Defining Place, Time and Space in Human Activity: Physical, Mental, Emotional, Relational and Spiritual Domains - Part 2
The 2nd part of this blog will centre on the five areas of human activity, with a focus on how
the urban school environment hinders Black and Brown students and their teachers from fully expressing their humanity. It raises the question of, how can teachers acknowledge the diverse aspects of their students' humanity when their own humanity is compromised. Young people bring their energy into schools, but the walls of the institution contain and displace their bodies, minds, emotions, relationships, and spirits. This containment crushes human potential and leaves little room for learning and growth. The classroom experience serves as an example of how human expression is stifled in various domains.
Physical Domain
Let’s look at the physical domain. When urban Black and Brown students are housed in brick and mortar classrooms, they are crammed into small places that do not allow for their bodies to expand with freedom and ease. My 7 year old granddaughter had her first experience in a classroom this year and she came home and said that she didn’t know that she would be made to sit all day. This physical constraint denies the natural tendency of Black and Brown children to express through verve and rhythm and physical expression. While delivering restorative practices in charter school classrooms with a minimum of 25, 6th and 7th grade students' who are physically crammed inside these walls within walls with little to no space to spread out, stretch and sense the size of their being is a constriction. This imbalanced relationship to their physical bodies create expressions of unacknowledged frustration, anger, and disconnection. They are then blamed for not fitting in the environment the way the authority and system expects.
The sense of aliveness for Black and Brown students who enter urban schools with a sense and culture of verve, voice and rhythm must be constrained and constricted in order to be positively acknowledged by the teacher. The constraint and constriction in the exchange of energies and ways of being between teachers and students stifles the development of relationships. The premise here is that there is a relational gap in places where black and brown students are the majority and white female teachers are the majority. I asked myself how these students experience entering schools where the white teacher is the authority in the classroom and how does the teacher interrogate her own experience walking into a classroom with all Black and Brown students.
The white teacher might ask herself if this constraint exists in her own living or the educational places where her children are in school, probably not a particular concern. However, the teacher is also impacted when these overcrowded places do not allow her to experience spaciousness in relating to the students while teaching in these small places. When we acknowledge and recognize the physicality of our being and when the physical spaces accommodate our physical expressions, there is an opportunity to grow our minds with a lot more freedom and ease. We must ask ourselves, what does it mean to claim the space we require to attend to our physical well being and the wellbeing of others.
One way to address this issue is to advocate for more spacious and well-equipped classrooms and educational facilities. This can involve working with school administrators, community leaders, and policymakers to prioritise funding and resources for creating more comfortable and accommodating learning environments. Additionally, teachers can explore creative ways to make the most of the space they have, such as rearranging furniture or incorporating movement and physical activity into lessons. Ultimately, it is important to recognize that physical space is not just a matter of convenience or comfort, but a fundamental aspect of our ability to learn, grow, and thrive as individuals and communities.
Mental Domain
It is difficult to communicate the longing and experiences that shape us in the mental (psychological) domain. When our mental space is exposed to programming by the institutions of family, education, and the media, the distinction between what we think and what we are programmed to think becomes blurred. We describe thinking as having an opinion, holding a certain idea, or applying our judgement to something in order to consider or evaluate it. In controlled environments like urban schools and other institutions, the brain has little space to develop its ability for thinking. The mind becomes limited as a result.
When we employ textbooks, which have formalised static information used as facts, we ignore the lived experience of those who enter into classrooms. The western educational framework is designed to teach us what to think, not how to think. Our individual views and values are disregarded because the learner's lived experience is frequently seen as irrational, informal, challenging to convey or explain. Each person's mental space is unique and shaped by their experiences. It makes sense that everyone has a unique set of personality traits and interests, as well as various mental expressions that are tended to consciously or unconsciously.
The most crucial thing to remember is that prevailing societal attitudes and values have an impact on how knowledge is recorded and distributed inside educational institutions. The students in the institutional learning process must reflect back the attitudes and values of these institutions to authenticate that they are learned or knowledgeable. There isn't time for self-reflection on one's own life events and experience as producers of knowledge. There is no time or space to understand what is happening inside of you related to the information being conveyed in the classroom. We are constantly bombarded by the media with what we should think, what to think, how we should look and who we should interact with. We are amused by the shallowness of the illusions that have been built for us through institutions and technology that control our minds. Therefore, in these confined spaces known as schools, the mental space for full self-expression of a person’s humanity is denied, and guess what? This influences our healthy mental growth.
This denial of full self-expression and lack of space for self-reflection can lead to a stunted emotional and intellectual growth. It is important for educational institutions to recognize the impact of societal attitudes and values on knowledge distribution and to create spaces for students to reflect on their own experiences and perspectives. By doing so, students can develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, leading to a more well-rounded and empathetic society. It is crucial for institutions to prioritise the mental health and growth of their students, rather than simply focusing on academic achievement.
Emotional Domain
A major part of human action is in the emotional space, which can be challenging to control. It's important to have a place where we can be ourselves without fear of criticism. The ideas and emotions a person is experiencing at any particular time are what we refer to as our "emotional space." It encompasses all of our feelings, both from experience and mental perceptions of the experience as good or bad. Additionally, it contains our ideas, beliefs, and thoughts, all of which are crucial components of who we are as a person. Each of us has an emotional space we call our "state of mind," which is always present within us.
In formalised western institutional places, the space for emotional expression is taboo. The one expression that leads to mental and emotional well being is denied to human beings as they perform in the realm of social expectations and norms. In the education, health care, social services and business professions the culture is not to disclose how you feel. In schools where black and brown students are living in cultures of how we feel is paramount, there is no way that white teachers who are socialised to avoid emotional expression as a western cultural practice and professional practice can form authentic relationships that matter in the teaching and learning environment of Black and Brown students, unless they are willing to own and tread the emotional waters that are ever present in themselves and the students they teach.
Many of the students come to school dealing with many emotional challenges that go unaddressed at home, in the classroom or by human services professionals. Instead the teachers see the students as disruptive, mal-adjusted or defiant. The unexpressed emotional and psychological traumas and built up frustration of students are silenced if there is no physical evidence that teachers can point to. The mis-labelling of students resulting in psychological mis-diagnosis, suspensions, and dismissals results in negative outcomes for the students. What we must ask ourselves is what is necessary for schools to be transformed into healing spaces that consider the human context. I assert that an unpacking of the domains within the personal and professional life of teachers related to self and race, will allow for reimagining of how white (primarily female) teachers interact and relate with Black and Brown students and their parents.
The recent trends in formalised education institutions is the idea of socio-emotional learning as being a really important emerging possibility for building trust across the relational (race) gap in school settings. Again, my experience in urban schools leads me to lift up work that my team provided during the implementation of restorative practices. Students found this practice rewarding and healing. Some teachers saw the value in having the practice of morning circles to allow students space to share what their lives were like coming into the classroom that day. However, many of the teachers did not want to put the time, energy and attention into opening their day with this practice, nor did they want to acknowledge when their authority was misused.
This resistance to restorative practices and socio-emotional learning highlights the need for more comprehensive teacher training and support in implementing these approaches. It also underscores the importance of addressing power dynamics and systemic issues within education institutions that perpetuate inequality and hinder progress towards building trust and understanding across racial and cultural differences. As we continue to explore new possibilities for education, it is crucial that we prioritise the well-being and growth of all students, and work towards creating inclusive and equitable learning environments.
Relational Domain
In sociology and anthropology, the term "relational space" refers to the real and artificial environments that people use to engage with one another. Relational Space, which is frequently used to represent the "ground" on which individuals connect with one another, can be used to explain the circumstances in which human beings engage with one another. For instance, when we go to work, school, exercise, or play, as well as in the online forums and social media sites we use to communicate with others. Understanding the personalities of people and their social ties requires social contact.
Relational space can also be influenced by cultural and societal norms, as well as power dynamics. For example, certain spaces may be designated for specific social groups or may be inaccessible to certain individuals based on their social status. Additionally, the use of technology and social media has expanded the possibilities for relational space, but also presents new challenges in terms of privacy and authenticity in communication. Overall, understanding of relational space is crucial in understanding human interaction and social dynamics.
Relational space is what we give to ourselves from one off or constant interactions with others and what we give to others from interactions with us. Relationships are the hallmark of human interactions. The quality of our relationships are driven by how we speak, greet and be with ourselves and others. Any place where we have communication exchanges with others is where space is given or taken within relationships. When we are unfamiliar with the people we interact with and do not understand the personalities and the context of the social ties that produce relatedness we miss the importance of establishing connections before content.
Establishing connection before content is particularly true when white teachers enter urban schools serving Black and Brown students. It is possible that the academic achievement gap can be closed if there is development of the relational gap. Without a clear understanding of the cultural, linguistic and lived experiences of the students, there will continue to be a challenge for White teachers’ effectiveness as educators of Black and Brown Children.
Therefore, it is crucial for White teachers to engage in ongoing professional development that focuses on cultural responsiveness and equity in education. This includes learning about the history and experiences of Black and Brown communities, as well as developing strategies to build positive relationships with students and families. By prioritising connection and understanding, White teachers can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment that empowers their students to succeed.
What I have noticed in my experience of observing the relational dynamics in urban schools between Black and Brown students is an unawareness of the teachers' understanding of the relationships the students have with each other when they enter the classroom. The cultural dynamics of extended family and the environmental dynamics that inform how those relationships are formed leave the teachers with a communication deficit in managing the space. I have witnessed the social practices of Black and Brown students' ways of engagement and learning which are conflicting with the pedagogical practices of the teachers. Traditional pedagogical practices are competitive and based on individual learning models while Black and Brown students learn more effectively cooperatively and communally. These are some of the relational dynamics in this domain that denies student’s full self-expression.
Additionally, it is important for White teachers to recognize and address their own biases and privilege, as these can impact their interactions with students and perpetuate inequities in the classroom. This may involve reflecting on their own experiences and seeking feedback from colleagues and students. By actively working to dismantle systemic barriers and create a more equitable learning environment, White teachers can play a crucial role in promoting academic success and social justice for all students.
Spiritual Domain
Spiritual space is the ability to separate the self from all that keeps us from the experience of knowing that we are loved, wanted, needed, lovable, enough and other attributes that lead to our own enlightenment as an animated being beyond the human realm. The covering that life’s experiences washes over us leaves us wanting for the things that are already in us. In places of education the spirit of students are animated and powerful when they enter into learning spaces. The adults generally can not recognize that the student is carrying a certain spirit of knowing with clarity, when love and care is present in the environment. I have witnessed the light that drains from the students when the adults can not see them, do not hear them and crush their curiosity. This is the point from which the students’ educational experiences start to dampen their spirit and cover the student’s true self.
The spirit of Black and Brown students is often overlooked or dismissed by adults who may not understand the depth of the student's experiences and perspectives. However, when educators create a nurturing and supportive environment, students are able to thrive and fully express their unique spirits. This can lead to a more meaningful and fulfilling educational experience for both the students and the adults involved. It is important for educators to recognize and honour the spirit of their students in order to create a truly transformative learning environment.
Regardless of your religious beliefs, if you desire to establish a connection with intelligence beyond yourself, yet within yourself to gain self-awareness, it can be found in the spiritual domain. Where do we think we all go after we die? The only realm that is not restricted by human-made boundaries of space and time is boundless space. The spiritual domains aid us in perceiving emptiness as a place to create and relish the kind of space in our lives that makes us feel alive and liberated. This is because space is defined as an infinitely intelligent creation that is accessible to all.
The spiritual domain is a function of the ways in which we are inspired to be fully expressed in, and this would need us to devise more creative ways to bring people together and provide spaces for socialising. If we are to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of wellness and healing and a deeper awareness of what it is to be human, we must look beyond the confines of our current institutions and realise our role for creating the kind of world we want to live in.