ONE Can Make a Difference
Friday, October 27, 2017
In our Guidance Lessons this week, I wanted to talk to the students about how they can impact the day of their peers and teachers based on the words that they use. We read the Starfish story and talked about how the little boy in the story makes a difference in the lives of the starfish he tosses back into the ocean, even if he can't save them all.
During our lesson, the students sat at a table and put their names on their starfish. At each signal I gave them, they passed their starfish paper to the right and the students at their table wrote something kind about the student. We passed our papers around the table until it arrived back at the original owner. Then, I took the papers and sent them to a new table. We did this a few times so that the students had a chance to write kind things about each other.
When we had completed a few rounds, I had the students read the name of a student and choose one kind word about the student to tell the whole class. It was amazing to watch the faces of the students as their kind words were read aloud. Our first instinct when we hear kind words about ourselves is to shy away, disagree, or come up with an excuse but I challenged the students to just sit and listen to all of the wonderful things said about their classmates.
I don't know about you, but when I receive a note, letter, or kind word from someone else, it feels as though a spark is lit. I feel extra motivate to continue doing what I am doing or ensure that I am showcasing that positive attribute. Sometimes it is easy to pick on the negatives instead of letting the positives shine. As the students got their papers back and read the kind words their peers had said about them, I feel as though it gave them a sense of self worth. The smiles truly said it all.
My hope with this lesson is that students see how it feels to receive affirmations and in return will give those affirmations to their peers more frequently.
Mrs. Hagg
Cherry School Counselor
My hope with this lesson is that students see how it feels to receive affirmations and in return will give those affirmations to their peers more frequently.
Mrs. Hagg
Cherry School Counselor
School Accountability & Creativity
Sunday, October 22, 2017
This post is an edited and updated version of a blog Mrs. Dodd wrote in February of 2014 titled "Public Education."
One of the greatest arguments against public education is our use of high-stakes standardized testing. As educators, we get it. We really do. We may even join in with parents while you express your distaste with the state and federal governments' emphasis on high-stakes testing for children (as young as 3rd grade in Texas, with increasing requirements all the way down to Pre-Kindergarten). Believe it or not, there aren't many teachers and principals who dream about the excitement and fun of a standardized test. Parents, most of us are on your side when it comes to these things. We see the stress on students, teachers, and families which may result from these assessments.
However, we also know that standardized tests are vital for the accountability of the thousands of school districts across this great nation. We need to be certain that ALL children are receiving the best education possible, and that means assessing kids each year to be sure that our schools/teachers/administrators stay on track. This is just the nature of the beast.
I've recently read a few articles about the increasing standards in public education, and how it is destroying the creativity of our youth. My generation remembers having art and music (and sometimes even health) in elementary school, and typing class may have begun in junior high. This is no longer the standard. Now the biggest focus for our youngest students, it seems, is on reading. It is commonplace for kindergarten students to be reading and learning the basics of grammar and writing. By first grade, I see students writing entire paragraphs with complete sentences and proper grammar and punctuation. One of the articles I read was making the argument that the extreme academic focus in kindergarten was damaging our childrens' natural curiosity and love of school. I disagree. Although it saddens me to see less emphasis on art and music in schools, I, for one, am so excited when a kindergarten student comes to my office to show me how she can read (and comprehend) a book! It is even more thrilling when that same child beams with pride (and the twelve other five- and six-year-olds lined up behind her, awaiting their turns to show off to the principal as well).
With these changes in requirements and the ever-tightening time constraints, the responsibility now rests on parents to nurture a child's creativity through extra-curricular activities (dance, athletics, art classes, church involvement, etc.). Don't get me wrong; creativity will still be encouraged within the public school system through a multitude of projects that also help to develop higher-order thinking skills. Teachers incorporate art and music on a daily basis because it is good teaching. But if you want your children to experience other avenues of creativity at a deeper level (which, like art and music, are proven to increase cognitive ability and academic performance), you may have to seek that out on your own.
I can see how this might be frightening to a parent of a child preparing to start kindergarten. But what is even more frightening to me is the possibility that America's youth won't be able to measure up to the youth produced in other countries. You see, we no longer live in a world where we need only focus on preparing our children to work in the businesses within our local communities. We must prepare our children, instead, for a much larger "global community." Without a good solid education, our children won't be able to compete with their worldly peers. They'll get overlooked for jobs, and swept aside for promotions, while their more-educated counterparts move gracefully ahead.
Another complaint that I once heard about public education is that it is just a method to create machines through a "cookie cutter" education, and to destroy free thinking. Anyone who know anything about public education understands the extensive amount of time and energy that is spent individualizing and enriching curriculum to fit the diverse needs of students. Nothing about education is ever "cookie cutter." Teachers spend hours upon hours figuring out how to modify their lessons and assignments in order to reach every child, and to appropriately assess their learning.
The bottom line is that the foundation for a great education begins at home, with strong parenting, and it continues within classrooms all across this great nation. In this constantly-changing world that we live in, our children will have to think smarter and quicker than we ever did, and they will have to consider every angle on a global scale, rather than just the impact on their immediate communities. We have a monumental task ahead of us, as teachers, para-educators, administrators, and parents, to educate our future generations so they are prepared to take over when our own bodies give out. Until then, let's continue to be encouraging as we place our children in the care of the loving, talented, brilliant educators within the public school system. I, for one, intend on watching them all blossom beautifully as a result.
One of the greatest arguments against public education is our use of high-stakes standardized testing. As educators, we get it. We really do. We may even join in with parents while you express your distaste with the state and federal governments' emphasis on high-stakes testing for children (as young as 3rd grade in Texas, with increasing requirements all the way down to Pre-Kindergarten). Believe it or not, there aren't many teachers and principals who dream about the excitement and fun of a standardized test. Parents, most of us are on your side when it comes to these things. We see the stress on students, teachers, and families which may result from these assessments.
However, we also know that standardized tests are vital for the accountability of the thousands of school districts across this great nation. We need to be certain that ALL children are receiving the best education possible, and that means assessing kids each year to be sure that our schools/teachers/administrators stay on track. This is just the nature of the beast.
I've recently read a few articles about the increasing standards in public education, and how it is destroying the creativity of our youth. My generation remembers having art and music (and sometimes even health) in elementary school, and typing class may have begun in junior high. This is no longer the standard. Now the biggest focus for our youngest students, it seems, is on reading. It is commonplace for kindergarten students to be reading and learning the basics of grammar and writing. By first grade, I see students writing entire paragraphs with complete sentences and proper grammar and punctuation. One of the articles I read was making the argument that the extreme academic focus in kindergarten was damaging our childrens' natural curiosity and love of school. I disagree. Although it saddens me to see less emphasis on art and music in schools, I, for one, am so excited when a kindergarten student comes to my office to show me how she can read (and comprehend) a book! It is even more thrilling when that same child beams with pride (and the twelve other five- and six-year-olds lined up behind her, awaiting their turns to show off to the principal as well).
With these changes in requirements and the ever-tightening time constraints, the responsibility now rests on parents to nurture a child's creativity through extra-curricular activities (dance, athletics, art classes, church involvement, etc.). Don't get me wrong; creativity will still be encouraged within the public school system through a multitude of projects that also help to develop higher-order thinking skills. Teachers incorporate art and music on a daily basis because it is good teaching. But if you want your children to experience other avenues of creativity at a deeper level (which, like art and music, are proven to increase cognitive ability and academic performance), you may have to seek that out on your own.
I can see how this might be frightening to a parent of a child preparing to start kindergarten. But what is even more frightening to me is the possibility that America's youth won't be able to measure up to the youth produced in other countries. You see, we no longer live in a world where we need only focus on preparing our children to work in the businesses within our local communities. We must prepare our children, instead, for a much larger "global community." Without a good solid education, our children won't be able to compete with their worldly peers. They'll get overlooked for jobs, and swept aside for promotions, while their more-educated counterparts move gracefully ahead.
Another complaint that I once heard about public education is that it is just a method to create machines through a "cookie cutter" education, and to destroy free thinking. Anyone who know anything about public education understands the extensive amount of time and energy that is spent individualizing and enriching curriculum to fit the diverse needs of students. Nothing about education is ever "cookie cutter." Teachers spend hours upon hours figuring out how to modify their lessons and assignments in order to reach every child, and to appropriately assess their learning.
The bottom line is that the foundation for a great education begins at home, with strong parenting, and it continues within classrooms all across this great nation. In this constantly-changing world that we live in, our children will have to think smarter and quicker than we ever did, and they will have to consider every angle on a global scale, rather than just the impact on their immediate communities. We have a monumental task ahead of us, as teachers, para-educators, administrators, and parents, to educate our future generations so they are prepared to take over when our own bodies give out. Until then, let's continue to be encouraging as we place our children in the care of the loving, talented, brilliant educators within the public school system. I, for one, intend on watching them all blossom beautifully as a result.
Our Words are Like Toothpaste
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
As I was trying to find an activity for our students to participate in to gain knowledge on how their words can help or hurt each other, I came across the toothpaste lesson. As I started the lesson, I showed the student the full tube of toothpaste and we talked about how it was full and smooth with no wrinkles. As I said something mean to the students in the room, I squeezed out bits of toothpaste to show how easily those mean words can come out. After I had emptied the bottle, the students described the way the toothpaste looked on the plate; messy, sticky, globs, etc. I talked with the students about how I was just in a bad mood and didn't mean what I said so I wanted to take all of those words (the toothpaste) back. As I tried to fit every single last drop of toothpaste in, we saw how difficult it is to ensure that every mean word we have said is taken back.
When you squeeze toothpaste out of the tube, the toothpaste will never perfectly fit back into the tube. We can try in various different ways but ultimately, some is left out of the bottle, possibly making a mess wherever it is left. The students and I discussed how our words are like toothpaste in a bottle. As we say them, they come out and are never able to perfectly be taken back. This can be a negative or a positive.
When words are harsh and used to hurt others, those words are out there to cause harm. We can say we are sorry and work hard to build that friend's trust again, but ultimately the words have been said and are left as a reminder to our friends or the people we love that we hurt them. Just like the toothpaste once it is outside of the bottle.
On the contrary, our words spoken in love and kindness will leave a lasting impression too. They aren't able to be taken away and put back into a bottle. They can stay with the person that you have given them too, in hopes that those positive words outshine any negatives that have been said or that might be said.
As I was talking to the students about this lesson, I thought to myself how important this is for me to remember as a mom and as a professional. Our children think that we hung the moon and when we loose our temper and say things to them, those words can't be taken back. Our words can start their day off on the right foot or the wrong. That's a lot of power. As a professional, I try to be cautious about the words that I use with my colleagues. I can either negatively or positively affect their day with my words and my hope is that I have more positive interactions than negative.
As I was talking to the students about this lesson, I thought to myself how important this is for me to remember as a mom and as a professional. Our children think that we hung the moon and when we loose our temper and say things to them, those words can't be taken back. Our words can start their day off on the right foot or the wrong. That's a lot of power. As a professional, I try to be cautious about the words that I use with my colleagues. I can either negatively or positively affect their day with my words and my hope is that I have more positive interactions than negative.
In the end, I can only hope that our toothpaste lesson reminded the students of how important it is to think about something you say to someone before you say it because once we say those words, they are never perfectly able to be taken back.
Ashley Hagg
Cherry School Counselor
Ashley Hagg
Cherry School Counselor
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