“Children must be seen differently to behave differently,” said Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor Mandy Lloyd. “They will live up to the expectation we set.”
To kick off the 2022-2023 Excellence in Early Education seminar series, Childcare Resources hosted Lloyd as she discussed Conscious Discipline’s Brain State Model and School Family Model with more than 125 educators representing nearly thirty local schools and organizations.
In exploring the Brain State Model, which explains how the brain and behavior are linked, educators learned that when the brain’s basic needs of safety and connection are not met, challenging behavior is more likely.
“We spend a lot of time and energy addressing the behavior,” noted Lloyd. “The Brain State Model helps us understand the relationship between how we feel and how we act.”
In the afternoon, Lloyd strategized with teachers on how they can build a School Family. The School Family is a learning environment in which all children feel safe and that they belong. In this environment, children are able to problem-solve conflicts and self-regulate.
“Children need routines as a framework so that they can explore, play, and learn,” said Lloyd. “If a child feels safe, if a child feels loved, then that child is ready to solve problems.”
Funded by Indian River County Children’s Services Advisory Committee and PNC, this was the ninth Conscious Discipline seminar presented by Childcare Resources since 2015.
“I have a better understanding of why some children display certain behaviors,” mentioned one educator after the training. “I will respond differently now and rethink my responses to my students.”
Registration is currently open for Childcare Resources’ next seminar, The Importance of Child Engagement in Play and Learning and Emergent Literacy, featuring Alan Guttman. More information is available online: www.ChildcareResourcesIR.org