Transforming ISS to Skill-Building CARE Rooms

Real Talk for Real Teachers with Julie Ruffo and special guest Rob Leytham

Episode Summary

In traditional in-school suspension rooms, troubled kids complete their schoolwork in an environment where they aren’t a distraction to others. This quick fix doesn’t lead to long-term change. Now, imagine if kids with big feelings could go to a Calming and Recovery Environment (CARE) Room instead. In CARE Rooms, children learn about mindfulness, active calming and self-regulation strategies. They take these skills back to their classrooms and into their homes, resulting in a transformational, long-term solution for challenging behaviors.

Join Dr. Becky Bailey in conversation with Rob Leytham to learn how Rob transformed his school’s traditional ISS room into a brain-compatible, skill-building CARE Room inspired by Conscious Discipline. Rob uses art, music, mindfulness, mantras and plenty of Conscious Discipline skills and strategies in his innovative CARE Room efforts. His CARE Room has become a model for other schools in the district, and it can serve as a model for your school too.

Essential Takeaways

• In just 15-20 minutes, children can work through the five steps to self-regulation and return to the classroom calm and ready to learn.
• Rob utilizes a CARE Problem-Solving form to help children process the five steps and solve the problem that brought them to the CARE Room. The form also provides informative paperwork for both Rob and the child’s teacher.
• Rhythmic mantras can help children calm, feel encouraged and internalize the language and skills of Conscious Discipline.
• As Rob’s story shows, you don’t have to implement Conscious Discipline all at once. Commit to one Power, Skill, structure or even phrase to get started. Commit to your one thing and see where it takes you.

Important Links

• Five Steps to Self-Regulation Icons
• Safe Place Breathing Icons
• Conscious Discipline Events
• Webinar: Creating Emotionally Intelligent Schools with Certified Instructor Jill Molli
• Managing Emotional Mayhem Book
• ISS Room in Shubert’s School

Product Mentions

• Conflict Resolution Time Machine
• Feeling Buddies Self-Regulation Toolkit
• Kindness Tree
• Shubert Book Series
• I Love You Rituals

Show Outline

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:15 CARE room introduction
• 1:51 Dr. Becky Bailey in conversation with special guest Rob Leytham
• 5:40 Rob’s introduction to Conscious Discipline
• 7:55 Initial challenges with CARE Room
• 9:20 Incorporating the five steps of self-regulation
• 12:55 CARE Problem-Solving form
• 19:50 Using rhythmic mantras
• 25:45 Summary and conclusion
• 28:50 What is Conscious Discipline up to?

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

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