New Beginnings: What Does it Mean to Be Part of a New Group?
Jenna Bilmes
Meet our guest
Our guest today is Jenna Bilmes, author of the book, Beyond Behavior Management: The Six Life Skills Children Need. Jenna was warm, easy to chat with and very humble. She credits the book and its practical information and activities on her past experiences working with other professionals and through hands on experiences with children. Attachment and belonging are two life skills vital to establish during new beginnings with students and Jenna’s book has just the right amount of wisdom and easy-to-implement activities for any EC classroom. Currently Jenna teaches online courses at Champlain College.
You can find out more and follow Jenna on her Facebook page Beyond Behavior Management and her website Kids From the Inside Out.
“I am a part of the group, not apart from the group.”
Jenna Bilmes
Teacher Takeaways
New Beginnings…
Belonging: Help children get to know each other through activities.
It’s the teacher’s responsibility to integrate all children from day one.
Classroom activities: help children get to know each other. (See Resources for “We Wish You Well” and “All About Us Book”)
Attachment: The special relationship between grown-ups and children.
Get to know children by talking to them. It’s the little conversations that are easy, take little time and mean so much to children.
Get to know your kids: “Fast Five”
Five sentences at least; a back and forth conversation between adult and child.
Conversation builds language and relationships that make children feel safe and loved.
Nurturing Activities: much like self-care for adults. These activities allow you to get to know children better and helps them gain a greater sense of attachment and belonging. (See Resources below for activities)
Jobs: (List of jobs found here, among other resources from Jenna’s website)
Everyone needs a job.
Call jobs professional names. Children know that “Grown-up words come with grown-up responsibilities.” - Jenna Bilmes
Children can help train one another.
Weekly rotation is suggested.
Resources
Referenced in the Interview
