Nearly 100 educators spent a recent Saturday taking part in a live virtual Conscious Discipline workshop, presented by Childcare Resources and featuring Master Instructor Kim Hughes. Funded by Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee, the workshop focused on how teachers can implement Conscious Discipline personally and professionally to help navigate the emotional upset of themselves and their students and work towards building self-regulation.
“The missing link for success is self-regulation,” noted Hughes, “It’s our ability to put a moment between thought and action.”
Developed by Dr. Becky Bailey, Conscious Discipline is an adult-first model of social and emotional intelligence used in classrooms across the country. Designed to first make changes in an adult’s life, Conscious Discipline focuses on self-regulation to increase both empathy and awareness.
“Through Conscious Discipline, we are able to see conflict and behavior differently,” said Hughes, “So we have to learn to regulate ourselves first.”
This most recent seminar continues Childcare Resources’ long-standing commitment to bringing Conscious Discipline training to educators in Indian River County, particularly in a year filled with the intense challenges and emotional upheaval of COVID-19.
After the workshop, Childcare Resources Early Education Coaches distributed supplies including copies of Marc Brackett’s Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive and Mood Meter posters that help children name their emotions. Funded by PNC Grow Up Great, the supplies will help teachers and students build the emotional awareness and the self-regulation that are the cornerstones of Conscious Discipline.