Why the child is not the problem: a session with DC's early educators

On September 10, 2026, Neal Horen and Shai Idelson joined members of the District of Columbia Association for the Education of Young Children (DCAEYC) for a virtual session, Why the Child Is Not the Problem: Building Adult Capacity to Respond to Challenging Behavior. DCAEYC hosted it with Georgetown University's Thrive Center.

Shai opened by challenging a common way of thinking about behavior: “The child is not the problem. The child is a child, but the way that adults are equipped or ill equipped to respond and process and understand these behaviors is what makes all the difference.”

Neal put the same idea in terms of consultation: “It’s not about treating a child. It’s not about intervening with a child. It’s about changing how an adult comes to see, think about, and respond to that child.”

Members talked about what consultation can do for a program: stronger classrooms, less stress for educators, and staff who stay. They also talked about the gap. There are far fewer consultants than programs need, so the Center is building training pathways that prepare people from a wider range of backgrounds to learn consultation skills.

Read DCAEYC's write-up of the session(opens in a new tab).