A Guide to Classroom Rules for Positive Relationships

Kindergarten students have made remarkable progress in learning positive actions to get along with others and developing essential social skills. Throughout Positive Action Unit 4, they have diligently practiced and applied their classroom rules called Code of Conduct during their social interactions. They understand that positively treating others facilitates positive social encounters and improves their self-concept, mental health, and academic performance.

In this social-emotional learning lesson, kindergarten students prove themselves worthy of receiving their reward for completing the unit: their new keys to Castle Self-Concept. Their beloved puppets, Picks-It Raccoon and Nix-It Panda, join the class to ask about students' progress and test their understanding of rules. Using the Self-Concept signal, the students answer a True or False activity about the positive ways to treat and interact with others. For example, students raise the happy side of their signals when they agree that everyone must treat others with friendliness.

At the end of the activity, the students realize that they feel good when others feel good, too. Picks-It and Nix-It congratulate them for successfully understanding and complying with the rules. The puppets promise to come tomorrow to present the keys to the students. Then, the lesson ends with a fun coloring activity that kindergartners can show their parents.

As a social-emotional learning program, Positive Action has proven effective in improving student behavior toward others and creating a positive and respectful social environment. Implementation of this program shows a dramatic reduction in problem behaviors such as bullying and violence. Meanwhile, improvements in students’ academic performance are extraordinary.

Overall, investing in students’ social skills and behavior improvement has far-reaching effects. It enhances their academic performance by boosting their confidence, promoting engagement, and fostering teamwork skills. It also helps facilitate healthy relationships, emotional well-being, and responsible decision-making.