Thank you for going on the Connected Communicators journey! Please email us your questions, wonderings, and successes along the way. We love acting as thought partners on implementation strategies. If you are supporting school-wide or district-wide implementation, reach out to us for personalized professional development to meet the needs of the educators you work with. Sharing the blog posts below can be a great way to bring others into the movement.
The Magic Formula: Acknowledge, Validate, Coach
Ever felt frustrated and just needed to vent, only to be bombarded with advice? Did it leave you feeling even more irritated? Check out a better way to connect through conversation using Acknowledge, Validate, coach. It works for preschoolers, high schoolers, colleagues, and even your most challenging family members!
To Look or Not to Look
Eye contact is controversial. We get it. This means, we must examine our purpose when asking students to use it. Connected Communicators allow students to focus on someone’s words instead of their face. When a student is avoiding eye contact we remind ourselves that there are times when a student can look at us or listen to us, but not both.
Connected Communicator Behavior Planning Guide
Connected Communicators know that all behaviors communicate a need or a feeling. Some students seem to communicate through unexpected behaviors a lot. If you are struggling to support an "over communicator," it may be helpful to take a step back and make a plan. We promise- taking a few minutes to be intentional with your response will make all the difference
Another Stinking Learning Opportunity
Apologizing is hard work, and frankly no fun. Knowing we are going to mess up, we have to ensure our missteps don’t cause long-term harm to our relationships. The only way to do this when a mistake is ours is to apologize and mean it. No matter your resolutions, give yourself some grace. Humans make mistakes. Congratulations on being human.
Connecting With Caregivers
When students are struggling at school with unexpected behaviors, it is critical we partner with their caregivers. Connected Communicators know how important this is, and yet, we also know how tricky this can be. This is especially true when the caregiver is likely to become heightened about their child’s unexpected behaviors.
Connecting Through Gratitude
Work gratitude into your daily routine so that you, your students, and your collogues can reap the many benefits of gratitude.
Fair is Not Always Equal
Every student needs something slightly different from us in order to reach their academic potential. Isn’t it strange that this is so much easier for us to consider for academics, and yet we struggle to apply the same logic to behavior?
Overcoming the October Slump
The October Slump is for real! Lets examine some ways we can overcome and persevere through this sometimes challenging time of year.
Planning a Connected Conversation
The connected communicator knows that taking some time to plan for a connected conversation can make all the difference.
How to Care Out Loud
Connected Communicators understand that in order for kids to learn from us, they first have to know we care about them. You might be thinking, “Of course we care. Why else would we do this challenging work?” Although as educators we know this, students often don’t. So, it is our job to intentionally and explicitly show and tell students how much we care about them. Read the rest of this post by clicking below.
Small Talk Isn’t Small
The Connected Communicator knows how critical it is to get to know our students well. This means learning about our students' families, interests, likes, dislikes, and even their favorite snack. As we gear up for the new school year, we have a whole new group of students to get to know! So, how do we even start?
Let Them Catch Your Calm
Emotions are contagious. As Educators, we need to make sure our emotions are worth catching! Click on the button below to read more about how to help students catch your calm.
Avoiding Power Struggles
Are you navigating springtime behaviors with students? We know we are! Click on the button below to check out our first blog for some helpful tips to help avoid the power struggle trap.