“Good Job” Isn’t Good Enough: Real Tools to Replace Praise, Rewards, and Punishment by Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak and Dr. Julie Causton

Praise, rewards, and punishment are everywhere in early education—but are they helping or harming our efforts to create inclusive, connected classrooms?

This insight-building webinar bridges what we know from brain science with what we experience in real-life classrooms. Together with best-selling authors and consultants,, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak and Dr. Julie Causton, we’ll explore how co-regulation, awareness, and intention can replace outdated behavior management systems like sticker charts, prize boxes, or empty praise. You’ll learn how to shift from behavior control to connection using tools like Positive Descriptive Acknowledgment (PDA), co-regulation routines, and reflective prompts that guide your responses in real-time.

Expect plenty of real-world scenarios, try-it-tomorrow scripts, and opportunities to rethink how you support behavior, especially during tricky transitions and emotionally charged moments. Walk away with concrete tools you can use the very next day to help children (and yourself) feel seen, safe, and supported:

- Recognize the impact of praise, rewards, and punishment on children’s emotional regulation and inclusion.

-Apply brain-based strategies like Positive Descriptive Acknowledgment (PDA) and co-regulation techniques to real-life classroom scenarios.

-Compare and contrast control-based vs. connection-based approaches to behavior support.

-Reflect on personal beliefs about behavior, discipline, and support—and how these beliefs influence day-to-day interactions with children.

-Develop a personal plan to replace outdated tools with responsive strategies, co-regulation practices, and language shifts.