CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2018 - Five years after delivering the emotional literacy programme – Zippy’s Friends to 96 primary schools in Trinidad and Tobago, the School Leadership Centre collaborated with the Digicel Foundation and The Franciscan Institute of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, and introduced the concept of ‘Conscious Discipline’, to a cadre of educators on April 9 and 11.

Over 40 primary schools were represented at the two-day workshop, which was held at the Sr. Francis Xavier Heritage Hall at the St Joseph’s Convent.  The 80 educators were all amped and enthusiastic to learn about the impact of Conscious Discipline in their classrooms.

Author and Founder of Conscious Discipline, Dr. Becky Bailey and Master Instructor Jill Molli had the atmosphere in the room of 80 teachers charged with excitement and they readily absorbed learnings on how to ‘Build the School Family to create brain smart classrooms’.  According to Dr. Bailey, “Conscious Discipline is a comprehensive trauma-informed, self-regulated programme that combines discipline, social–emotional learning and the school environment, into on integrated process.”

The topic of Conscious Discipline’ explores issues that address emotional learning, along with classroom management.  The key to this learning intervention is having a more conscious and mindful adult.  The sessions empowered the teachers to take a more vested interest in developing their ‘conscious selves’ so that they can better influence their students and build an enabling classroom environment. 

The Foundation invested over TT$100,000 in the two-day intervention.  Penny Gomez, CEO Digicel Foundation, attended the first day of the session and thanked the teachers for their ongoing stewardship of the nation’s youths. Gomez also commended the School Leadership Centre, led by Elizabeth Crouch and Ramona Khan, for their exceptional contribution toward education in Trinidad and Tobago.