Second post
I believe that it is important to do this from an extremely early age because as I mentioned perviously, we are creatures of habit. In my first grade classroom, I will have a strong focus on “community circles”. Community circles foster communication skills, social-emotional skills, and problem-solving skills. It teachers a child the value of teamwork and communication, while also providing perspective and allowing for children to remain proactive. Discussion-like teaching also forces a child to develop self-control. From day one, I will emphasize ZIPPER , which reminds students to “zip your mouth, identify the problem, pause, put yourself in charge, explore choices, and reset”. Creating high expectations for developmentally appropriate behavior is simply training one’s social skills and emotional intelligence. While they are still young, setting the precedent that controlling your emotions is expected will lead to individuals becoming more and more socially aware as they grow older