Because I Said So!

Becky Bailey is the author of Conscious Discipline and she is amazing! She is also hysterical! One day I would love to go to a training led by her....especially, if it involves going to the beach with an adult beverage her Florida training center.

But there are some days, Becky Bailey has left my classroom...and heck, she went running out of the building! Yes, I might spit out a sarcastic remark, raise my voice, and sometimes give a silent cheer when someone cries realizes they need to start making better choices.

I am not perfect and I try very hard to remember to apologize to the kiddo that got a little taste of what they had coming for them the heart of patience that had been drained, irked, tested, and bucket dipped dry.

This is a part of Conscious Discipline that I struggle with. Have you ever watched videos for professional development that show this la la land classroom that has you going yeah right, if they only knew what some of my kiddos are like??!???!!! At times, I feel like the kiddos just need to obey me because I am the adult and that is life...you have to do things whether you like it or not or you have to be ready to face the consequences that may result if you do not obey. I could get them to obey with threats, loss of privileges, or other forms of control but in the end we want the children to trust us and submit their will to us because we care about them and hold their best interests in mind.

Here is the statement that sums up chapter 4: The only person you can make change is yourself. When you find yourself getting upset by what a child is doing or in any situation, you are giving your power away and setting yourself up to blame someone or something else. Once again Conscious Discipline takes me to the place where I listen to what I am saying....and realize how changing my words can make a significant difference.

Have you ever said statements like this?

When you are quiet, I will begin.
Don't make me have to ____________
You are ruining the story for everyone
You are driving me nuts.
Look what you made me do.
Look how you made her feel.
I should do these grades tonight. I have to have them in by Monday. I have not mastered this one! =)


These statements are blaming someone else for how you are feeling....they are statements of entitlement and we need to move to empowerment.

The biggie for me was Look how you made her feel. According to CD, we need to change that to Look at her face. Her face is saying I don't like it when you push me.


Honestly, I am still trying to wrap my brain around this and the book gives some great examples of how to change these statements.

Here is one more example that I am sure many of you have been saying too.

Change When you are quiet, I will begin to I am going to begin when you are quiet. That shifts the power from the child being in charge of you and when you will begin to you are in charge of choosing when to begin.

The next part of this chapter is choices and how to offer 2 positive choices. This is going to have to be part 1 because this is a HUGE part of CD and can make a world of difference....and my Type A, control freak mind set still battles with this because the reality of life does not always offer you 2 positive choices.

BIG IDEA:
How do I help the child most likely choose to ____________________________ instead of How can I get the child to ____________________________.


If you are thinking How can I get them to be quiet it is the same thing to your brain as How can I make them be quiet. If your brain is hearing make, it is going to come up with every manipulative, feared, forced, coercive strategy you have ever been taught. If you are thinking of how you can help the child make a positive choice, you answer will be more creative and might involve changing the structures of your classroom and reflecting on yourself and the needs of the children.


I am going to stop here because that is a lot to soak in and you might be getting a headache!


I am excited to share the next part about 2 positive choices because it helps me to revisit the ways I can help myself be a better teacher and in the end hopefully help my kiddos learn some powerful stuff! =)


I hope you come back to read more about choices.


I had a sweet follower ask if I had ever been to any training on CD. I have been to several workshops on CD  with presenters who have been trained by Becky Bailey. These were both through Early Childhood departments in nearby colleges. I am still no expert and don't have all of the answers. I still struggle with doing the things I share. I am more conscious of what I say and do now. But there are still days that Becky Bailey has left the building....and I wish she took me with her to go get an adult beverage or back to Florida and beach! =)


Moving on......

In word study this week, one of our centers is sorting words with a venn diagram. My kiddos are crazy about this!

Here they are sorting words with a ck ending, a blend, or both.

I just added it to my TpT store today. I would love for you to check it out here. =)

There are 4 activities:

*sorting compound words, words with blends and words with both.

*ck endings, blends, and words with both

*magic e words, blends, and words with both

*bossy r words, digraphs, and words with both

It is on sale right now for only $4....that is a dollar a game! =)

You can use it without the sorting loops and still have your kiddos record the words in the venn diagram.

Moving on......

I think I have shared how much I love Laura Story's song "Blessings". In case you are not familiar with it, here are the lyrics that always touch my heart:

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops,

What if Your healing comes through tears,

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise.

One of my other favorite songs talks about how sometimes God calms the storm and other times He calms His child. When ever I hear it I think of rainbows. I love rainbows because they are a promise from God...I like to think of them as God's smile from Heaven. Each one of you that stops and takes a few minutes to leave me a heart note are blessing me in so many ways. I think of each one of you as I share this poem.

This poem is also a reminder to myself about being a rainbow's promise for my kiddos.

Blessings to each one of you!

From My Heart to Yours,