Impulse control, today’s topic, seems to be the lid on Pandora’s Box! As I started thinking about this issue, I decided to see just what was being said about it on the internet. Goodness! I am suddenly aware of the problem that lies beneath most teachers’ frustration in their classrooms. I had no idea how prevalent this problem has become.
My husband, a clinical social worker, feels that exposure to the many chemicals in our society may be at fault. Whatever, the fault, it is a major problem in schools. Lesson plans are often sabotaged by one or two children who have impulse control issues. Thus, today’s teachers must not only plan lessons, but also plan preventative steps to keep the lesson on track. It is a process far more complex than one can imagine. “What can possibly go wrong?” is a good place to start.
Since I teach first graders, I see the problem of impulse control quite often. My job becomes the beginning stage for teaching these children the skills for focusing, cooperating, completing tasks, and the proper emotional reactions. Consistency and routine are very important to managing the classroom. Yet, I love to add humor so we don’t become mechanical robots just completing a list of tasks.
I use games in the class to give us opportunities to practice impulse control. These are thinking based games in which students have to physically balance objects to win. The law of gravity cannot be argued out of existence, so when a child with impulse control plays the game, s/he usually begins to learn a change in behavior is necessary in order to “beat” the game. This has proven to be helpful to these children, and it is rewarding to me to see them gain some control over their action and reactions.
The best I can offer as advice to concerned parents would be to read the information given at www.understood.org. I would also remind people to pray for teachers and the tasks we face every day as we deal with this problem.
Kay