It is my experience in school that the primary priority was academics. To this end, I have seen students who have displayed unexpected or undesirable behavior be ignored, invalidated, manipulated, punished, and grow to lead unhealthy and unsatisfactory lives. As educators, our goal is not to generate robots that achieve and produce at any cost. Our goal is to support the whole child so that they are well-adjusted and empowered to create the life that fulfills them. If an educator is aware of the “subtitles,” the “why” behind the behavior, they might take it less personally, step out of the boxing ring, and meet the student where they are at. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood of student success.

I have been informally learning about this topic for the last 5-6 years, and I won’t be able to list all the credible references I have read.

Some of the resources I have learned from:

-The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph. D.

-No-Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph. D.

-How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk

-Navigating Behavior Change https://www.navigatingbehaviorchange.com/

-Simply On Purpose, Ralphie Jacobs https://simplyonpurpose.org/

-Dr. Siggie https://drsiggie.com/

-Dr. Annlouise Lockhart https://www.anewdaysa.com/

-Dr. Becky at Good Inside https://www.goodinside.com/

-Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Please excuse me for this commentary being informal (and all of the cliché sayings). I will eventually change it. At the moment, I have a fever and body aches, I am tired, I have been working on this project all weekend, and I am running out of time. (Plus, all of the things I emailed you about).