Sound Discipline is now BELONG Partners!

  • Regulation Skills for Educators & Students

    Young people missed foundational developmental milestones during COVID-19 school closures, resulting in less developed regulation skills in children and more big behaviors for educators to respond to. The good news is that recent brain science research helps us understand the physiology of strong emotions and how to teach skills to move through them.  In this video […]

  • Regulation Skills for Parents & Caregivers

    Self-regulation is the ability to recognize, manage, and modulate one’s emotions, emotional reactions, and behaviors. Brain science has revealed that regulation skills are learned best through co-regulation with another person you trust. As parents, we are our children’s primary teachers and can model emotional regulation through practicing co-regulation with our children. When parents maintain or […]

  • Coming Together to Explore Ways to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline

    On Sunday, October 29, an impactful online convening took place to discuss collaborating to disrupt something that has been adversely afflicting our communities for far too long: the school-to-prison pipeline. BELONG Partners and community organizations including the Multifaith Coalition for Restorative Justice, Center for Children and Youth Justice, The Breakfast Group, The Black Prisoners Caucus […]

  • Engage Kids in Problem Solving

    Family meetings are a powerful tool to build the life skills that we want our children to have.  Holding family meetings helps children learn empathy, cooperation, mutual respect, and effective, solution-focused problem solving.  The consistent practice of gathering as a family, giving and receiving compliments, and solving problems helps families run more smoothly and builds […]

  • Teaching the Vital Skill of Problem Solving

    Problem solving is second nature to many educators. For students, it is a vital skill they needs to learn and practice continuously. Sometimes, it feels easier to simply tell kids what to do rather than engage them in the problem-solving process. However, every time we solve a problem for a young person without their input, […]

  • Celebrating Five Years of More Equitable, Inclusive, and Student-Driven Experiences in Schools

    On a beautiful August morning in Renton, WA, Dimmitt Middle School filled with parents, teachers, administrators, community members – and, most importantly, students – all eager to join in on a community celebration to recognize the accomplishments of the Designing Our Own Learning (DOOL) summer program participants. DOOL is a BELONG Partners program, now in […]

  • Inviting youth voice and agency into the classroom

    In our adult-led culture, it can feel counterintuitive to some adults to make space for youth voice – for young people to lead their educational experience. But if we look at what is happening around the world, we see young people leading in amazing ways. There are many examples of young people using their voices […]

  • Fostering community and collaboration between new & seasoned educators 

    The BELONG Partners District Model is a comprehensive approach to school transformation that focuses on building capacity and sustainability within a school district. Through this train-the-trainer model, our experienced facilitators work closely with regional coaches hired by a district to implement the BELONG Partners approach in their schools. One of our original District Model partners […]

  • 8 Ways to Start the New School Year on a Positive Note

    September is half over, and whether this summer was relaxing or stressful (or a combination of both!), it is time to accept that it is coming to an end. Your kids (and you) are probably feeling a mix of anticipation, curiosity, and maybe even dread as the new school year gets underway. For the transition […]

  • Focus on Routines this New School Year

    Are you feeling a variety of emotions, from anxiety to fear to joy, as the school gets underway? Transitions are always challenging. But we may be feeling it even more given that the last four years were extremely unpredictable for school communities. We invite educators to focus on building routines as young people get settled into […]