Description

About the Guest(s):

Betsey Sigrist-Sheppard is a dedicated educator with six years of experience in teaching early education, primarily in kindergarten and second grade. She currently teaches at Columbus City Schools in Columbus, Ohio. Betsey is known for her innovative methods in creating engaging classroom environments and is particularly recognized for her work with PAX Good Behavior Game. Her passion for teaching was inspired by her second-grade teacher, who seamlessly integrated academic and social-emotional lessons into engaging learning experiences. Betsey is an advocate for trauma-informed classrooms and promotes a positive, inclusive learning community for her students.

Episode Summary:

In this insightful episode of School Wellness, hosted by Amanda Hampton, listeners are introduced to the concept of a trauma-informed classroom and how PAX Good Behavior Game is being effectively implemented in school settings. Amanda Hampton talks with Betsey Sigrist-Sheppard, a second-grade teacher with Columbus City Schools, about her experience and strategies in creating a supportive and engaging learning environment for young students. The episode explores Betsey's journey in education, inspired by her own transformative experiences in elementary school, and the community-focused approach she brings to her classroom today.

Betsey shares her perspectives on the implementation and success of PAX in managing classroom behaviors and reinforcing positive student actions. From initial training during the COVID-19 pandemic to establishing a comprehensive PAX community within her school, Betsey offers valuable insights into the use of PAX strategies to foster a trusting and effective classroom dynamic. The discussion also delves into the challenges of adopting new behavioral strategies and the significant impact that the PAX program has had on the school environment, from increasing predictability in classrooms to helping students manage attention and interpersonal relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• Implementation of PAX: Betsey Sigrist-Sheppard successfully incorporates PAX into her classroom to promote positive behaviors and manage undesirable ones using various strategies and games.
• Positive Community Building: PAX strategies help create a positive school community, turning classrooms into teams and families, reinforcing care for self, others, and the environment.
• Maintaining Consistency and Safety: By establishing predictable routines and expectations, Betsey ensures a physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe environment for students.
• Supportive Network: The episode highlights the importance of a support network of teachers and PAX partners in promoting and implementing effective behavioral strategies across the school.
• Adapting to Challenges: Betsey discusses the challenges of initial implementation and how pacing and support from the PAX community help in successfully integrating new tools into her teaching practice.

Notable Quotes:

• "I had a really amazing second grade teacher when I was in elementary school who created a classroom environment that was so engaging and fun."
• "I really strive to create a class where our class is a community, our class is a team, our class is a family."
• "The PAX Vision was super easy...and it is student created."
• "Having the internal PAX team, it's kind of been just like a quick check with each other, like hey, how's it going? How, how is it potentially not going?"
• "Even though there are a few Kernels, they don't all have to be implemented right away."

Resources:

• PAX Good Behavior Game: Paxis.org
• Columbus City Schools: Columbus City Schools
• Nationwide Children's Hospital: Nationwide Children's Hospital
• Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success
• Ohio School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention & Early Intervention

Tune in to the full episode to explore Betsey Sigrist-Sheppard's innovative approaches to fostering a vibrant, supportive learning environment through PAX and learn more about how these strategies can be implemented in classrooms to encourage positive behavioral development. Stay connected for more episodes on school wellness and educational excellence.