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I hope you all had an incredible day of Conscious Discipline training with certified instructor Cheryl Cotter this past Saturday. You should have all left feeling ready to start the school year strong with proactive strategies for setting up your classroom for success.

Our training focused on empowering educators the Conscious Discipline way. Together we learned about the importance of soothing the lower center of the brain for learning. We compared and contrasted proactive tools and strategies for maintaining regulation and reducing of task behavior. We also constructed a school plan implementing structures, routines, and rituals which in turn will build classroom safety, connection and problem solving.

One of our favorite parts of the training was when we dove in deep on the significance of classroom visuals. The predictability that visuals create offer a felt sense of safety while also scaffolding learning for children. This scaffolding creates opportunities for future success. Fostering safety through predictability is especially important. Visuals provide a predictability pattern that should be displayed in an easily accessible way. Use the following formula for creating visuals in your classroom (MAP):

M = Model the procedures and expected behaviors

A = Add visuals of the steps and expectations

P = Provide many opportunities for practice, practice, practice

Adults think in words; however, children think in pictures. Using pictures to show children what comes next provides their consistency brains require in a visual form they can easily understand. This webinar from Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor Elizabeth Montero-Cefalo makes the process easy! Watch Elizabeth's webinar Visual Daily Schedule to learn more about why and how to use this resource.

Wishing you all the best,

Amanda & Todd