Helping Each Other with Self-Control

We have been brainstorming rules for how we want it to be when we learn, work, and play together in Room 408.  We talked about how we will do our best to stay on track.  I told Room 408 how we are like trains.

In fact, we are all like trains running on a track.

Sometimes, we make a mistake and our train runs off the track.

My job is to help get your behavior train back on track and running smoothly again.

There are three ways that I will help get your behavior train back on track.

One way is...

We can break feelings, creations, or have accidents...but the great thing is, we can fix it!

The second way I will help get behavior back on track is...

If you can't be safe with something or take care of something, I wouldn't be doing my job if I let you keep doing it!  For example, if you were walking across the top of the monkey bars you might need to simply stay away from the monkey bars until you are ready to show me you can be safe.

The last way I'll help keep you on track is...

Sometimes we all just need a little time to get ourselves under control.  Take your break, take some quick calming breaths and come back ready to learn.

We all got to practice taking a break in our "Take a Break" spots.  While we practiced, we watched a calming music youtube video.  

We also talked about how we have different states of our brain.

We all want to be in the Executive State, which is when we are making good choices and have good self-control.  It's like when you're driving your Brain Car.

Sometimes, we get into our Emotional State.  This is when we might be mean to others, cry, or say hurtful things.  It's like you're in the backseat of your Brain Car--not in control!

We also might get into our Survival State.  We might hit, scream, or hurt others when we are in this state.  It's like when we are in the trunk of our Brain Car--definitely not showing self-control!

When we are in our Emotional State or our Survival State, we can use the Safe Zone in our classroom.  This is a quite place to go when we might need a little longer to gain self-control.  As a class we talked about how this happens to all of us...even adults!  We watched this video to help us learn how to calm.


Soon we'll be making our own calming Glitter Jars to take home.  Here is a link explaining it.

Great work, Room 408!