The character word for the month of January is Self discipline. Students in grades PreK through third grade discussed self discipline and right before the students drew self portraits they had to look in the mirror and declare that they would practice self discipline. As I watched boys and girls approach the mirror, some did so undoubtedly and others were pretty reluctant. One young second grade boy held his hands over his eyes until he got to his seat. The only reason he took his hands down was because I asked him to be my room helper. I spoke with his teacher and she told me his mom says mean words about his appearance as a means of discipline. I kept him after class to talk a bit and he wouldn't open up. I've tried talking to him before and he is standoffish. I have talked to his mom before as well. I'm going to continue to try and build a rapport so that I can help him to build his self esteem. Any suggedtions, please help.
The fifth graders were engaged in a powerful lesson about self discipline today. Students replaced a bad habit with a good one. Students wrote a bad habit on a strip of paper. Students wrote a paragraph sharing experiences about the bad habit. Students were escorted outside and the definitions of self discipline were recited. As students buried the bad habit willingly, not by force, they recited, "I bury..."
Students will revisit the burial during our next class as a means of follow up.
R.I.P. Bad Habits
You will have to give the little boy time to come into his own. It's not easy to break the habit of being called things you aren't and all of a sudden getting praise for what was there all alone. I speak from experience. Time and consistency is key.
ReplyDeleteGreat start to the New Year Rekeshia! I would suggest an A-Z exercise for the children. Revisit it every month for them to fill in the letters they missed. As they grow and you continue to work with them they will find themselves 1) Building their vocabulary and 2) Developing their character! A negative or self doubt just might turn into a positive or self discipline....Let me know if it helps.
ReplyDeleteI have been building a rapport with my little second grade buddy. Last Friday, I allowed him to help me switch out the character word for February. I see him regularly during lunch and in constantly saying hi and encouraging words. I can't see any results as it relates to him responding to me, but I'm going to keep trying to build a rapport with him so that I may begin counseling sessions with his mom's consent.
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