Teaching Children Self-Control: A New Responsibility for Teachers

Abstract

community. We are convinced that the Self-Control Curriculum is a prototype of a psycho-educational model for democratic living by preventing emotional and learning problems in children. The curriculum blends the cognitive and affective dimensions of learning into personal skills leading to self-directed behavior with responsibility. PREVENTION AS A MISSION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION Although we need to maintain and improve the present remedial services for handicapped children, future funding should give high priority to primary prevention programs. As special educators, we must change from a crisis "firefighting" educational service to a "fireproofing" service. Unfortunately, fireproofing is less glamorous than firefighting, but it is our only real solution to preventing another 10 million troubled children in our country from being overwhelmed by the future demands of our society. The first step in establishing primary prevention programs was accomplished in 1973 when the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) amended their policy statement to read, "The first level of service and concern of CEC will be the promotion of positive, cognitive, and affective psychomotor skills in all children that will prevent and/or reduce the frequency of handicapping behaviors." Fulfillment of this preventive mission for special education hinges on two major factors-teacher training and curriculum development. FOCUS ON EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN is published monthly except June, July, and August as a service to those concerned with mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed children.