We made 'sticky note buckets' through the week. I wrote the name of child on each and stuck them on the blackboard. Each child selected one and wrote something to 'fill the bucket' of that student. We returned them to the board and read them out throughout the day.
I just snipped down the sides of a wad of sticky-notes and they were ready in minutes.
My blackboard message was inspired by the bucket whiteboard project shared my Miss 5th on Instagram.
I have a few darlings struggling with friendship. It is something that has always challenged me in my teaching - the social stuff. I have always wanted to just shower my students with fairy dust that will instantly give them the knowledge and understanding that comes with age. The knowledge that what other people think, say or do should not matter to how you see yourself.
How I wish it could be that way!
Until that is possible, the only thing we can do as teachers, is keep building them up with the strategies to get along with people. To help them achieve the confidence and the resilience to shake off any negativity they feel is coming their way.
I am going to keep talking about friendship with my kiddos and hope that some little gem of wisdom gets remembered and the ideas start to make a difference.
I think it is also important that they begin to understand that the negativity is part of life, and always going to be there. Be strong enough to learn to live despite it. Isn't this the ultimate in achievement?
Nobody is 100% rainbows and cupcakes. A friend is allowed to have a whinge, explore sarcasm and humour. Vent. Complain. Challenge.
I want to teach my children not to react to every situation, but to be calm, accept, deal, forgive and grow. Isn't that what we do as adults?
I want my students who are stuck in a pattern of only recognizing the bad things coming their way to look out for good stuff. To trust and have faith that life can be sweet and simple - you might just need to point your bucket in a different direction.