A Mentor’s Reflection on the Implementation of Conscious Discipline in the Classroom
By Kristen Shoemaker
Upon walking into Marilyn Correa’s three-year-old class at Kiddie Haven Preschool in Palm Springs, I sensed a level of comfort emanating from the children. It was clear to see that the students were happy to be there; there was smiling, laughter, and collaborative play.
It was morning drop-off time, so children were sleepily trickling in, giving their guardians a final kiss and hug goodbye, greeting the teacher, and gaining newfound energy as they gleefully joined their classmates.
Then, disaster struck. A boy and his father came in the room. The kiss goodbye was met with resistance; he did not want to say goodbye to his father.
After a few moments of an abundance of love and reassurance from his father, the boy began to howl, knowing that in a matter of seconds, he would be helplessly watching his father walk out the door.
For many classrooms, this episode would either harbor stress or welcome opportunities to distract the child until he felt better.
Pictured left to right: Marilyn Correa, lead teacher, Patricia Ortiz-Gutierrez, the IEECE’s CD co-mentor and Caridad Gonzalez, assistant teacher.
However, Marilyn saw this as a learning opportunity. She swooped in, embraced him, and began to breathe deeply. Under his audible crying, Marilyn was whispering, “You’re safe. Keep breathing. You can handle this.” Marilyn’s deep breathing continued.
Meanwhile, another student in the class saw his friend’s tears and wanted to help. He went to the Safe Place, grabbed the geosphere, and brought it to Marilyn and the boy.
Together, the three of them used the geosphere to guide their breathing. Occasionally, Marilyn would give words of empathy, saying “You feel sad. You wanted to spend more time with him today. It’s hard when Daddy leaves. I will keep you safe until he comes back. Breathe with me.” The boy’s tears began to subside as his body and mind was filled with calmness and love from his School Family.
Marilyn is implementing Conscious Discipline and it’s working. She has a Safe Place, a Friends and Family Board, a We Care Center, a Kindness Flower Pot, and a Celebration Center.
To help improve her Conscious Discipline language, she has posters all over the room to help her refer to, and memorize, the helpful phrases. It’s common to hear the phrase, “You did it!” coming from her and the children.
Marilyn’s success in her Conscious Discipline journey stems from Kiddie Haven Preschool’s dedication to the program.
The front office has a daily Staff Commitment that the teachers can agree to (if they are willing). There are posters of the School Family of teachers all over the school to help the children feel safe with all staff members.
With passion, the CDAT team (owner Nancy, director Yanet, VPK teacher Katia, and action team partners from the Institute of Excellence, Kristen and Patricia) is devoted to making Kiddie Haven Preschool a safe and positive learning environment for children, teachers, and their families.
