Five Reasons Why You Need Conscious Discipline to Strengthen Your MTSS

Meeting the needs of every student can be a tall order in this educational landscape. Part of the solution to this has been the use of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, or MTSS. Most schools have an MTSS in place to provide universal, targeted, and individualized academic (RTI) and behavioral (PBIS) support. But these systems alone are not fulfilling the needs of our students.  In fact, though schools are focusing more often on child behavior management strategies, they continue to see a rise in behavioral issues, and a strong need for academic support and behavior intervention. Basically, the support system needs support, and that’s where Conscious Discipline steps in. 

Five Reasons Why You Need Conscious Discipline to Strengthen Your MTSS 

1. MTSS provides an infrastructure for support: Conscious Discipline’s comprehensive strategies, structures, and interventions flesh it out. The number one problem identified with MTSS is the coordination of practices and expectations.  Using a tiered level of support system to differentiate instruction can help students manage and regulate their nervous systems, support their self-regulatory functions, and bolster their academic stamina which leads to better academic and behavioral outcomes. It’s not classroom management; it’s self-regulation.  
2. The Conscious Discipline Brain State Model deepens the understanding of how brain states impact behavior, and the ability to access and process information. This enables educators to be proactive rather than reactive in the classroom, laying the groundwork for greater learning and more accurate data for evaluations. A student cannot learn effectively or provide accurate data if they are perpetually stuck in a survival or emotional state.  
3. The skills and principles instilled by Conscious Discipline provide opportunities to scaffold students’ emerging executive skills such as critical thinking, planning, and problem solving. Executive functioning skills are essential in the classroom and prepare students for life as contributing members of their communities. Executive skill development can be severely inhibited by trauma and stress. Conscious Discipline is a trauma-responsive approach that provides specific activities to scaffold and strengthen executive skills, instill positive behavioral supports, and create a learning environment and school culture that is conducive to the success of all students. It is shown to be effect

   ive in Title 1 schools and lower economic districts where raised ACE scores tend to be more prevalent.  

4. Conscious Discipline upholds the belief in the power of a School Family. Positive connections are attributed to the lowering of anxiety and depression and the raising of self-esteem in both children and adults. Some of the benefits of connections established in a school setting are dramatically increased teaching time, increased academic success, decreasing (and in some instances eliminating) bullying, and significantly decreasing in other behavioral issues. Deepening connections and relationships are the most steadfast path toward academic achievement.  
5. Conscious Discipline focuses us on the desired behaviors, a shift in intention that leads to greater success, self-esteem and satisfaction. Many evaluation systems focus our attention on the problem. Conscious Discipline acknowledges the behaviors that need to change while keeping a steadfast focus on the positive behaviors we wish to grow. We must see children differently if they are to behave differently. Conscious Discipline empowers educators to do just that, while providing the positive behavioral supports children require to be successful. 

If you are interested in finding out more about how Conscious Discipline can be used alongside your MTSS systems to provide integrated academic and behavioral support, sign up for our event, Strengthening Executive Function and Academic Stamina Conscious Discipline and Tiered Supports October 23-24 in Birmingham, Alabama. Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor Jenny Barkac will draw on her personal experience as a classroom teacher, behavior interventionist and longtime Conscious Discipline practitioner to help you understand and apply Conscious Discipline with tiered systems.  

This event is geared toward administrators, counselors, specialists, and educators working with students K through 5th grade. Prior knowledge or implementation of Conscious Discipline is helpful but not necessary to benefit from this event. 

 

Related Resources 

• Leadership Strategies for Intentional Coaching 
• Coaching Rubric for Teachers 
• Four Steps to Writing RTI Plans That Meet Differentiated Needs