The most valuable resource is an engaged and invested parent. Therefore, we are always looking for ways to eliminate barriers to parent involvement, and in certain instances, this may mean that some parents require childcare while participating in workshops.
If you are faced with this circumstance, you are asked to secure a nearby classroom, either adjacent to the one in which the workshop is taking place or across the hall. As previously discussed, the goal is to create a community through engagement in TG4S workshops.
You should now be shifting away from the need to discipline as a reaction to disruptive behavior toward the relationship developed as a result of workshop engagement. Whether the student is engaged in childcare/sitting services at the school or it is not needed, the children are aware that their parents are meeting with their teachers and participating in workshops. Fun and rewarding activities can be powerful when reducing and/or eliminating barriers, which can reduce and/or eliminate disruptive student behavior.
In the case of persistent disruptive student behavior, teachers can experiment with allowing the student to participate in a “Face the Cookie” activity as an intervention when permitted, with the goal being positive reinforcement and relationship building.