Happy December! As the holiday season is now at our doorstep, our calendars are filling up with school, church and community Christmas programs. Beyond the joy of celebration, these occasions can serve as remarkable opportunities for our children to conquer their fears and embrace the spotlight. Yes, I'm talking about stage fright!

Whether young or old, stage fright is a common occurrence. Speaking in front of a crowd is a fear that many adults have, and so we can't expect children to be immune from this fear. We can however help them work through this fear.

With the right approach, holiday events can be an opportunity to manage and eventually overcome stage fright. Our holiday events can become transformative experiences, fostering confidence and resilience in our kids.

Here are five tips to help children navigate stage fright during Christmas programs:

1. Encourage Preparation and Practice: Empower your child by encouraging practice sessions at home. Rehearsing their lines or performances builds familiarity and confidence with the material, reducing anxiety about the unknown. Create a comfortable space for practice and be their encouraging audience.

2. Teach Relaxation Techniques: Teach simple relaxation techniques to ease nervousness. Deep breathing exercises, visualization, or progressive muscle relaxation can help alleviate anxiety. Practice these techniques together to make them familiar and comforting for your child.

3. Foster a Supportive Environment: Create a supportive and encouraging environment at home. Offer positive affirmations, emphasizing the effort rather than perfection. Remind them that mistakes are part of the learning process and that everyone experiences nerves.

4. Gradual Exposure to Public Speaking: Start with smaller speaking opportunities to gradually build confidence. Encourage your child to speak at family gatherings or school events. These experiences will help them become more comfortable with public speaking, making the larger Christmas program less intimidating.

5. Focus on Enjoyment and Purpose: Shift the focus from fear to enjoyment and purpose. Discuss the significance of sharing their talents or stories with an audience. Encourage them to embrace the joy of performing and the opportunity to spread holiday cheer.

Remember, every child is unique, and their comfort levels may vary. Be patient and understanding, while offering support.

Christmas programs are not just about entertainment, they are also platforms for personal growth and empowerment.

Greetings Parents!

It’s hard to imagine that we are already at the end of first term! Firstly, let me thank you on behalf of all of the teachers and support staff at Learn and Lead for allowing us to be part of your child’s educational journey!

Before we close up 2023, there are a few updates and reminders.

• All outstanding bills must be paid by December 16, 2023, in order to retain your child’s space for January 2024.
• As a gentle reminder, payments are due at your child’s first session of the month. Although I try my best to be flexible and meet parent need where possible, this term we ran into more challenges than I would like with collecting payments.
• Classes will end on December 16th for this term and resume the week of January 8th, 2024.
• There is the possibility of daytime holiday classes between December 18 - 22. Please contact me if this interests you.
• You can expect to receive your child’s Student Expectation Report, which reviews their progress, by the last week of December.
• If your child is new to Learn and Lead and has not yet received 8 classes, you can expect that your child’s Student Expectation Report will outline the goals that we are working on with your child and you will receive a general comment from their teacher.
• Thank you for the advance cancellations. This term was much better, and not did it make it more convenient for our teachers to plan ahead, but we were able to get classes for all students on the waiting list. As a reminder, cancellations are to be done 24 hours in advance or by 8:30 am in case of illness. This practice helps in preventing charges for unused classes and enables children on the waiting list to receive sessions.
• Starting from January, if your child is expected to miss more than three weeks of classes, we will pause their classes and look to re-schedule their classes once you are ready to resume.

The Christmas Holidays are a great opportunity for children to relax and have an awesome time with their family. As the holiday season unfolds, I want to extend heartfelt wishes to your family on behalf of all of us here at Learn and Lead. May this Christmas be filled with laughter, warmth, and cherished moments spent together

Wishing you all a very merry and safe Holiday Season.

This week we closed up our training year for 2023. I had the pleasure with working with a phenomenal group of managers and supervisors from the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force.

Middle management is not easy, and 'Leading from the Middle,' provides managers with a 3-day experience to work together, gain knowledge and skills and apply them to practical circumstances.

Congrats to the participants from the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force. 

This week we had the pleasure of working with a group of Supervisors and Managers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police force. We spent 3 days exploring, “Leading from the Middle.”

Middle managers play a pivotal role in organizational success, serving as the linchpin between top-level executives and front-line employees. Their significance lies in their ability to translate high-level strategic goals into actionable plans and ensure their implementation at the operational level.

Our days were filled with learning, discussion, problem solving, role playing, strategic thinking exercises and a little play to demonstrate key points through new mediums.

Congrats to the first cohort to complete "Leading from the Middle!"

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie

Today we had the pleasure of working with the NIB Compliance team. ‘Building Out Team Dynamic’ is a half day workshop that provides teams with the opportunity to learn, discuss, reflect, problem solve and grow together.

Today's session included:

• Understanding Teams
• Team Development
• Chemistry in Teams
• Vision and Goals
• Developing Cohesion and Building Relationships

Way to go NIB!

"Responsibility equals accountability, accountability equals ownership, and a sense of ownership is the most powerful thing a team or organization can have." - Pat Summit

Earlier this week, we spent some time with the Turks and Caicos Islands Gaming Commission exploring one of our newer workshops, Accountability in the Workplace.

Building an accountable workplace requires strong teamwork and collaboration. Every team member must have a strong understanding of the values of the company and recognize the importance of their dedication, in order to attain success.

This workshop will provide you with informative tools and practical strategies that can be used to help empower your team to work towards achieving the benefits of accountability. Accountable employees will fuel performance and productivity, and generate an enhanced workplace.

​Way to go Gaming!
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In the last few weeks, I have had a number of conversations about meeting the needs of diverse learners in the classroom. Sometimes, minor adjustments, in the form of adaptations, accommodations and modifications, can make a world of different in the level of student success.  I thought it may be helpful to share what these adjustments can look like in the classroom to provide clarity to both teachers and parents. 

Firstly, let me lay some ground work. When we are looking at ‘Special Education’ we are referring to the way that instruction is designed to meet the needs of exceptional students. This may require special materials, teaching techniques, equipment or even facilities. When we refer to exceptional students or learners we are referring to students that require special education and related services if they are going to reach their full potential.

Many of our classrooms in the Turks and Caicos Islands are Inclusive Classrooms. This means that there is a general education curriculum being taught where students with or without learning differences learn together. For this to happen with success, educators often must ask themselves, how can the content I am teaching be adapted so that it can be accessed by all my students?
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Adaptations are changes in the way instruction and assessment are carried out to provide equal opportunity for students to achieve their learning outcomes. For exceptional learners, these adaptations can be essential for them to reach their potential. Adaptations can be either accommodations or modifications.

Accommodations change how the students access the curriculum. They don’t change what students are learning, but how the content is presented or how they are showing what is being taught to them.

Here are examples accommodations:

• A visual schedule posted on a student’s desk.
• Headsets provided to block out noise.
• Directions given both orally and in print.
• Numbering and sequencing steps in a task
• Providing access to assistive technology.
• Providing audio versions of books and textbooks.
• Providing alternatives to reading aloud in the class.
• Shortening assignments to focus on the mastery of key concepts.
• Allowing sensory and/or fidget objects for students to self-regulate.

Modifications are a little different than accommodations. Accommodations don’t change the content or instructional level, whereas modifications do. Modifications take the individual students need into consideration and change what they are expected to learn.
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Here are examples of modifications: 

• Providing reading material adapted to level.
• Having students read a text summary rather than entire text.
• Assigning one paragraph when other students are writing multiple paragraph essays.
• Completing different homework than peers.
• Alternate scoring rubrics or grading scales.

 
Inevitably when we discuss accommodations and modifications, the idea of fairness arises. It’s important to highlight that fair does not mean equal. Fair means giving students what they need. Modifications and accommodations do not give students an unfair advantage but are designed to create level the playing field…in other words to bring equity into the learning equation. When we focus on building equity into our education system and our learning environments, we create opportunities for all students to thrive.

Did you know that the importance of early mathematics is overlooked?

On Friday, the teachers at Precious Treasures International Primary were refreshed on important ways to make math come alive and move from the abstract to concrete for young learners. This workshop covered:

• Understanding Brain Development in Early Childhood
• Laying the Foundation
• Early Math Concepts
• Identifying Students Who Are Struggling in Math
• Exploring Manipulatives
• Creating a Positive Math Attitude

For this week's episode, we take a look back at episode 55. Latasha Strachan steps into the 'interviewer' role and Interviews Yolande Robinson. This episode is especially geared towards parents, educators, and anyone looking to shift the success narrative. We discuss the importance of intentionally defining what success looks like in this period. We explore the importance of choosing attainable benchmarks for ourselves, our children or our students, and our families, and preparing our environments and our mindsets to attain these benchmarks. ​

Yesterday we had the opportunity to with work with the Turks and Caicos Islands Gaming Commission. Our afternoon was filled with lots of learning, debate, laughter, discussion and fun.

"Building Our Team Dynamic" reminds us that it is not enough to put a group of individuals together in the same department and call them a team. A team dynamic is built through an intentional effort by all members of the team.

Way to do Gaming Commission!

It's hard to believe we are already in November! Many of our students are starting to prepare for their end of term exams. A common complaint that I get is that ‘my child doesn’t know how to study.’ If you are in this boat, not to worry, I have some tips that will help.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that studying is a skill that can be taught. When our kids are not given instruction on how to study, they often just look over their pages endlessly with without a goal in mind. For studying success, we want them to have study strategies that can help them improve.
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Start by looking at the subject areas that your child needs to study. In areas where there are example problems or papers that can be used, guide them through the practice questions that can be completed. Plan with them as to how many review questions they should get done within a certain period.

In subjects that require memorization of definitions and facts, it may be helpful to make some flash cards. Put the term on one side, and the definition or important facts on the other side. Teach your child how to go through the stack of terms and say the definition or facts orally before checking the answer on the back of the page.

When there is a lot of reading involved, suggest that they look at the headings of each section and turn the headings into questions. For examples, if the heading of a section is, “Natural Resources within the Turks and Caicos Islands,” guide them into turning this title into a study questions – “What are the natural resources found in the Turks and Caicos Islands?” Writing the questions, they make in a notebook or on flash cards provides a great way for them to review content.
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In addition to the three strategies provided above, here are some important tips to keep central when supporting your child through exam season.

1. Organize for Studying Success – Decide where studying is going to take place. Ensure that the space is free of distractions during study time and has all the tools needed.
2. Plan a Study Schedule – When there are several subjects that need to be reviewed it can become overwhelming and students may need support managing their time. Look at their exam timetable, discuss with them which subjects may need more of their time, and draft a schedule for which subjects they will study when and for how long. See this schedule as a starting point and adjust as necessary.
3. Set Study Goals – Help your child decide how much content they need to get through in each study session or if there are any concept they want to master. This will help them to focus on the task at hand.
4. Consider their Learning Style – We all have our learning preferences. If your child is a strong visual learning, provide them with a whiteboard and markers to make things visual as they study. If they have a strong musical style, allow them to listen to instrumental music as they study. Learning styles inventories can be found online to help your child determine their areas of strengthen.
5. Encourage Intervals – It’s easy to expect longer study periods the closer that students get to exams. Remember that the brain needs time to rest, and focus can increase after breaks. Encourage your child to study hard, and to enjoy their breaks. 

"90 % of how well the talk will go is determined before the speaker steps on the platform."
Somers White

Over the last few weeks, two employees from the Sports Commission of the Turks and Caicos Islands have been joining me weekly to work through ‘The Public Speaker.’ This coaching program is 5-sessions and walks participants through planning, creating and executing impactful speeches and presentation.

Being a confident public speaker can be a benefit to your personal and professional life.

For this week's conversation we take a look back at Episode 46 - Sitting with Uncertainty.  In this episode, which originally aired on May 29, 2021, we discussed the emotions that can come up with uncertainty, how to manage these sometimes heavy and unpleasant emotions and how to draw on your mindset and faith to trust the opportunities and blessings that come out of uncertainty. 

Stay tuned for New Episodes beginning November 18th!

We closed out October in Grand Turk for the launch of The New Vision Foundation. I was honored to be the guest speaker at their launch. This non--profit organization, that strives to support the development of the youth of Grand Turk is off to a great start. We look forward to seeing what they have planned in the upcoming months. 

As we continue to prepare for the launch of new episodes of Shifting Perspectives, here is a look back at 'Anchored and Persevering.'

Our last workshops in October were with the staff from Mr. Grouper's Restaurant and Les Suites at Mr. Grouper. Participants enjoyed the opportunity to learn, debate and laugh together. Each group had the opportunity to learn about:

• Who We Are and What We Do - Understanding your internal and external customers.
• Establishing Your Attitude
• Understanding the Customer's Needs and Situation
• Dealing with and Recovering Difficult Customers

For this week's conversation we are re-launching our first episode together. Stay tuned for new episodes beginning November 18th!
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For this week's conversation I am joined again by Latasha Strachan. Latasha's essence revolves around being a student, a teacher and a coach. She is driven by authenticity and her passion is in spiritual and emotional wholeness in women seeking empowerment. On this episode Latasha joins me on the Shifting Perspective platform to discuss two very special words: passion and purpose. We discuss what these words mean to us, where to start if you are unsure where your passions and purpose lie, as well as the power of activation that comes in sisterhood when discovering, exploring and living in your purpose and passion. ​

Last week we completed a Soft Skills Refresher with the supervisors and managers at Ocean Club.

As we worked through the content of Interpersonal Skills, Understanding and Resolving Conflict, and Building Out Team Dynamic, we had great learning, discussion, debate and laughter.

We look forward to working with Ocean Club again soon!

Yesterday we had our second of three sessions with the Ocean Club Management team. People often assume that conflict is always negative, but it does not have to be. Conflicts are a sign of a problem, and when we view conflict as an opportunity to solve problems, we can make a shift that becomes solutions oriented. 

As with most Soft Skills, managers are first encouraged to learn about the topic, and look inwards before looking outwards. Having an understanding of conflict, how we manage conflict, and how we can support our team members as they navigate through conflicts is the first step to implementing the conflict resolution process. 

The topics discussed in this session include:

• An Introduction to Conflict
• The Conflict Resolution Process
• Conflict Resolution Styles
• Understanding Anger
• Stress Management

Way to go Ocean Club!
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I began Shifting Perspectives in May 2020. We were in the height of the pandemic, and I was looking for ways to connect with other Caribbean women around the world. Shifting Perspectives was the vehicle that allowed me to have fire side chats with some of the most amazing women and it allowed for our conversations to come into homes, your cars, and your ear buds. We sought to fuel listener in the way they worked, the way they thought and the way they parented.
 
Fast forward, and I’m excited to announce that in November 2023 Shifting Perspectives will be back! This time, Latasha Strachan will be joining me as co-host!  For avid listeners, the name Latasha Strachan won’t be a new one for you. We are overjoyed to be teaming up give Shifting Perspectives life once again!

In anticipation of launching our first episode together on November 18th, we have decided to re-launch some of the episodes that we have already done together. Happy Listening!

🎧 Listen to Shifting Perspectives on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Castro, Castbox, Podfriend or at
www.learnandleadltd.com/podcast