Invite
Invite re‑opens flux with obvious, optional next steps that align to routine and momentum.
Offer A/B options, “with me or solo,” and tiny, reversible steps back into baseline.
What / When / Looks like
- What it is: Invitation to re‑enter flux — return to routine / baseline / agent‑defined Success State with momentum.
- Activates: After Repair lowers temperature and Brush confirms readiness.
- Looks like: A/B options — “With me or solo?” — “Which step first?” — tiny, reversible, routine‑aligned next moves.
See Invite in the wild
Transition with dignity — co‑regulate, then choose re‑entry
Context: Student not ready to transition. They’re outside the classroom, sitting on the ground, fists clenched, face scrunched, eyes closed. Repair: I asked for permission to sit next to them; permission was granted. We explicitly co‑regulate to lower temperature — breathing, soft voice, proximity calibrated.
Brush check: I confirm readiness without pressure: “Are you looking for a way back in?” Student signals yes; no words yet.
Invite choices: “With me or solo?” → ‘With you.’ “Which step first?” → *shrug*. I suggest we start by entering together and trying to re-enter routine (smallest unit) and agree on a **readiness signal**: thumbs up + eye contact. That signal is the **explicit communication of readiness**.
Transition (explicit): Student gives thumbs up → we take the first step together → I narrate the step and then fade per the signal plan. Student continues independently; I remain nearby for cheap re‑entry. Child looks at me from time to time → I catch each time with a thumbs up gesture to ask; the first 2 times a thumbs up was returned; the third was accompanied by a slight smile.
Outcome: invitation accepted on the student’s terms; movement resumes with dignity intact.
Validation unlocks join‑in — regulation classroom, swing, and the “desk pressure”
Where: Regulation classroom. There’s a swing that students like to use to help reset their bodies. I’m at my desk, working. Student enters the classroom and wants the swing that someone else is using; frustration rises. SEA is doing sustained good work, but it’s not landing. The unseen layer: my visible presence at the desk can feel like potential judgment (“I’m disrupting work”).
Brush: “Hey, you good?” SEA: “I’m fine—student is frustrated with waiting.”
Repair → Invite (the unlock): I explicitly **dispel the judgment layer**: “You’re not disrupting me at all. I trust what you’re doing. Want a hand?” That clarity removes the internal block. You can **see** the shift — shoulders loosen, voice steadies.
Energy surge → Invite lands: Newly unblocked, the SEA offers an activity aligned with the moment. Student **chooses** to join (that’s the connection confirmation). We’ve invited participation without coercion; support stays reversible.
Outcome: the room’s posture improves; the swing transition completes smoothly when it’s time, with dignity preserved for everyone.