Many simple acts of kindness

To make a difference
Look to do the simple things. 

When I try to think of things to include in this blog, I sometimes miss the little, spontaneous ways I connect with my students.

 I believe it is still so important to hold hands with our children.  When the students line-up, I try to rotate who is first.  I don't specifically chose a line leader.  So whoever is first in line, I hold their hand and teach them a little hand game.  I gently squeeze their hand and ask them to pay attention to how my hand is 'talking' to their hand.  One little squeeze or two little squeezes, wiggling all my fingers or just tapping with one finger, I say that their hand should 'answer' my hand back. 
Without talking with voices, we are connecting in a special way.  
Some days when my mind is elsewhere, the students give my hand a gentle squeeze AND a smile!

Or how the children teach me about how important those little things are, such as it seems when I am having a particularly stressful day, one little dear will give me a quick hug or even say "I like your.....uh, button."   Without really knowing it, THEY are teaching me about enjoying those little things.

 

I  like to share information with my families with little notes handwritten.  I tell the children that I love to write moms and dads and love to get a note back from them too.  The more I get excited, the children get excited so they don't worry when they see I have written a message on their papers or give them a note to go home in their school bag.  I also try to make sure that I send notes about GOOD things so they don't think a note is bad news.

I also send messages through texting with a Remind app.  (formerly Remind 101) I like how the parents can use the texting back option which was added a few years back.  Though a 10:00 PM or even 2:30 AM text message, startles me with worrying what could be wrong!!  Remind also has the option to set an "I am or I am NOT available time span."

I was contacted to share an informative poster.  I'm new at this but it has a message that connects with me.

 http://www.audidevon.com/

 It's because.....

Hand-in-hand we grow!

Thanks for the giving

I love the new Walgreen's commercial with the phrase "Thanks for giving."  It took me awhile to get the flow of it. 

The power of change!

Things have been stressful....coming off a full moon and end of the grading period.....
So for this Thanksgiving I am trying to be more thankful for my students and all that I learn from them.  In addition, I want to try to help them realize more of how they can be thankful, grateful for what they have and can be.

 I read:
         
.
 These are short stories that put the concept of thankfulness in the kids' perspective.  From the stories, I introduced the pie craft for them to illustrate what they are thankful for.

The "I am thankful for pie" craft  project is easy to do.  I made a circle and flood-filled it and drew a pie shape to cut out.  The children cut out the circle and pie piece.  On a paper plate that was premarked in six sections, the children trace the edge of the circle line and inside the triangle shape they draw a picture and on the outer bumpy edge they 'sound-out' the word.  We attached the pie with a paper fastener so the wheel can turn to show one piece of the pie.  I am impressed by their ideas and effort.


The First Thanksgiving fingerplay

When the Pilgrims came (one arm out for 'land' and other palm flat with thumb up for the Mayflower ship)  


to this new land (ship turns into person walking up on the land)    


They met the Indians (hands flat with
                      thumbs up for people meeting
And shook their hands (shake hands)
 They made a feast (gesture hands out to    

             show food on the table)
  With turkey (link thumbs together finger 
                     spread for turkey feathers)
   And corn (imitate eating corn-on-the-cob)

And that's the way (gesture hands out again)
Thanksgiving was born! (put palms
                    together as in a 'prayer' motion) 

 I hope you have time to try these.  
 

Hand-in-Hand

Hand-in-Hand

This is how I hope to try to be living my life.  If I have missed my opportunity, then I apologize.  We all have our struggles and challenges.

There are 3 basic rules in my class.

1.  Be nice*

2.  Listen

3.  Do your best

This generation is growing up with a strong technology influence.   Me, me, me.
I saw a news interview with Dr. Michele Borba.  She has written a new book called, Unselfie.  I have read her website micheleborba.com   She has written books, articles and speaks about parenting strategies.  She has written on her blog,  "42 Ways to Raise a Kind Child."


These are some of my ideas:

HOLDING HANDS
I still think it is important to hold the hand of the first child in line.  (My assistant automatically holds the hand of the student at the end of the line.) This simple gesture makes the line leader at the beginning and the 'end of the line helper' a chance to feel special.
Thus holding hands.......we don't do it enough.


LINE BUDDIES

This past year I had a challenging class.  They were very bright but socially, they did not mesh.  So I tried "Line Buddies" the last few weeks of school.  A Line Buddy is another student they are assigned to be with.  I randomly selected the first buddy for the week.  Although our school hallway line procedure is in a single line, I knew my students needed to learn about looking out for another person.  Some pairs held hands, some put their arms around each others' shoulders. As long as it was not distracting, it was their choice, I didn't comment as long as they walked together.   Five-year olds are naturally empathetic.  We just need to allow them the chance.  Line buddies has helped when the children line up from recess, they look for their line partner.  Buddy up!  Look out for each other.


HEARTPRINTS
 

I found this charming book by P. K. Hallinan called Heartprints.  I read this at the beginning of the year and especially on birthdays.  I encourage the children to think of something kind to describe the birthday child.  We write a brief story by completing sentences about their favorite color, food and what they like to do in kindergarten.  Some years, I just have the students sign their name next to the heart on the back of the story as we would for a birthday card.  Some years, I have the students tell a word describing something about the birthday child.

Individual Behavior Home Report
For some students, I have tried a Think About it form that the students would fill out when they have broken a rule.  For other children, I have developed a form that I fill out when they are 'caught' doing something nice.  It seems to be more effort on our part to catch the good acts rather than the misbehaviors. 



Catching children doing good for others, learning, being nice can set the best expectation example for the class.


Keeping things simple so it can work.