Whether students feel stressed or supported has a profound impact on their success, sense of belonging, and behavior. Designed as a guide for education professionals and parents, this book explores emotional safety, its effect on learning, and practical strategies for fostering well-being. Discover how to shape students’ emotional responses by modeling healthy expression, building community, and nurturing self-awareness and self-management.

K–12 administrators and teachers can use this book to:

• Foster emotional safety and belonging in schools
• Address how stress and anxiety impact the learning environment
• Address students’ emotional needs and cultivate positive relationships in the classroom
• Strengthen classroom management with healthy approaches and practices
• Maintain authority while balancing structure with freedom

Contents:

Introduction

Part I: Dimensions of a Very Big Picture

Chapter 1: What Safety Is

Chapter 2: The Heart of the Matter—Feelings and School

Chapter 3: Safety—It’s a Brain Thing

Chapter 4: Learning and the Brain

Chapter 5: Body and Mind

Chapter 6: Where Children Are Coming From—Stress and Adaptation

Chapter 7: Over the Edge—A World of Violence

Chapter 8: Brave New World—The Changing Role of the School

Chapter 9: All Are Welcome Here—The Need for Community

Chapter 10: Snags in the Tapestry

Chapter 11: More Welcome Than Others—Discrimination and Belonging

Chapter 12: How Does Your Garden Grow? More Diversity, More Discrimination

Part II: The Toolbox

Chapter 13: Academic Safety—Learning and Success

Chapter 14: Emotional Safety—Personal and Character Development

Chapter 15: Social Safety—Belonging and Interpersonal Competence

Chapter 16: Behavioral Safety—Discipline and Cooperation

Chapter 17: Physical Safety—The Student Body

Part III: The Grownups

Chapter 18: Teacher Safety—Protecting the Protectors

Chapter 19: The Collaborators—Parents and Community

Epilogue: Are We Almost There Yet?

Appendix

References and Resources

Index