Randall Wrap Up December 2015

THE RANDALL WRAP UP
Randall Consolidated School, 37101 87th St, Burlington, WI 53105
www.randall.k12.wi.us
262-537-2211 / fax 262-537-2280
Volume 12, Issue 4
December 15, 2015
Upcoming Events:
• NO SCHOOL: Dec 23-Jan 3
• Classes
resume:
Jan 4
• NO SCHOOL:
Turn to Page 9 for highlights of our
2015 Girls Basketball Season
Jan 22
• Early Dismissal (11:10
am): Feb 12
• NO SCHOOL: Feb 15
From the Principal’s Desk
This year, as a teaching staff, we are focusing our professional development time on strengthening and
improving our Tier 1 instruction, the instruction that takes place daily in our classrooms. Under this umbrella,
we are focusing our development in three areas: literacy, technology implementation, and classroom
instructional practices. I would like to briefly update you on our work thus far:
Literacy: Our literacy committee continues to meet on a regular basis to examine and investigate best
practices in reading instruction and then implement those into classroom practice. At this point in the process,
we have created a belief statement based on the best practices and the components that a
comprehensive literacy program should have. As our next step, the Literacy Committee will
complete our investigations and work with phonics and begin discussion about reading
comprehension strategies.
Technology Implementation: Our primary teachers continue to work with I-pad technology and
implementing I-pads into classroom instruction. Teachers are using the I-pads for a variety of
small group activities as well as independent work to assess student progress. At both the
intermediate and middle school levels, our teachers are working with students to use chromebooks as a
learning tool, a research tool, and a communication tool. On December 8th and 9th, Randall sent a team of
intermediate teachers including Ms. Putirskis, Mrs. Sproul, and Mrs. Byers, as well as Mr. Adams, to the
SLATE (School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education) convention. This team will now share the
implementation ideas they brought back, with staff, to improve our instructional use of our chromebooks. We
are all excited to see the many things that they learned.
Classroom instructional practices: Our professional development time, this fall, has been focused on
implementing active, learning strategies for students. The focus of these strategies is to increase student
participation in classroom activities, discussions, problem solving strategies, and higher-order thinking skills in
order to maximize the learning experience. In visiting our classrooms, I have observed a number of amazing
lessons and activities in which students are driving the learning. Students are on-task, engaged, thinking, and
assessing their own learning. We will continue to focus on this initiative throughout the school year.
On a separate note, I wanted to wish you a joyful, holiday season and thank you for a wonderful first half of the
school year. We are all blessed to be a part of an amazing school with wonderful families. We will see you after
the winter break on Jan. 4, 2016. I hope you enjoy the time with your friends and family.
Policies & Procedures
As we approach the winter season, we wanted to share some important
information with you about potential school closings and delays due to
inclement weather conditions.
During the 2015-16 school year, Randall School is preparing for the
potential use of a 2-hour delayed start if weather conditions warrant
such a decision. Poor morning road conditions, dense morning fog, or frigid morning temperatures
that are expected to improve significantly by mid-morning are examples of situations that may
warrant a 2-hour delayed start to a school day. With a 2-hour delay, bus routes would run two
hours later than normal, and school would begin at 10:00AM rather than 8:00AM.
In the event of a 2-hour delayed start, morning breakfast will not be served, while lunches will be
served at normal times. The school day would conclude at the normal time. We encourage all
families to work on a logistical plan in the event that the start of school is delayed two hours.
SCHOOL CLOSINGS DUE TO WEATHER
How is the decision made to close school, delay buses, delay the start of school?
5:00 AM: Assessment of road and weather conditions is done by Randall Leadership Team, law
enforcement, and other local school administrators.
5:30-6:00 AM: Data from assessment is evaluated in terms of closing school, delaying buses and/or
starting school later than usual. No announcement means school will operate as usual.
Notifications: If the decision is made to close or delay the opening of school, the district will utilize
its SkyAlert phone messaging system to notify families. Milwaukee television and local radio
stations will also be notified and broadcast the information as well.
Please note:
1. Nearly all of Randall students are transported by bus. If busses cannot run and/or drivers are
not available, school will be closed.
2. In the event of a 2-hour delay, both AM and PM sessions of 4K will be canceled.
3. Weather conditions vary within a defined area. Even with a decision to operate schools, parents
must make the final decision as to whether or not their particular situation warrants sending their
child/ren to school.
4. A decision to dismiss school early is rare. The school will take all precautions to contact families
and/or emergency contacts in the event that school would be closed early. If a decision can’t be
made before noon, it is of little or no value to dismiss school early.
Our priority is to keep students and staff safe. We will communicate to our families as soon as
possible in the event that school needs to be closed or delayed due to extreme weather.
THIS UPDATED INFORMATION WAS SENT VIA SKYALERT TO ALL FAMILIES ON
NOVEMBER 18, 2015 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE RANDALL WEBSITE:
Page 2
Volume 12, Issue 4
Policies & Procedures
School Closing Information
At Randall we will use the SkyAlert calling system to notify everyone of a school closing.
School closing or cancellation information will also be carried locally by the following Milwaukee media outlets:
Radio – AM
Radio – FM
Television
620 AM WTMJ
94.5 FM WKTI
Channel 4 – WTMJ
920 AM WOKY
95.7 FM WRIT
Channel 6 – WITI
1130 WISN
97.3 FM WLTQ
Channel 12 – WISN
100.7 FM WKKV
Channel 58 – WDJT
106.1 FM WMIL
RECESS WEATHER POLICY
REMINDERS:
Please be advised that practice and policy is for
children to go outside at recess time
unless the temperature or
temperature combined with wind
chill is below zero degrees.
We monitor the weather during the
day to determine whether or not
students remain indoors or go outside.
All students are expected to go outside for
recess. Exceptions are made for medical
conditions only (doctor notes required).
As the weather in Wisconsin can easily
change during the day, students should
be properly attired during the winter
months so that they are adequately
prepared to go outside when
weather permits. This
attire includes hats, coats,
gloves, and boots.
Those students wishing to
play off of the blacktop will
need snow pants and boots.
This information is listed on page 9 of your parent
handbook received & signed for by all families
BUS REMINDER FOR PARENTS:
As we head into winter, we would like to remind all
parents that they are encouraged to have a contingency
plan in place for students should buses be either
early/late for pick-up in the morning or drop-off in the
afternoon.
We plan on a ten minute window
on either side of the stop time as
a cushion for a variety of
situations which may impact a
bus route on any given day.
The Randall Wrap Up
EXTRA CLOTHING...
With the “wet weather” ahead (or
just a good idea),
please consider having
an extra pair of
clothing in your child’s
backpack. This
includes socks,
underwear, pants, and shirt.
ALSO, DON’T FORGET TO HAVE
A PAIR OF “INSIDE SHOES” FOR
EVERYDAY!!!!
Page 3
Policies & Procedures
Correspondence Request
When sending a note to the teacher or
office either via paper, email or a phone
message, please indicate the actual
date of the event instead of just stating
“tomorrow” or
“today”. Sometimes
these notes are
Jackie Brown in
delayed getting to all
3rd grade will be a
the necessary
pick up today,
recipients, so this
December 16th,
causes much
by her mom Jenny
confusion.
Brown
Also, please list
your child’s full name, not just first
name or nick name, as this too makes
things difficult sometimes.
Thank you for your understanding and
help with this procedure.
Attendance Reporting
Procedure:
Please call the school’s attendance office by:
Calling 262262-537537-2211 then Pressing “4”
(or Dial “350” for the attendance office)
OR
Email the Attendance Office at
attendance@randall.k12.wi.us
OR
Prior to the Absence: Written
notes can be sent in for
appointments/preappointments/pre-arranged
absences
Page 4
Don’t Forget, by checking your
Skyward Family Access account,
you can see the following:
(including but not limited to) :
♥
♥
♥
♥
♥
♥
♥
Day-to-day assignments
Homework assignments
Student grades
Messages from teachers
Food service account info
Attendance info
And much, much more
Just follow the navigation bar on
the left to access everything
CHECK IT OUT,
AND CHECK IT
OFTEN!
PHONE COMMUNICATIONS
FROM THE SCHOOL
When noticing a missed phone call
from the school, PLEASE listen to your voicemail
BEFORE calling the school back.
If no message was left,
please assume that
it is NOT an emergency.
IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY, we will leave a
message AND continue to call back or call your
emergency contacts until we reach someone.
Thank you.
Volume 12, Issue 4
Notes from the Nurse
Here is a little advice from Mayo Clinic on how to keep us healthy as
we celebrate with family and friends. Blessings to you, Randall
family, and stay well. -Mrs. Kempken, RN, Randall School Nurse
Tips to prevent holiday stress
When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and
depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll
on you in the past.
Acknowledge your feelings. If someone close to you has recently died or
you can't be with loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK to take time to cry or
express your feelings. You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.
Reach out. If you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious or other social events. They can offer
support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits and
broaden your friendships.
Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect or just like last year. As families change and grow, traditions and
rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. For example, if
your adult children can't come to your house, find new ways to celebrate together, such as sharing pictures,
emails or videos.
Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of
your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if
others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday
stress and depression, too.
Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then
stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Try these alternatives:
♦ Donate to a charity in someone's name.
♦ Give homemade gifts.
♦ Start a family gift exchange.
Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and
then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And
make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.
Learn to say no. Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends
and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no
when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the
lost time.
Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a free-for-all. Overindulgence only adds to your
stress and guilt. Try these suggestions:
♦ Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks.
♦ Get plenty of sleep.
♦ Incorporate regular physical activity into each day.
Take a breather. Make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh
you enough to handle everything you need to do. Find something that reduces stress by clearing your mind,
slowing your breathing and restoring inner calm. Some options may include:
♦ Taking a walk at night and stargazing.
♦ Listening to soothing music.
♦ Getting a massage.
♦ Reading a book.
Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or
anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine
chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
The Randall Wrap Up
Page 5
Library News
Randall PTC sponsored a Monster of a Contest in conjunction with their annual
Scholastic Book Fair, as the theme this year was Monsters.
Students in grades 4K through
5th grade were given the challenge
to create a monster out of any
materials they might choose. All
students were given a blank piece
of white construction paper to start
with and were told to use their
creativity to develop their idea of a
book monster. Many children
participated from each of the grade
levels. All of the creations were
displayed in the library during the
fair.
One student winner was selected
from each grade. They each
received a book of their choice
from the book fair.
Pictured from L-R: Whitney H 2nd grade, Kelsey S 5th, Autumn W
5Kdgn, Ashley B 4th, Logan S 1st, and Kayden C 3rd
(Not pictured) Aaron J 4Kdgn
Shop with a Hero
The Twin Lakes
Police, Fire &
Rescue Departments
have once again
sponsored the Shop
With a Hero
program. This event
took place on
Saturday, December
12th in Lake Geneva.
Thank you to all of
the sponsors of this
program.
Page 6
Volume 12, Issue 4
How Big is Your Smile?
Mr. Ray’s Science classes measured
their smiles and then calculated their
class’ average size using the metric
system. Students then made a
poster showing their calculations.
Students then voted on which poster
they liked.
The winner was 1st hour, who’s
metric smile was 177 cm wide.
Second place went to 9th hour who’s
metric smile was 181 cm. Third
place went to 4th hour with a metric
smile that measured 146.5 cm.
Who knew you could have so much
fun measuring?
Math Meet
Twelve 6th and 7th graders competed in the first annual Westosha Central High School Winter
Classic Middle School Math Meet held on Friday, December 11th. As a community service project of
their Math Club, Mu Alpha
Theta, students in middle
school were invited to this
event. The entire event was
organized and run by members
of this elite math club.
Randall entered two teams
consisting of a mix of the 6th
and 7th grade students. Team
coaches Mrs. Kristen Kovalaske
and Mrs. Karen Reddin, took
students to the event, but were
not allowed to interact with
their teams during the events.
The students competed in 3
individual events and one team
event.
These students represented
Randall well placing 2nd in the
overall event. In addition,
Blake Weaver took 3rd overall for
individual scores for all 6th graders
The Randall Wrap Up
Back (L-R) Zoe Z, Jacob L, Zach Z, Gavin M, Chase K
Middle (L-R) Celeste L, Kimmy Z, Elli Z, Blake W, Sydney Y
Front (L-R) Keira M, Lizzy S
Page 7
Musical Notes
Upcoming
Randall
Musical
Events...
Enjoy these pictures
from our K-3 Winter
Concert
Page 8
Tue, Dec 15 @ 6:30 pm/Big Gym
Winter Concert
5th-8th Band, Chorus, Excel
Dec 22 during school day Southridge Mall
Christmas Cheer
Select 7/8 Band/Chorus
Thur, Jan 21st in AM/Green Gym
Winter Concert
4th Grade Band
Thur, Feb 25 @ 4-7 pm/JH Side
Local Solo/Ensemble
5-8 Band members
TBA/TBD @WHS
Choral Fest
5-8 Chorus members
Sat, Mar 12 All Day/WHS
District Solo/Ensemble
6-8 Band/Vocal Students
These dates/times are subject to slight changes. FOR THE FULL YEARS EVENTS, PLEASE check out the
calendar by going to: RANDALL WEBSITE - ENCORE TAB - Band/Chorus/Music - BAND WEBSITE PARENTS TAB - PRINTABLE MUSIC CALENDAR OF EVENTS
OR Visit the Music Dept. Website:
https://sites.google.com/a/randall.k12.wi.us/randall-school-bands/home
Volume 12, Issue 4
Athletic Notes
GIRL’S A-TEAM ARE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to the A-Team for winning the Westosha Athletic Conference
Championship! They beat Bristol 23-13 in the quarterfinals to begin tournament play. Then
they prevailed 37-34 in overtime against Yorkville to reach the championship game. After
losing to Union Grove 3 times during the regular season, the girls played an amazing
championship game by completely dominating over them 37-16 to become conference
champions! The team finished the season with an 18-4 record! They also claimed the
Wilmot Feeder School Championship and placed 2nd in the Riverview Comet Classic and
the Yorkville Tournament. Congratulations Girls on a Great Season!
A Team members: Josephine B, Ryan R, Sophia P, Barbara B, Teresse N, Erin M,
Delaney B, Kenzi K, Maija P, Kimmy Z and Shelly E.
The girls' B team had a great season this year. They finished the regular season with a
record of 8-2 and overall record of 12-4 including tournaments. They finished 3rd place in
both the Riverview Comet Classic and the Yorkville Tournament. Congratulations girls on a
great year!
B team players: Lena M, Jazmin F, Emma B, Alana B, Josephine B, Shannan B, Kimmy Z,
Sarah B, Abby S, Hailie M, Grace M, and Josephine S.
Pep Band
members
greeted the
Winning Girls
Team as they
arrived to
school the
next day.
Boys BB Schedule:
(home games in bold)
A-TEAM & B-TEAM:
Dec: 19/20 (Tourney: A-Team only on 19th)
Jan: 6, 9/10 (Tourney), 13, 16/17 (Tourney), 20, 22, 27,
29 Feb: 2, 3, 5, 10 (Parents Night)
Playoffs (A-Team only): Feb 12, 17, 19
C -TEAM: Jan: 8, 13, 15, 20 22, 23/24 (Tourney), 27
Feb: 3, 5, 10
The Randall Wrap Up
NOTE: Students in 5th-8th grades can
stay after and attend HOME basketball
games as long as they have their
Spectator Permission Slips turned
into the office the morning of
EACH game. Students can
get these permission slips
on-line at the Randall
website/Athletic Tab/Forms OR
outside of either Office. New slips
are needed for each game. Students will
NOT be allowed to call home if they
forget their permission slips.
Page 9
Wildcat Character Trait for December:
“ Self Control ”
December’s Wildcat Character trait is Self Control. When we do what is right even if
we don’t feel like it, we are exercising self control. It also means
saying "no" to some things in order to say "yes" to something
better—something that can help you reach your goals!
From this day forward, these statements will help you
demonstrate this trait . . .
I WILL:
1. Think before I act
2. Control my temper
3. Respect others and their belongings
4. Sit still and be quiet
Wildcat Wednesdays
Randall Student Council enjoys making Wildcat
Wednesday extra special for students with its
monthly snack sale. Students and staff have an
opportunity to buy a snack to have as part of their
snack time or to take home. Jr. High and
intermediate grades make their purchases prior to
class in the hallways. Primary classrooms have the
carts come to their homerooms for purchases.
Jr High Students Practice
Character Ed Traits
At the end of the first trimester, Jr High
students had an MOVIE Day as part of
the Randall Incentive Program.
Students who earned the Movie reward by being responsible and
respectful for the 1st trimester had the opportunity to buy
concessions as they enjoyed their show. The students
decided the proceeds ($150) from the concessions
should be donated to the Twin Lakes Food Pantry.
Page 10
Volume 12, Issue 4
GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade
The Schoolhouse
The third grade classes took a trip to Hawthorne Hollow, a one room
schoolhouse in Kenosha. We spent the day as third graders would in
1906 doing arithmetic, reading, penmanship to name just a few. Here were our
favorite parts:
♦
My favorite part about the one room schoolhouse trip was when we went into
the wigwam. I also liked when we ate lunch in the little baskets. It was a really
fun and exciting trip. I was very sad to even leave. - Brynna H
♦
My favorite part of the field trip was when we took a walk and went on the
Native American trail and went in the little hut that they had for 5 to 3 years .
-Tristan B
♦
My favorite part of the one room school house field trip was the original one
room school house. Almost our whole class dressed up like we lived in 1906.
The teacher gave us a handkerchief and a basket to wrap our lunches in . I
never thought I would get that opportunity to go to such an amazing place.
That`s a fun field trip I`ll never forget! - Meghan L
♦
My favorite part of the field trip was when we got to write on the little
chalkboards. My other favorite part was when we got to go in the Native
American hut. - Logan K
The Randall Wrap Up
Page 11
Agriculture Day (AG Day)
School House
GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade
Page 12
Volume 12, Issue 4
GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade
Third Grade Agriculture Day!
This year the third graders were again invited to Agricultural Day at
Badger High School. The FFA students put on a wonderful
educational program about agriculture.
Here are some of the highlights:
♣
I think that Agriculture Day was interesting because we learned lots of new things
from the FFA. My favorite part was learning new things about the soil, fruits, and
vegetables. We learned what we can grow in farmers fields. We also saw them
make chapstick from beeswax and chemicals. We got to plant plants. There was
a big plant that they chopped off a little piece for me. We went in October and my
plant is still living! We were sad that we had to go. - Abby
♣
I thought that Agriculture Day was amazing. I learned about all kinds of fish, cows,
and plants. I even saw my teacher’s daughter! I saw how you make chapstick and
they taught me a poem about bees: Wasps are bad and bees are good. - Logan
♣
Agriculture Day was great! I learned some cool stuff like how high tomato plants
can grow. We even got to grow our own plants called Wandering Jews. They are
purple and a little green. We also got to make our own food. One of my favorite
parts was when they made us chapstick. It was one of the best field trips I ever
went to. - Addison
♣
I learned about elegant Northerns. I planted a plant and got to keep it, and it’s
getting huge. I learned what foods come from each state. I learned bees make
chapstick and foods. I got to eat yummy tacos. - Mason
♣
During Ag Day we got to listen to a cow’s heart
beat. Then we learned the difference between a
turtle and a tortoise. Then we got to eat tacos and
we learned where the food came from.
- Max
♣
I learned the parts of soil and we got to eat it. We
got to hear a bunny’s heart. When we got into the
greenhouse we saw tomatoes in boxes. We got to
plant flowers too.
- Annie
The Randall Wrap Up
Page 13
GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade
Space Camp - 2015
5...4...3...2...1! Blast-off! Once again the third graders visited
many stations dealing with astronaut space flight. Lots of learning
and fun took place with parent volunteers who made sure that
the stations went smoothly. Here are a few students that shared
their experiences.
♥
Space Camp has many cool things to do. I liked the game when you blow up
balloons and put them on a wire. All the games were so fun. I bet you would
love it if you were in 3rd grade. - Alyssa
♥
The glider was the best activity. You also got to blow up a balloon and watch it
fly across the room. I liked seeing my scores and trying to beat them. It was
challenging. - Jason
♥
At Space Camp, my favorite part was catching marshmallows in your mouth.
We got to do a lot of experiments. One was blowing up a balloon and flying it
across the room. I wish that we could do that over and over again. I would be
so happy if we did this next year too. - Morgan
♥
My favorite thing at Space Camp was when we got to blow up a balloon and
put it on the string to see how far it would go. We threw marshmallows into our
mouths, but I didn’t get any to enjoy because I’m bad at it. But when we put
the washers on the bolts underwater, I got everyone on. We used the I-pads
and saw Mars and Venus and Neptune. I was kind of nervous at first for Space
Camp, but now I realize I LOVE it! - Breanna
♥
Space Food was cool at Space Camp. We made pudding in a
bag and ate it out of the bag. We enjoyed the capri sun drinks
that come in pouches too. We kept track of how many
marshmallows that we caught in our mouths in our packet. We
got to eat some when we finished. Then we worked on space
riddles on the planets. - Ryen
♥
Using the I-pad was fun. All the activities were great. We
learned a lot and enjoyed being with our friends. Hope next year’s class will
love it too. - Lucas
Page 14
Volume 12, Issue 4
Space Camp
GRADE OF THE MONTH - 3rd Grade
The Randall Wrap Up
Page 15
December Counselor Corner
Mrs. Mudroch, Professional School Counselor
mudrkat@randall.k12.wi.us
“If you can learn
self--control, you can
self
master anything.”
Volume 5, Issue 4
December 2015
The Importance of Self-Control
Self-control has been defined as willpower, self-discipline, or being
able to regulate yourself. New research shows that besides having
a high IQ, and high test scores, if you want your child to be truly
successful in life, you need to help them cultivate strong selfcontrol. In fact recent research shows that self-control is twice as
predictive of health, income levels, and long-term relationship
stability. From early childhood on, parents need to help their child
learn and practice self-control skills. Over time, your child will
develop the ability to stay focused, follow through on important
tasks, set goals, make a plan to achieve those goals, even in the
face of adversity, So, helping your child practice self-control from
early childhood on, will lead to academic success, relationship
happiness, physical health, and financial stability. In fact, children
who do not develop self-control skills are more likely to have
aggressive behavior problems, anxiety, and depression.
Mastering self-control is a life-long challenge. Their success at
mastering it depends on 6 factors:
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
The opportunities you provide for your child to practice self-control
Your family’s routines and habits
Your parenting style
The changes in your child’s brain (remember your child’s prefrontal
cortex keeps developing well into the 20s, Dr. Jay Geidd, National
Institute of Mental Health)
The way your child thinks and handles emotions
Your temperament and theirs
So, how do you foster self-discipline in children?
Not only parents, but also teachers have a profound effect on a
child’s development of self-control. So, how can this happen? Here is
what experts suggest:
Create an environment where self-control is consistently rewarded.
You may have heard about the famous “Stanford Marshmallow
Test” (https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/willpower-gratification.pdf), by
Walter Mischel, PhD, Preschoolers were given the choice between one
treat now or two treats later. Children who demonstrated a greater
capacity to wait ended up with better results – higher tests scores,
more likely to finish college, and less likely to develop substance abuse
problems. In recent years, Celeste Kidd speculated that self-control
may also depend on the child’s expectations and past experiences.
Her research proved this to be true – if you trust the person or the
situation, you are more likely to exhibit long-term self-control.
Support your child with timely reminders.
Young children have a difficult time keeping directions in mind. It’s
helpful to remind children of our expectations and rules often. When
you do this before an activity, children are more likely to keep their
impulses under control.
Play games that help your child practice self-control
By asking your child to “play by the rules,” you’re encouraging him or
her to develop self-control. Take the classic “Red Light, Green Light” –
it’s easy for your child to learn the rules quickly and be successful at
the game. Now try reversing the rules. It is hard for a child to go against
a habit. Doing this, will help your child to control their impulses, and
practice self-regulation.
Page 16
Give your Child a Break
By giving your child a break between tasks, you are
giving them a chance to recharge, and is a good
way to learn. One theory is that when we do
multiple tasks without a break, we lack the energy
for self-control. Another theory is that our brains are
designed to seek a balance between drudgery and
easy rewards.
Turn “Have to” Tasks into “Want to” Tasks
Children need to find enjoyment and purpose in
what we ask them to do. Approaching any task as
a nasty chore always makes things worse. Children
have a difficult time figuring this out. Discovering the
best way to convince children to want to do a hard
task takes patience and flexibility. Remember, it is a
task that really pays off in the end.
Teach your Children how to Tackle Challenges
and Learn from Failure
Teach your child that their hard work and resilience
will pay off big in the end. To do this, we need to
watch the feedback we give to our children.
Praising your child for general traits (“You’re so
smart”), and giving general criticisms (“I’m
disappointed in you”), will not work. What works best
is to praise for effort and feedback that encourages
your child to try (For example, “Can you think of
another way to do it?”).
Help Your Child Develop Attention Skills and
Expand Working Memory
Play matching games, or give your child multi-step
directions to follow. Keep increasing the number of
steps in your multi-step directions.
Be an “Emotion Coach” for Your Child
Talk to your child about his or her negative emotions
and show empathy, instead of being dismissive or
disapproving. Children who have parents that do
this usually show less problem behaviors.
Encourage Your Child to Practice Planning
Give your child reminders from an early age to
demonstrate the importance of remembering. Look
for games that award the players for planning
ahead. Teach your child how to use “self-talk” to
help him or her plan ahead.
Teaching self-control is one of the most important
things that parents and teachers can do for
children, because these skills are some of the
most important in life. By learning self-control,
kids can make appropriate decisions and
respond to stressful situations in ways that can
yield positive outcomes.
Volume 12, Issue 4