November/December
November Classroom Lesson
Impulse Control/Emotional Regulation
This month we discuss what an impulse is.
An impulse is acting without thinking. Kids have a hard time controlling their impulses and it can affect the learning of others as well as themselves. When people experience high emotions, we are more likely to act on impulse then to think through the situation.
We talk about the different ways that we act on our impulses such as: calling out, hitting others, getting angry when we don't get our way.
Learning about the brain better helps students understand what's going on inside. We talk about the two parts of the brain that affect our impulses and our emotions.
The amygdala is a tiny jelly bean sized part of the brain where our emotions are stored. When that part lights up, we need to find out how to keep it under control. When the amygdala is not under control the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) can't make the right decision.
We need to STOP and THINK before we ACT
