Real Talk for Real Teachers with Latoria Marcellus and Amy Speidel

Episode Summary

Conscious Discipline takes an adult-first approach to social and emotional learning. “Adult-first” means that we must shift our mindsets and upgrade our skill sets before we can effectively coach and model SEL for children. We create healthy mental models for the next generation by examining our own mental models now.

Of course, making a shift away from lifelong thought patterns and behaviors is challenging. It requires willingness, conscious reflection, creativity, and the ability to give ourselves grace along the way.

In this episode, hosts Latoria and Amy discuss making this mindset shift with Kenedria Thurman, a Conscious Discipline practitioner and the director at Florida A&M (FAMU)’s Educational Research Center for Children. Listen in as Kenedria shares her own personal journey with Conscious Discipline, as well as her experience introducing CD to staff and families. Kenedria also talks about implementing CD with children at home, and why it’s essential to let yourself “OOPS.”

Essential Takeaways

• Making a mindset shift and doing things differently than the way you’ve always done them is not easy, and you will sometimes “OOPS” (make mistakes). Be gracious to yourself and embrace mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. As Kenedria says, “You might not have it today, but you’ll have it a little bit more tomorrow.”
• Openly admitting to your “OOPS” moments benefits the people around you as well. For example, children can not only learn from your mistakes, but also from the way you respond.
• Modeling is the most powerful way to share Conscious Discipline with others. When people see the positive impact of Conscious Discipline in action, they become willing to learn more. Families at Kenedria’s school began requesting resources, workshops, and training.
• It’s also important not to judge others who are simply using the skills they have. When people feel judged, they are not open to considering a new perspective.

Important Links

• Conscious Discipline Events
• Podcast: Coaching Skeptical and Willing Teachers in Conscious Discipline Implementation
• Podcast: Creative Strategies to Inspire Hesitant Teachers
• Free Resource: Phrase Comparison
• How to Be a Safekeeper: Emotional Safety for Adults

Product Mentions

• I Love You Rituals Value Pack
• Powers of Resilience: SEL for Adults Online Course
• Feeling Buddies Self-Regulation Deluxe Toolkit
• Conscious Discipline Book

Show Outline

• :00 Introduction
• 2:40 Introduction of guest Kenedria Thurman
• 6:31 Kenedria’s experiences implementing Conscious Discipline
• 9:14 Shifting from old to new with staff
• 12:18 Coaching families in Conscious Discipline
• 14:31 Responding to resistance from families
• 17:36 Practicing Conscious Discipline at home
• 28:27 Talking to your own family members about Conscious Discipline
• 35:22 “Power of the OOPS”
• 39:12 Recap and discussion
• 42:33: Question from a listener
• 44:34 More about I Love You Rituals
• 46:33 What’s Conscious Discipline celebrating?
• 47:26 Wish Wells

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

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