Connection Before Curriculum: Lessons From a Psychiatric Classroom with Suzanne Simpson скачать в хорошем качестве

Connection Before Curriculum: Lessons From a Psychiatric Classroom with Suzanne Simpson

Before lesson plans. Before behavior charts. Before curriculum, outcomes, or expectations. There is connection. If you work with kids or teens who seem shut down, resistant, or checked out, this conversation invites you to pause and reconsider what actually creates safety and learning. Not through quick fixes or rigid systems, but through presence, curiosity, and meeting young people where they are. Episode Overview In this episode, Dayna sits down with Suzanne Simpson, an educator and researcher whose work spans more than three decades in mainstream, alternative, and psychiatric classroom settings. Drawing from her time in high-acuity learning environments, Suzanne shares what she learned when curriculum had to take a back seat to regulation, trust, and human connection. Together, they explore how those same principles apply far beyond psychiatric classrooms, into homes, schools, and everyday interactions with teens who are struggling to feel safe, seen, and understood. This conversation is not about lowering expectations. It is about understanding what must come first if we want learning, growth, and resilience to actually happen. What You’ll Hear or Learn • Why connection must come before curriculum, especially for dysregulated or vulnerable youth • What psychiatric classroom environments reveal about safety, trust, and learning readiness • How unmet needs often show up as resistance, withdrawal, or behavior challenges • Practical ways adults can respond with presence rather than control • Why meeting kids where they are builds confidence rather than dependence • How relational safety creates the conditions for learning About the Suzanne Suzanne Simpson is an educator and researcher with a PhD in the Philosophy of Education. She brings over 30 years of experience supporting youth across mainstream, alternative, and psychiatric classroom settings. Suzanne is known for translating deep educational insight into practical guidance that helps adults respond to young people with confidence, compassion, and clarity. She also hosts the podcast Get on Their Turf. Connect with Suzanne Simpson Website: https://www.drsuzannesimpson.com Podcast: Get on Their Turf Instagram: @drsuzannesimpson LinkedIn: Dr. Suzanne Simpson If you work with teens, students, or children who struggle with regulation, trust, or engagement, this conversation offers grounded insight into why connection comes first. Watch the full episode to explore how presence, safety, and relational trust create the conditions for real learning and growth.