Busy Little Bees

Calling all LGBTQ+ allies...it's time to step up. What is happening? Firstly, there is the "Don't Say Gay" bill. Florida's House of Representatives passed a  bill   Thursday that would prohibit "classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity" in the state’s primary schools. The legislation — titled the Parental Rights in Education bill but dubbed by critics the " Don’t Say Gay " bill — heads to the state's Republican-held Senate, where it is expected to pass. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for re-election and is widely considered to be a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has previously   signaled his support   for the legislation and is expected to sign it into law. Thursday’s 69-47 vote comes after weeks of national outrage over the measure, which has grabbed the attention of international newspapers, Hollywood actors and the White House. *  And that's not all. In addition to the "Don't S

Calm down corners are an effective way to teach children how to self-regulate their emotions. If you don't already have one in your classroom, I highly recommend. Regulating emotions is a learned skill and it is not easy. There are many adults who still struggle with this skill. This is why it is so important to start teaching it while kids are young. What does it mean for children to be able to self regulate when they are experiencing negative emotions? It means for children to be able to think first rather than react when they are feeling an unwanted emotion. This allows the child time to process the emotion. Now, it is important to note that this can be extremely difficult and is a skill that is learned throughout childhood. This cannot be taught and perfected in a day, week, month, or even year. (Who else is singing the FRIENDS theme song in their head? 😂)  But practice makes perfect. So, how do we teach this? First, it is important to ensure that the children can identify emo