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Self-regulation is the number one skill necessary for children to be successful in school. Did you know I had the privilege of sharing a guest post over on 40% of children enter school missing this essential skill? Many adults struggle to teach self-regulation skills because it was never taught to them!
Teach Preschool today about Dr. Becky Bailey's bookManaging Emotional Mayhem . In her book, she shares the process for becoming BFF's with your own feelings. This helps you guide children in doing the same. Self-regulation is the ability regulate our thoughts, feelings, and actions so we can access higher levels of thinking.

In the post I shared the steps for getting started with your own self-regulation program: Personal Awareness, Active Calming, and the DNA Process. Now we continue the process with the Five Steps for Self-Regulation that are also shared in Dr. Bailey's book.

When coaching a child toward self-regulation, the first step is noticing they have been triggered. Various things can trigger a child's upset. It is helpful to be aware of your child's triggers.

When a child has been triggered, they are overcome with an emotion. There is usually some physical indication that they are now in a Survival State. Such behaviors include kicking, hitting, hiding, slamming doors, biting, spitting, or putting their head down.

Step 1: I Am
Dr. Bailey wants us to recognize that it is no longer the child you are talking to. Now you are talking to the feeling (ie: angry, scared, sad). This is when the DNA process begins. Move the child to a safe place in the classroom. For infants, toddlers, and children with developmental delays you are their safe place. You will hold the child on your chest or lap and begin to breathe with them. Older children can be coached to use a self-regulation station that we refer to as a Safe Place. We are very intentional about teaching children how to use the Safe Place appropriately. For ideas about how to set up your Safe Place check out my Pinterest board.

Now that the child is safe, you can use some of the Active Calming strategies that you have taught them in advance. Dr. Bailey offers us four basic breathing techinques: STAR, Balloon, Pretzel, and Drain Breathing. There are free printables as well as instructions for each breathing technique on the Conscious Discipline website.
This is a video of one of my former students doing Balloon Breathing. Give children plenty of opportunity to practice these skills. It's like getting ready for the big game. You wouldn't just send a soccer team out and expect them to win without practicing. The same is true with breathing. Children need to practice DEEP belly breathing so they are able to disengage the stress readily in moments of upset. It takes three deep breaths to really shut off the stress response.

The next step in the self-regulation process is helping the child identify their feeling. Young children under the age of eight don't have any internal speech. By using the Feeling Buddies you offer children the opportunity to develop a helpful internal dialogue. Dr. Bailey recommends that we begin with the four basic feelings happy, sad, angry, and scared.

The language goes something like this:

1. "Hello angry."

2. "Welcome angry."

3. "Your eyes are like this." (demonstrate)

4. "Your mouth is like this." (demonstrate)

5. "You seem angry."

6. "You are safe." (hold the buddy close)

7. "Breathe with me." (take several deep breaths)

Acknowledging the child's emotions helps them bridge the gap from problems to solutions. As you connect with the child, you are guiding them toward a higher brain state. Now problem solving can occur. By naming the feeling the child can begin to manage it.
To continue the journey toward an optimal learning state we help the child make a choice. Some ideas that may be offered as choices are writing in a journal, connecting rituals, friends and family photos, music, relaxation techniques, books, or calming cream. Base these choices on the preference/needs of your children.

Step 5: I Solve
This final step in the self-regulation process helps the child revisit the trigger and approach future difficulties with new life skills. When we started this process, the child was in a Survival State. Teaching and learning cannot occur when a child is in a Survival State. This process helps us guide the child back to a regulated state so they are ready for teaching and moving forward with new skills.

There are five categories of solutions:

1. Conflict resolution using the Time Machine Mat.

2. Accept and manage your feelings.

3. Learn a new skill.

4. Structure the environment visually for success.

5. Establish stronger connections.

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Self-regulation is the number one skill necessary for children to be successful in school. Did you know I had the privilege of sharing a guest post over on 40% of children enter school missing this essential skill? Many adults struggle to teach self-regulation skills because it was never taught to them!

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This website has lots of free resources on the Conscious Discipline approach, which helps students self-regulate and educators teach these skills.

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I have been dabbling in Conscious Discipline for the past few years after a chance meeting with Dr. Becky Bailey a few years ago. Ever since meeting her I have wanted to study with her at her Summer learning institute. Well this past summer...I got the chance! I was so excited to go! It was the most amazing experience! I learned so much about the brain, how children learn and how important self regulation and emotional well being is to learning! I now have totally embraced Conscious Discipline in my entire classroom and it has changed how I teach! Here is a look at some of the important components I use in my redesigned Conscious Discipline classroom!

This is our classroom Safe Place. It is a space where children can choose to go when they need to get a hold of their emotions. They learn how to use the safe place properly so it becomes a very special place in our classroom. It is comfortable and cozy. Frank the bear and Brownie the bear live in the Safe Place. The green basket has photo albums of our family members and the purple basket has all kinds of tools for children to use to gain their composure. There are specific steps for the children to follow when they go to the Safe Place. So far my children have embraced the Safe place!

This is the Welcome bulletin board for the first day of school. We refer to ourselves as The Groovy Grade One Classroom Family.

This is our "Heart" board. Each day the children arrive at school, they bring me their heart and I am the safe keeper of their heart for the day.

This is our "Good-Bye ritual" poem. At the end of each school day we say this poem together then the Good bye wisher of the week says "Have a good night" to each child as they leave. I also wish them a good night and tell them that I will see them tomorrow.

There are many, many things I do through out the day in relation to Conscious Discipline. I will try to take some photos of other rituals and routines that we do.

I LOVE Conscious Discipline! Thank you Dr. Bailey for changing my life so I can help my students to become better learners and better at handling the ups and downs of life!

This is Dr. Bailey and me! She is so awesome!

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I have been dabbling in Conscious Discipline for the past few years after a chance meeting with Dr. Becky Bailey a few years ago. Ever since meeting her I have wanted to study with her at her Summer learning institute. Well this past summer...I got the chance! I was so excited to go!

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I am doing a series of posts on my reflections on this last school year (2014-2015).

I am doing it mostly for me, but I thought that some of you may benefit from it as well.

So, reflection #1 has to do with BEHAVIOR...

My school started Conscious Discipline right after the Winter Break. Here are my thoughts:

1. It is a LOT of work!

2. I like the philosophy of CD & I think it will be a good move for my school. It's just going to take a little time. My principal keeps reminding me that it is a marathon & not a sprint.

3. It has some very valuable components that are perfect for my Title 1, high poverty, high ESL population school. I LOVE the problem solving skills that I am instilling, morning meetings, rituals, school family, & building a safe environment. My kiddos need ALL of these things.

4. It is a LOT of work!

5. I am glad that I will start it at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year instead of in the middle of the year because I think that it will be easier to start with them from Day 1!

That being said, I have been thinking (& searching Pinterest) for things that I would like to incorporate to support the CD philosophy in my classroom. Here are some that I especially liked.

(You can click any of the pics to be taken to the original Pin)

I am thinking that I will have a tree similar to this in my SAFE PLACE with pics of my kiddos & their families. That way when they go there to calm down or to just feel safe, they will have something comforting to look at. :)

The 3 parts of an apology! I worked REALLY hard to instill this in my kiddos this year. I am definitely incorporating it next year! It is a SUPER skill for all of us to have!!

I am planning on making lots of charts like this- mine will need more pics! They just need to learn HOW to solve problems. They have never been taught & I think that this is a valuable tool not only in first grade, but for their entire lives! :)
So, there you have it!
If you have any other suggestions, comments, information...PLEASE leave me a comment or shoot me an email!
Thanks friends!! :)

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Reflection Post #1- Conscious Discipline

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I am doing a series of posts on my reflections on this last school year (2014-2015). I am doing it mostly for me, but I thought that some of you may benefit from it as well. So, reflection #1 has to do with BEHAVIOR... My school started Conscious Discipline right after the Winter Break.

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At the heart of Dr. Becky Bailey's transformative Conscious Discipline approach are her "I Love You Rituals." When used with intention and consistency, Dr. Bailey's poems and songs are powerful tools that help children connect, calm, and make good choices. Best of all, these "I Love You Rituals" work beautifully not just in the classroom but also at home. Here are a few of our favorites from Dr. Becky Bailey that have been successfully incorporated into many Kindermusik classrooms and routines:

As children enter class: "Twinkle Twinkle"
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,
What a wonderful child you are,
With bright eyes and nice, round cheeks,
A talented person from head to feet.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,
What a wonderful child you are!
See a video of Dr. Bailey's version of "Twinkle Twinkle" here.

For children to greet one another: "Georgie Porgie"
George Porgie, pudding and pie,
Gave his friend a big high five!
With his friend he loved to play,
A gift of a smile he gave each day.

Watch Dr. Bailey teach this delightful ritual here.

To encourage peer cooperation and empathy: "Three Nice Mice"
Three nice mice.
Three nice mice.
See how they care.
See how they care.
They hold both hands
and give a shake.
Smiling together, good friends
they make.
Then turning around,
for goodness' sake.
Three nice mice.
Three nice mice.
Learn the actions for this ritual here.

When parents join class for Sharing Time: "Jack Be Noodle"

Jack be noodle, (arms wiggly)
Jack be stiff, (arms stiff)
Jack come over (run to Mom/Dad/Grandma) and hug me quick. (big hug!)

To end a class with a special moment for parent-child connection: "A Wonderful Woman"

Watch a sweet video of this ritual here.

Learn more in Dr. Bailey's book, "I Love You Rituals," which we highly recommend be on every parent and educator's shelf, or go online at www.ConsciousDiscipline.com.

All songs and chants referenced are from Dr. Becky Bailey. Thank you, Dr. Bailey, for making a difference in so many classrooms and in so many hearts!
Compiled by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program is part of Piano Central Studios, located in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina.

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Our Favorite "I Love You Rituals" from Dr. Becky Bailey - Minds on Music

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At the heart of Dr. Becky Bailey's transformative Conscious Discipline approach are her "I Love You Rituals." When used with intention and consistency, Dr. Bailey's poems and songs are powerful tools that help children connect, calm, and make good choices.

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Tiger Blog - Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy

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As an educator one of my top priorities is to ensure that my students feel safe, accepted, and empowered in their environment. Without a strong sense of security, students may have a difficult time focusing in the classroom and will be unable to learn to their full potential.

At Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, we have embraced the ideas of Dr. Becky Bailey, the creator of Conscious Discipline. She offers brain smart classroom management techniques. The idea is to set up classroom structures to help create a feeling of unity among students and teachers. Relationships begin to form from the very first time students enter my classroom. First impressions can mean the world. In seconds, a simple smile or a welcoming handshake can take a child's disposition from apprehensive to assured. One of my favorite structures is the morning greeting ritual. I stand at my door and greet each child with a handshake, high five, fist bump, or hug. They come to learn the importance of greeting others by name while maintaining eye contact.

I truly believe that a responsive classroom begins with a morning meeting or "circle time" which in turn provides direction and sets the tone for the day both for myself and my students. Circle Time allows the students to become accustomed to structure and makes each student responsible for the success of their day both academically and socially. This time serves as the building blocks to form a sense of community among students. Once they feel supported by one another they are more likely to take academic and social risks throughout the day and feel as though they will not be judged. This time helps them develop a sense of trust and respect for the peers. As the year progresses, I find it rewarding when I see students pat one another on the back or give each other positive words of affirmation. My goal is to provide them with encouragement where they feel empowered to excel.

In my second grade classroom, our Circle Time routine begins with an interactive chant that reminds every student that I am the Safe Keeper. As their teacher, my job is to keep them safe and their job is to help keep their environment safe throughout the day. We then begin wish wells where every child has the opportunity to hold the Wish Well ball and state one person in their life that may need prayers or uplifting. We then connect as a class family by holding hands in our circle, and pass a friendship squeeze with a "We Wish You Well" song to conclude. In addition, every child has an important job in my classroom. These jobs rotate weekly and include jobs such as Visitor Greeter and STAR Helper.

At the end of Circle Time every morning, the STAR Helper chooses one of the four breathing techniques to practice. The breathing techniques are designed to teach children to Stop Take A breath and R elax. The increased amount of oxygen to the frontal lobe allows students to make better choices when they may be frustrated or angry. Other breathing techniques taught by Conscious Discipline include: Drain, Pretzel, and Balloon. These breathing techniques give them the tools they need to make constructive choices throughout their school day.

The concept of Conscious Discipline provides structure for the daily activities and helps students work and interact in an environment that is mutually respectful. Steady, respectful, and honest communication is the key to any successful relationship. Conscious Discipline helps to create these meaningful relationships and work habits that will serve young people well throughout their education and on into adulthood.

- Katy Sirois
Second Grade Teacher
Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy

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As an educator one of my top priorities is to ensure that my students feel safe, accepted, and empowered in their environment. Without a strong sense of security, students may have a difficult time focusing in the classroom and will be unable to learn to their full potential.

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Happy Thursday,

I am currently on spring break, watching some day time TV and making sure lesson plans are up to date. :) I just wanted to post a blog about Conscious Discipline.

Our school started this conscious discipline journey back in January. We were using a school wide system of the cards from August to January. The students had 6 cards and when they did something wrong or broke a rule they had to pull a card. Their consequences were, 1 warning, 2 time out, 3 silent lunch, 4 laps at recess, 5 parent contact and 6 office referral. This system was very confrontational. My students did not respond well to this system because once they pulled one they couldn't go back and being in 1st grade my students did not know how to move on and not let that one card pull affect the rest of their day.
The first half of the year was very rough, students were fighting, yelling screaming not nice to me or to their peers. I had to do something, since the system was school wide I couldn't get rid of it but I did modify it. I noticed myself talking with kids and giving them more chances and warnings before card pulls would happen. The behavior decreased a little bit but I still found myself in competition with other teachers as to who could have the most write ups in a day.

Having that management system was very stressful and I felt like the students were not being kids they were becoming robots. In December our principal made the announcement that we were switching school wide management systems. We did not get any answers or have any consequences in place for our students. Going right into winter break we did not know what to expect when we got back in January. We were only given the Conscious Discipline book by Becky Bailey and told that our card system was done and we could throw it out. We were also told we could not use clip charts or any physical management system.

To be honest it worried me. I am a third year teacher and this was the first year that we had a strict school wide management system. My first two years we used PBIS the firs year we tried the above the line and below the line but the parents and the students did not seem to care or understand what it meant. My second year was still PBIS but we were given the option to use whatever system we wanted in our own room. I was using class dojo and morning meetings. I loved it and kids responded well to that program.

Then when this school year started with a new principal and a new management system, I was not sure what to expect.

Needless to say, beginning conscious discipline I have gained my love for teaching back, the kids are being kids and I have had way less stress.

The whole conscious discipline system is set up to help kids learn how to self-regulate themselves and to make the right choices because they know its the right thing to do. It becomes internal motivation for the students. It allows me to teach the kids how to act and what the right thing is. I have been able to talk with the students when issues occur and talk through them as to why they did that behavior and get to the root of the problem. It also allows for peer talking and communication with each other, the students are using their voice to tell each other when something bothers them and giving each other choices and options as to how to make better choices.

This system also helps students learn how to deal with and cope through stress and everyday life that happens. A lot of my students have very rough home lives and come to school with a million things on their mind and learning is not one of them.

Anyways since starting this journey I have loved the results I have seen. The students are being kind with each other and noticing the positive and good things that other are doing. I love the morning meetings that help the students get off to a brain smart start. The students are making connections with myself and each other and it is helping them become a school family.

The students have more of a willingness to learn vs a feeling of fear because they don't want the consequence. The students are loving the feeling of connections and friendship that they are building within the classroom and the school.

After saying all of this over spring break I have been working on some resources that I can use with my classroom and you might want to try and use within yours.

Have a look at my Teacher Pay Teacher store for morning meeting cards that include greetings, activities, share ideas and things to use as messages.

Just for sticking around and reading this long post here is a freebie that I had made a while ago, those of you that follow Jens Kinder Kids probably got it off her blog but I was the one who created it so you can get it free here too. It is a small sheet that helps students notice the good and kind things that the other students are doing.

Click here to Download the Shot out form.

Thanks for sticking around and let me know if you school does Conscious Discipline too. I would love to connect and brain storm ideas.

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Happy Thursday, I am currently on spring break, watching some day time TV and making sure lesson plans are up to date. :) I just wanted to post a blog about Conscious Discipline. Our school started this conscious discipline journey back in January. We were using a school wide system of the cards from August to January.

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When I was little, I had the Wonder Woman Underoos....of course, I had a vintage pair because I am still celebrating my 21st birthday, right?

When I stepped into the classroom, no one told me I might need my super powers again.....but we ALL do. Our kiddos often come into a completely different world when they step onto the school campus. They are thrown into a world with rules very different than home and they are expected to conform to those rules without question because we are the adult.

Most discipline models are built on the foundation of rules and for most teachers We Love Rules because we understand how those rules/procedures are essential to making our classrooms run smoothly. Our rules are usually upheld by consequences such a flip your color card or move your clip. The goal of consequences is to obtain obedience. Those who are compliant are rewarded and those who aren't are punished (receive a consequence). Fear is often the tool that the teacher uses to attempt to control the children. The teachers often rely on manipulation to get the children to behave a certain way. Even if the child knows, he/she can change his/her choices and move the clip back up, the brain still perceives the action as a threat and the child moves out of the frontal lobe of the brain where optimal learning and problem solving occur.

Conscious Discipline p. 12

Now, this does not mean that your kiddos are scared of you or that your classroom is not a well ordered, fun, and loving place. This also does not mean that consequences cannot be part of your classroom. But here are the beliefs a classroom built on rules reflects: Conscious Discipline p. 12

* It is possible to control others through environmental manipulations where you are the judge.

(This is moving clips, flipping color cards, treasure box, etc)

* Conflict is a disruption in the learning process.

I am guilty of #1. When I used the "I like the way _____ is _____" I was manipulating the other children to copy the child I was focusing on and it worked....usually with everyone the majority of the time. So, I did say to myself Why do I need to change what I am saying when it is working? If you want to read more about moving away from judging with your words to noticing, hop over here.

Ihave also used rewards as a form of manipulation. I am guilty of still having a treasure box even though I rarely use it. I have said things like "You are being helpful. When you get back to the room, you may _____" When I said that, I knew I was feeling frustrated by the behavior of all my squirrelly stinkers a few toots another child and I was wanting them to change their behavior. I know at times we often feel like we need to reward the kiddos who always are making good choices. But then I found myself realizing, what message does that teach them? I like you because you are good?

I know teachers already struggle with children who always seem to be asking what are they going to get if they do __________. When is the last time you got a reward for doing the laundry or a cop pulled you over and gave you a gift card because you were driving the speed limit?

When I started reading CD, I realized what messages my beliefs send. Yes, they are little and may not be fully understanding the message and yes, everything I teach is often "undone" when they go home and see completely different behaviors and beliefs. But I believe, God can use me in the time I have to make a difference. Yes, the conflicts our kiddos face at home are more than ANYONE should have to bear but I believe those are the kiddos that are crying out for our love and imposing tons of consequences on them is not teaching them the tools to find a better way to handle situations and their emotions. And neither will making excuses for their behavior...I believe you love them enough to let them know that what they are doing is not okay.

When it comes to #2, I disagree completely when I stop to think about it. At first, I want to say heck yes rules govern behavior. But as teachers, we know that modeling is a huge part of setting the expectations for our classroom. We cannot come up with a list of 5 rules, post them, and then expect everyone to follow them 100% of the time just because they are up there on the wall.... not even if we repeat them daily with cute hand motions. We cannot just say use your words because the words they choose to use may not be very nice or since they are frustrated because they still don't know what to say, they hit instead. In Our School Family, we don't have rules. We have our commitments and our heart promises. The way we go about learning them is very different than the way I have seen and read about rules being introduced into the classroom.

The big one is #3. I am sure I am not the only teacher that might breathe a small sigh of relief when Little Miss or Mr. Toot is absent for the day. It is sad but true that the absence of 1 child can make a HUGE difference in our daily classroom environment. There have been times when my mouth filter has popped off and I have said, "When you were absent yesterday, we didn't have anyone doing things that a bucket dipper would do. Hmmm, I wonder what that tells me." I did apologize to that stinker kiddo later when we were having Counseling 101 Session 167.

When I first started using the language of CD, I felt as if I was running out of words because CD is all about talking right then and there. There are times when I have to help that kiddo calm down first because you need to remember: When a child is functioning in their brain stem, they are not hearing one single thing you are saying. They are in the fight or flight mode and your first priority is to get them to calm down. There is no go put your head down or go move your clip. You stop then. This was hard at first because you have 17+ other kiddos waiting on you as you try and help kiddo 1 and kiddo 2....but it will work and save tons of time in the future.

Here is the big WOW moment for conflict: Conflict is the opportunity to learn a missing skill or to let go of a limiting belief. Remember, the only person you can change is yourself. =)

When I first started reading CD, this question gave my brain the big AH-HA: Does our connection with others foster our respect for rules?

This is where the School Family comes in and one of the main reasons I fell in love with CD. The School Family is built on communication and connections where the goal is to create problem solvers. These problem solving tools will teach us how to respond instead of react to situations and the connections made in the School Family actually shape the structure and function of the brain. Your School Family will become a place where love is expressed through safety, cooperation and respect.

Are you still with me? Am I bunny hopping all over the place???

Put down everything you have been using while you fight battles in your Wonder Woman costume. Here are your 7 Powers of Self-Control: p. 15

*Remember change must start with you and these powers will help you be proactive instead of reactive.*

1. Power of Perception: No one can make you mad without your permission.

2. Power of Unity: We are all in this together.

3. Power of Attention: What you focus on, you get more of.

4. Power of Free Will: The only person you can make change is yourself.

5. Power of Love: See the best in others.

6. Power of Acceptance: The moment is as it is.

7. Power of Intention: Conflict is an opportunity to teach.

When you start to work on building these 7 powers within yourself, you will begin using the only 7 Skills for Discipline you need to handle conflict in your classroom. These skills promote a peaceful inner state in children where they are then free to learn, cooperate and help each other be successful.

Here are the 7 skills you will use to help be proactive to the situations that come up in your classroom. p. 15

1. Composure: Becoming the person you want the children to become.

2. Encouragement: Building a school family.

3. Assertiveness: Saying "no" and being heard.

4. Choices: building self-esteem and will power.

5. Positive Intent: creating teaching moments.

6. Empathy: Handling the fussing and the fits. One of my favorite and most used skills =)

7. Consequences: Helping children learn from their mistakes.

These 7 skills for discipline will then instill in children what CD deems the 7 basic social skills:

2. helpfulness (kindness and sharing)

When I look at those skills, I want them not only for myself but for the kiddos I teach. What good is learning and mastering curriculum skills and standards if you are a mean bully who cannot hold down a job because of your temper and your impulse control?

As we start this CD journey, we are only going to address the Power of Perception and the Power of Unity this summer. These are the powers that you will need to begin the school year and they are full of wonder ways to build your School Family. Throughout the school year, we will go through the other powers adding one at a time and having time to practice and implement them in your classroom. This is the way Becky Bailey has set up the CD journey.

I don't want to throw at you questions about Chapter 1 and the Power of Perception because I just gave you a lot to think about and digest. Be reflective but not critical of yourself. When I started, I got upset with myself for not doing a better job helping my kiddos learn these skills but I didn't know better...I had to accept that it is what it is and move on. If you find yourself, questioning the way you do something that is good. If you feel like you still want to hang on to your treasure box and clip chart, that is okay too! =)

I am not here to judge you or in any way put down what works for you. I just ask that you keep an open mind and heart. You will really be amazed when you start to see the changes not only in yourself but your kiddos too! =)

There will still be days when you say to yourself Becky Bailey needs to meet this little friend because she has no idea what I am dealing with! And there are days when I say Becky Bailey has left the building because I left all of my CD tools in the parking lot!

I am not the type of person that thinks I can find the power within myself to do great things. I know I can only change with God's help. I am not one to believe that everyone is special Oprah mentality. (I'll get into being "special" in another post). I want to be in the world but not of the world. If I can make a difference, it is because God is using me to do His work and all of the glory goes to Him.

With all of that being said, I do pray that God might use me to be a person in that child's life to can make a difference.

If you have any questions, please ask but also understand I am no CD expert and I have made adjustments according to my faith and beliefs. I also bring in a strong dose of reality. =)

I would love to hear your thoughts about this post and what you are learning from CD. Thank you for the encouraging heart notes that you leave. They make me smile....especially since my CD posts tend to take hours and hours to write! =)

Remember, the Pete giveaway too! =)

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When I was little, I had the Wonder Woman Underoos....of course, I had a vintage pair because I am still celebrating my 21st birthday, right? When I stepped into the classroom, no one told me I might need my super powers again.....but we ALL do.

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I should have known it was Friday the 13th! I stayed up way too late working on my post for Chapter Nine of In Pictures and In Words last night. "I'll sleep in", I thought. First the crows woke me up. Just as I was drifting back to sleep the Garbage Guys came though with their monster trucks. I'm starting to get my float back on when someone reminds me to take my daughter to her babysitting job. I go to make coffee and NO FILTERS! I was really feeling like a monster at this point. Just before I posted my thoughts on Chapter 9, I find out it's been postponed until next week. Now I'm growling like a monster because I look forward to this event all week.

Self-control....Self control ...I'm studying Conscious Discipline right now. "Self control must be your first priority as a teacher" I'm supposed to do something when I feel stressed ...STAR!
S Smile
T Take a deep breath
A And
R Relax
Wow! It's working. I'm starting this day over the brain smart way and I'm going to implement stress reduction activities.
Chapter 1 is all about "Composure". Though I can't implement this in my classroom YET, I can in my home. I've been practicing these ideas at home and it's making a difference in how I relate to my own children. They are maybe getting a little tired of me saying, "No one can make you angry without your permission.

I'm so glad I got this book. There is only one draw back. I want to read the whole thing right away and start using all the powers. Conscious Discipline is a program that is reflective and in order to change I can only practice one skill at a time. I like the advice for using this book and I think it's good advice for life, "Be patient with yourself and enjoy the process. You cannot have an unhappy ending to a happy journey! It reminds me to not give up on myself and others...God isn't finished with me yet!

Wait! I like monsters! They're cute and funny. Maybe I can turn this day around after all. And I did! I made mini-posters for each of the Key Phrases used in Conscious Discipline. I'll be ready when I get to each power! If you are feeling like a monster, you can click on the picture and download a set for yourself, too!

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I should have known it was Friday the 13th! I stayed up way too late working on my post for Chapter Nine of In Pictures and In Words last night. "I'll sleep in", I thought. First the crows woke me up. Just as I was drifting back to sleep the Garbage Guys came though with their monster trucks.

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Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

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Does anyone practice Conscious Discipline, by Dr. Becky Bailey, within their school or classroom? Our school has been using this philosophy (for lack of a better word) for many years. (If you are unfamiliar with Conscious Discipline click "Discipline in not something you HERE.) According to Dr. Bailey, do to children. It is something you develop within them." I love this quote and I feel like this has value. I want so much to be that teacher who can spout conscious discipline out of her mouth with ease! But to be honest I feel like I start off strong each year but somehow manage to drop into my dominant teacher role by mid to end year. Anyway.... My plan is to start off strong this year and try very hard to continue with this throughout the year. But..... I am so wrapped up in my current behavior system it is hard to change. What I currently use is a system of five colors. They would like to keep a blue star day. If not they progress down the chart from there. This model has served me very well for 15 years. I know it has value but it does not follow the Conscious Discipline model. I know this to my core - but it is hard to give up! The hardest part to give up is the daily notice that goes home. It is expected. - or so I have convinced myself. Is it really necessary? I am beginning to think not. But.... How do I best explain these changes to my incoming parents? I would like to present something during our open house, but I don't really know how to explain the changes without trying to explain ALLLLL of Cons. Disc!! Am I making sense? Does anyone have any grand ideas on how to quickly, yet succinctly, explain this?

I know I may sound as if I am rambling to some of you, especially if this is the first time you have heard of Conscious Dispinline, but even if there is one of you wonderful bloggers out there that can help me I would appreciate it!

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Does anyone practice Conscious Discipline, by Dr. Becky Bailey, within their school or classroom? Our school has been using this philosophy (for lack of a better word) for many years. (If you are unfamiliar with Conscious Discipline click "Discipline in not something you HERE.) According to Dr. Bailey, do to children.

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Happy Friday! Today I'm excited because Barbara from was kind enough to accept an invitation to do a guest post for me. I've been following Barb's blog for a year now and I thoroughly enjoy her insight, enthusiasm, and passion for learning. It doesn't hurt that she's from Victoria, B.C., either, since I consider that part of the world God's Country. She's been a teacher for 22 years and when she's not in the classroom, you can find Barb out running, playing with her pups and Grade ONEderful creating super cute blog designs.

I was super jazzed when she mentioned writing about Conscious Discipline, because guess what's on my night stand? I just finished the first chapter. Thanks, Barbara, for being here and sharing your

reflections and connections with us.

Thanks for inviting me to share some ideas on your blog, Barbara! Reading your daily posts has become a fixture in my morning routine:)

In case you don't already know ... I am hooked on Conscious Discipline by Dr. Becky Bailey. I bought the book last May and I'm halfway through it. There's a lot to digest!

Becky Bailey teaches you (parent or teacher) how to use the daily conflicts we inevitably encounter to teach character development, social skills, self-control and conflict resolution.

But what's really different about her approach, is her philosophy that real change won't happen until you look inward and begin the change there. This isn't a new idea for many people, but the way Bailey describes how to do this step-by-step (as in chapter-by-chapter) makes it extremely clear and easy to follow.

As I make my way through this book, one of the biggies that has popped out for me is the realization that I'm generally operating (in the classroom) on a mostly (not always) passive level. People who do this (me included) tend to quickly switch to aggression when they're frustrated, and then feel huge guilt. Does that sound familiar?

There are so many areas/thoughts/quotes I could comment on, but I'm going to tell you what she recommends for assertively giving commands to the class as a whole.

Bailey suggests teaching both an auditory and visual signal. I've always done an echo-pattern clap to a 4/4 beat which has worked really well. But I might switch over to a tambourine this year. The idea is that when the children hear the signal they are to stop, breathe deeply, look at you, and wait for directions. The children are to practice "stop, breathe, look and listen" over and over and over again (we all know how much practice and modelling is needed) until it's second nature.

A beautiful children's book that complements this thinking is:

Of course, not everyone hears the signal (you know how some kids are so deeply immersed in their play or work), so you also teach the class to raise their hand after the signal. This is explained as a way to help your classmates.

Bailey recommends practicing this new behaviour for 21 days in order to teach a new habit. It's also super important to frame the experience in a positive light. Eg., the children who heard the signal are helping their friends be successful by now raising their hands as an additional reminder.

For the teacher, it's important not to judge or manipulate the kids' behaviour. So all you do is describe what's been accomplished. Eg., "You stopped what you were doing, you took a deep breath and you looked at me."

As a reminder to stop, take a breath and relax, here's a STAR poster you can grab. Enjoy!

Have a great day, everyone, and thanks again, Barbara, for inviting me to stop and linger for a while at the Corner :)

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Happy Friday! Today I'm excited because Barbara from was kind enough to accept an invitation to do a guest post for me. I've been following Barb's blog for a year now and I thoroughly enjoy her insight, enthusiasm, and passion for learning.

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In the last blog we tied yoga, composure, and the *Safe Place* together. As promised, this is a follow-up to elaborate on Composure and our Safe Places at TLS.Conscious Discipline empowers adults with the Seven Powers for Self Control. These powers allow adults to draw from within themselves to become proactive instead of reactive in moments of conflict. From the Seven Powers of Self Control emerge the Seven Basic Skills of Discipline, the first of which is composure.

Composure = being the person you want others to become. When we allow our feathers to be ruffled we are role modeling ruffled feather behavior to our children. When we remain calm we are also teaching by example. It is only when we are calm that we can solve problems together and empower our children to do the same.

Safe Place = A place where children can remove themselves from the group in order to become calm, regain composure and maintain control when upset, angry or frustrated. Current neurological research indicates that our brains functions optimally when we feel safe and secure.

As Early Childhood teachers, we strive to make every place in our school physically and emotionally safe for children. Naming a Safe Place is a way of offering a designated place for children to gain composure and manage their feelings. We teach and help children to use the Safe Place as a resource to help them change their internal state from upset to calm or as a way to stay above the fray.

After all, the most productive time-out is the one we give to ourselves. Using a Safe Place is a positive way of helping our children better understand and manage their emotions.

Children come to the Safe Place in order to be helpful and not hurtful to themselves or others. The choice to be helpful instead of hurtful can only be made when a child is calm.

Sometimes adults may need to direct a child to the Safe Place when it is clear that the child needs a break. As children use the Safe place they learn that they are able to calm themselves and self regulate.

Once in the Safe Place, children can practice the calming techniques mentioned in the last blog. These are some of the foundations of Conscious Discipline. Each Safe Place has the following icons:

Be a S.T.A.R.- Stop or Smile, Take deep breath, And Relax

Ballooning- Place hands over your head and inhale as if blowing up a balloon and at the same time raising the hands. Then slowly exhale and bring arms down (and make deflating sound if so inclined)

Draining - Extend both arms in front of your body parallel to the floor. Clench fists tightly and continue to tighten shoulder and body muscles. Then open the drain (make shhhhh sound) and relax body as if releasing water out of a faucet.

Pretzel - Stand with feet crossed, extend arms out in front and cross the left wrist over the right wrist. Interlace the fingers and bring hands up toward the chest. Close eyes and press the tongue to the roof of the mouth. Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly release.

Teachers need a Safe Place, too! Ms. Wendy and Ms. Jennifer created our staff room, which is a place of retreat, community, and ahhh, coffee aroma.

You could establish a Safe Place at home. Call it safe space, safe spot, safe corner, or whatever you want to call it -- make it yours and add the features that are calming and soothing for your child. Teach children to regain control themselves.

Conscious Discipline suggests bean bags that are soft and hug the child, but lawn chairs, carpet squares, big pillows, etc. can also be used. Add scarves, stuffed animals, or a superhero cape.

Conscious Discipline also suggests providing sensory items, such as: Scratch and sniff stickers, aromatherapy scents, scented lotions (labeled "cranky cream," "boo boo cream," and "concentration cream"). Include a tornado tube or aquarium (real or fake), a kaleidoscope or head phones with nature sounds.

Or you can create various sensory bottles:
-Wave Bottle: fill 3/4 of the way with water, then add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and a few drops of food coloring.
-Bubble Bottle: fill 3/4 of the way with water, then add 2 tablespoons of dish soap and food coloring
-Slow Motion Bottle: fill with a clear thick liquid, such as light corn syrup, shampoo or hair gel. Then add small items of your choice, like fun beads, small metal scrapbook eyelets, paperclips, safety pins, glitter, etc. Seal lids with glue inside or duct tape outside the lid.

Enhance mental alertness with peppermint, basil, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary. Calm nerves and relax with lavender, chamomile, rose. Little boxes with potpourri perhaps?

Ms. Arryan on the use of their Safe Place:
In our room, the safe place contains a cozy chair with pillows that offers space for one individual. Throughout the day, teachers encourage the use of the safe place to gain composure when emotions have run high, gain calm or decompress from daily stress. The use of the active calming techniques used in Conscious Discipline is suggested with the encouragement of the safe place. The children are beginning to understand that the safe place is a place to regain a sense of calm and composure. They are also using the safe place throughout the day without prompting. A child said, "I am in the space place. I need to calm down."

Some key features of Safe Places at TLS:
Family pictures/albums, being able to go alone however long one needs to, learning about feelings and identifying them, and learning safe ways to express those feelings, and of of course learning to use the calming techniques.

The Safe Place presents opportunities to play "I Love You Rituals", which you may read about in the next blog...

...meanwhile, you can read more if you'd like at www.ConsciousDiscipline.com

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In the last blog we tied yoga, composure, and the *Safe Place* together. As promised, this is a follow-up to elaborate on Composure and our Safe Places at TLS.Conscious Discipline empowers adults with the Seven Powers for Self Control. These powers allow adults to draw from within themselves to become proactive instead of reactive in moments of conflict.

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International School of the Peninsula Blogs

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Imagine a classroom full of students. One walks in upset and the teacher rushes to that student's aid. Now picture another scenario: a student walks in upset and instead of the teacher helping the student, a community of students is recognizing that emotion, and helps the student instead of the teacher. The latter is exactly what happened in my third grade classrooms.

Recently the students learned different ways to help them calm down when they're upset or angry. They practiced four different ways to breathe: Balloon, Drain, Pretzel and be a S.T.A.R. (for Stop, Take a breath, And R elax). We also have a S.T.A.R. Person in each classroom. This job is for a student to recognize when others are upset or angry and to help them breathe and calm down. These few small steps have already taught the students empathy and to be understanding of others.

In one room, a student came in upset about a situation that happened at recess. The S.T.A.R Person quickly walked over and asked, "Would you like to balloon, drain, or be a S.T.A.R.?" The S.T.A.R. Person coached the student through breathing a couple of times and he quickly calmed down. When I asked them how they felt, both answered that having someone recognize that they were upset and then coach through calming them down helped them to think about the situation. When we can help children recognize their own emotions and teach them ways to calm down, it makes for a safer learning environment. Students begin to learn compassion, empathy, and understanding of each other that leads to stronger relationships and connections with one another.

In another class, a similar thing happened. As I was passing through the hall, the S.T.A.R. Person from the other class ran up to me calling, "Guess what I did?! Someone was upset in French class and I helped them calm down!" As I looked from the S.T.A.R. Person to the other student who was upset during class, both had smiles on their faces, and I could tell that already these third graders are beginning to become part of a school family by appreciating and understanding one another.

As a teacher, I am recognizing the power of giving students the tools and opportunities to help one another not only when they're happy, but also when they're upset or angry. Without teacher prompts, and when given a chance, students can become observant and aware of others. After all, isn't it better that students are learning appropriate ways to handle their upset instead of having to deal with it on their own? With more practice, discussions and awareness of others, students will be able to start calming themselves down and pass on what they've learned to others.

If you would like to learn more about this, please refer to Conscious Discipline by Dr. Becky A. Bailey.

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Guest Blogger Melanie Maynarich: Conscious Discipline - International School of the Peninsula Blogs

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Imagine a classroom full of students. One walks in upset and the teacher rushes to that student's aid. Now picture another scenario: a student walks in upset and instead of the teacher helping the student, a community of students is ... Read More

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Explore free resources, videos, articles and learn how to get even more. Become a Free or Premium Toolkit Member for access to even more resources from Conscious Discipline. It's quick, easy and completely FREE to sign up. Gain immediate access to our library of resources for educators, administrators and parents.

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Conscious discipline didn't start as a parenting technique. It was conceived as a classroom management system that helped teachers use conflict as a means to teach children about appropriate behavior and important life skills. It was popularized by early childhood education expert Becky Bailey, who authored several books on the subject.

After its introduction into the classroom, conscious discipline spread into parenting literature. Today, parents who employ conscious parenting methods often begin when their babies are toddlers. The foundation of conscious discipline is to create a "connected family" in which each member has a voice and each member has their needs met. This approach is designed to encourage better communication and allow parents to help their children work through stressful situations without fear. The need for reward- and punishment-based discipline is eliminated.

According to conscious discipline, the creation of healthy connections with other people wires the brain for improved impulse control and a willingness to cooperate. In a household using conscious discipline, the parents set behavior goals and then help their children to achieve them. Disciplinary techniques such as yelling and behavior-related threats are de-emphasized.

There are several peer-reviewed and independent studies that support the use of conscious discipline in a classroom setting. Evidence of effectiveness in the home setting is limited, however. There is only anecdotal evidence collected from parents who took a five-week training program in conscious parenting and completed a questionnaire after adopting it in their homes.

According to this limited study, parents using conscious discipline experienced an increased ability to set limits and follow through on them. They also found it easier to provide positive guidance for their children. Overall communication and their ability to understand their child's point of view also increased. Parents became more involved with their children at home and school and were also able to get support from other parents.

Takeaways

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Conscious discipline didn't start as a parenting technique. It was conceived as a classroom management system that helped teachers use conflict as a means to teach children about appropriate behavior and important life skills. It was popularized by early childhood education expert Becky Bailey, who authored several books on the subject.

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Tweets by ConsciousD

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Peaceful Parenting - A Conscious Discipline Approach

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conscious discipline: 7 basic skills for brain smart classroom management

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Conscious Discipline: 7 Basic Skills for Brain Smart Classroom Management

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A Trio of three masterpieces: A Child's Heart, Klein and Wagner, and Klingsor's Last Summer.

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Go from this...

To this!

Created by Dr. Becky Bailey, an internationally renowned expert in child developmental psychology, Conscious Discipline® is built on the premise of developing discipline within children rather than applying discipline to them.

The Conscious Discipline process applies equally to parents, child care givers, educators, and patient caregivers. It can be pictured as a pyramid with four stages:

Understand the brain states (the base of the pyramid)Discover how to use the latest brain research to break out of the instinctive habit of disciplining children the same way you were disciplined as a child.

You'll also be able to help children progress from physical or verbal aggression to calm self-regulation, freeing them to make better choices and empathize with others.

Learn your seven powers as adults

Among these powers is your ability to see discipline as an opportunity to teach rather than a disruption... and to stay in control of your own actions, creating a safe environment for your children.

Consider: an adult who is out of control is perceived by a child as a threat to his or her safety. As part of this stage, you'll learn how to self-regulate your own emotions and actions.

Discover new ways to connect members of your family, classroom, or team

Building stronger connections in your family, classroom, or team will increase their willingness to solve problems together rather than fight against each other.

Many parents and teachers are delighted to find that attention seeking behaviors in children are automatically reduced at this stage, which isn't surprising since most people crave connection more than attention.

Use the seven skills of discipline to respond to events in new ways

If you've ever struggled to keep a child focused on an idea or task, you'll be delighted to find that changing your own responses can help children boost their learning skills.

Your new ways of responding will also help children develop kindness and self-respect, honor those different than themselves, solve problems with compassion, and grow into responsible adults.

Now parents enjoy children: empowering families

Conscious Discipline, a research-based discipline approach, can teach parents and children to:

Set and achieve goals together... despite obstacles

Manage emotions instead of acting out

Set personal boundaries to encourage mutual respect

Resolve conflict in a way that creates closer relationships

A survey of parents who underwent a five-week Conscious Discipline training program in Mesa, AZ found that Conscious Discipline is significantly effective in improving parent-child relationships in setting limits, communicating with children, satisfaction with parenting, and parental involvement.

Read reviews written by other parents -many have implemented Conscious Discipline in their own homes and families.

Improving classroom learning environments

Conscious Discipline, an evidence-based discipline approach, can help school staff, teachers, and students create an environment where everyone can develop in a way best for them-including adults!

Conscious Discipline is the only program that integrates classroom management with social-emotional learning, uses everyday events as part of a school's curriculum, and addresses the adult as well as the child.

The Conscious Discipline program has been named a national model for character education by the Florida State Legislature. It has also been proven to reduce aggression by 64% while increasing reading scores by 18%; in fact, Conscious Discipline classrooms score significantly higher in statewide reading comprehension, writing, and math tests.

The method's School Family™ concept, part of the third pyramid stage, defines three essential ingredients for a school's success:

Increasing the willingness to learn by creating a sense of belonging

Boosting impulse control internally: a much more effective approach than an external system of punishment and rewards

Helping children develop and apply sustained attention by reducing stress and encouraging contributions in a caring atmosphere

Fern Creek Elementary, a "D" school serving a student population mired in poverty and homelessness, used Conscious Discipline to improve its students' academic success and transform its classrooms from places of fear, bullying, and struggle into places of safety, cooperation, and helpfulness. Watch the story of this Florida elementary school's transformation.

Read reviews written by teachers and elementary school principals -many have implemented Conscious Discipline in their own classrooms and schools.
Contact Kim Hughes to bring Conscious Discipline to your family or school

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Go from this... To this! Created by Dr. Becky Bailey, an internationally renowned expert in child developmental psychology, Conscious Discipline® is built on the premise of developing discipline within children rather than applying discipline to them. The Conscious Discipline process applies equally to parents, child care givers, educators, and patient caregivers.

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Conscious Discipline by Becky Bailey | The Little School

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Conscious Discipline is a way or organizing schools and classrooms around the concept of a School Family. Each member of the family-both adult and child-learns the skills needed to successfully manage life tasks such as learning, forming relationships, communicating effectively, being sensitive to others' needs and getting along with others.

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Are you struggling with Children with big emotions. . . Overwhelmed administrators. . . Teachers burning out. . . Students feeling unsafe. . . Teachers