Real Talk For Real Teachers #23 - Dealing With Constant Initative Changes

Teachers are exposed to many new initiatives that are asked of them on a daily basis, some they agree with and some they don’t. Some of these initiatives are viewed as meaningful, while others are considered inconvenient. For administrators and school leaders, it’s important to be sensitive to these viewpoints when introducing Conscious Discipline.
Conscious Discipline is a transformational change that requires time, passion, and commitment. It asks adults to shift both their skillset and their mindset, particularly in the way they view misbehavior and children who misbehave. This change isn’t easy and is sometimes met with reluctance or unwillingness.
Listen as special guest Amanda Spight shares how she has navigated the challenges of implementing Conscious Discipline at her elementary school. Amanda is the principal of Gladden Elementary School in Belton, Missouri. She is also the mother of a two-year-old son and has successfully implemented Conscious Discipline both at school and at home. In today’s episode, Amanda shares her stories of success and provides tips on introducing Conscious Discipline to staff, proactively addressing unwillingness, and staying the course.

Essential Takeaways
• Conscious Discipline requires transformational change rather than traditional change. Transformational change should be organization-wide, occurs over a period of time, and requires adults to make mindset shifts and skillset shifts. Most of us are used to traditional change, which is faster and easier.
• Teachers are regularly asked to implement new initiatives. Increase willingness through relationship-building and shared leadership, rather than announcing, “We’re doing Conscious Discipline.”
• Allow implementation to progress organically and connect it to the why (the purpose behind new changes). Surround yourself with support and encouragement.
• It’s helpful to model for staff the processes, activities, and structures they’ll use in their classrooms. Introduce a “new normal.”
• The first year of Conscious Discipline is a transitional year. Hold to your values and what you believe is important for our children, and you’ll see significant positive change in time.
Steps for Tomorrow
• Start with noticing. Without judgement, provide feedback on the positives you see.
• Offer empathy to others. If you’re a principal, extend empathy to your staff. If you’re a parent or teacher, give empathy to your students.
• By consistently working on noticing and empathy, you’ll build feelings of safety and increase willingness.

Important Links
• Brain Smart Start
• Noticing
• Jill Molli
• Jobs
• Commitments
• Safekeeper Ritual
Product Mentions
• Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline
• Creating the School Family
• School Family Job Set

Show Outline
:20 What is Conscious Discipline?
:48 What are real teachers?
2:05 Conscious Discipline and transformational change
3:14 Changing how you see behavior and children who misbehave
5:20 Introduction of guest Amanda Spight
6:11 Amanda’s introduction to Conscious Discipline
10:00 Introducing Conscious Discipline to staff
14:12 Integrating Brain Smart Starts and commitments into staff meetings
15:19 The four components of a Brain Smart Start
17:20 Proactively addressing resistance from staff
20:00 Shifting from external rewards to internal skills
21:35 The value of noticing
22:00 Amanda’s story of professional success with Conscious Discipline
26:00 Why the first year of Conscious Discipline is a transitional year
27:00 Amanda’s story of parenting success with Conscious Discipline
30:00 The importance of deciding what you value
31:00 Two steps for principals and parents to get started with Conscious Discipline

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
There are many ways you could have spent this time today, but you chose to spend it with me and I am grateful. If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it with others via your favorite social media platforms.

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

[gimletrose]

I love CD videos... but especially this one came in just in time! I have had training but center-wide implementation was one of the challenges. I will be taking away some of ideas from Ms. Amanda here! Thank you.

[libraz]

I love the Viewing Breakdown! Im doing alot Better Catching Myself and Viewing the Behavior Differently so i can then view it with Love and Choose to use it as a teaching moment instead of a disruption that needs punishment. But...my Fiance is still having Trouble staying on track and Breaking the Old habits from his childhood, so i would love to hear tips on helping with that, bc my pointing it out and giving alternatives just started making him feel like i was attacking him and seeing him as not doing good enough, so I've backed off and trying to ket the visual reminders be helpful for him at this point, but I've stopped seeing changes since then, and since our Conscious Discipline classes ended at the end of this School Year. So I'm hoping i can find something here to help me through that, along with some other small reminders to be able to use to keep myself on track too. Maybe just Noticing his willingness and attempts, and providing him with empathy when things are tough or dont go as he hoped while using C.D. things will get easier for him. Hoping soon to finish the book and reread it to help me back along! Thanks Soo Much Becky for an Amazing Program soooo many more People, Parents and Schools should implement in their Daily Lives!! It gives me such hope for the Future seeing such a Wonderful Program like this in the World!!!What an Incredible Life Achievement for You to Give to the World Becky!!! Love from Southern Ohio💞

[libraz]

I Wish My Childs Whole School Would Change Over to Conscious Discipline! The Headstsrt programs use it but Sadly that's as Far as it goes. I could only dream that any of Our Local Schools would attempt to go through with Trying it!