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Teaching What We Practice: Conscious Discipline Starts with Us | Angela Fraley | Conscious Discipline Teaching What We Practice: Conscious Discipline Starts with Us August 23, 2025 Angela Fraley Conscious Discipline Join us to uncover how connections with children shape their development and well-being. Explore the science of the attachment system to respond to young children in distress Understand the powr of "meaning-making" Discover the importance of connections with children Saturday, August 23 9 am - 3 pm Vero Beach Museum of Art Available at no cost to early educators in Indian River County CEUs available from FLAEYC Breakfast and lunch will be provided Join us for a chance to win workshop raffle prizes Handout (PDF) Workshop Photos Back

We are all dealing with trauma during these difficult times. Each person has a unique story filled with circumstances no one else can understand. Coach's Column Susan Roberts February 1, 2021 Dr. Peg Oliveira from the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at Yale presented an informative and timely workshop on Saturday, January 23. The workshop dealt with Trauma-informed Practices That Can Benefit All Children , but honestly I got so much out of her presentation that I can apply to my own life. You probably noticed a lot of references to information and practices that have been presented in Conscious Discipline workshops. Building relationships, establishing routines, and building resilience in children through support and practice are the foundation of trauma informed practices. It is the foundation on which learning can happen. We are all dealing with trauma during these difficult times. Each person has a unique story filled with circumstances no one else can understand. The coronavirus is unprecedented in that its impact is community wide and does not stay within the boundaries of economics, race, gender, religion, etc. Even though Dr. Oliveira states that all trauma is not bad, prolonged trauma without having sufficient coping skills impacts people physically and emotionally. The brain can actually adapt to the stresses of prolonged trauma and learn to behave in a fight or flight way. Relating this to Conscious Discipline, the brain is stuck in the survival state. It reacts without thinking to protect itself by fighting back, withdrawing or running away. Until a trusting relationship is formed no significant learning can occur. The love, empathy and understanding shown within relationships is what helps children break from the habit of fight, flight, or withdrawal. They learn to feel emotions, and then move through them. Better choices can be made. This can take a long time. Remember, a child may have depended on an adult who exposed them to harmful circumstances. They may have experienced the death of a loved one, homelessness, hunger, or unstable adults in their life. They may feel fear and anxiety. Young children may not have had the chance to see and practice the coping skills needed to handle stressful experiences. As educators you cannot take away the feelings a child is having due to circumstances beyond your control. You can provide love, empathy, and understanding to help them build a trusting relationship so they feel connected, loved and accepted. You can teach children how to calm, identify their feelings and pause before they react. Practicing everyday will help children learn new more positive habits that enhance their ability to bounce back from the inevitable stress they will experience in life. Dr. Oliveira suggested the following classroom practices to help children build resilience: Routines help children feel secure and in control. They know what is coming next. Things are predictable. A visual schedule gives children the opportunity to see for themselves what is coming next. Starting the day with a structured activity helps children move from an unstructured home into the secure and structured school environment. Having table games or floor toys out helps children move into the day without having to make choices and have conflict from the start. Developmentally appropriate activities help children feel success without frustration. It is important to know the developmental milestones. Children need a good foundation to build upon. They cannot successfully, and without frustration, move to cutting with a scissors if they have never developed the proper grip strength to handle the scissors. Be aware of difficult situations and transitions. Children who have little structure or routine are on high alert for what may come next. Surprises may not be welcome! Warn children of changes in schedule and new situations. Practice transitions so they know what is happening and the appropriate way to respond. Proximity to an adult or trusted friend may smooth the way through new situations. Creating rituals to support and practice calming and co-regulation gives children the pause to learn how to go from their survival state to the emotional and executive state where they learn to self-regulate. I Love You Rituals, soothing songs, familiar music, breathing, etc. can calm and remind children that they are safe and loved. Every educator is committed to do no harm. It is our wish that the information shared by Dr. Peg Oliveira will help to build resilience and the ability to bounce back from stress. We are wishing you well! Susan and the Childcare Resources team Resources ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fviolenceprevention%2Facestudy%2Ffastfact.html https://www.joiningforcesforchildren.org/what-are-aces/ This page contains a link to the ACES questionnaire. Social Emotional Learning and Covid https://casel.org/resources-covid/ Working with Traumatized Children, A Handbook for Healing . by Kathryn Brohl This book was specifically recommended by Dr. Oliveira in January's workshop. Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Let’s take some time to review the Conscious Discipline Brain Smart Start Coach's Column Amanda Gooch August 1, 2023 Welcome back to another incredible beginning to the school year. We are starting the year strong with Conscious Discipline. Conscious Discipline utilizes everyday events to cultivate emotional intelligence through a self-regulation program that integrates social-emotional learning and discipline. Let’s take some time to review the Conscious Discipline Brain Smart Start and what that structure looks like in the classroom. The Conscious Discipline Brain Smart Start of the day consists of four activities: An activity to UNITE, an activity to CONNECT, an activity to DISENGAGE stress and an activity to COMMIT. Conscious Discipline designed this combination of activities using current brain research in order to promote an optimal learning state. The Brain Smart Start should be conducted in the classroom daily. Let’s review these four components that make up the Brain Smart Start: 1. Unite: The activity to unite as a School Family involves everyone doing something together. It builds connection, fosters a sense of safety and releases endorphins. These activities can be combined, for example, a School Family chant involving music and movement with a partner would both unite and connect. 2. Disengage: The activity to disengage stress involves deep breathing and stretching. It prepares the brain for cortical learning and turns off the stress response. The four core calming activities used in Conscious Discipline to help disengage are S.T.A.R., Balloon, Pretzel and Drain. The calming activity S.T.A.R. stands for Smile, Take a deep breath And Relax. Taking three deep belly breaths helps to shut off the fight, flight, or freeze response in the body. 3. Connect: The activity to connect the students to the teacher and to each other helps to maintain focused attention and the motivation to learn. It also releases oxytocin, which promotes connection and reduces aggression. Eye contact, presence, touch and a playful setting are the four core components required to truly connect with others. I Love You Rituals are an effective way to incorporate connection in the classroom. Classrooms benefit from I Love You Rituals in routines like the Brain Smart Start, during circle time and after transitions. Teachers and individual students benefit from scheduling regular one-on-one I Love You Rituals with children call for help through difficult behaviors like aggression, tantrums or withdrawal. 4. Commit: The activity to commit oneself to learning involves affirmations and positive thinking. It produces serotonin, teaches responsibility, promotes mindful attention and develops the prefrontal lobe. Making commitments and following through on them builds self-esteem, neurologically bathing the body in feel-good chemicals. These chemicals help focus attention and achieve goals. Commitments help us shift from being unconsciously stimulus-driven to becoming consciously goal-oriented. Commitments can be individual, like having each child take a clothespin with his name on it and place it beside a class agreement. The class can make a group commitment with the teacher stating, “Today I’m going to use kind words with friends,” and the children would signal their commitment with a thumbs up. Provide a time at the end of the day to invite children to evaluate their commitments. The children respond with either, “I did it,” or, “Oops.” An Oops is an opportunity to try again tomorrow. Some children may have difficulty keeping their commitments. Check to see their commitments are specific, narrow in scope and realistic. Instead of, “Today I will be nice all day,” coach them to say, “Today at recess I will invite a friend to play with me.” A Brain Smart Start also offers opportunities to practice social skills. It also provides many chances to model acceptable behavior, reinforce, redirect, or remind. The investment returned on time spent with a Brain Smart Start is repaid many times over. This teaches a sense of belonging, as well as develops skills of listening, attention, expression and empathy. A Brain Smart Start sets the tone for the day. It is not an add on or something extra to make time for, but rather an integral part of the day's planning and curriculum. Wishing you the best, Amanda Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

How many of us feel like we are juggling on any given day? How is it possible to keep all these plates up in the air? Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo August 6, 2020 How many of us feel like aw are juggling on any given day? How is it possible to keep all these plates up in the air? What happens when we drop one plate, or two, or three? With all that is happening in our world today, how are we even keeping any plates up? Today, let’s talk about Resiliency, Self-Care, & Lifelong Learning. Dr. Antoinette Taylor’s presentation How Can I Deal with This Child’s Behavior When I’m Juggling So Many Plates? truly resonates with me. Keeping plates spinning all of the time is overwhelming! She shared that in order to be resilient, we must press pause and realize that we can’t keep all the plates spinning but we can take the plates off the sticks and manage them. Let us manage the plates instead of them managing us. How do we do this? As early education professionals, we must be lifelong learners. New research is constantly coming out in our field and it is important for us to be able to articulate it. Teachers feel empowered when they have the knowledge to address what is occurring in their classroom. So how are we able to continue this learning journey? Encourage participation in professional development workshops presented in our area. The internet has exploded with virtual learning. Use it to your advantage. Dr. Taylor said that we often talk about children having “summer slide” but teachers do too! Directors: it is vital to carve out time to schedule staff development days with no children present . I know what you are thinking - my parents work and this would be so inconvenient for them. On the other hand, think of how beneficial it would be for your teachers to come together as a School Family, connect, and learn something new. This time also allows teachers to know that they have a voice and are valued and respected. In turn, it also gives them confidence to apply what they have learned which ultimately has a positive impact on the children in their care. Let me paraphrase a popular saying: A happy teacher makes a happy child. Challenging behavior is often the reason for a plate to wobble and fall. So, let’s take it off and manage it. Believe or not, children do not wake up thinking how am I going to misbehave in class and annoy my teacher? Their misbehavior is a time for us to teach the skills that they are missing. As early childhood educators, we know that it is not our job to diagnose children. But due to our passion as lifelong learners we are often the first ones to notice that a child might have a developmental delay or is in need of some kind of extra service. Dr. Taylor states that child development is nonlinear and our different domains can develop at different rates. Here is where she discussed “twice exceptional children”. These children are at or above average in one domain of development, yet need support in another area or domain of development. Athletes are a perfect example, where one might excel at football but not at basketball. A child may have strong fine motor skills but weak in social/emotional skills, for example, they might enjoy spending time painting but have a meltdown if another child wants to have a turn. So instead of thinking, what is wrong with this child? They are making me crazy! We must switch our mindset and realize that the child is not doing this to us. Instead of saying they can’t, how about saying they can? Engaging in this virtual conference has reinforced my belief that there is no one right answer in dealing with challenging behavior. I have learned that for me, it comes down to self- care . If I am not taking care of myself, then it reflects in my daily interactions with those around me. If I carve out time for me every day, even if it is just for a few minutes, then my interactions reflect a positive vibe. Therefore, instead of having a “Q-Tip” (Quit Taking it Personally) mindset, I am able see that the person in front of me needs my compassion and empathy. Until next time, I wish you well. Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Teachers often need the summer to refresh and recharge. Coach's Column Amanda Gooch May 1, 2025 What does our roadmap for high-impact teacher support look like? Being a teacher is hard work. Teachers often need the summer to refresh and recharge. Even those of you who work year-round typically spend the summer reorganizing, finalizing plans for the upcoming year and looking forward to the fresh start we all count on fall to bring. The school year may have brought many of you a wave of challenges. Admist all of these challenges, you were unable to recharge as often as you may have needed throughout the school year. When you are running on fumes, an already challenging job can feel overwhelming and sometimes impossible. It may often feel like the starting line of a marathon year. There will always be challenges hiding behind the bends and turns that you won't be aware of until they are right in front of you. You are going to need a compassionate, supporting team of people cheering you on and the rights tools in your toolbox to get you over the finish line. Luckily, contrary to popular belief, teaching is not a sole endeavor. Teaching is a team sport! So how can directors and administrators provide the kind of high-impact teacher support that gets teachers and students where they need to be? The kind of support educators need right now is something actionable, something they can apply right away. They need concrete examples of what this work looks like. They need scaffold support that will meet them where they are and show them how to take it to the next level, a road map to navigate the race route. This is where the partnership of our early childhood education coaches here at Childcare Resources comes in. We are here to support administrators and teachers as you create a culture of growth through goal setting, assessment and non-evaluative feedback. We help to support and accelerate growth through informal observations, training, modeling, mentoring, and professional development. As you enter into this summer season, how can we work in partnership with you to help finalize "survival guide" plans for next year? How can we map "fail proof" route so that there will be evidence for success for all? Let's coordinate the ultimate summer road trip with prepping for summer and into next school year. Step One: Determine your destination - Where will you go to get refreshed? What will you do what you get there? Step Two: Give yourself a check-up before you hit the open road - Your health and well-being need to be the first priority. Step Three: Don't forget to pack the essentials - Do you have all that you need to begin another incredible school year? What needs to be left behind? Step Four: Happy travels - Be in the moment. Do not worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. If you are like us and run out of ideas to relax and de-stress over the summer, here are 86 ideas to choose from. Which one are you looking forward to trying? Stress Relief Tips Starting in June, our coaching team will be part-time until August! We look forward to working with you all when we return. Have an absolute incredible summer. Make sure to come back refreshed, revived and ready to an incredible new school year in August. Wishing you all the best, Amanda & Todd Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Learn more about our communities of practice for early educators, facilitated by our early educator coaches. Community of Practice: Center Directors A community of practice is a group of people combining individual and diverse strengths to achieve more together than they can individually. It’s somewhere for you to learn, collaborate and exchange ideas and experiences. Communities of practice are free to attend limited to a small group of participants And provide a certificate of in-service hours/CEUs hands-on learning experiences Register today! Childcare Resources is offering a special Center Director Community of Practice facilitated by Dr. Raquel Diaz. These CoPs will provide directors with a structured, collaborative forum to engage in critical conversations related to their practice, resulting in positive outcomes for children, staff, and programs. Don’t miss out on this exciting networking opportunity! Schedule Two Half-Day Sessions (9 AM to 12 PM) Saturday, August 23, 2025 Saturday, March 14, 2026 Virtual Sessions (6 PM to 7:30 PM) Wednesday, September 3, 2025 Wednesday, November 5, 2025 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 In-Person Sessions (6 PM to 7:30 PM) Wednesday, October 1, 2025 Wednesday, January 7, 2026 Wednesday, April 1, 2026 Learning Showcase Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Register Today! View Flyer

Sadie M Ed, Assistant Director, Childcare Resources School at Childcare Resources of Indian River Sadie Collet M Ed Assistant Director, Childcare Resources School Parent/Child Questions Joined Childcare Resources in 2019 Contact 772-567-3202 ext. 131 Back

Let's talk about the things you can do to help your students - and other people in your life - build the resilience they need to handle trauma. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo January 1, 2021 You asked, and Childcare Resources listened! Save the date! The fabulous and informative Dr. Peg Oliveira, Executive Director of Gesell Program in Early Childhood at Yale , is returning via Zoom on Saturday, January 23rd, presenting Trauma – Informed Practices That Can Benefit All Children . For those of you who attended her first workshop last year, you may remember that everyone was so engaged that Dr. Peg could not finish her entire presentation. She spoke on Gesell Maturational Theory as well as Gesell’s Cycles and Stages of Development . If you would like to review this program, you can download it from our website: https://www.childcareresourcesir.org/professionaldevelopment/Foundations-of-Child-Development Although Dr. Peg's last workshop talked a little bit about trauma, we knew right away from your comments that we had to bring her back. And, in the time since she was last here, that need for information about trauma, stress, and resilience has only grown. We are so excited to bring Dr. Peg back for this workshop. She'll talk about trauma, toxic stress, secondary stress (or compassion fatigue). She'll explore how COVID-19 has affected all of us. And, most importantly, she'll talk about the things you can do to help your students - and other people in your life - build the resilience they need to handle trauma. My goodness, we may have to bring her back a third time if all of us are so absorbed with her presentation again! So I hope that you are able to join us on the 23rd to recharge and have the emotions that you are going through validated and know that you are not alone on this journey. As we come back together from the holiday season, please remember to take care of yourself, don’t forget to breathe, and find joy in the smallest of things . As always, I wish you well, Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Why Nature Matters Coach's Column Amanda Gooch April 1, 2025 Outdoor play is essential for a child's development. Studies show that time sent in nature enhances cognitive function, improves physical health, and fosters creativity. In a world where screens dominate, providing young learners with opportunities to explore the outdoors can nurture curiosity and a lifelong love for nature. Tips for Engaging Outdoor Activities Nature Scavenger Hunt - Create a list of natural items (e.g., leaves, rocks, flowers) for children to find and discuss. Mud Kitchen - Set up an outdoor play kitchen with mud, leaves, and other natural elements to encourage imaginative play. Storytime Under the Trees - Bring books outside and let children listen to stories while surrounded by nature. Bug and Bird Watching - Equip children with magnifying glasses or binoculars to observe wildlife and discuss their findings. Sensory Walk - Encourage children to use their senses to explore different textures, scents, and sounds in nature. Recommended Resource Check out Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv, which explores the importance of connecting children with nature. Join the conversation...How do you integrate nature into your teaching? Share your experiences and photos with us! Wishing you all the best, Amanda & Todd Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Building any relationship takes trust which takes time to develop. Families are entrusting us to value their child. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo August 27, 2020 Relationships, Connections, School Family, and Community are the common threads that weave throughout the Transform Challenging Behavior Virtual Conference 2020 . A successful childcare site needs to be built on these foundations in order to flourish. Having a positive relationship with a child’s family was the basis of Luis Hernandez’s presentation How to Collaborate with Families When There’s Challenging Behavior . What can we do to build successful relationships with families? This relationship begins before we even meet the family. When they call to inquire about our site, how do we speak with them? Are we upbeat, positive, and make it clear that we are happy they called? Or are we in a hurry and just give them the standard line? When we meet them for the first time, do we greet them with a smile and does our body language reflect that smile? Are we truly present as we take them on a tour and listen to their questions and concerns? At the beginning of the school year, do we state our expectations and ground rules clearly? Research has shown that adults need to hear the information presented to them seven times in order to fully integrate – here is where hard copy, email, text, phone call, and face to face conversations come into play. I have heard from more than one director/teacher that texts seem to work best due to the fact that parents check their phone frequently. At the beginning of the year, do we discuss Developmentally Appropriate Behavior and how it is incorporated into our classrooms, observations, and social/emotional learning? Building any relationship takes trust which takes time to develop. Families are entrusting us to value their child. Luis said that when he asked parents what they wanted for their child, the overwhelming response was “I want my child to be safe, happy, and to make friends”. It is up to us to make that a reality. So what happens when we have to have those difficult conversations with parents? If a relationship is there it can be so much easier. Luis talked about the “Sandwich Approach”. When using this approach you: Start with a positive comment Move on to the behavior that needs to be acknowledged End with a positive comment I have seen so many of you do this, now we know the professional name for it. Luis hones in on the fact that as Early Childhood Educators, it is our professional duty to be lifelong learners, we must keep up with new information in the field if we are to advocate for our children. Think of it this way – would you bring your car to a mechanic that was not up to date with the latest technological advances in the automotive field? As we have learned in the past few months, there is so much virtual learning being presented, so many leaders in our profession are offering free materials, and insights on their websites. Think of FLAEYC and NAEYC when looking for professional journals. If we are to support our children and their families, we must know the latest information in issues such as trauma, sensory integration, implicit biases, gender equity, and much more. If you have taken the time to build a relationship with your families and if you continue to be a lifelong learner, it will be so beneficial when you have to have those difficult conversations with parents about their child needing special services. If you have documented observations and used the “Sandwich Approach” it will be so much easier for parents to believe and trust that you truly are a collaborative team and that you are there to support them. Be that person who builds a relationship on trust, honesty, communication, and connection. Be that person who makes the parent feel as if they and their child are welcomed and loved. Be that person. Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

When we look at what children are doing in the present and observe engaging behavior, we are able to assess children’s development. Coach's Column Amanda Gooch January 1, 2023 An essential question we need to ask ourselves to enhance our practice is: Why does play matter? Children learn through play and play to learn. Children learn about themselves, their bodies, their feelings. They learn and connect with others around them. They learn about their environment and "things" in their environment like toys and nature. Through active hands-on play; children will develop their motor and movement skills, problem solving and cognitive skills, language, social and emotional skills. An additional essential question we need to ask ourselves to enhance our practice is: What is the importance of play-based learning? Play-based learning at its finest utilizes the environment as a third teacher, in conjunction with the students and classroom facilitator. A place were every activity and object placed in the space has a purpose, adds to the learning, and helps scaffold information across the learning domains. In children’s brains, when they are playing, they’re doing the deepest learning. Children learn best when at least one of these four pillars are present in the classroom: The child is able to take an active role in the learning environment The child is engaged The information presented is meaningful The child is able to learn and interact in a social context Many of you may believe that we need to choose between play-based learning and rigorous academic standards when integrating the two is very possible. To find out more about play based learning, click on this Resilient Educator link . Now that we understand the importance of play and why play matters, let’s talk about the importance of child engagement in play and learning. During our most recent professional development day, we explored with the help of Mr. Alan Guttman, the R.A. McWilliam's Scale for Teachers’ Assessment of Routines Engagement; also known as STARE. When we look at what children are doing in the present and observe engaging behavior, we are able to assess children’s development. Measuring group and individual levels of engagement provides immediate and relevant feedback regarding the quality of the care environment. What are some words you would use to describe what engagement looks, sounds, and feels like when observing when a child is engaged? Click on this link (PDF) for a more comprehensive form to complete on assessing child engagement in the classroom: By taking a deeper look into the comprehensive data collected on child engagement in our classroom we are able to ensure paths to high quality engagement. As educators we are creating learning environments that support frequent and long periods of sophisticated engagement. We are also balancing intentional interactions that are attuned and aligned with genuine child interests and passions. By observing, reflecting and being prepared to interact flexibly we are in essence following the child’s lead. With the information collected we are able to show engaged support of learning through our CLASS lens. We are spending most of our time in active facilitation by being involved with our students, providing intentional opportunities and guidance for learning and development. We are also furthering our student’s emotional and behavioral support by emphasizing children’s interests, motivations, and points of view. It’s going to be a wonderful and interactive time at our next professional development day. We welcome Dr. Dana Winters from the Fred Rogers Institute as she presents “Simple Interactions” on Saturday February 11th 2023. Just a friendly reminder, the workshop will be hosted at Indian River State College Muller Campus, Richardson Center. Together we will gain an deeper understanding of the role of interactions in human development; identify ways that human interactions can be encouraged across all levels of a system; and apply the conceptual foundation of developmental relationships to the everyday practice of supporting the learning and growing of children, families, and colleagues. I can’t wait to see you all there. I thank you for your dedication and willingness to pour into the next generation through education as we elevate and promote the highest quality early childhood development and education in Indian River County. Wishing you the best, Amanda Email Amanda Register For Simple Interactions Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters

Did you know that 50% of children under the age of 5 have spent half of their life with no social opportunities? And yet we expect them to go to school and succeed. Coach's Column Paulette Maggiacomo December 1, 2021 Oh boy, the holiday season is upon us! As you are reading this maybe you went straight to your Emotional State or even down into your Survival State . If we are feeling this as adults, imagine how our children are coping. While we are dealing with the added stress of trying to make everything perfect (this is the time of year when I really dislike Martha Stewart) , children are going to school with extra stress also. Did you know that 50% of children under the age of 5 have spent half of their life with no social opportunities? And yet we expect them to go to school and succeed. I recently listened to a webinar featuring Dr. Donna Housman, founder and CEO of The Housman Institute , and she spoke about The Power of Emotional Intelligence from Birth to Age 8 . Dr. Housman adamantly stressed how powerful teachers are! You are the ones who are guiding our children through this national state of emergency on children’s mental health. You are the ones that can change the trajectory of a child’s mental health! Let’s explore how you may be already doing this and how you can strengthen the skills you already have. Children are born to learn. Research has shown that 90% of the brain is developed before Pre-K. Every second a million new neural connections are formed in the young child’s brain – if they are not connected by experiences and interactions they will not connect and be lost forever. Each time that you interact with a child, you are helping those neurons connect! How we manage our emotions is how children learn how to manage theirs. When we take that breath and self-regulate, children are taking it in – we always remember that we have to deal with our state before we can help the child deal with theirs. What else can we do? Model calmness Participate in problem solving Use emotional situations as opportunities to talk about emotions and label them Validate the child’s emotions In the past scientists have always stressed the importance of a child’s I.Q. Today, the importance of the E.Q. (Social & Emotional Learning Skills) is the focus. Did you know that a child’s E.Q. determines 80-90% of their success in school, their career, and their life? The other 10-20% is determined by I.Q! There is a direct link between emotions and learning. Dr. Housman spoke about the skills that we can strengthen in children to help them identify their emotions. Recognition and Identification – labeling the feeling Understanding – what the emotion is you are feeling and naming it Expression – non-verbal (hugs, smiles, frown), verbal (I am…) Regulation – manage & cope with emotions and responses This reinforces what we learned from Kim Hughes, Conscious Discipline Master Instructor, this past April at our Feel Your Feelings workshop where she introduced the concept of Emotional Intelligence and the Mood Meter tool. The Mood Meter can help all of us identify and name what we are feeling. In order for a child to be successful and have balance, there must be a positive connection between the teachers, directors, and parents. This collaborative relationship sends a united message for the children by using common language between home and school. Housman used the following correlation: A child cannot balance a 3-legged stool without the other 2 legs. He needs the unconditional love and support of his home family and his school family to succeed . Are you willing to be that person who models and guides a child and his family to fill their tool boxes with the necessary skills to manage their emotions? YOU are powerful! During this holiday season please take the time to pause and reflect on what is truly important. Those gifts cannot be bought at a store, they come from your heart. As always, until next time, I wish you well, Paulette Back to Coaching Back to Newsletters