Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued.
- Brené Brown
Inclusion is a powerful concept. Yet how do we practice, reflect on and engage in being inclusive in challenging situations? You know those times, when you feel you don’t know what to say or do, and you don’t want to fall into the default – “my way or the highway” locked in response. At REiL Learning, we specialize in these “tricky” times. We build bridges in challenging situations and design ways to integrate creative, practical approaches to inclusion. We understand inclusion as a practice.
REiL Learning supports school, out of school and community organizations build inclusive practices through:
· Recognizing ways we get stuck,
· Activating self-compassion for ourselves when we feel unsettled and unsure,
· Engaging in case scenarios and real plays where we connect our thinking and creative minds to create different ways to respond,
· Integrating policies, strategies, and ideas to be inclusive at the various crossroads.
A few ways we can strengthen our personal inclusive practices in tricky moments are to:
· Acknowledge the things that are said or happen which irk you – I mean really irritate or frustrate you. Many of us shy away from feeling these emotions, which given space and time can help us understand and connect with ourselves and each other.
· Take time building rapport (=being interested and engaged) with all learners. This has nothing to do with liking. Liking is a preferential choice we make with our friends, rapport is an ongoing commitment to continue to see and hear ourselves and others.
· Co-create guidelines around how we’re going to be as a group with participants. The more clarity around what works and what doesn’t work the better. Although there may be some resistance to the guidelines, the clarity reduces the likelihood of us turning to a punitive reaction.
To learn more, visit www.REiLlearning.com
Comments