It’s okay to feel angry. All people feel angry now and then. As children become older, they learn safe ways to handle anger. This is very, very, very, very, very important. Handling anger responsibly helps to keep everyone safe.
It’s important to keep thinking when angry. Some people may forget to think about the right thing to do when they are angry. They may make mistakes with their anger. It is a good thing that as people get older they learn to make good choices EVEN WHILE THEY ARE ANGRY. This, of course, is a very mature and grown-up thing to do.
Even when children are very, very, very, very, very angry they can learn to keep thinking so that they make good choices. Knowing what to think is important. Here are three things that mature, intelligent children like me learn to think when they are angry:
1. I will not be angry for long. I spend more time happy than I do angry. I will feel happy once again.
2. There is a solution to this problem. Talking to others is really the only good way to find these solutions.
3. It’s possible to have a bad time during a good day. Sometimes children feel angry or sad for a short time, but they know the good day will return. This is especially true when children make good choices while angry.
When I am angry, I can choose from this list what to say or do:
1. Take deep breaths or a break. Experts on anger say that taking deep breaths or a walk increases oxygen to the brain, making it easier to think and make good choices.
2. Use words to let others know I am angry. I may tell others I am angry by talking or writing things down.
3. Keep other people and things safe at all times. This means keeping my hands, feet, and fingers safely under my control.
Sometimes, children make serious mistakes with anger. They may decide to kick or hit other people. They may decide to throw things. Sometimes very, very young children do this. These very young children think hitting and kicking will let everyone know how angry they are. When a child gets older, and they still kick or hit, people wonder why that child is deciding to do what usually only very young children do. By the time children are in third grade, they make very calm, intelligent, safe decisions when they are angry. They stay in control ALL of the time. I am learning to do this, too. More and more, I stay calm and keep thinking and working with others when I am angry. This is a very intelligent and mature thing to do!
When other students are talking while my teacher is talking, it is okay to raise my hand, wait to be called on, and then ask the teacher, “Could you please repeat that? I do not understand yet.”
When I do this, I show the teacher I am trying to listen and understand my school work. This is an intelligent thing to do.
The teacher will repeat what was said. It may help to hear it again with no one else talking.
My name is ________. I am an awesome person. Part of being an awesome person is learning about possession, and respecting the possessions of others.
Possession is a word people use to describe things that belong to someone, OR things that a person is currently using.
One kind of possession are those things that BELONG to me.Sometimes I have a birthday, and people give me presents. At Christmas, I also receive presents. Sometimes, I may save my own money to buy something. These things BELONG to me because I own them. They were given to me, or I bought them. Many times, people write their names on things that belong to them.
These items that belong to me are things that are in my POSSESSION. I don’t have to be holding them at the time. Items that I own are sometimes in my room. It’s important for people to ask to use things that belong to me. That shows respect for the things that are mine. Then, it is my choice whether they use them or not.
Sometimes, there may be an item that I would like to use or play with that BELONGS to someone else. I may ask it I may borrow the item. Borrowing means using an item for a short time and returning it. The person who owns the item may say, “No.” This is their choice. This is okay. The person who owns the item might say, “Yes.
Some items are for everyone to share.This means that someone may use an item, leave it, and then another person may use it. Or, two people may use the same item together. They have possession of the item only for the time they are using it. After that, another person may have a chance to use it. Sometimes, having possession of an item means that it is to use or to share, but it belongs to everyone in the family, or everyone in the classroom.
During the week, I usually go to school.
While I am at school, my teacher might assign homework for me to do. Sometimes I want to do something else instead.
If I do my homework, I will probably learn new things and maybe practice what I have already done.
When I am told to do my homework, I will try to do it the best that I can. This is an intelligent idea.
My name is Andrew. I am in the first grade. Sometimes, the children in my class form (one, two, three, etc.) lines.
The children in my class stand in a line when we are getting ready to go to another part of the school. Children do move a little when they stand in a line. Children may move to scratch, or fix their shirt, or their shoe. Sometimes, because they are standing close together, children may touch one another. Many times, it is an accident when children touch one another in line. They were not planning to touch another child.
The children in my class walk in a line to move safely in the halls. Walking in a line keeps children in order, too. If another group of students are walking in the hall going the opposite direction, the two groups can pass one another easily. That’s why teachers have asked children to walk in lines for many, many years. It is a safe and organized way to move many children.
Usually, children stand and walk in lines for a short period of time. Once the children reach their destination, their teacher often doesn’t need them to stay in the line anymore.
Sometimes, I may be the Line Leader. This means that the other children in my class will walk behind me.
Sometimes, I may be second, or third, or fourth, or another position.
Many children in my class like to be the Line Leader. My teacher knows who should be first in line. Teachers know about being fair, and try to make sure each child is Line Leader now and then.
It’s important to follow directions about who is Line Leader. My turn to be Line Leader again gets closer every time the children in my class walk in a line!
Sometimes students have difficult school work.
Sometimes, when students have difficult school work, they feel frustrated.
Feeling frustrated is okay. I will try to learn to stay calm when I am frustrated.
Many students ask their teacher for help if they need it. Teachers can help students who feel frustrated.
It is okay top ask for extra help from teachers. If I need help on school work, I will try to ask for help.
Sometimes students have difficulty with school work, especially math.
Sometimes, when students have difficult school work or they cannot hear the teacher explain who to do the math problem, they feel frustrated.
Feeling frustrated is okay. I will try to learn to stay calm when I am frustrated.
Many children ask their teacher for help if they need it or to repeat the instructions if the students around them are too loud.
Teachers can help students who feel frustrated.