CELEBRATING GRATITUDE

 

 November                              a time of celebration  

Thanksgiving is a well-known November holiday celebrated by families and friends. There are many other days to celebrate in November, some are meaningful and serious and some are just for fun. 

Veterans Day

Native American Heritage Month

World Kindness Day

World Children's Day

Picture Book Month

World Jellyfish Day

National Sandwich Day

On each of these days, we take time to remember and be thankful for something.  November is also a good time to talk about gratitude. 

GRATITUDE  is the positive emotion of being thankful. It is being able to show thankfulness, and to return kindness for things you have or things someone has done for you.

GRATITUDE can be a very powerful tool that can keep us healthy, so

How can we practice gratitude?

Spend a few moments every day

thinking about the things in your life that you are grateful for

• Thank someone for the positive influence they have in your life
• Do something kind for another person to show that you are grateful
• Pay attention to the small things in your life that bring you happiness

Gratitude works a bit like your muscles and the more you work it out, the stronger it becomes.

Do you want to think about it some more?

Here are a few good read~aloud books on the topic of gratitude:

And a few more choices!

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Recognize, Refuse and Report

 The Three R's and Bullying Awareness

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and we are learning to recognize, refuse, and report bullying behavior with the Second Step Bullying Prevention Unit. 

We learn to think about the difference between teasing, conflict, and bullying since there is often confusion between the three. They can look very similar. 

The more students, staff, and parents can be informed and caring bystanders, the safer our community will feel for all students.  Committee for Children has a fun superhero, Captain Compassion® if you would like to keep the conversation going with kids. 

Reading aloud together is a great way to keep the conversation going too! Below are some of my favorite books on bullying prevention and kindness:

Each Kindness J. Woodson                                The Invisible Boy P. Barton 

Enemy Pie by D. Munson                                    The Juice Box Bully Sornson & Dismondy

Sorry! by T. Ludwig                                              Mean Soup B. Everitt

Just Kidding by T.  Ludwig                                  My Secret Bully T. Ludwig

        Don't have the books? Google the titles and find a great read aloud online! 

This is one of my favorites 😊

​

What Is Your Superpower??

 

Every child (and grown up) is super and special in their own way! We all have different strengths, challenges, and characteristics. The combination of those things is what makes up our super powers. It’s important to embrace these and show the world just how awesome we are!   

It's important for us to understand and appreciate the superpowers of our friends, schoolmates, family and neighbors... and our own too!

We all have abilities, or things we are able to do. Many people also have "disabilities", or things that might difficult or even impossible, to do without support or tools. Sometimes having a challenge to overcome makes us even more powerful~ that's why we prefer to say our different abilities are our superpowers, and not disabilities.

 Do you remember learning 

                        about the word EMPATHY? 

Empathy is being aware of other people's emotions and trying to understand how they feel or think.

Imagine what it might feel like to have a disability 

or a very different superpower. 

How would you like to be treated by the people around you? 

Do you want to learn more? Listen to this great introduction and let's work together to help everyone, with all types of abilities and superpowers, feel welcome and included.

THINK about YOUR strengths and challenges...

what are YOUR superpowers???

Exploring Career Clusters

What Mark Will You Make on the World?

YOU are already making the world a better place, especially when you follow the Code of Conduct.   Someday you will choose a career where you can be your best you and where you will contribute to the world of work.

THINKING about your future starts with thinking about the things you enjoy as well as knowing your strengths. When you put the two together, we know you will find a path that is perfect for you.

ALL careers are currently organized into 16 clusters. Watch the videos below for an introduction:

Think about it .... what do you LIKE? What are you GOOD at? What do you want to LEARN more about?? Keep your eyes open and keep asking questions we know you will find the perfect job and career that is meant for you!

   Do YOU want to learn even more about careers ? 

Links below:

✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒✒

Career Fun Bitmoji Room

Maine MOOSE Career readiness Modules

K-12

A- Z Career Lab

Career One Stop

Kids Money Career Videos

Social Skills Are Life Long

 

Did You Know?

      Social Skills are Skills for LIFE

Listening and following directions. Staying on task and using time efficiently. Following school and classroom rules even when no one is watching. Using your organizational skills. Completing schoolwork and homework. Working well in groups. Solving problems appropriately.

The school skills that we have worked on all year

are the same skills that will make you shine your whole life!

Whether you call them social skills, skills for life, or SOFT SKILLS, these skills are people skills, they are JOB SKILLS.

If you demonstrate:

Control of your emotions

Creative thinking

A Collaborative attitude

Good communication

Listening carefully

Time management

       EVERYONE will want YOU to work with them and you will have so many wonderful choices!

So, now let's EXPLORE!

      What excites you? 
            What are your strengths? 
                What are you most excited to learn? 

Use the answers to these questions to begin to think: 

Who am I and what might I want to be?

Play Would You Rather and warm up your brain!

Think about your STRENGTHS too.

What are your skills and talents? How will they help you succeed in a job?

Watch the videos below for MORE ideas!

You don't have to know what you want to do right now. Your ideas will change as you grow and learn and experience more things. The goal is to keep your eyes and ears open to new ideas and to keep being the best version of YOU. 

You already make the world a better place!

HOW DO YOU TACKLE A PROBLEM?

Be a PROBLEM SOLVER!

Being a good citizen means being able to solve problems effectively and fairly. There are a few clear steps we can take to be respectful problem solvers:

First, we name our feelings and calm our mind and body down. This helps us think 
clearly and without strong feelings.

2nd~ Say the problem without blame. Blame assumes that the problem is the fault of one person. True conflict always has two or more sides! What are blame words to avoid?          You always --You NEVER -- 

3rd~ Think of possible solutions. It is important to think of a few possible ideas and to include everyone.

4th~ Explore the consequences of EACH possible solution. Ask yourself, is it fair? Is it kind? What will happen if we choose this solution?

Finally, we Pick a solution to try.

Managing conflict and learning to problem solve is a lifelong skill. It takes courage to stand up for ourselves and it takes respect and compassion to understand our friends, family  and classmates. How will YOU solve conflict?

Conflict

Image from mssepp.blogspot.com on the topic of Conflict.

Learn and Practice More

CHOICE BOARD

Kindness Day ... ALL Year Long

 

friendly, generous, considerate, kind-heartedness, warm-heartedness, goodwill, affection, warmth, gentleness, concern, care, consideration, helpfulness, thoughtfulness, selflessness, compassion, sympathy, understanding, big-heartedness, benevolence, neighborly, hospitality, courteousness, generosity, patience, tolerance, charitableness, graciousness, humaneness, mercifulness, decency

                          

A kind person thinks about other people and looks for ways to be helpful. A kind person shares their time and talents to make things better for others, for themselves, and for the world around them.

FEBRUARY 17th is RANDOM ACTS of KINDNESS DAY!    

This month, and ALL YEAR LONG, we can make an effort to be purposefully kind.  Every act has a ripple effect, whether for good or for bad, so let us be sure to send out ripples of joy and happiness.   

SMILE. Say "Hello." Leave a kind note. Do a friend a favor. 

Hold the door for someone. Give a compliment.  SMILE some more.

Start small. Practice. Practice. Practice.

   And remember to BE kind to yourself as well. 

No one is perfect. Just be the best you can be.

Click -->>>                               HERE for a few more  KINDNESS IDEAS