Before: “I was hesitant when I heard about it – it’s the opposite of the way I’ve always thought as a parent and a teacher.” “I felt like I was being asked to learn a whole new way of being with kids, and I resented it.”
After: “It’s life changing.” “Now I focus my energy in positive ways, and it’s so wonderful to see the children energized for success.” “I wish more parents knew about this.” “Give it two weeks and you will get your investment back two- or three-fold.”
Teachers from Rocky River elementary school in Mooresville, North Carolina, made a YouTube video demonstrating the miraculous effects of using the Nurtured Heart Approach at their school. They also talk candidly about their feelings before and after learning the strategies. In seven minutes, the film captures the Nurtured Heart Approach in action and shows its transformative results.
The video also mirrors, in many ways, a process that went on at the White Pony and Meher School about 12 years ago, when the staff began the first of several trainings with Howard Glasser, creator of the Nurtured Heart Approach. Since then, we have held a number of workshops for parents and teachers, and seen remarkable changes in our classrooms and in children’s lives.
In the traditional way of managing discipline, parents and teachers focus their energy on eradicating negative behavior and unwittingly cause destructive patterns to increase. Often when children first come to our school, teachers observe habitual ways of reacting that actually undermine a student’s success. The Nurtured Heart Approach is the key to refocusing the child’s energy in a new, productive way and helping them experience their own positive qualities.
Teachers and administrators find it helpful when parents familiarize themselves with and even learn some of Nurtured Heart methods so that there is a harmonious flow of energy between school and home. Next Tuesday, September 7, we’re offering a free Nurtured Heart Zoom training for parents and teachers with dynamic presenter Celeste Elsey, from 4 to 6 p.m.
We know it’s hard to make time in your busy schedule, but this is a life-long investment, and we hope you will make it a top priority for at least one parent in your family to join us.
To register, see the recent eNotes and Wednesday Messages emails.