FOR EDUCATORS
Tessa works with educators to create a community where both staff and student flourish and thrive.
It was one of my first times stepping into a classroom as “behavioral support”. There was a young boy who was resisting sitting down (anywhere) and causing chaos and turmoil in the classroom by swinging between furniture, talking back when teachers asked him to sit down, and knocking things off the shelves. The longer it went on, the more he seemed to gain negative energy and the more negative influence he had on the other students in the classroom. I remember having the petrified thought, “I’M supposed to know what to do to FIX this!?” Then, luckily, my very next thought was, “Just breathe and come up with ONE idea! Just ONE!” And I did. And it helped! Collectively, the teacher and I were able to shift the immediate situation into something calm and regulated, and then collaboratively we created a plan on strategies needed to prevent a potential reoccurrence the following day. We took time to think about the student’s needs, the classroom environment, and what it felt like to be both the adult and the student in that classroom at that moment.
This experience solidified the trajectory of Tessa’s journey of falling in love with children (and humans) who are struggling, and the adults who are doing their very best to do more than survive, but be HELPFUL to these young people!
Tessa’s passion is enveloped in understanding behavior and the emotions behind behaviors. She is able to see the difficult moment, embrace and acknowledge the challenge, then identify other ways to teach and expand the expression of this struggle by modifying.
If you are like most educators, you were drawn to the teaching field due to a desire to make a difference in the lives of students. However, with so many competing priorities and demands, this goal appears harder and harder to achieve. Social Emotional Learning was important before, but through the age of COVID, we no longer have the luxury of not focusing on it. Many of our students are floundering, hurting and reactionary. Education - and Educators - are one of the biggest influences in children’s lives and an important place to help children develop positive habits that will enable them to grow into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
A SAMPLE OF SESSIONS AVAILABLE
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Why Stories Matter
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Understanding Stress, Distress and Trauma
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Fundamentals of Relationship: Connection and Belonging
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Co-regulation: The Calming Science About Dysregulation
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De-escalation: When Prevention Doesn't Work
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How Should I Say This? (Communication Strategies for Challenging Conversations)