Point of View Archives - Sound Discipline

15Nov 2022 by Mary Power

Educators Need Support to Implement Practices that are Relational, Student Centered, and Culturally Responsive

Mutual Respect, Point of View, Race and Equity, Teachers

“I decided to become a teacher so I could become the adult for students that I needed when I was a kid.” – Sound Discipline educator participant

Educators universally share a sense of purpose and hope for the good they can do in the world. Sometimes, however, they lose sight of that vision. Educators’ jobs are challenging, misunderstood, and burdened with competing demands. As they work with us, educators talk about reconnecting with that sense of purpose and loving their jobs again, even while navigating all these complex challenges. Wanting to be that adult we needed for our students is …

30Sep 2022 by Mary Power

Changing the World, A Classroom at a Time

In the News, Point of View, Racial Justice, School Partners

We’ve been head down, all of us, chipping away at the tough stuff in front of us for the last few years. At Sound Discipline’s board retreat last week, we stepped back and took a look around at the world that is the context for all of our work in schools:

The pandemic
Division and suspicion of “the other”
Climate impacts like wildfires, storms, and floods
Racism
Gun violence

All of this big stuff is overwhelming and bigger than any one of us. But every day, when students show up in classrooms, the moments matter. Subtle changes make profound differences. …

17Nov 2021 by Mary Power

Shifting from Power-Over to Power-With When Working with Young People

In the News, Point of View, Teachers, Uncategorized

“If I could wave a magic wand, my students would understand how thrilling it can be to take control of their learning. My co-workers would understand how much more of an enriching experience it is for both us and the humans who are our students to buy in to their learning.”

- - - Sara Wozniak-Randall, 7th grade Pacific Northwest History, Dimmitt Middle School

Sound Discipline’s work is about power. Our work invites adults who work with youth to shift from practices based in control and compliance to practices based in shared power. The principles of shared power are basic to …

12Oct 2021 by Mary Power

What Happened to You?

Brain Science, In the News, Point of View, Trauma

When I was a kid in the late 1960s and early 70s, I attended St. Rita’s school in a little town called Sierra Madre. The culture was corporal punishment and shame. It wasn’t until 5th grade that I had a teacher who did not use physical violence or terror. None of this seemed unusual. My experience was common. We found ways to navigate and survive. Kids’ stories of themselves and one another were shaped by shame and fear – those stories shaped the course of our lives. My story was that adults could not be trusted. I did not respect …

16Sep 2021 by Mary Power

Repackaging Consequences Does Not Create Equitable Learning Communities

In the News, Point of View, Race and Equity

As the new executive director of Sound Discipline, I spend a lot of time studying everything I can about education equity, and social emotional learning.

A few weeks ago, I read an article that I found disturbing: “How Novice and Expert Teachers Approach Classroom Management Differently.” Citing a 2021 study, the author asserts that it “reveals the ways in which new and experienced teachers think about discipline – plus 5 takeaways for managing your classroom effectively this year.”

I posted it on Sound Discipline’s internal Slack, asking colleagues, “Does this article bug you?” Here are highlights of …

09Jun 2021 by Mary Power

The Problem with ‘Learning Loss’ Part 1: Outcomes vs. Experiences

In the News, Point of View, Racial Justice

“The learning loss narrative does not bring us together. It’s not the teacher’s fault; it’s not one school. It’s a systemic problem that goes back to before the pandemic.” – Regina Elmi, Co-founder of Supporting Partnerships in Education and Beyond

As the country emerges from a global pandemic, we at Sound Discipline are paying attention to the conversation in education and policy circles about ‘learning loss.’ Applying the lenses of test scores, academic milestones, and SEL metrics, state and district superintendents are feeling and passing on the pressure to quantify and replace standards-based content not delivered in online …

An Open Letter to Teachers and Educators

It has been a rough year. The pandemic threw students, even those who had lived stable lives pre-COVID, into lives of uncertainty, including financial and housing insecurity. Those who were already living challenging circumstances faced even more hardships. The constant drum beat of racial injustice added another layer of stress for both teachers and students.

As always, teachers showed up for their kids. Through the struggles with steep learning curves in all manner of online platforms, and competing with video games, lack of motivation, kids’ challenges at home, and other distractions, teachers did their best.

If you are a teacher, …

19Apr 2021 by Mary Power

The Journey to Understanding Trauma and Resilience

Point of View, Resilience

“The question we should be asking is not what’s wrong with that child, but what happened to that child?” – Oprah Winfrey

“The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely they will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.” – Dr. Bruce Perry

Let’s talk about trauma and resilience. At Sound Discipline, we teach and coach educators and adults working with or raising kids about trauma-informed practice. Ten years ago, this concept was just migrating to schools and social service delivery. Like a …

15Mar 2021 by Mary Power

The COVID One-Year Mark: Let’s not go back

Brain Science, Connection and love, In the News, Point of View, Resilience

We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was not normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate, and lack. We should not long to return, my friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.

— Sonya Renee Taylor

On March 5 of last year, Sound Discipline’s leadership team met to make a COVID contingency plan. A 2-week school closure had just been announced. We drew all over a whiteboard, planning for three scenarios; 1) …

12Feb 2021 by Mary Power

Black History and Belonging in School

Point of View, Racial Justice

When we say, “what if every child knew they belonged?”, what exactly do we mean?

Recently, I explored this question over Zoom with Dr. DeLeon Gray, Associate Professor of Educational Psychology and Education Equity at North Carolina State University and a leading researcher on the intersection of race, belonging, and motivation in school.

I learned about Dr. Gray’s work from Education Trust Research Associate Nancy Duchesneau. When Nancy and I talked about Sound Discipline’s investigation into belonging, she said, “Well then, you have to talk with DeLeon Gray. He is pretty much the leading voice on belonging.”

To learn …