Practicum in Early Childhood Education II ECH 6593 USING THE CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE METHOD TO SCAFFOLD THE EMOTIONAL SELF-REGULATION SKILLS IN YOUNG CHILDREN Teresa Belk

Project Choice Rationale Since 2010, Arkansas State University Childhood Services has sponsored Conscious Discipline workshops for Arkansas Better Chance programs. These workshops are offered at no cost to early childhood educators and administrators. Childhood Services has committed to offering these workshops for at least one more year.

Project Choice Rationale, p. 2 After attending a series of workshops on the Conscious Discipline behavior guidance program, I was inspired by Dr. Becky Bailey, the founder of Conscious Discipline, to begin implementing the program this year. Full implementation of the program will take two to three years.

Project Choice Rationale, p. 3 This positive behavior guidance method is the best guidance method that I have encountered. It has been designed both for parents and educators. It has been successfully implemented in schools in several states and is gaining national recognition. Arkansas is the first state to commit to training early childhood educators on a state-wide level.

Project Choice Rationale, p. 4 While Arkansas educators have focused on the training of early childhood educators, this guidance program can be utilized with students of all ages. However, the earlier these emotional self-regulation methods are learned by students, the more beneficial they will be.

By creating a school family, the students are building connections with each other and developing a willingness to learn, impulse control, and sustained attention.

The wish well board is a tool that encourages the students to think about those who are absent. It reminds them that when they are absent, the others will miss them, too.

Wish Well Board

Wish You Well Song We wish you well. We wish you well today. We wish you well. We wish you well. Come back soon and play.

Wishing Others Well

By holding hands, the students are creating connections with one another, which helps develop the emotional state of the brain.

A feeling of connectedness encourages internal impulse control and teaches self- regulation skills.

Wishing Others Well Through Song

Songs Songs act as connecting rituals which help unite the children.

Star Song When you’re feeling really angry No matter where you are There’s a way to feel better There’s a way to be a star With this one thing to remember You’ll stop anger in its tracks Chorus Stop, take a deep breath and relax Repeat 1st Verse Repeat Chorus Bailey, B. A. (2012). Song lyrics and activities: Star song. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from Conscious Discipline website: ong_lyrics.asp

Activities to disengage stress S.T.A.R. BALLOON BREATHING DRAIN PRETZEL Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

How to be a S.T.A.R Stop Take a deep breath And Relax Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

Taking deep breaths help students relax and feel calmer. It focuses attention and encourages quiet listening. Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

Balloon Breaths “Inflate” a balloon while taking a deep breath through the nose. “Deflate” the balloon while breathing out through the nose. Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

Taking balloon breaths

Drain Extend arms out in front of the body, fisted palms down. Pretending that the arms are faucets, use the fists to act as drains, “draining” stress from the body. Relax the hands by opening them and making a sssh sound. Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

Draining

Pretzel Sit crossing the ankles. Extend the arms, crossing wrists. Interlace the fingers and draw the hands up toward the chest. Touch the tongue to the roof of the mouth. Close eyes and breathe in through the nose, then out through the mouth. Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from

Pretzel Movements

The kindness tree records acts of kindness by the students.

Kindness Tree

An Act of Kindness

Assessments These acts of kindness will also be used to record observations and to make assessments of the children.

Shubert Books Each Shubert book provides a focus for the Conscious Discipline skill being taught. The book is read on a daily basis for a month. Each skill and book is emphasized, studied, and practiced for a month.

Shubert Books, p. 2 This series of books is designed to promote building character by illustrating conflict in both children and adults. Shubert gives helpful suggestions for children to solve problems while Mrs. Bookbinder models Conscious Discipline strategies for adults to emulate.

Shubert Books, p. 3 These books combine parental education with educational staff development. The books were an important part of the teaching process. The children enjoyed the stories and the interaction we had about the story situations.

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert is a S.T.A.R. Skill: Composure Power: No one can make you angry without your permission. Self-control Emotional control Anger management S.T.A.R. Balloon Draining Composure in difficult situations Effective praise Empathy Assertiveness How to teach self-control and emotional control in children

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert’s ChoiceSkill: Choices Power: The only person you can make changes is yourself. Imagination Making choices Understanding opposites Composure in difficult situations Two positive choices Attunement, connection versus correction Effective praise

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert’s Big Voice Skill: Assertiveness Power: What you focus on, you get more of. Victim Empowerment Assertive voice Bystander empowerment Composure in difficult situations Empathy Noticing How to teach children t be assertive and manage others’ aggression in a healthy way.

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert’s Helpful Day Skill: Encouragement Power: What we offer to others, we strengthen in ourselves. Bully prevention Victim empowerment S.T.A.R. Wishing Well How to get needs met without hurting others Helping others be successful Noticing helpful acts Teaching aggressive children new communication skills “Victim first” rule Positive intent Noticing Empathy

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert Sees the Best Skill: Positive Intent Power: See the best in others. Collecting Data There are multiple views of one situation Empathy How to be helpful in difficult situations Seeing solutions instead of problems How to reframe perception from negative to positive How to flip comments from what you don’t want to what you do want Encourage independent thought and problem solving

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert Rants and Raves Skill: Empathy Power: The moment is as it is. S.T.A.R. Working together Emotional control Self-regulation Taking responsibility for our upset Noticing Empathy Handling a child’s intense anger Wishing Well Seeing and using upset as a teaching moment

Shubert Books Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Shubert BookConscious Discipline Skill/Power Student SkillsTeacher Skills Shubert’s New Friend Skill: Consequences Power: Mistakes are opportunities to learn Excluding others us hurtful Acceptance of diversity is helpful How to handle personal upset and disappointment Expressing feelings Learn from mistakes Conflict as a teaching moment Compassion Empathy Noticing Willingness to trust children Concept of School Family Label emotional states

Reading Shubert Books

Conclusion The Conscious Discipline method has provided me with a teaching method to assist the development of emotional self-regulation in my students. I have seen positive results from the implementation of this project. My classroom seems calmer this year than it has in years past. I ascribe this difference to the application of the Conscious Discipline method of positive guidance. This method is practical and it emphasizes the participation of both the students and the teachers. This is a joint effort which relies upon change and acceptance from the children and from the adults.

Conclusion, p.2 I have seen the children adapt the strategies that I taught. This is especially true of the breathing and stress reducing techniques, along with their use of the Big Voice to express their needs to their peers. The students have embraced the concept of the Kindness Tree. The students want to complete helpful acts and be acknowledged for that behavior. They also tell me of acts of kindness completed by others and want to see those students acknowledged.

Conclusion, p.3 The Conscious Discipline method, along with my coursework, has enabled me to grow as a teacher. I believe that I am more controlled in my guidance techniques and am more comfortable within myself in the classroom. Conscious Discipline has given me the tools I needed to teach my students how to positively handle emotions and situations that are stressful. I plan to continue the implementation of more Conscious Discipline techniques. The process of applying additional techniques will take an additional year and a half, but the benefits for me and my students are worth the time and effort that it will take.

Resources Bailey, B. A. (2001). Conscious discipline: 7 basic skills for classroom management. Oviedo, FL: Loving Guidance. Bailey, B. A. (2012). Song lyrics and activities: Star song. Retrieved October 12, 2012, from Conscious Discipline website: Bailey, B. A. "Conscious Discipline.” Conscious Discipline Summer Institute I [Conference]. Little Rock. 28 August Conscious Discipline. (2012). Shubert books. Retrieved from Conscious Discipline. (2012). Retrieved from