Positive Classrooms Promote Success
Setting Expectations, Productive Classroom Discussions, Problem Solving, Bullying, Building a Community (Students working in Groups), Transitions & quotes
Setting Expectations
First Days of School, Setting Expectations
A great idea of the first day of class to get everyone on the same page!
1. What should kids in out class be doing to make sure our class runs as smooth as possible?
2. What do you hope to learn this year in 3rd grade?
3. What will you need to do in order to be successful this year?
4. What will Mrs. Robinson need to do to help you this year?
5. Our classroom should be ________ everyday.
6. School is important because ___________.
1. What should kids in out class be doing to make sure our class runs as smooth as possible?
2. What do you hope to learn this year in 3rd grade?
3. What will you need to do in order to be successful this year?
4. What will Mrs. Robinson need to do to help you this year?
5. Our classroom should be ________ everyday.
6. School is important because ___________.
Post-It Questions About Expectations and Needs for the First Day
By: Dandelions and Dragonflies
By: Dandelions and Dragonflies
Student Expectations
Productive Classroom Talk
Meaningful conversations
before you think speak
Problem Solving
Reporting vs. tattling
Bullying
Preventing Bullying
Understanding The Power of Words
"A teacher in Newfoundland was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take out a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stomp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now, even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry, but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.
So true. Even once, one harsh word can hurt even the most strong of souls. Be kind with your words."
Original writer of this Unknown.
"A teacher in Newfoundland was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take out a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stomp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now, even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry, but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.
So true. Even once, one harsh word can hurt even the most strong of souls. Be kind with your words."
Original writer of this Unknown.
Reflections
Six Dr. Seuss Books Teaching Social Skills
I always liked children’s books teaching kids something beyound reading. When I looked through the Dr.Seuss apps, I found myself looking for books teaching morals and social skills. Here are what I have:
Yertle the Turtle: Yertle the Turtle, the king of the pond commands the other turtles to stack themselves beneath him so that he can see further and expand his kingdom, not caring about the great pain of the turtle at the very bottom of the pile… It is a good book to talk with kids about sympathy and caring for others.
Thidwick the big hearted moose: Thidwick, the big-hearted moose, finds himself in a predicament when offering a ride to a small Bingle Bug leads to an army of rowdy forest animals inhabiting his horns. When things get out of control, Thidwick makes a big move and frees himself … This is a good book to go with the last one Yertle the Turtle. While we want to be nice to people, there are times we have to stand up for ourselves! This is the one that is only available on iOS.
The Big Brag: A rabbit and a bear both boast that they are the “best of the beasts”. The rabbit can hear far away, and the bear can smell even farther. However, both animals are humbled by a mere worm, who can look around the world, right back to his own hill. This is a story teaching kids to be realistic and to have feet on the ground.
What was I scared of: this story delivers a timeless message about fear and tolerance. The tale begins with a character who repeatedly meets up with an empty pair of pale-green pants. The character is initially afraid of the pants, which are able to stand on their own despite the lack of a wearer. However when he screams for help and the pants also start to cry, he realizes that “They were just as scared as I!” Putting fear in the proper perspective, the empty pants become good friends with the character.
The Sneetches: because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches believe they are the best kind of Sneetches, and don’t want to have anything to do with the Plain-Belly sort. This timeless Dr. Seuss classic is an unforgettable tale of the unfortunate Sneetches, tricked by Sylvester McMonkey McBean (“the Fix-it-up Chappie”), who teaches them a valuable lesson: pointless prejudice can be costly.
Gertrude mcFuzz: A young bird named Gertrude is self-conscious and overly sensitive about her single, seemingly insignificant tail feather. Her desire to alter her physical appearance grows as she adds first one, then two, then three dozen tail feathers. Ultimately left helpless by her obsession to be prettier, Gertrude learns a valuable lesson about accepting and believing in oneself.
I always liked children’s books teaching kids something beyound reading. When I looked through the Dr.Seuss apps, I found myself looking for books teaching morals and social skills. Here are what I have:
Yertle the Turtle: Yertle the Turtle, the king of the pond commands the other turtles to stack themselves beneath him so that he can see further and expand his kingdom, not caring about the great pain of the turtle at the very bottom of the pile… It is a good book to talk with kids about sympathy and caring for others.
Thidwick the big hearted moose: Thidwick, the big-hearted moose, finds himself in a predicament when offering a ride to a small Bingle Bug leads to an army of rowdy forest animals inhabiting his horns. When things get out of control, Thidwick makes a big move and frees himself … This is a good book to go with the last one Yertle the Turtle. While we want to be nice to people, there are times we have to stand up for ourselves! This is the one that is only available on iOS.
The Big Brag: A rabbit and a bear both boast that they are the “best of the beasts”. The rabbit can hear far away, and the bear can smell even farther. However, both animals are humbled by a mere worm, who can look around the world, right back to his own hill. This is a story teaching kids to be realistic and to have feet on the ground.
What was I scared of: this story delivers a timeless message about fear and tolerance. The tale begins with a character who repeatedly meets up with an empty pair of pale-green pants. The character is initially afraid of the pants, which are able to stand on their own despite the lack of a wearer. However when he screams for help and the pants also start to cry, he realizes that “They were just as scared as I!” Putting fear in the proper perspective, the empty pants become good friends with the character.
The Sneetches: because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches believe they are the best kind of Sneetches, and don’t want to have anything to do with the Plain-Belly sort. This timeless Dr. Seuss classic is an unforgettable tale of the unfortunate Sneetches, tricked by Sylvester McMonkey McBean (“the Fix-it-up Chappie”), who teaches them a valuable lesson: pointless prejudice can be costly.
Gertrude mcFuzz: A young bird named Gertrude is self-conscious and overly sensitive about her single, seemingly insignificant tail feather. Her desire to alter her physical appearance grows as she adds first one, then two, then three dozen tail feathers. Ultimately left helpless by her obsession to be prettier, Gertrude learns a valuable lesson about accepting and believing in oneself.
Building a Community
Working as a Team to Solve a Problem - Activity
Blindfold kids and have them reach down and grab 4 ropes of equal length that are all next to each other in a line. Tell them to create a square. For kids, it should take only about 15 minutes.
Blindfold kids and have them reach down and grab 4 ropes of equal length that are all next to each other in a line. Tell them to create a square. For kids, it should take only about 15 minutes.