Key Gaia Learning Principles

We have adopted four key principles to High Quality Teaching:

• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Adoption of an agreed set of Non-negotiables
• 21st Century learning
• Understanding latest research into how the brain learns: Cognitive Load Theory

Feeling Safe

Students need to have a clear understanding of what is expected of them, there needs to be clear, predictable and understood routines and systems that everyone follows, and there needs to be healthy boundaries. Communication is also an essential element of safety, with the use of positive language and clam use of body-language and understanding of non-verbal messages we give off. The adults need to be self-aware of the signals they give to students.

Connection

Following on from safety, students need to feel that they belong. Staff should know students by name, and have knowledge of each student’s passions and interests. These should be included in planning and delivery, so as to encourage involvement in lesson content.

Regulation

Students need to be supported in self-regulation in class. This can also be linked to providing a ‘safe’ space; somewhere where there are no ‘wrong’ answers & inaccuracies are addressed positively, but also somewhere where students do not feel pressurised. Time should be allowed, once a question is posed, to enable thinking time, for example. Students should also know that they can make use of the ‘Time-out’ system to take themselves out of a space to calm down, rather than escalate in the lesson.

Learning

Once all this is in place, then learning can begin. But learning also needs to recognise the possible impact of Trauma; it should be well differentiated, with activities linked to students’ passions and goals. It should also have built in teaching of ‘executive functions’ – the ‘soft’ skills we frequently assume students know how to use, such as decision making & problem solving.