Dr. Porter’s Conference

Dr Louise Porter, renowned child psychologist is visiting Hong Kong as part of her Asia tour from Monday, 28 September to Tuesday, 6 October. She’ll be  sharing some of her latest research about children’s behaviour and how to support their social and emotional well being.

Empowering children as learners
Whether on any given occasion or by any particular age children achieve a specific skill is less important than whether they come away from a learning experience with enhanced self-efficacy (the belief that they can learn); with a bolstered self-esteem about their competence; with the conviction that they can direct their own learning (autonomy); and with the tools to regulate their physical state, their thinking (including attention and task attack skills), their emotions and their impulses or actions.

This seminar will describe these four aspects – self-efficacy, self-esteem, autonomy and self-regulation – and details how parents and teachers can promote them in children, so that the children remain engaged in learning throughout their lives. When they are empowered learners who have positive attitudes to learning and to themselves as learners, they will be well equipped for educational success.

Social skills, social problems, and bullying
In this half day session, Dr Louise Porter will explore children’s social skill development, how we can encourage friendships in children and adolescents, the influence of peers versus parents, coping with cliques and responding to bullying, which is found in every school everywhere. The session will address how parents and teachers can encourage children’s social skillfulness and can meet young people’s needs for connection to their peers and to adults.

The Guidance Approach to Parenting
Dr Louise Porter’s most popular seminar. Dr. Porter will explore the differences between controlling discipline which uses rewards and punishments to make children comply with adults; versus a guidance approach, which teaches children how to act thoughtfully.

Just as we do not punish children when they make spelling mistakes, so too we do not punish children when they are learning to behave considerately – but, instead, offer extra practice and guidance.

Alternatives to rewards include giving positive feedback without praising; while alternative to punishment include supporting children to regain command of their own emotions and impulses, rather than punishing them for becoming out of control.

Tickets are available here.