Title: Ideas for supporting students' development of boundaries. OPTIONAL DISCUSSION
Course: FLO MicroCourse: The Space Between Us: Navigating Boundaries in Post-Secondary Education

Hi everyone,

I've been reflecting on this topic after it came up in our introductory meeting yesterday evening. I've started this forum with a few of my thoughts and invite anyone to contribute, if they'd like.

As was mentioned by a participant, there is an opportunity (and perhaps need) to support students in developing and asserting their own boundaries as learners and  community members. Although this topic wasn't my intended focus when I was developing this course, it's a great opportunity to explore it.

Role Modeling certainly comes into play here. Often students create the opportunity for us to role model setting boundaries because they are pushing up against ours! Being explicit and stating boundaries early on and often sets expectations for students and supports us if we need to refer back to them. The syllabus, the LMS, and the classroom are all sites where we can inform the student about our approach to teaching, including the role of boundary setting.

Students may have the opportunity or need to set boundaries with each other in group work or other student engagement activities. We can support students to develop boundaries with each other by encouraging reflective practices that increase self-awareness and include appropriate boundary setting in course guidelines.

Students engaging in small group work can be encouraged to create a group agreement (and be provided examples) with clearly defined roles, boundaries and timelines, for their project. I can't say that group agreements have always prevented conflict, but they can't hurt. I try to normalize the uncomfortableness that most people have to working with others. I also discuss the intention for preparing students to function in a team environment including navigating conflict.

Finally, I believe programs with practice components (e.g., practicum, work study or co-op) offer a special opportunity to link boundaries and other so-called 'soft skills' to the required competencies of the field. Further, a discipline's code of ethics or standards of practice may have language and guidelines that are useful for learning. In my experience, these are some of most important and challenging types of skills to assess for educators.

These are some of the thoughts and ideas I've had since yesterday's great discussions. I hope others may have additional musings here.

Also, the Schwartz article that Melissa shared in the Resource Depository (top section of the Moodle) is excellent! I particularly love these closing remarks:

Caring makes us good teachers. We and our students benefit when we balance caring for them with caring for ourselves so as to honor the full nature of their lives and our own.

Take care,

Matty