Save Your Sanity

Colleen DeVeyrac, MLI, BED, BPE is an international public speaker, teacher, and educational consultant presenting workshops across Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Colleen graduated from the University of Calgary, Canada with a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Physical Education and has completed her Master of Learning Innovation from QUT. She has worked with youth at risk for over 15 years and has implemented early intervention and adolescent programs to assist students in transitioning into mainstream schooling. Colleen believes it is paramount to be proactive and positive when working with students to create an atmosphere that encourages engagement and excitement for learning. Examining educator’s reactions and ability to handle stressful situations in relation to challenging children can be powerful in creating a more positive environment. Colleen’s “Save Your Sanity” workshops concentrate on presenting those skills and strategies to increase resiliency in children as well as providing specific strategies for educators/parents to decrease their stress levels and reactions to challenging situations. Colleen is committed to presenting workshops that are engaging, informative and motivating to all participants.

Proactive Strategies for Children with Challenging Behaviour:

• Discipline vs. Punishment

• Developing skills to analyse our own behaviour in relation to challenging situations

• Empowering children to become part of their learning community

• Proactive vs. reactive strategies

• The Power of “YOU” as a strategy

• Antecedents to avoid

• Organisation, communication, cognitive, social skills, goal setting and anger/oppositional strategies

• Executive functioning strategies