Some students are “porcupines,” struggling with relationships, self-regulation, and engagement. Punitive responses don’t just fail with these kids; they make things worse. In this full day, in-person session, author Mike Anderson draws on his recent book Hugging Porcupines to explore why certain students struggle so intensely and what actually works: approaches that are warm, demanding, and relationship-centered. You’ll leave with practical strategies you can use right away (and different strategies you can plan to use depending on the time of the school year), a copy of the book, and access to a robust set of online resources for deeper reflection and implementation.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Explain why some students present as “porcupines” and why common disciplinary responses backfire with these students who struggle most
- Identify discipline strategies that strengthen rather than damage teacher-student relationships
- Describe how student needs — and therefore our strategies — shift as the school year progresses
Facilitator: Mike Anderson
