Conscious Discipline Pilot
By Michelle Immekus
As educators, we have all had children who struggle to adjust to the classroom settings. They may be tearful, defiant, easily frustrated, or show aggressive behaviors to themselves, their teachers, or their classmates. Despite the best efforts made by teachers, administrators, and parents, it appears as if nothing has worked.
Then, we have an opportunity to meet Dr. Becky Bailey and experience her Conscious Discipline program, and we find that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Dr. Bailey’s evidence-based program combines classroom management with social emotional development, empowering teachers to teach critical life skills to children from infancy through school age.
A Conscious Discipline classroom becomes a school family, which serves to create a safe and loving environment for all children. In a supportive environment, the children learn to make connections with others and implement strategies to disengage stress, in order to regulate their own behavior.
Conscious Discipline Pilot participants collaborate and discuss the program.
Children from these classrooms are empowered to be in control of their thoughts, feelings, emotions and learning.
In January, the Institute of Excellence kicked off a pilot program of Conscious Discipline at seven early childhood education sites throughout Palm Beach County. Through this program, teachers and administrators are teamed together to orchestrate a center-wide transformation utilizing the Conscious Discipline structures, routines, and rituals.
The teachers and administrators participating in this pilot are thrilled with the results and have reported significant changes in their classroom environments, including the children’s abilities to connect with teachers and peers.
For more information about the Conscious Discipline program, please visit http://consciousdiscipline.com/.
