Resources
These resources are open educational materials developed by Ross Laird for the workshops and courses he teaches in wellbeing, creativity, and related fields.
My Approach
Guiding Principles and Practices
Dec. 21, 2023, 12:22 p.m. • Ross Laird
Safety and Uniqueness My approach is grounded in the commitment to create a secure, safe, and welcoming environment for participants. I often use the phrase learn and be safe; after all, we can&...
Navigating Emotional Situations
Strategic Actions for Stressful Moments in Group Work
Jan. 2, 2024, 9:18 p.m. • Ross Laird
Facilitating the complexity and difficulty of emotional situations that arise in group and community contexts requires deep skills in navigating intricate behavioural patterns and intense group dy...
Group Facilitation
The most complex environment of all
Dec. 20, 2023, 6:16 p.m. • Ross Laird
For information about workshops and training offered by Ross Laird, please visit this page or contact Ross directly. Working with groups is immensely rewarding and uni...
On Developing Knowledge
Building Capacity, Exploring the Edges of Knowledge, and Finding Ways Forward
June 25, 2021, 12:57 p.m. • Ross Laird
This page is the first of three resources that focus on contemporary research and philosophy for developing more human (and humane) forms of education. See parts two and three for the full s...
Skills for Working with People
Integrating Academic Knowledge with Personal and Community Development
June 25, 2021, 1:06 p.m. • Ross Laird
This page is the second of three resources that focus on contemporary research and philosophy for developing more human (and humane) forms of education. See parts one and three for the full ...
Skills for Working on Yourself
The Inward Journey as an Educational Pathway
June 25, 2021, 1:11 p.m. • Ross Laird
This page is the third of three resources that focus on contemporary research and philosophy for developing more human (and humane) forms of education. See parts one and two for the full set...
Taking Learning Outside
Our Heritage in the Natural World
June 18, 2021, 11:18 p.m. • Ross Laird
Adapted from Object-Based Learning and Well-Being , edited by Heleen Chatterjee and Thomas Kador. We meander up the gravel path, through the evergreens, between the stands of alder. The s...
Creativity and the True Teacher
On Teaching, Learning, and Leading
June 18, 2021, 11:05 p.m. • Ross Laird
I stand in the dark, watching the lighted lamps pass. Lantern-bearers follow one another upon the spiraling path. They glide through the darkness, almost silent, their faces dimly lit by the glow o...
Cultivating Well-being, Safety, and Education in the Museum Setting
Trauma-Informed Principles and Practices
Jan. 6, 2025, 5:25 p.m. • Ross Laird
These are the educational materials that I use for professional development workshops focused on mental health skills for museum professionals — particularly visitor-facing staff. This slide deck i...