Siva Training with Angela Zummack: District Principal of Inclusive Education
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a SIVA training session with Angela Zummack, the District Principal of Inclusive Education. Her presentation was incredibly valuable, giving us real-life insights into the complexities of managing a classroom and ensuring yours and your students’ safety. Angela discussed the importance of creating and maintaining safe educational relationships to make students more receptive to learning. She introduced the “Typical Brain Development Timeline” and explored how excessive screen time can impact a students’ ability to develop and process visual information. One of my favourite aspects of the training was learning about the “Brain Safety 123” model, which taught us how the brain processes responses in stages: starting with the Emotional Brain, moving to the Thinking Brain, and sometimes encountering a ‘reflexive no.’ This happens when a student’s immediate emotional reaction prevents them from thinking clearly, leading to possible classroom challenges, including verbal and physical altercations. Understanding this can be key in de-escalating situations and managing student’s behaviors. Angela also highlighted four guiding principles; Holistic Safety, Collaboration, Goal Direction, and Healthy Empowerment, this can significantly influence our approach to teaching. These principles are practical tools that can help us manage real-life situations in schools, such as physical altercations. For instance, knowing how to align expectations with each student’s abilities and using clear, goal-directed communication can empower students and prevent conflicts. This training was an essential part of my professional development journey, equipping me with strategies and knowledge that will be valuable when I step into the classroom. I left the session inspired and more confident about my ability to have a safe and inclusive environment for all my students.