Ensouling Our Schools

Jennifer Katz, PhD, taught for 16 years in diverse classrooms from K to 12, including special education and inclusive classrooms in Winnipeg and Vancouver. She has also served as a resource teacher and counsellor. Her work as an advocate of inclusive education has spanned several countries, provinces, and territories, and multiple audiences, including students, parents, teachers, educational leaders, and curriculum and policy development ministries. Dr. Katz received the MCEC Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership, 2016. She now serves as an Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education at the University of British Columbia. Kevin Lamoureux currently serves as the Education Lead for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation while on leave from the position of Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Affairs at the University of Winnipeg. Lamoureux has served as faculty member at the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba, and is a well-known national public speaker. He has served as co-chair for the Manitoba Provincial Task Force on Educational Outcomes for Children in Care, scholar-in residence for several school divisions, and education consultant throughout Manitoba and across Canada.

Foreword ix
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction 1
Are Schools an Archaic Institution? 3
Health Promoting Schools 6
Weaving the Threads 9

PART I

Ensouled Learning Communities: Finding Meaning and Purpose in Schools and Schooling 11
Chapter 1: Spirit and Soul in Education 13

What Do We Mean by Soul/Spirit? 13
The History 13
Communities of Care 13
Social and Emotional Learning 15
Teachers as Change Agents 17
The Vision of Spiritual Education 18
Why Spiritual Education Is Critical in the 21st Century 19
Bringing It All Together 20


Chapter 2: Neurology, Trauma, Well-Being, and Mental Health in Our Schools 21

Indigenous Views of Mental Health and Well-Being 22
Mino-Pimatisiwin 22
The Four Spirits 24
The Circle of Courage 25
Mental Health: Contemporary Western Views 26
Mental Health and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) 26
Positive Mental Health 27
The Role of Trauma, and the Promise of Plasticity 30
School-Based Mental-Health Services and Programs 34
Teacher Impacts 36
Impacts on Families and Communities 38


Chapter 3: The TRC and Indigenous Worldviews of Education for Well-Being 43

Context and Relationship 43
The Indian Act 46
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission 47
The Role of Schools and Teachers in Reconciliation 50
Education as a Way Forward 51


Chapter 4: Leadership for Inclusion and UDL 53

Universal Design for Learning 53
The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning 53
Leadership in an Inclusive Culture 56
Effective Leadership for Inclusive Education 57
Building Powerful Forms of Teaching and Learning 60


Chapter 5: Weaving the Threads 65

From Distress to Success 65
The Connections 66
It’s All About Relationships 66
Neurology 66
Designed for Some, Of Benefit to All: Reconciliation as Reflecting the Values of UDL 66
The Science and the Art of Ensouling Our Schools 68
The Gift of Plasticity and the Hope of Reconciliation: We Can Grow and Change 69
Framing Well-Being 69



PART II

How to Build Flourishing Learning Communities 73
Chapter 6: Classroom-Based Programming for Social-Emotional Learning 75

Response to Intervention 75
Universal Design for Learning 77
Tier l of RTI in the Three-Block-Model of Universal Design 79
Social and Emotional Learning: Block One of the TBM 81
Strategy One: The Respecting Diversity (RD) Program 82
Strategy Two: Spirit Buddies 101
Strategy Three: Creating Democratic Classrooms 102


Chapter 7: Addressing Mental-Health Needs with All Students 107

A Framework for Well-Being 107
Mental-Health Literacy 111
The Brain Unit: Mental-Health Literacy the UDL Way 112
Strategies for Well-Being 131
Breathing and Its Effects on the Brain 132
Managing Our Environment 134
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) 135
Tier 2/3: How Do I Know When to Be Concerned? 161


Chapter 8: Programming for Reconciliation and Education for Reconciliation 165

TRC Resources and Lesson Ideas 166
The Medicine Wheel and Well-Being 173
Calls to Action and Teacher Responsibilities 175


Chapter 9: Moving Toward Joy 177

Joy, Neurology, and Engagement 177
Finding Meaning and Purpose 177
Indigenous Perspectives on Connecting with the Whole 179
Instructional Practices for Well-Being and Joy 180
Connecting Mental-Health Programming with Curriculum Across the School Year 182
A Sample Unit Connecting Mathematics and Well-Being 185
Scheduling Programming Across the Year 188
Elementary School 188
High School 189


Chapter 10: School Culture and Staff Well-Being 195

Building Staff Culture 195
Team Building: The RD Program for Staff 195
Setting the Vision: School Plans for Well-Being 196
Building and Supporting Collaborative Practice and Teacher Leadership 202
Supporting Teacher Professional Learning 206
Finally, Make It Fun! 207


Conclusion: A Story of Hope 209
A Story of Hope 209
Appendices 213

Appendix A: Resource List 215
Appendix B: Multiple Intelligences Surveys 219
Appendix C: Brain Diagram (for teacher and students) 233
Appendix D: The Brain and the Senses 235
Appendix E: Brain Unit Rubric 236
Appendix F: The Neuron (for teacher and students) 238
Appendix G: Emotion and Mental Health Words 240
Appendix H: Mental Illnesses 241
Appendix I: Warning Signs of a Mental Illness 242
Appendix J: Mental-Health Scenarios 243
Appendix K: Rubrics for Treaty Education 245


References 249
Index 255