Peeing, Pooping & Spitting – Seeing Extreme Behaviors as a Call for Help

Real Talk for Real Teachers with Dr. Becky Bailey and special guest Kim Jackson

Episode Summary

Have you noticed children who escalate their distracting, hurtful and erratic behaviors in times of stress or in what seem to be attempts to gain your attention? Have you ever had a child exhibit a behavior so bizarre that you were at a loss for a helpful response?

Children with extreme behaviors and mental illness present some of the most challenging classroom moments. Some of these behaviors can be downright alarming, but choosing to see all behavior as a form of communication creates the opportunity to accept children as they are, connect and teach new skills.

Listen as Kim Jackson, a Demonstration Teacher for the state of North Carolina and a Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor, shares strategies for working with children who exhibit extreme behaviors.

Essential Takeaways

• Seeing all behavior as a form of communication enables adults to create teaching moments, even with the most challenging children.
• Managing our own emotional states is essential for adults, especially during conflict and upset.
• Respecting and accepting children’s experiences during moments of upset creates the opportunity to connect. it also teaches acceptance to other students who are present.

Steps for Tomorrow

• Access your composure and calm yourself during heated, challenging moments.
• Perceive all behavior as a call for help and an indicator of a missing skill— no matter what!
• Use the Q.T.I.P. method – Quit Taking It Personally!
• Repeatedly teach the missing skill, both in the moment of upset and through social play/practice.

Important Links

• ConsciousDiscipline.com
• Video: Mental Health Specialists Decrease Power Struggles, Holds and Conflict with Conscious Discipline
• Video: Connecting Parents to the School Family

Product Mentions

• The NEW Conscious Discipline Book – Expanded & Updated
• Managing Emotional Mayhem ©

Show Outline

• :22 What is Conscious Discipline
• 1:30 Introduction of today’s topic – young children and mental illness
• 3:12 Causes of mental illness
• 3:45 Introduction of guest Kim Jackson
• 6:15 Types of mental illness Kim has seen in her classroom
• 9:35 Story of what happened when the teacher was injured by a student
• 11:43 Approaching children with big behaviors
• 14:15 All behavior is a form of communication – a story of seeing it differently
• 18:47 Ways children call for help
• 20:03 Steps for helping and reaching challenging children
• 21:10 Story of child who has eaten poop
• 23:44 Story of responding to a child with multiple personalities
• 26:28 Modeling acceptance for students who witness challenging moments
• 27:46 Reaching the families of children with mental illness
• 31:40 Role play parent-teacher communication regarding “Did my child have a good day?”
• 34:40 Steps for tomorrow

Thank You for Listening

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On behalf of our Conscious Discipline family, we wish you well.