Gentle Teaching
Gentle Teaching is a set of values, goals and strategies that teaches valuing and participation. It is also a process that places bonding and companionship at the centre of all interactions. It is a means to support people to regain personal control with respect and dignity. Gentle Teaching focuses on four primary goals of support:
- · Supporting the individual to feel safe with support staff.
- · Supporting the individual to feel engaged with support staff.
- · Supporting the individual to feel unconditionally valued by support staff.
- · Supporting the individual to return unconditional valuing to support staff.
Another aspect of Gentle Teaching is the incorporation of the Psychology of Interdependence, which has to do with how we exist as human beings, how we see ourselves, and how we see our relations with important others.
The Psychology of Interdependence is based on the following three assumptions:
- 1. Each human being is made up of a mind, a body, and a spirit.
- 2. Each human being hungers for a feeling of being with others and having a feeling of companionship.
- 3. Bonded relations are the fundament for developing human values into a moral life and into personal life goals.
It is through both Gentle Teaching and the Psychology of Interdependence in conjunction with our philosophy that Avenue II is able to offer effective support to individuals with disabilities.
The philosophy of Avenue II is comprised of five basic principles:
- • Adult Philosophy: Adult philosophy is based on respectful interactions and promotes age appropriate activities and age appropriate choices.
- • Informed Choice: Informed choice is the result of an individual being provided with the information required to make a positive and informed choice.
- • Natural Proportion: Studies show 1% to 3% of the population has a disability. To promote inclusion the same ratio is maintained in all community involvement for Avenue II.
- • Natural Consequences: This is the naturally occurring outcome of an action.
• Personalized Learning: At Avenue II, support is designed to meet the needs of the person, not the person to the schedule. There is no pass or fail and supports are non-judgemental. It is acceptance of the person. Support staff find the best way for a person to learn based on their strengths.
