Perhaps I spent too many years growing up on the farm and practicing violin in the chicken coop to help “make happier chickens for tastier eggs.” This was my mother’s method of practice motivation, and let me tell you - it worked! I practiced hard, but also spent hours watching animal behaviour for fun - never knowing later I would use it daily to connect and understand people. After twenty years of teaching and observation, I can tell you that when we are young how we react, interact, bond, and learn to trust is not all that different from our furry friends. These behaviours drive us, control us, and are powerful motivators and deterrents – which is precisely why we need as teachers and parents to understand how to recognize, work with and help every eager child through their ingrained behaviours and toward a brighter, healthier and happier future; guiding them through the pitfalls innately influencing their young spirits. The first step, is first bonding.

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