CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE
CLASSROOM RULES & ROUTINES
BrainSmart Start (TM)
Transitioning from parent/spouse to teacher and child to student is a very important part of beginning a school day. Kids and teachers all come into the classroom in different brain states. It is necessary to spend a few minutes getting everyone on the same page, connected, and ready to learn. This can be short and sweet, but must contain all of the below components to be effective:
Activity to Unite ACTIVITY TO UNITE: This allows everyone to stop what they are doing, and forget about their morning or the night before and come together as a school family. Everyone is focused on the same task in unison and involves everyone moving, chanting, or singing in unison.
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Activity to Disengage ACTIVITY TO DISENGAGE STRESS: Our bodies' instinctual response is survival, not learning. Many of our students come in feeling unsafe. Disengaging the stress response allows our students to shift from the lower centers to the higher centers of their brain. "When we experience stress, a cascade of over 1,400 different biochemicals is released in the body. These hormones and neurotransmitters affect how we perceive, feel, and behave." The activity to disengage stress must give an opportunity for deep breathing and active calming exercises. These include: deep breathing, stretching, dancing, singing, and laughing. These activities are great for brain breaks throughout the day as well.
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Activity to Connect ACTIVITY TO CONNECT: "Once the body begins to relax, and the stress response is turned off, true connection with one another is possible." Connections with others stimulates impulse control, activates attention & focus systems, AND COOPERATION FOLLOWS CONNECTION. Children are much more willing to cooperate with the teacher and their peers when they feel connected. Activities to connect MUST involve at least 2 people and focus on touch, maintaining eye contact, presence in this moment, and playfulness.
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Activity to Commit ACTIVITY TO COMMIT: Verbal commitments allow for a much higher chance for follow through and activate neurological and psychological components. Making commitments activates the planning portion of our prefrontal lobe. "Making a commitment and following through also builds self-esteem , neurologically bathing the body in 'feel-good' chemicals." Activities to commit always include "I will" or "I'm going to". And encouragement is given when follow through takes place. Committing is the final component of the BrainSmart Start (TM) and can be a class commitment or an individual commitment.
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