Summary: How do kids learn self-control and self-discipline? How can they take ownership of their educations and remind themselves to<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045"> make great choices</a> in school? Self-discipline can’t happen by accident! It comes from teachers modeling discipline and being consistent with it! Always enforcing your classroom rules and expectations doesn’t make you a disciplinarian. It makes you a great teacher because you are constantly <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045">providing reminders</a> to your students on how to make the best choices and build the best habits!<br> Discipline doesn’t have to mean punishment. Self-discipline certainly isn’t self-punishment. If we reframe “discipline” to mean structure, focus, and self-control, then we all want lots of discipline in our classrooms! Alternatively, if we don’t enforce the classroom rules and expectations with consistency, kids don’t see us as a fun, easy-going, laid back teacher – all they see is a rule that they can get away with breaking!<br> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045">Let’s send the right message! Give your students the skills of resilience and grit, while still “letting kids be kids.”</a><br> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045"></a><br> Now, I’m not exactly sure what it means to “let kids be kids.” I hope it doesn’t mean to avoid responsibility, but sometimes that’s how it seems when I hear people talk about it. Please leave your thoughts in the comments. What do you think when you hear the phrase, “Let kids be kids?”<br> Kids are the best, but at the same time, they are limited in their experiences! Our job as teachers is to <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045">expand their minds, inspire them with knowledge, and empower kids by helping them find their passions! </a>Kids can’t run every aspect of the classroom and their interests shouldn’t be the only thing that drives the learning. Not because they aren’t interesting, but because they only have three or four years of limited experiences! There is a ton of joy and magic in a child’s imagination, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045">but there is even more magic in a child’s potential!</a><br> So expose them to all new worlds, cultures, landscapes, architecture, art, science, etc. and help them pursue the things they love with all their energy! You can still play and have fun! You can still learn a ton and also have responsibility! Play is important but it is not a substitute for responsibility. You can make responsibility empowering and awesome. Kids can “be kids,” engage in play-based learning, and still have responsibility and self-discipline. <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045">Find out how on this week’s episode!</a><br> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/punk-rock-preschool-podcast/id1226551045"></a><br> If you want to have high academic expectations, your classroom also needs high behavior expectations. There are a lot of ideas where I will tell you to find your own style and do your own thing, but this is a rule that I’ve encountered that seems to be pretty hard-and-fast. Kids will struggle to learn at a pre-k level if their behavior expectations match that of a younger child. Ensuring behavior expectations match academic expectations is the one way you can guarantee that your kids have the focus and attention to match their cognitive gains. It is so important that we don’t sell kids short and we give them the responsibilities they can hand...
