Dear NorthWest Professional Educators,

Thank you for the chance to attend Gene Bedley s seminar, Practical Discipline Strategies for the Difficult Young Child. I learned so many practical strategies to preserve teacher sanity! I was most impressed with his ideas that children need coaching on how to make good choices. This is more effective than the use of positive and negative reinforcers. Gene s songs and sign language cues are very effective in my classroom. The main principle I took from this workshop was to focus on specific positive behavior strategies. I have implemented a good choice – poor choice scale in my classroom. We keep track of their choices through out the day. It s amazing now shifting to a positive focus has prompted more good choices during our school day! Gene teaches that when a child makes a poor choice he/she needs a chance to self correct, to have a choice from two options, and a challenge to do a little bit better today than yesterday. Gene understands that educators have a tough job. We are more than teachers of intellect – we are mentors, coaches, and role models as we teach our students about kindness, caring, and respect.

It is with sincere gratitude that I thank NWPE for this opportunity and the many other ways you support this great profession and its outstanding educators!

Katie Bailey, Endicott School District

– Katie Bailey, Endicott School District