Teresa Myers

“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you.” By H. Jackson Browne, Jr.

Dear Parents,

School is well underway and your children are learning many new skills and concepts. I am very proud of each of them.

This years, again, our campus is implementing a discipline program called Conscious Discipline. Conscious Disciplne is a brain smart system of classroom management. Current brain research indicates fear is detrimental to optimal learning and brain development. Conscious Discipline offers a relationship-based community model of classroom management. The key is a sense of community. The "school family" is the core of the program. The school family is held together through communication skills. These skills are taught during conflict moments in the classroom and through active learning lessons. The goal of the school family is to create problem solvers. Love, expressed through safety, cooperation and respect, is the tool used to fill the system with power. Both teachers and students are empowered to control themselves and to relate with others. The system is built on three major ideas:

1. controlling and changing ourselves is possible and has profound impact on others

2. connectedness governs behavior

3. conflict is an opportunity to teach

The values these beliefs teach children are:

1. You can become the person you want to be. You are in charge of yourself.

2. Power comes from within.

3. You are responsible for your feelings and actions. Your choices impact others.

4. You must teach others how to treat you. You cannot expect them to magically "know".

5. Conflict is a part of life. Mistakes offer opportunities to learn.

6. Love is more powerful than fear. Cooperation is more effective than coercion.

Self control is a skill we practice and teach often. It is the ability to reach out and empathize with others, to accept and celebrate differences, to communicate feelings directly, to resolve conflicts in constructive ways and to enjoy being a contributing member of a community. (In this case, the school community.)

When you hear your child talk about using his/her "big voice", you know he/she is learning to be assertive. For instance, if Sally shoves Johnny in the line, Johnny may use a "big voice" to say "I don't like it when you shove me. Please ask me nicely to move over." This is Johnny learning and practicing assertiveness instead of practicing aggression (which would be shoving back). Sally would say back to Johnny, "OK, I can do that." Then, Sally is practicing changing her own behavior which leads to her getting what she wants (which is for Johnny to move over.)

This doesn't happen automatically. Teachers are constantly reminding Johnny to use his "big voice" and reminding Sally to say what she needs instead of being aggressive. Teachers walk the children through these steps, have them practice the words to say, and help to settle these conflicts by using the moment of conflict as a teaching moment. Suddenly, children are helping each other remember to use their "big voices". It is exciting to see children learn to handle conflicts with self control!

It is a lifelong process that doesn't happen overnight. We have lots of "Oops!" moments. But we move on and through loving guidance your children (and ourselves) are learning better ways.

Wishing you well,

Teresa Myers






A Few Parent Tips
Pay attention to your child’s good behavior.

Children love the attention of their parents and other adults. They will behave in ways to gain that attention.
So, when your child is behaving in a way that you want him/her to, give him/her lots of attention. Some easy ways to give positive attention are:

1. Noticing
Make noticing remarks such as “You already have your shoes on. How helpful!”

2. Rewarding
Reward good behavior with noticing and offering your time. Such as, “You were very quiet while company was here. I appreciate that, now we have time to go to the park.”

3. Put his/her good actions into words.
Say things like, “You shared your truck with Tommy. I’m sure that made him feel good!”

4. Remember, your child likes to be appreciated for his/her efforts. Thank him/her for picking up toys or any other efforts they make to help out.



Love, Ms. Myers