It starts with relationships.
Our brains learn best in an atmosphere of care, essential to building healthy relationships. Care is the willingness and ability to provide the feeling of being seen, heard, and understood. In other words, emotional safety. When we have emotional, and physical safety, we have better ability to trust, learn, and respond appropriately to life challenges. Here’s my story of building a classroom community:
Directly after college, before I knew anything brain development, I was given the responsibility of teaching 31 1st Graders. I was passionate and motivated to create a consistent, predictable, and safe environment for my students. With great intention and effort, I slowly created, A Caring Classroom Community. It was an uphill climb. In time, my focus on social-emotional skills and relationships began to settle in. Students were able to make leaps in learning, take risks with each other, and seek others to solve problems. I had successfully created an environment with emotional and physical safety. The care, connection, and responsiveness over time built trust.
All of us desire healthy relationships. Children deserve healthy relationships at home and school.
For the past 20 years, I have been working with children and families in education and therapeutic environments. My passion project is the early childhood developmental years, brain development, and fostering secure attachment. I have extensive training and experience working with children, parents, and teachers to heal relationships within systems.
Embrace Imperfection.
Even though this photo looks perfect, we are not perfect.
The most challenging parts of my life were the times that I grew the most. As a family, we have struggled, made mistakes, corrected and repaired our relationships. Through our imperfect responses, or decisions, we have deepened in our understanding of each other. Acknowledging and accepting our differences brought us closer.
Our humanness makes us real and lovable. We laugh often and love each other no matter what.
