Capturing Kids Hearts

“Capturing Kids' Hearts" is a well-known program used in many schools to improve classroom culture, student behavior, and academic outcomes by building strong relationships between teachers and students. It's built around the idea that before you can teach a student’s mind, you must first connect with their heart.

Key Concepts of Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH):
Here’s a breakdown of what the program emphasizes:

1.  Building Relationships First

• The program emphasizes that relationships are foundational to learning.
• Teachers are encouraged to connect with students on a personal level each day.
• Greeting students at the door with a handshake, smile, and personal acknowledgment is a common practice.

2.  Social Contracts

• Classes create a social contract together — a student-led agreement on how they will treat each other and their teacher.
• This gives students a voice and ownership in creating a safe and respectful classroom environment.

3.  EXCEL Model
A core structure of CKH is the EXCEL Model for communication:

• E — Engage: Greet students warmly, build rapport.
• X — eXplore: Ask questions to understand where students are emotionally and academically.
• C — Communicate: Share content clearly and compassionately.
• E — Empower: Encourage students to take responsibility and leadership.
• L — Launch: End each class with an inspiring thought or challenge.

4.  Affirmations

• Encouraging the use of verbal and written affirmations between students to promote positive peer interactions.
• Teachers and students are encouraged to recognize and appreciate each other’s efforts.

5. Flip the Script

• Instead of focusing on punishing bad behavior, teachers are trained to redirect behavior through relational strategies, empathy, and consistent expectations.

6. Four Questions
When students misbehave, teachers are encouraged to use four simple questions:

1. What are you doing?
2. What are you supposed to be doing?
3. Are you doing that?
4. What are you going to do about it?

This allows students to self-correct without immediate punishment.

Impact
Schools that implement Capturing Kids' Hearts often see:

• Reduced discipline issues
• Improved student engagement
• Better teacher-student relationships
• A more positive school climate