ORLANDO, Fla. (August 7, 2018) – Social and emotional learning (SEL) gives children and adults the skills to manage emotions, resolve conflicts, and hold a positive view of themselves and the world around them. To support teachers and parents in teaching critical SEL skills as they head into another school year, Conscious Discipline hosted the sold out Elevate Social Emotional Learning Conference and Family Camp with Shubert.
The Elevate SEL Conference was held at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando from July 24 to July 26. Teachers and administrators attended four keynote addresses on topics including shared power, consequences vs. punishments and rewards, and reducing oppositional behavior through connection. Attendees also learned how to create a School Family, a transformational approach to school culture that uses twelve classroom structures designed to cultivate inclusion, resilience and emotional intelligence. Two keynote addresses were delivered by Dr. Becky Bailey, the founder of Conscious Discipline, with Conscious Discipline Master Instructors Jill Molli and Amy Speidel presenting one keynote each.
Participants also selected four breakout sessions to attend and left the event with a complete SEL plan for the first six weeks of the school year. Each session walked participants through exactly what to do to create a School Family from the start. Tiffany Smith, a Pre-K Coach for the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, said, “I enjoyed every minute of the conference. It allowed me to elevate my Conscious Discipline journey and put even more tools in my toolbox so I can be the change I want to see in schools.”
Katie Epema, who supervises early childhood home visitors and has been practicing Conscious Discipline for eight years, said, “My biggest takeaway was to recognize which brain state the families we’re working with are operating from so we can best support them in their Conscious Discipline journey. We’ve been providing well-attended Conscious Discipline parent meetings and weaving Conscious Discipline information into our home visits, but this event gave me a lot of new ideas and things to tweak.”
On July 27, the Conscious Discipline Family Camp with Shubert, the first event of its kind, was held at the Rosen Plaza Hotel. In the morning, parents attended workshops while their children played age-appropriate games and practiced essential SEL skills. Families then engaged in additional SEL-focused activities and enjoyed a meet and greet with Shubert the Lightening Bug, the key character in Dr. Bailey's Shubert and Sophie series of children's books.
Jill Molli, a Conscious Discipline Master Instructor, said, “We were excited to introduce the Elevate Social Emotional Learning Conference for educators and Family Camp with Shubert this summer! These events were the first of their kind. The unique format effectively equipped attendees with helpful, hands-on examples of the practices and structures of Conscious Discipline. Understanding how these principles play out in real-life scenarios is key to using the powers and skills in truly transformational ways."
To learn more about Conscious Discipline and upcoming events, visit https://consciousdiscipline.com/.
About Conscious Discipline
Conscious Discipline provides a comprehensive, trauma-informed social-emotional program that is based on current brain research, child development information and developmentally appropriate practices. All aspects of Conscious Discipline focus on creating a safe, connected environment for children to learn and practice the skills needed for healthy social, emotional and academic development. Conscious Discipline methodology is recognized by SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP), and it was named as a national model for character education by the Florida State Legislature. Research shows that Conscious Discipline decreases aggression, impulsivity and hyperactivity while creating a positive environment in the school or home. In schools, Conscious Discipline has been shown to decrease discipline referrals while increasing teaching time and academic achievement. Learn more at www.consciousdiscipline.com.
