah Hough, PhD, Adjunct Professor & International Education Consultant, Lesley University
Leah Hough is a trauma-informed education specialist living in Cleveland, Ohio, teaching graduate courses in Cambridge, MA, and supporting schools in the cultivation of safe and supportive learning environments world wide. In addition to a PhD in Educational Leadership, Leah holds a M.Ed in Trauma Informed Education and has experience as a middle school teacher. Although a large part of her heart remains in the classroom, her days are largely spent at home with her young children these days!
