I grew up learning to read and play classical music. I quit classical lessons at 13, but kept playing.  In college I joined jam sessions, and as an adult I went to open mic nights and learned to play with others. I have taught piano and voice, and love to teach children how to play the songs they love.

I am capable of teaching them to read, using workbooks that already exist, but my favorite way to teach is to create a band and explore our favorite songs. We find the chords and lyrics, learn about the song structure, chord arrangements, and rehearse until we can explore how to noodle around to express yourself. Due to the power of the creative word, I like to re-write the words in pop/rock/country songs, away from toxic mindsets and values to something more agreeable!

Introducing children to yoga offers a beautiful way to cultivate physical well-being, character development and self awareness. Asana’s provide a way to connect with our bodies, explore movement, and build strength and flexibility. Asana is often the first introduction to pranayama, breath control, emphasizing moving the body with the breath. We can become aware of how the breath can calm the mind and heart, as well as energize the body. 

Through stories or lived experience, children can explore the sensations and learn to observe, free of squirming and judgment. For emotional regulation, meditation and contemplation is key. For character development, yoga includes a limb of yoga dedicated to personal observances and ethics. Being exposed to these values cultivates right thought, speech, and action, and pave the way to good merit and a life full of beautiful contributions. Through nature study and observing the interconnectedness of all the systems, we can foster a sense of unity. Thus, we can do our part in raising the compassionate, enlightened leaders of the future. I teach yoga to children and adults of all ages. Read more over at .shop/yoga 

Organize and keep it tidy!

In the classroom, we teach children to complete their work by putting it away and everything has a place. This organization should be replicated at home.

Getting organized and staying tidy requires one big action, followed by consistent daily habits. 

First, we tidy by category rather than by room, so your whole house becomes streamlined. The system developed by Mari Kondo follows this order, based on what is the easiest starting place: Clothing, books, papers, komono (little, miscellaneous items), and at the end, sentimental items. This prevents overwhelm and keeps the process systematic. After discarding and donating items that no longer spark joy or serve a purpose, we find a permanent home for every item!

Cultivating independence, coordination, concentration, and their natural sense of order.

Homage to Dr. Maria Montessori! She is the first female physician in Italy and a suffragette. She created and popularized child-sized furniture as well as the first playgrounds in the late 1800s.  Consider putting “Life and Work” a place on your “To-Read” list.

Contrary to the idea that children are a blank slate, she observed that children go through “sensitive periods,” characterized by repetitive, obsessive concentration on certain things. Classrooms are bunched by children spanning 3 years because they share a common developmental stage. Each stage builds upon the previous one in a cohesive manner. She noticed that they develop their coordination, independence, concentration, and sense of order at a very early age by being exposed to certain materials during these sensitive periods. Developing corresponding classroom materials for each sensitive phase of their development, from “children’s House” (3-6 year olds), Early Elementary (6-9), Upper Elementary(9-12), and early and late adolescence.  Montessori’s core principles, such as encouraging independence, self-directed learning, hands-on exploration, and catering to the child’s developmental needs and interests  is applied to the adolescent years. Through Montessori’s principles, children are given opportunities to develop their concentration, order, and independence by providing them with the means and methods to take care of themselves, their environment, and others.  Montessori’s vision of education for peace and social change involves equipping adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to become agents of positive transformation in society.

Co-create boundaries and guidelines for living, along with natural or rational consequences in place ahead of time. 

This helpful system of guidelines helps with classroom management and parenting and was developed by an experienced educator in Colorado, Jim Fay. As a parent and educator, we first model healthy behavior and talk of them in our life experiences. When children encounter obstacles and challenges, we can celebrate whatever choice they make as a priceless learning opportunity. In our interactions with dealing with the challenges, we use empathy as the starting point for co-creating solutions and/or reflecting on missteps. 

Five points of Love and Logic are:

1. Neutralize arguing by handing the problem over to the creator of the problem.
2. Express empathy before delivering consequences
3. Setting limits with enforceable statements
4. sharing control through lots of small choices
5. anticipating challenges and consequences. 

For more information, visit LoveAndLogic.com

NVC scripts are designed to help people express their needs and feelings in a way that is respectful and compassionate.

This system for communication was developed by Marshall Rosenberg, an internationally acclaimed mediator. By identifying how our emotions point to met and unmet needs, we can boil down conflict resolution into a handy script. 

“I noticed W. I feel X, because I need Y. Could we Z?”

Insert the variables! In the above example, W is a situation that arises, and X is an emotion (free from opinions/interpretation.) Y are universal human needs. Z is a starting point for brainstorming solutions for now and the future.

Vocabulary for various emotions and needs are worth studying! 

No legacy is as rich as honesty.

~Shakespeare

We can use Authentic Relating games to practice positive communication styles and non-violent communication (NVC) scripts. These games are designed to help participants connect with each other on a deeper level, practice positive communication styles, and thus build stronger relationships.

Some examples of Authentic Relating games include:

– Mirroring: In this game, one person shares something about themselves, and the other person reflects back what they heard, without interpreting or adding their own thoughts or feelings.

-Ask-A-Friend: this 3 person activity requires one speaker and two active-listeners. The speaker will present their idea or conundrum to the group for about 3 minutes. Listener #1 will listen and mirror back what they heard and reflect on their tone and excitement/anxiety levels around certain topics. Listener #2 will listen/observe what they see in the speakers body language.  Both listeners will refrain from advising, but just like with the ‘mirroring’ game. 

-The Noticing game: Two people will sit across from each other and simply observe (and maybe wonder/ask with curiosity) about the other person. The second person will say “hearing ___, I feel ___,” allowing space between the observation and reaction to notice feelings. The observer could cascade observations for two minutes, and the observed could then spend an equal amount of time responding to all that was said. 

– The Hot Seat: In this game, one person sits in the “hot seat” and answers questions from the other participants. The questions can be about anything, and the person in the hot seat is encouraged to answer honestly and authentically.

– Storytelling: In this game, each person shares a personal story, and the other participants listen attentively and ask questions to help the storyteller dive deeper into their experience.