Children learn from people they trust, so Golden Bear Preschool staff are using evidence-based practices to make sure those connections happen. A group of teachers& nbsp;recently participated in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) training, and the results are already promising.

“Our children first learned it is okay to feel the em otions they feel. It is absolutely okay for them to express their feelings in a respectful manner, which is a huge part of the program,” Lead Teacher Angie Eads said.  ;

She first heard about TBRI while training to become a CASA (court-appointed specialized advocate) for children in foster care, but has become more familiar with th e approach at GBPS. Students use “zones” displayed on an engine plate to identify how they’re feeling, which leads to the self-implementation of a strategy.  

Lead Teacher Ashley Adams uses “life value” terms - which include such aphorisms as “accepting no” and “Are you askin’ or tellin’?” - daily. 

“These are way s to keep our classroom positive and trust building. Our students have hand motions to go with each value term that we use,” she said. 

Eads said the format giv es students a “deeper understanding of where our feelings, thoughts, and emotions come from.” Adams agreed. “I feel as though TBRI has helped us become such a cl ose classroom family.”