Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 07-24-2018 04:01 PM
    Hello!

    Any ideas on how to energize and motivate teachers who have been in for awhile? Any ideas/spins you can give me for circle time? What is a good way to review some basic Conscious Discipline techniques without insulting their knowledge base?

    Thank you!

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    Naomi Thompson, MSW
    Behavioral Specialist
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  • 2.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 07-25-2018 06:30 AM
    Being one of those veteran teachers my suggestion is to involve the teachers, have them bring their favorites to the activities. Once they get sharing the new people will get great ideas and the veterans will see what is working is still all good.

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    Michele Carpenter
    child care specialist
    Leesburg FL
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 08-10-2018 07:08 AM
    You may want to start an inquiry group where a group of teachers want to study a topic that they might want to expand on in their classroom. Like an action research project eventually. Hope I'm not being too academic but teachers learning get energized. Laurie

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    Laurie Katz
    Ohio State University-School of Teaching
    Columbus OH
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 07-25-2018 12:12 PM
    Your question about how to "review some basic Conscious Discipline techniques without insulting their knowledge base" is a really good one which I'm sure is born out of respect for your teachers.  One suggestion is to have THEM do the review.  There are many ways to do this and here are just a few suggestions:

    1.  Pair the staff up (a newby with a veteran teacher) and have the veteran teacher tell the newbie everything they know about it.  Possibly afterwards they could make a representation on flipchart paper of the method (in pictures or words, etc.).

    2.  On flipchart paper around the room, put just a word or two on each piece of flipchart paper that represents the different parts/techniques that you want to be sure are discussed.  Then ask the staff to take their time and go around, writing on the flipcharts what they know about that specific part of Conscious Discipline (or an example of it - I'd be open-ended so that they are not blocked by the instructions being too rigid).  Some may have trouble articulating it and might prefer to put an example of it being used.  AN EXTENSION OF THE LEARNING:  When they seem done, have them do a gallery walk and read everything written by their peers and ask them to add questions on post-it notes as that arises or add to the flipchart, or make a comment on post-it notes to leave on that flipchart.  Then you can wrap it up and add anything that is missing.

    I hope these suggestions have gotten the "juices flowing!"  Good luck!

    Andrea



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    Andrea Dekker
    TA Specialist
    United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona
    Tucson AZ
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 07-31-2018 08:51 AM

    Thank you! This is very helpful!

     

    Naomi Arnold Thompson, MSW

    Behavior Specialist

    Family Care Programs Branch,

    Marine and Family Programs Division,

    Marine Corps Community Services Lejeune-New River,

    1401 West Road

    Camp Lejeune, NC 28547

    Phone: (910)449-9587

    Fax: (910)449-9584

     




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 07-25-2018 04:52 PM
    Naomi, I'm trying to teach the mistakes we are making with discipline that we can now see due to brain science. I can't  teach it directly without folks feeling criticized. I teach it by responding to the difficulties they have discovered in their training of children. We have more answers now. And when teachers find that they can be more effective they are well motivated and find their tasks meaningful.

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    Jack Wright
    Success With Children
    St Ignatius MT
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 08-02-2018 01:27 PM
    Re: What is a good way to review some basic Conscious Discipline techniques without insulting their knowledge base?

    Check out the free resources on the Conscious Discipline webpage.  Maybe watch a webinar or listen to one of the new podcasts and have a group discussion?  I find that I learn something new every time I revisit the information.  


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    Amanda Lloyd, Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor
    Annandale VA
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Strategies to energize teachers who have been in Early Childhood for awhile

    Posted 08-09-2018 07:01 PM
    There are a lot of assumptions in our field about veteran teachers like myself. We are not all behind the times in our knowledge base and methods, but this does vary from person to person. There are many younger teachers who lack knowledge of brain development as well and we don't blame that on their age.

    I would offer that this is an era where we need to add our new understandings of development with the material practices and broad understanding of communities that seasoned teachers often have. The best of the old shouldn't be thrown out: just because they didn't know how the brain develops doesn't mean their methods were wrong. You don't have to be a meteorologist to understand the nature of thunderstorms.

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    Mars April Caulton
    Teacher & Teaching Artist
    Bubbles Academy, and Little Linguists
    Chicago IL
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    Original Message