Our Inspiration
Understanding and implementing a trauma-informed pedagogical practice takes courage, patience and compassion. While we can obtain the knowledge we need to help through these and other resources, sometimes we need inspiration from others. The motivation to create these resources and help change the learning experience originated from the powerful words of Mother Teresa. Those words are shared below. They give us the inspiration to do better and help everyone we can.
Our Inspiration - Do It Anyway Poem
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, there may be jealousy;
be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
it was never between you and them anyway.
– Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (Mother Theresa)
Meet the Author
Sandra VanderKaay
Sandra VanderKaay is an assistant professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science and a CanChild Scientist at McMaster University. Her current program of research is focused on trauma-informed pedagogy, and clinical reasoning and ethical decision-making in occupational therapy practice, including ethical decision-making in school-based occupational therapy. Sandra’s post-doctoral fellowship at CanChild, under the supervision of Dr. Wenonah Campbell, focused on conducting realist research aimed at developing a middle-range theory of tiered rehabilitation services in education settings. Sandra completed her Ph.D. (2018) in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Sandra Moll. Her thesis, titled Ethical Decision-Making in Occupational Therapy in Canada, involved three studies that looked at three distinct aspects of ethical decision-making to support occupational therapy practice. Sandra’s teaching foci include pediatric OT practice, clinical reasoning, and ethical decision-making. Sandra has been a registered occupational therapist since 1996. Her clinical background includes both school health support services and pediatric rehabilitation.
This resource shares the research of Dr. Sandra VanderKaay, McMaster University, to support educators in implementing trauma-informed pedagogy. This research was made possible through an IDEAS grant and a Fellowship in Teaching and Learning from MacPherson Institute with support from the School of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Faculty of Health Sciences.
