Teaching Self Discipline

 A recent study replicated a 1940 research study that tested children’s ability to SELF REGULATE.  This ability, also known as “Executive Function” is said to be more important for success in school than a child’s IQ.  It is the ability to control their emotions and behaviors and resist impulses.  Yes, the news was bad.  Children 60 years ago were better at self-regulating than the children of today.

 And GUESS WHAT IS SAID TO BE THE BEST WAY FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN EXECUTIVE FUNCTION?

 P L A Y!

 It seems that whenever children engage in complex games of MAKE-BELIEVE, they do something called “private speech.” They talk to themselves and say what they are going to do and what rules they will follow to do it.  The more structured the play, the less “private speech.”   So when we hand children ready made toys with ready made scripts we are not allowing them the CREATIVE ACTIVITY of choosing their own scenarios and making their own props.

 The best ways of playing include games like

1. Simon Says,
2. Complex imaginative play (MAKE BELIEVE) that is sustained for at least half an hour,
3. games that require planning  like those that follow directions or patterns like a recipe for cooking,
4. storybook reading that introduces characters for children to model like “The Little Engine that could,”
5. and the really big shocker: encouraging children to talk to themselves while engaged in a challenging activity.

Do we do this in ballet class?

Through our apprenticeship program, the AvO School of Ballet encourages the continuity of a specific methodology that is CREATIVE in scope with education as the end goal.  Technical drills and co-ordination exercises are presented through storytelling and creative metaphor.  MOVEMENT is defined through imaginative play whether it is to “walk like a dwarf” or “run like a butterfly.”   Children are encourage to repeat the games at home as a way of practicing skills.  They might be practicing the technical landing sequence for jumps, but they THINK they are just playing at being a “balloon.”

Another aspect is that we encourage children to CORRECT THEMSELVES.  Specific drills for right and left hand, for example connect speech with the movement.  We will often ask the students to say the name of the step out loud, or stamp their right foot and say “RIGHT FOOT” out loud three times.  We encourage children to repeat the corrections to themselves or speak directly to the foot and tell the foot what to do.  (They always think that is funny!)

Keep in Mind this working definition of PLAY:

PLAY is NATURE’S WAY of practicing important life skills WITHOUT the fear of failure or consequence.  You know you are engaging the child in PLAY when the CHILD asks to repeat the exercise.

You have to read this!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514  

Go out there and SAVE THE WORLD!  We all need to learn how to PLAY a little more!