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Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone at the Conscious Discipline® Summer Institute

By Kristen Shoemaker

I am not a hugger. I’m the weirdo who will awkwardly wave at you and avert my eyes as we greet one another. Even a handshake will be met with hesitation on my end.

Imagine my discomfort as I entered the conference hall for the week-long Conscious Discipline® Summer Institute (CD1) in Orlando, FL this past July.

For any of you unfamiliar with Conscious Discipline®, it’s a self regulation program that schools and parents are using to embed social emotional learning, school culture, and peaceful discipline into the lives of children.

I have been studying Conscious Discipline® for about 8 years, so although I was excited to be immersed in the content, I was anxious about the vulnerability, the self-discovery, and the hand-holding.

Dr. Becky Bailey and our Palm Beach County ECE teachers, center leaders, and IEECE staff enjoyed connecting and experiencing Conscious Discipline.Dr. Becky Bailey and our Palm Beach County ECE teachers, center leaders, and IEECE staff enjoyed connecting and experiencing Conscious Discipline.

Anytime you get a bunch of early childhood teachers together, expect a lot of singing, dancing, sitting in a circle on the floor, and, yes, hugging. It’s an introvert’s version of Halloween Horror Nights.

More than 150 educators gathered for the week-long event. Dr. Becky Bailey, creator of the program and author of over 10 textbooks and 14 children’s books on the subject, was the main presenter at the institute.

Even after studying the program for quite some time, hearing the words come from her really brought the message home. She is passionate about connecting the brain’s reaction to stress - how we learn, problem-solve, and make connections with others.

Her instruction is a message of unity, hope, and love, something our world desperately needs right now.

The week was a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I laughed at Dr. Becky Bailey’s anecdotes, cried on the infamous Weepy Wednesday, reflected on my life and choices, made goals, took a lot of deep breaths, made some new friends, began to make peace with my feelings, and came home a better person than I was when I left.

Now that I’m on the other side, I can say with confidence that the benefits of this experience greatly outweighed the obstacle of getting a few hugs here and there.

If you are interested in attending the Conscious Discipline® Summer Institute in 2018, visit:
https://consciousdiscipline.com/professional-development/events/category/institutes/.

 

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