Session 2: Turbulence Ahead – Navigating the Stressed Brain
Welcome to your second Flight School session—and buckle up, because this flight hits some psychological turbulence (on purpose). In this session, we go deeper into what happens when learners (and staff) aren't ready for takeoff (learning or participating in classroom experiences)—not because they’re unwilling, but because their nervous systems are grounded.
This flight will cover:
How turbulence (stress and trauma) impact learning and how we can use this information to create effective learning experiences for EVERYONE
The 2 most important Mockingbird strategies for co-regulation
What co-regulation actually looks like in real life (hint: it's the 2 most important Mockingbird strategies)
How to spot the difference between "can’t" vs. "won’t" behavior (and why that changes everything)
What it means when we say “attention-seeking is connection-needing”
Strategies for supporting learners who are hurting, not trying to hurt
And we’ll introduce a few in-flight tools—simple strategies you can use mid-turbulence to restore connection and calm:
Pepper with Purpose
Reach Inside
Connect → Clarify → Coach
Can't Till They Won't
This session is about becoming the kind of pilot who doesn’t panic when the cabin shakes.
You'll learn how to bring structure, empathy, and regulation to even the roughest skies.
Just like last session, we’ll continue layering in habits, mindsets, and follow-up tools to support your learning journey and will have some post-flight activities to support your learning journey.