Kendra Gard, a special education teacher for the Cowley County Special Service Cooperative, works with children with behavioral and emotional issues.
“I wanted to learn more about ways to communicate to help myself and be able to teach my students appropriate ways as well,” Gard said.
She enrolled in the USD 465 anger management class and, to her surprise, found the seven-week program helped her and her family communicate better at home.
“It has made me more aware of my communications in all settings,” Gard said.
Anger management and parenting classes begin this Wednesday and are open to all interested parents. The classes will be conducted once a week for seven weeks.
Kacey Hill found the anger management class so helpful that she plans to take the parenting class as well. A single mother of three, Hill attends Cowley College full-time and works at a casino.
“I take people’s money all day. They get so angry,” Hill said. “It’s just so hard to keep your cool when someone’s cussing at you all day.”
Like Gard, Hill found the techniques she learned to manage her anger applied to her home life as much if not more than her work life. “I feel like I’ve got an insight to my home life that I never recognized needed addressing.
“I only wish there was an opportunity to have a family-based workshop where we could all come together and focus on techniques together,” Hill said.
A grant from Social and Rehabilitation Services helps with the two programs. The cost is $10 per family for the parenting class and $25 for the anger management class. The fee covers the cost of the book used in the class.
Cathy Evans and her husband, Donnie, both took the parenting class. They have teenagers and are foster parents. Cathy Evans also teaches at Winfield High School.
“I learned how to really listen to my kids and students,” she said. I like the course the way it is. (The) open discussion was very helpful.”
Donnie Evans said he also learned how to listen to his kid’s problems. Topics covered in the parenting class include understanding yourself and your child, understanding beliefs and feelings, encouraging your child and yourself, listening and talking to your child, helping children cooperate, discipline that makes sense and choose your approach.
Topics covered in the anger management class include dealing with stress, developing empathy, respond instead of react, change self-talk, assertive communication, adjust those expectations, forgive but don’t forget and retreat and think things over.
The classes will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday nights at Irving Elementary School, 311 Harter St. For additional information, contact Kathy Wohlgemuth at 221-5140 or Debbie Kendrick at 221-5160.