Alex Kronstein
@alexkronstein.bsky.social
And that's no surprise, because they've internalized the classical behavioural view so thoroughly that the idea of connection and attunement feels soft or permissive to them. /END
February 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM
And that's no surprise, because they've internalized the classical behavioural view so thoroughly that the idea of connection and attunement feels soft or permissive to them. /END
And frankly, some people genuinely believe that control and compliance are the only language kids understand - especially disabled and neurodivergent kids. /21
February 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM
And frankly, some people genuinely believe that control and compliance are the only language kids understand - especially disabled and neurodivergent kids. /21
Over time, you end up with an institutional culture where the evacuation mindset becomes normalized and anyone suggesting alternatives sounds naïve or irresponsible. /20
February 4, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Over time, you end up with an institutional culture where the evacuation mindset becomes normalized and anyone suggesting alternatives sounds naïve or irresponsible. /20
But teachers who naturally gravitate toward relational, attuned work? They either burn out trying to do it within a system that doesn't support it, or they leave. /19
February 4, 2026 at 2:59 PM
But teachers who naturally gravitate toward relational, attuned work? They either burn out trying to do it within a system that doesn't support it, or they leave. /19
But there's also something to be said about how the system itself selects for and reinforces a certain approach.
Teachers who are drawn to, or who thrive in, rule-based, protocol-driven environments stick around. /18
Teachers who are drawn to, or who thrive in, rule-based, protocol-driven environments stick around. /18
February 4, 2026 at 2:58 PM
But there's also something to be said about how the system itself selects for and reinforces a certain approach.
Teachers who are drawn to, or who thrive in, rule-based, protocol-driven environments stick around. /18
Teachers who are drawn to, or who thrive in, rule-based, protocol-driven environments stick around. /18
But learning to actually attune to a dysregulated kid? That requires emotional labour, presence, self-awareness about your own arousal state, and vulnerability.
It's a hell of a lot harder - but it's far more useful. /17
It's a hell of a lot harder - but it's far more useful. /17
February 4, 2026 at 2:58 PM
But learning to actually attune to a dysregulated kid? That requires emotional labour, presence, self-awareness about your own arousal state, and vulnerability.
It's a hell of a lot harder - but it's far more useful. /17
It's a hell of a lot harder - but it's far more useful. /17
Evacuation protocols are concrete, they follow a checklist, they absolve individual teachers of the burden of reading a situation and responding relationally.
They're also backed by liability concerns and institutional policy. /16
They're also backed by liability concerns and institutional policy. /16
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Evacuation protocols are concrete, they follow a checklist, they absolve individual teachers of the burden of reading a situation and responding relationally.
They're also backed by liability concerns and institutional policy. /16
They're also backed by liability concerns and institutional policy. /16
I mean, think about it - inertia and comfort with what's familiar almost always wins in our school system. /15
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 PM
I mean, think about it - inertia and comfort with what's familiar almost always wins in our school system. /15
And this is because they've been so conditioned to use evacuation and other arousal-amplifying methods that they can't be bothered to learn other ways. /14
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 PM
And this is because they've been so conditioned to use evacuation and other arousal-amplifying methods that they can't be bothered to learn other ways. /14
But I'd go so far as to say that not only does the system not equip them with said skills, or want to......but some, maybe even many teachers, don't WANT to learn what actually works. /13
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
But I'd go so far as to say that not only does the system not equip them with said skills, or want to......but some, maybe even many teachers, don't WANT to learn what actually works. /13
So what do we do?
Well it's easy to say that teachers are operating within a system that doesn't equip them with the skills or permission to do what actually works. /12
Well it's easy to say that teachers are operating within a system that doesn't equip them with the skills or permission to do what actually works. /12
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
So what do we do?
Well it's easy to say that teachers are operating within a system that doesn't equip them with the skills or permission to do what actually works. /12
Well it's easy to say that teachers are operating within a system that doesn't equip them with the skills or permission to do what actually works. /12
But instead, we use emergency procedures that only amplify their arousal.
And then we label the kid as "violent" when we should be examining how the adult response contributed to the outcome. /11
And then we label the kid as "violent" when we should be examining how the adult response contributed to the outcome. /11
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
But instead, we use emergency procedures that only amplify their arousal.
And then we label the kid as "violent" when we should be examining how the adult response contributed to the outcome. /11
And then we label the kid as "violent" when we should be examining how the adult response contributed to the outcome. /11
The key thing to keep in mind is, these so-called "safety" practices often violate what kids actually need in those moments: connection, space, someone who can read their state and help them come back down. /10
February 4, 2026 at 2:55 PM
The key thing to keep in mind is, these so-called "safety" practices often violate what kids actually need in those moments: connection, space, someone who can read their state and help them come back down. /10
Because a five-year-old with scissors isn't a threat-response scenario; it's a REGULATION scenario.
The evacuation itself becomes the traumatic event that tips things over. /9
The evacuation itself becomes the traumatic event that tips things over. /9
February 4, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Because a five-year-old with scissors isn't a threat-response scenario; it's a REGULATION scenario.
The evacuation itself becomes the traumatic event that tips things over. /9
The evacuation itself becomes the traumatic event that tips things over. /9
Evacuating a classroom is a reactive, protocol-driven response. What's far more appropriate is a relational, attuned response that reads what's actually happening with the child. /8
February 4, 2026 at 2:55 PM
Evacuating a classroom is a reactive, protocol-driven response. What's far more appropriate is a relational, attuned response that reads what's actually happening with the child. /8
I'll tell you what he'd do. He would CONNECT with that child. He would have caught it earlier on.
He would be able to stop the incident before it even happened. /7
He would be able to stop the incident before it even happened. /7
February 4, 2026 at 2:54 PM
I'll tell you what he'd do. He would CONNECT with that child. He would have caught it earlier on.
He would be able to stop the incident before it even happened. /7
He would be able to stop the incident before it even happened. /7
Think about this - they constantly evacuate classrooms, even with five-year-olds. And they might say it was because the five-year-old pulled up a pair of rounded scissors.
Well, what would Stuart Shanker do? /6
Well, what would Stuart Shanker do? /6
February 4, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Think about this - they constantly evacuate classrooms, even with five-year-olds. And they might say it was because the five-year-old pulled up a pair of rounded scissors.
Well, what would Stuart Shanker do? /6
Well, what would Stuart Shanker do? /6
Namely, she pointed to something crucial: there's a huge disconnect between safety protocols that are ostensibly designed to prevent escalation but actually CAUSE it - especially for dysregulated kids who are already in a heightened state. /5
February 4, 2026 at 2:54 PM
Namely, she pointed to something crucial: there's a huge disconnect between safety protocols that are ostensibly designed to prevent escalation but actually CAUSE it - especially for dysregulated kids who are already in a heightened state. /5
I recently had a wonderful chat with my friend Susan Hopkins, executive director of the MEHRIT Centre. She agreed with me, and had some really powerful insights. /4
February 4, 2026 at 2:53 PM
I recently had a wonderful chat with my friend Susan Hopkins, executive director of the MEHRIT Centre. She agreed with me, and had some really powerful insights. /4
Let us not forget the classical view of human behaviour has shaped how we view children's behaviour today.
And it's still predominant in most school systems, especially those that place an emphasis on the use of PBIS. /3
And it's still predominant in most school systems, especially those that place an emphasis on the use of PBIS. /3
February 4, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Let us not forget the classical view of human behaviour has shaped how we view children's behaviour today.
And it's still predominant in most school systems, especially those that place an emphasis on the use of PBIS. /3
And it's still predominant in most school systems, especially those that place an emphasis on the use of PBIS. /3
But here's a question that no one seems to be asking. Maybe, just maybe, the teachers themselves are the causes of some of that violence.
Just a thought. /2
Just a thought. /2
February 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
But here's a question that no one seems to be asking. Maybe, just maybe, the teachers themselves are the causes of some of that violence.
Just a thought. /2
Just a thought. /2
Okay, I've got some things to say here.
We hear hear a lot about violence in schools, but most troubling of all, we seem to blame a lot of this "violence" on neurodivergent and other disabled kids. /1
We hear hear a lot about violence in schools, but most troubling of all, we seem to blame a lot of this "violence" on neurodivergent and other disabled kids. /1
February 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Okay, I've got some things to say here.
We hear hear a lot about violence in schools, but most troubling of all, we seem to blame a lot of this "violence" on neurodivergent and other disabled kids. /1
We hear hear a lot about violence in schools, but most troubling of all, we seem to blame a lot of this "violence" on neurodivergent and other disabled kids. /1
Great interview Katy! Also….check your DMs…..I sent you something.
January 23, 2026 at 11:18 PM
Great interview Katy! Also….check your DMs…..I sent you something.