As midwives, we support and hold space for physiological childbirth to unfold organically and
value feelings of empowerment, strength, and safety in childbirth.
According to research sponsored by the Council
of Urban Boards
of Education (CUBE) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA), they include (1)
feelings of safety among staff and students; (2) supportive relationships within the school; (3) engagement and
empowerment of students as
valued members and resources in the school community; (4) clear rules and boundaries that are understood by all students and staff; (5) high expectations for academic achievement and appropriate behavior; and (6) trust, respect, and an ethos
of caring (Bryant & Kelly, 2006; Elfstrom, Vanderzee, Cuellar, Sink, & Volz, 2006; Perkins, 2006).
«As they relate their experiences, common threads emerge:
feelings of anger, frustration, and isolation in a world designed for standardized minds; the
empowerment that arises from self - knowledge; the
value of cultivating one's strengths and the gifts that are embodied in «thinking differently,»» Zabel said.