Professional Development

As teachers, we know that guiding our students’ behavior is a keystone in our mission to educate.

Yet, we often treat behavior guidance as an “add-on” – a topic that is somehow only tangential to our vital work, and, in many cases, we mask the symptoms and fail to address underlying causes.

Behavior Guidance: Transforming Classrooms Through Social-Emotional Leadership

Many educators view student behavior as a frustrating distraction from “real teaching”—an obstacle to overcome before learning can begin. This workshop flips that perspective entirely, revealing how social-emotional guidance isn’t just a prerequisite for academic success—it’s the very foundation upon which meaningful learning is built.

Rick’s comprehensive Behavior Guidance workshop offers a revolutionary approach that moves beyond surface-level compliance to address the deeper needs driving student behavior. This shift doesn’t just improve classroom management; it transforms the entire educational experience.

Beyond Behavior Management: A New Paradigm
Traditional approaches to student behavior focus on controlling external actions while ignoring the internal needs that drive them. These outdated methods create temporary compliance at best, and at worst, they:

• Damage the crucial teacher-student relationship
• Fail to develop students’ internal regulation skills
• Create cycles of escalating negative behavior
• Leave educators feeling frustrated and ineffective
• Widen achievement gaps for vulnerable students

This workshop introduces a fundamentally different approach—one that addresses root causes rather than symptoms, creating sustainable behavioral growth alongside academic progress.

The Whole Child: Integrated Development
At the core of effective behavior guidance is the recognition that children aren’t compartmentalized beings. Their intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development are
deeply interconnected systems. In this workshop, you’ll:

• Understand the neurological connections between emotional regulation and cognitive function
• Recognize how unaddressed emotional needs create insurmountable barriers to learning
• Identify the developmental stages of self-regulation and appropriate expectations at each level
• Learn to create environments that support integrated development across all domains
• Develop strategies that simultaneously address behavioral and academic growth

The Cognitive-Emotional Connection
Research consistently demonstrates that peak intellectual performance depends on emotional security. This workshop explores:

• How the brain’s stress response system impacts learning capacity
• Techniques to create the emotional safety necessary for cognitive risk-taking
• Methods to teach self-regulation as an academic skill
• Approaches that use emotional engagement to enhance content retention
• Strategies that transform behavioral challenges into learning opportunities

Heart-Centered Teaching Approaches
Moving beyond surface techniques, this workshop introduces a comprehensive framework for authentic connection and guidance:

• Relationship-building strategies that establish trust and mutual respect
• Communication techniques that de-escalate tense situations while preserving dignity
• Proactive approaches that prevent behavioral challenges before they emerge
• Restorative practices that transform conflicts into growth opportunities
• Self-reflection tools that help educators identify their own emotional triggers

Transformative Outcomes
Participants leave this workshop with both immediate strategies and long-term mindset shifts:

• Greater confidence in addressing challenging behaviors effectively
• Reduced classroom disruptions and increased learning time
• Improved relationships with students who present behavioral challenges
• Enhanced ability to reach students previously labeled as “difficult”
• More effective collaboration with support staff and families
• Deepened professional satisfaction and reduced burnout
• A sustainable approach to integrated social-emotional and academic growth

Who This Workshop Serves
This experience benefits educators across all levels and roles:

• Classroom teachers seeking more effective approaches to challenging behaviors
• Special educators working with students with behavioral needs
• School administrators developing school-wide positive behavior systems
• Instructional coaches supporting teachers with classroom management
• School counselors and psychologists collaborating with educational teams
• Early career teachers establishing their classroom culture

Join Rick for this transformative workshop that will forever change how you view student behavior. When we shift from merely managing external actions to genuinely guiding whole-child development, we don’t just create better-behaved classrooms—we cultivate environments where deeper learning and authentic growth naturally flourish.

Workshop Duration:

Virtual: 2 hours (25 participants max)
In-person: 2 hours