Guidance Lesson: Impulse Control & Positive Classroom Behaviors

Impulse Control & Positive Classroom Behaviors

By: Meaghan Logan & Kelly McCarthy  

Introduction:

Through our interactions with school aged children we have observed the rough transition students have when entering kindergarten. It is difficult for these little ones to stay in their seats for long periods of time. This guidance lesson is intended to teach students different ways to get their “wiggles” out while still demonstrating appropriate classroom behaviors, such as walking to the back of the room to stretch or moving around their fingers and toes while they are sitting at their seats. In addition, we will be sharing a number of videos that teachers may like to incorporate into “Learning Breaks” to give their students a few minutes to get out of their seats.

Overview of Guidance Lesson:

Introduction:

●        Explain a school counselor's’ role to the students and explain why we are visiting their classroom that day.  “We will show you a couple of videos that your teacher can play when she feels that you all need a break to get your wiggles out, and also some things that you can do on your own at your desk!”

●        Activating previous knowledge: Reminding them that they already know about appropriate behaviors

●        Create anticipation: Getting the students excited for the lesson “Who in here likes Frozen?! We are going to do Frozen YOGA! We are also going to do a dance called “I Get Loose.” We will be teaching you some cool moves that you can do in your seats if you are feeling wiggly.”

Developmental Learning Activities:

●        Strategies for moving their bodies in the classroom when they start to feel restless.

○        Dancing,

○        Yoga

○        Moves and stretches they can do while sitting in their seats/back of classroom.

●        Shown what positive classroom behavior looks like and how to regulate themselves when they start to feel restless or “wiggly.”

●        The activities are appropriate for the developmental level. They can take the activities with them as they get older or modify them to fit their needs/interests.

●        Learn self-control/regulation . They can create variations of the strategies that will suit their interests and their needs. 

Go Noodle “I Get Loose”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if8qfVjVFc8

                          Frozen Yoga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlg052EKMtk

Assessment/Evaluation

●        A recap of  the activities we just did and what the students learned from the lesson.

●        We will ask the students what was their favorite thing that they learned. We will ask them what they can do when they feel wiggly in their seat or when they feel that they need to move around.

●        Throughout the lesson, we will make sure that the students understand the moves they are learning and why they are learning them. We will make sure that the students understand what positive classroom behavior looks like.

 After this session:

●        Students will be provided with ideas on how to better focus in class with approaches on how to move their bodies in appropriate ways during classroom instruction.

●        Students  will understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate classroom behaviors.

●        Understand different strategies for moving their bodies in the classroom when they need to.

●        We will determine how effective this guidance lesson was by asking questions such as:

○        Does anybody have any questions?

○        Does that make sense?

○        Do you think you would be able to do this in your classroom?

○        What did you learn today?

○        How else could you move appropriately in the classroom?