April: Perseverance
The monthly character trait was tied in with attendance to inform students the importance of coming to school each day. Life has a lot of unexpected obstacles; however, we must persevere through to achieve our goals. We read a story called "Tough Times," where Jon learns from Carlos some ways to regain his confidence. Carlos suggests Jon to
Unexcused absences:
- think positively
- be prepared by practicing
- and learn from his mistakes.
Unexcused absences:
- vacation
- my sibling is sick
- I just don't want to come to school
- I don't want to take a test
- I missed my bus
- doctor appointment
- death in the family
- sick
- dentist appointment
March: Sportsmanship
"Winning with humility and losing with dignity"
This is just one of many amazing responses that I was able to gather from exploring what it means to have SPORTSMANSHIP. By using the PowerPoint Presentation below, 4th and 5th grade students were able to learn from other athletes about fair play and healthy competition. Please check out the presentation for more information. I have used some videos from Classroom Champions Website.
This is just one of many amazing responses that I was able to gather from exploring what it means to have SPORTSMANSHIP. By using the PowerPoint Presentation below, 4th and 5th grade students were able to learn from other athletes about fair play and healthy competition. Please check out the presentation for more information. I have used some videos from Classroom Champions Website.
Sportsmanship Presentation | |
File Size: | 2534 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
February: Compassion
For 5th grade students, the immigration social studies unit was incorporated into this lesson and it helped us to learn more about each other and history. We first began our conversation with Ellis Island and how it was used to receive immigrants in early 1900s. We discussed about why the immigrants chose to leave their country and what that meant for both immigrants and Americans. By reading The Name Jar, students were able to shift their eyes to what young immigrants may experience in America. The main character Unhei wants to pick an American name for herself after kids made fun of her name. Her peers start to help her think of some American names but Unhei gains self-confidence in her original name which makes her who she truly is inside and out.
When we close our minds from the rest of the world and the diversity that we have in America, we can quickly use assumptions, stereotypes, and judgments that might not be so true. We need to be compassionate by acknowledging differences and willing to listen to what others may have to say.
When we close our minds from the rest of the world and the diversity that we have in America, we can quickly use assumptions, stereotypes, and judgments that might not be so true. We need to be compassionate by acknowledging differences and willing to listen to what others may have to say.
January: Self-Discipline
I started this lesson with a webpage of Chick-fil-a and Apple where they ask their customers for FEEDBACK. The reason behind this was to help students understand the importance of feedback and how it is readily used all around us. This book teaches students that feedback is information that help us grow and improve. When we receive feedback from our friends, teachers, and families, we need to STAY CALM and THINK about the feedback which takes some degree of self-discipline.
Here are some phrases that students used to respond to the feedback.
|
December: Kaylin Roberson as a guest speaker
Kaylin is a singer, songwriter and pianist/guitarist based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. She is a passionate powerhouse making an indelible imprint on the country/country pop scene. Kaylin has recently been honored with distinguished titles such as Deep South Entertainment's Open Mic champion, the youngest champion in the venues history, forging the path to her recent EP release titled "Run Back To You". "Run Back To You" has been featured on Large Market Country Station of the Year 94.7 QDR as part of their Homegrown Carolina Country Series. Kaylin has also been named North American Country Music Association International Female Vocalist of the Year New Country 2016; Clayton's Teen Idol; winner of Clayton's Got Talent; and featured on Raleigh, NC based television station WRAL as an "artist to watch in 2016". Kaylin's passion for song writing exudes in her sultry, tragic, charismatic composition defined by everyday life experiences. Kaylin was viciously attacked by a dog at the age 9 rendering wounds that required facial reconstruction and life support. Kaylin utilizes this experience and it's aftermath as fuel that triggers a passionate compelling artistry and portal to combat negativity. She has recently had the distinct honor to co-write with the legendary Don Goodman and Tom Worth off Music Row and record at the legendary Dark Horse Recording Studio. Kaylin's playing accolades include venues from all over the state of North & South Carolina to a sold out show at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville, TN. This alluring captivating artist is knocking on door steps in a town near you.
http://www.wral.com/entertainment/out_and_about/video/15208899/
http://www.wral.com/entertainment/out_and_about/video/15208899/
November: Gratitude
As an adult, I know that life is full of unexpected hardships that I must work through and at times, I have no control over my circumstances. Then I asked myself, 'how can we teach students to overcome those obstacles in the future?' As the quote above describes, when we change our perception, a powerful shift can occur in our life despite of adversity. Most importantly, gratitude comes when we change our perception not because things get better or we get the things that we want to have.
Karen Griffith states, "Optimism facilitates victory over adversity by providing energy to continue the struggle and has been correlated with motivation, positive attitudes toward school, social competence, self-concept, attribution patterns, and lower levels of depression and anxiety."
Let us change our perception, and find more reasons to be thankful for each day.
Karen Griffith states, "Optimism facilitates victory over adversity by providing energy to continue the struggle and has been correlated with motivation, positive attitudes toward school, social competence, self-concept, attribution patterns, and lower levels of depression and anxiety."
Let us change our perception, and find more reasons to be thankful for each day.
October: Assertiveness
The quality of being self-assured and confident without being aggressive.
All about Bullying
Students have been working on Assertiveness this month because we celebrate many important topics in the month of October such as bullying prevention. According to one study, 160,000 students miss school due to bullying each day, and since bullying is a word that has been so readily used by students and adults, we must know what it means.
Bullying has multiple areas it covers.
Please encourage your child to always report to an adult when they witness a bullying situation and also ensure that everything will be kept confidential; no one would come after them because they have made a report.
Bullying has multiple areas it covers.
- repetitive action
- categories: physical, verbal, cyber, or social
- power difference
- intentional
Please encourage your child to always report to an adult when they witness a bullying situation and also ensure that everything will be kept confidential; no one would come after them because they have made a report.
September: Responsibility
One of the important responsibilities that we have in life is to take care of our own body. As we learn about responsibility, my hope was to increase students' awareness of personal hygiene. This cute book written by Julia Cook, teaches children how to take care of their body and how hygiene is closely related their health and social relationships. The stainless fork, Jean, learns from her friend Can Opener that she needs to use soap and water to wash every day so that she can stay healthy physically and socially.
I stressed the importance of being a caring friend by not calling out someone because they smell and make sure that no one is put in the embarrassing spotlight due to their personal hygiene. Instead, I offered an example that was found in the book--with love, quietly talk to the friend about their odor and offer suggestions to help them solve the problem.
I stressed the importance of being a caring friend by not calling out someone because they smell and make sure that no one is put in the embarrassing spotlight due to their personal hygiene. Instead, I offered an example that was found in the book--with love, quietly talk to the friend about their odor and offer suggestions to help them solve the problem.
August: Respect
Salem Salamanders begin this year to develop strong character and this book has been a joy to both the children and the adults in the school building. After defining the word RESPECT, we read Have You Filled a Bucket Today? to build a common vocabulary from Kindergarten students to 5th grade students.
The author explains that we all carry an invisible bucket and the buckets can be filled by kind words and actions of others. According to the book, when our bucket is full, we feel happy and joyful. When our bucket is empty, we feel sad and lonely. In summary, the author encourages us to be a bucket filler instead of being a bucket dipper. When we become a bucket filler, we make others happy and that also fills our own bucket!
We can fill someone's bucket by
The author explains that we all carry an invisible bucket and the buckets can be filled by kind words and actions of others. According to the book, when our bucket is full, we feel happy and joyful. When our bucket is empty, we feel sad and lonely. In summary, the author encourages us to be a bucket filler instead of being a bucket dipper. When we become a bucket filler, we make others happy and that also fills our own bucket!
We can fill someone's bucket by
- saying "Hi"
- giving a compliment
- saying "Thank you"
- helping someone when they fall
- smiling
- giving a gift
- giving a special note
- sharing
- calling names
- leaving someone out while playing
- being mean
- being selfish
- ignoring
- pushing or shoving
Tentative Schedule for 2016-17 School Year
April 2016
Continuing on with kindness using our actions
Often times, as we give our time and money to others in kindness, it tricks our mind to think that we are actually sacrificing so much. However, in reality, for those of you who have given some of yourself to others, you know that the gain in return is much bigger than you expected. You experience joy as you see others gain their strength to overcome hardships or finding something that they have been looking for as you share your kindness with actions. By using a piece of paper, I was able to demonstrate that point: you cut a corner from a rectangular paper making you think that you are losing a corner but when you count the number of corners AFTER you had lost one, you magically gained one. What a beautiful world it would be when everyone gives just a little bit of themselves! Check out the videos that the students watched at the end.
March 2016: National school social worker week
Some of you may not know, but Salem Elementary School has an amazing social worker who comes three times a week to meet the needs of our students. Her name is Mrs. Steadman and she is constantly working hard to keep our students healthy and safe at school and even while they are tracked out. To celebrate the National Social Worker Week, Mrs. Steadman visited K-5 town meetings in March to teach students about her job and why it is so important to use kind words to others. By using a toothpaste, students learned that when we use our words, it is similar to squeezing out the toothpaste-we cannot put them back in.
|
February 2016: Recipe for Success
The first week of February is the National School Counseling week and this year's theme is "Recipe for Success." It made me think about what it takes for us to succeed in life. I also asked myself, 'what does it mean to succeed?'
After thinking about one key trait to focus on, I chose perseverance as one of the key ingredients in the recipe for success. By using whipping cream and reading a book called, "The Man Who Walked Between Two Towers," students will learn about perseverance and what they can do when they face challenges in life. |
Lesson plan for 2nd and 3rd grade
|
Lesson plan for 4th and 5th grade
|
December 2015
Fifth graders
As Fifth grade students learn about King George III in Social Studies, the teachers and I collaborated to make connections between guidance and academics. We read a book called, "Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?" and discussed about what is unjust and just. Students were also able to talk about different points of views by looking at the life of King George III and his reputation among people in America.
|
November 2015: National School Psychology Week
For November Town Meetings, Ms. Nesbit, the school psychologist at Salem will join us to share her insights to help us
CONNECT DOTS AND THRIVE!
CONNECT DOTS AND THRIVE!
October 2015
Month of October has been busy with Red Ribbon Week, Book Fair Premier, and Read-A-Thon Kickoff. During our Town Meetings, we had Ms. Wagner and Ms. Bigham as guest speakers to introduce exciting events to our students. Please check out these photos from Red Ribbon Week! Also watch the video below that students watched on the first day of Red Ribbon Week.
Thank you all for your support!
Thank you all for your support!
August-September 2015
3-5 graders worked on developing sensitivity by participating in Sensitivity Training involving various objects to experience
what it is like to live with a disability. The discussion was meaningful and students were able to work on developing empathy.
Also we watched a simulation video regarding Autism and it was an eye-opening experience for some students.
Link to the simulation video
For 3rd and 4th graders, we had Gabrielle who volunteered to come to share with us about service dogs.
We learned so much about how they are trained and the types of service dogs, and
the students even got to pet the service dogs!