Hey Reader!

Inclusion begins with seeing others the way God sees them.

Each child in your care carries a glimpse of His image and story. Jesus doesn’t say “Let the little children that can sit still, listen and have met all their milestones come to me.” He says “Let them ALL come to me and do not hinder them.”

As teachers, we can honor that truth by intentionally shaping our classrooms to be places of belonging and grace. The first step? Get curious.

Here are three questions to ask when your class (or a specific child) feels a little out of control, dysregulated, or in need of extra supports.

1. What is something I can remove?
   1. Turn off some lights to reduce visual stimuli.
   2. Lower (or turn off) background music to reduce noise.
   3. Simplify your wall displays to create a calmer visual environment.
2. What is something I can add?
   1. A rug to the block center to soften sound when towers crash.
   2. Assigned seats for circle time.
   3. A calming corner.
   4. A space where it’s safe to jump, kick or throw.
   5. Visual supports for routines or communication.
3. What is something I can adjust?
   1. Circle time expectations.
   2. Student pairings in centers.
   3. The daily schedule (maybe snack time needs to be a bit earlier).

I had a great conversation about creating inclusive classrooms with Ashley Myers on the podcast this week. Check it out here if you want to dig into even more ideas than we could fit in this short newsletter.

Cheering you on this week!

-Your ECCN team

P.S. If you don't want to receive these weekly emails anymore, no hard feelings. Click HERE to be removed from this list. (You'll still receive other emails from us based on past preferences.)

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Listen to this podcast episode with host Monica Healer now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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