I-statements (I-messages): Examples and fun worksheets to help your family develop an assertive communication style and improve conflict resolution
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Every language has a small set of words that make up most of the words we use. In English, for example, 50 words account for 40–50 percent of what we say, 100 words account for 60 percent and 200–400…
A Note from Lisa Pulliam Founder of More to Be & Stableminded If you’re wondering what happened to MoretoBe.com, you’re in the right place! Lean in, friend, for there is a good story to be told. In the spring of 2024, it became clear that the time has come to wrap up all things More to Be in a gloriously beautiful bow, recognizing that the blessed years spent producing biblically steeped life transformation resources was a worthwhile investment touching thousands […]
Conjunction Types, Kinds of Conjunctions, Definition and Example Sentences Conjunctions As is known, we often make long sentences when communicating with people using the English language. It may make sense to use some binding words or phrases so that these long sentences can form a meaningful whole and are more easily understood by the other person. There are many conjunctions with different tasks in the English language. These conjunctions make sentences more aesthetic and easier to understand. Instead of telling your problems or thoughts in pieces, in small sentences, you can express yourself more fluently using certain conjunctions. Therefore, you
Hey, today we studied a little bit of new classroom English expressions so that you can express yourselves in English as often as possible in the class. Among the new expressions were : Dire qu'on ne sait pas : - I'm afraid I don't have a clue. - I'm...
Free Anger and Feelings Worksheets for Kids
Check out how to help your kids learn to be assertive. Discover skills to teach your kids to deal with friends, siblings, and bullies.
By looking at the life of Isabel Myers, one can see a great example of how to become an expert. Although deep practice is a component of expertise, mentorship, interest, and personality are ingredients also. Many scholars argue that expertise is made and not born, but this case study shows that it is both. In addition, by taking the MBTI, a person can make a better choice of career to begin with. This test can save a lot of time and stress.
Communicating assertively is an essential skill for maintaining healthy self-esteem. This information handout describes the key properties and advantages of Assertive Communication.
Classroom tips,teaching ideas, and resources for the upper elementary classroom. Teacher Giveaways
In this article, we will explore the differences between compliment vs. complement and provide examples of how to use them correctly.
Want to become not only a powerful communicator, but an effective one? Here are the 10 most effective communication skills to help!
One sensory system, often under-recognized but important, is the vestibular system. Download a free poster with vestibular activities.
Learn to better express how you are by improving your emotional vocabulary. Develop your conflict resolution skills through our proven effective books.
Understand the little person in your home a whole lot better.
Yesterday, I posted about the idea behind our yearly home visits. Today, I wanted to share some materials I have created for students/parents to use at home. First off, some behavior resources. I have given parents a copy of this "Good behavior" and "Bad behavior" list we keep posted in our classroom. If timeout is successful in reducing an attention maintained behavior at school, then I will give the parents some time out visuals. I may give them a visual they can post on the wall for a designated time out space, or just a picture to carry with them in the purse (in case they need it in the community). I also LOVE this 3 strikes visual my coworker came up with! After each time a child engages in the behavior, a strip is removed from the visual. When all three strips are removed, the student receives time out. Another common visual I give to parents is an "I am working for" card. These can vary in how they look. Some are token systems (like the one pictured below) while others are more like a "First-Then" set-up. For the token card, students receive stars as they engage in positive behaviors (doing work or chores, staying quiet, keeping hands to themselves, etc). Once they receive 5 stars, they receive a reward of their choosing (at home this could be TV, video games, snack, etc.). I make parents pictures of each childs' preferred items to velcro onto the "I am working for" card. Another area I like to focus on during the home visits is chores/housework the child can do at home to help out the family. I created a "chore list" for parents to choose from (I have adapted this for individual students as well). To go with some of the chores, I have also created some visuals. For instance for laundry, I have created labels for sorting laundry (color clothes vs. white clothes). Parents can put these labels on two different laundry baskets/hampers, or they can just throw them on the floor and have the child sort clothes that way. I also have created clothes labels to go on drawers or in closets so that my students can help with putting away their laundry or finding clothes to get themselves dressed in the morning. Some other supports I have created have to do with creating routines in the home. I created a "dinner choice board" to aid students in communicating to their parents what they would like to eat at home. A shower routine to help remind kids to wash all the major body parts. A weather board to help with anxiety around cloudy/rainy weather. A brief schedule of "getting a haircut" for a student who struggled with behavior at the barbershop. It's nice to have these to draw from and adapt for each child in my classroom. After posting about this, I am starting to get super excited about these home visits. Tomorrow, my goal is to make the materials parents are requesting (bring on the laminator!).
Here’s a little comic I made to explain consent to children (and their grown-ups). Some kids like hugs and kisses; others don’t, and it’s perfectly fine. Teachers and parents, feel free to print it for personal or school use (no commercial use, please). […]
When a person feels that they are being blamed—whether rightly or wrongly—it’s common that they respond with defensiveness. “I” statements are...
A lot of times our students do not know how to communicate what they need in the moment. We can get to know our students by giving them a menu of options regarding things they need when they become upset, angry, nervous, worried, overwhelmed, and confused. Social emotional learning and coping strate...
A step-by-step guide for helping kids create SMART goals to keep them organized, focused and pushed to achieve.
Hi, my name's Christie. This is how I feel. {I obviously have more hair, and no facial hair, but point taken} I really can only dream of a day when I am a tenured teacher and do not have to remove my things from my classroom and start fresh. It's so overwhelming to stand in a classroom full of stuff. Plus the fact that I may have a slight tendency to resemble one of my students who has attention issues. I finish only parts of things I'm working on then I need to move to other things. I go back and forth leaving all sorts of projects lying around the floor. I have wanted to take pictures for 3 days now, but by the time they're kicking us out for the day I'm so exhausted I can't wait to run to the nearest exit to sit in my car and enjoy... sitting... just that. On top of that, the mister's son is staying with us for the weekend, so I've been trying to enjoy some time here and there with them. I actually took a break today to eat some Olive Garden {insert angels singing here}. I'm so jealous, they went to Bear's training camp today. All kinds of sad and jealous about that one. I found out today, I tentatively have... wait for it... 24 students. That in itself is the miracle of the day. I could also only dream of the day when I would have less than 30 students. I'm hoping it stays that way, but the ink won't be touching those name tags until next Wednesday morning (which by the way, I think I should start practicing my cursive now, cuz... well... it's a extremely little rusty. I am hoping my FABULOUS aunt finishes my amazing seat sacks. We bought the fabric, but I'm not quite sure how they're going to come out. We shall see! Hopefully they're all kinds of ugh-mazing!! :) To all of you out there in Bloggy Land, especially anyone who has purchased or downloaded anything from me, I so appreciate your patience. A few short weeks ago, my turn around time I custom orders was maybe hours, now it's turned into days. For the most part everyone has been super understanding... I appreciate it tons and tons and tons!! Hopefully I'll have some time closer to this weekend to sit down and fill most of my current orders! :) I have been looking for a few things lately, so I sat down to create some things for myself. I posted a few in my Teacher's Notebook, and I have a few for you!! I also am still working on what I want my giveaway to be... it may be Friday before I figure it out for sure though. Here are some things for your enjoyment!! Bases Loaded @Teacher's Notebook {game to practice adding inflectional endings and making new words} How We Go Home! @Teacher's Notebook {makes it easier for the teacher to know who goes where} Before, During, & After Foldable @Google Docs {printable for readers to keep with them while they read} 3rd Grade Word Wall Words @GoogleDocs {includes sight, math, science, & social studies words!} Student Planner @Teacher's Notebook {easy for students to fill out, zebra themed} Match Fact Practice Sheet @Google Docs {perfect for students and you to monitor how much they practice their facts} Also I must mention I've had tons of requests for things that match the chocolate dots theme, so there are lots of items popping up that match that theme. I've had quite a few questions regarding pocket chart cards for Daily 5. They are posted in the store in 2 forms, a set of just them, and a set that goes with posters that explain what you can do at each activity. As a side note... I have decided against using these: I have thought about posting them on Teacher's Notebook, but I'm not sure anyone would want them. If anyone has any interest whatsoever let me know. They are extremely sturdy, made with 2 kinds of cardstock, and the letters are VERY thick chipboard. They are not laminating because of the chipboard. I can take more pictures of them close up or from the side if you are interested! Those letters were crazy expensive to just waste them! I've had a few people e-mailing me with ideas for things they have not been able to find out there in teacher land. If there's everything something like this you're looking for, let me know! I'm sure I've thought about making it, or I have it somewhere in my files!! I think it's time for bed for me. I'm stressed and very excited to get back into my room tomorrow. I promise I'll get to pictures and to the giveaway!! Any ideas of things you would want in a giveaway? - aside from a million dollars ;-)
These will turn people off in an instant.
¿Quién tiene la razón? ¿Cómo es posible que los dos tengan razón? One of the most important tasks outside of language learning that world language teachers face is to make our students aware of the…
Our school has used quite a few Character Education programs throughout the years, but sometimes I find myself looking for more practical, concrete ways to help students deal with conflicts. These are not the larger, bullying-type conflicts that we discuss often in the Character Ed programs, these are the daily recess squabbles, the bickering/arguing, and the tattling that can occur throughout the week. With these types of conflict, I don't want to be the constant referee, negotiating both sides in every disagreement. I want to empower my students to choose between a variety of strategies and develop these necessary skills themselves. While looking for some of these online, I was contacted by Kelso's Choice and couldn't believe my luck. This program seemed to be addressing the skills I was looking for in a very kid-friendly, concrete method. I am excited to share this product review in case you are looking for a similar program. Disclaimer: Although Kelso's Choice sent me these items, all opinions are 100% honest and my own, and I never recommend something I wouldn't or haven't used in my own class. Kelso's Nine Choices The main character in this Character Ed program is a cartoon frog named Kelso. He is present in every K-3 lesson, but not in the lessons for grades 4-5, which I appreciate. He demonstrates all of the strategies that students can choose to solve a small (not big) problem. In grades 2-3, there is a wheel with all of the available choices and I absolutely love that visual. There are nine choices and lessons to introduce each one, along with a story from Willow Pond to help students role-play and solve these small problems for the animal characters. While there are nine choices, the program is very explicit that a student should try two and then get an adult if the conflict persists. There is an entire lesson at the beginning about small and big problems to help students differentiate what needs immediate adult intervention versus something they can work together to solve. The program also emphasizes that students are strong enough and smart enough to solve these small problems-- I love how much it is repeated throughout the teacher guide. Large posters accompany the product and I appreciated the ongoing visual. They cover each of the nine choices: Go to another game Talk it out Share and take turns Ignore it Walk away Tell them to (please) stop Apologize Make a deal Wait and cool off As you can see, these are common strategies that many of the students have used before, often in combination with each other. What I was grateful for was the common, explicit instruction around all nine of these to create a system in the classroom, on the playground, in the lunchroom, and beyond. Plus, the explicit instruction can do a world of good for our students who struggle with these choices and social skills. Working together as a class on each of these in a systematic way can let every single student be "in it together" and have a common language and framework to use as a group. Program Materials Included in the Conflict Management set was everything you could ever need to launch this with your classroom. There is a very comprehensive Leader Guide filled with grade-specific lessons, extensions, reproducibles, parent and staff letters, and stories. Lessons are in-depth, but quick, and encourage you to engage in some meaningful conversations with your students. Take a peek at the Table of Contents HERE. A CD helps with making copies for your classroom. Two frog puppets are also included: Kelso and Lily. Since I teach third grade, I offer these up as an option, but not as a requirement. My daughter is in second grade, and she is still loving any and all activities with a puppet, so I'm glad they were included for the K-3 group. Additional cut-out characters can help bring the stories and role-plays to life. There are also some great lessons provided to help use the puppets with your class. Inside the Leader's Guide are the Willow Pond stories, but they are also compiled in a full-color book that would be perfect for your classroom library. The font is large and these stories could even be used as a shared reading opportunity. The provided DVD has an animated Kelso reviewing all of the choices and how they can be used in students' lives. And, most importantly, there are huge posters to display in your classroom, hallway, lunchroom, etc. You can see the difference between the K-3 version and the 4-5 version above. There are five of each and they are BIG at 24x36"! If you are teaching grades 4-5, the authors knew that Kelso the frog would not be as big of a hit with the older grades, and the lessons are adjusted accordingly. There are photos of real kids and much more in-depth scenarios and questions. Even "Share and take turns" has been removed and choices are divided up into verbal and nonverbal. It's a nice jump and will keep kids engaged even if they've been learning these choices since Kindergarten. One of the components to this program that I really love is the inclusion of every staff member and family member in the program. They realize that a lot of these small conflicts arise outside of a structured classroom environment, and this program is designed to work for just those scenarios. Included are reproducibles that the on-duty adult can use to support and/or congratulate those students who used the choices to solve a conflict. There are letters and activities for students to take home to help educate the parents and certificates of achievement for every student as they complete the program. There's even a song they can learn and maybe even sing schoolwide? The authors, Barbara Clark, PhD and Diane Hipp, CPS not only knew what they were doing when it came to conflict resolution, they knew how to implement it into a schoolwide system and make it doable for teachers and staff. There is no extra fluff to dig through, nor are there scripted lessons that kill meaningful learning. The lessons are packed with goodness and could easily give students new experiences with these choices for their entire elementary experience. Overall Thoughts I really like Kelso's Choice Conflict Management program and could see it becoming a part of a successful school's character education collection. It is practical, simple in its use but effective in its strategies, and is a one-stop-shop for an entire elementary school. I can imagine School Counselors loving this program as a way to help give all kids common language and skills about solving small problems in an empowering way. There are plenty of activities to keep this a yearlong and elementary career-long program for students. Especially with its extensions into 4th and 5th grade, I can see how kids of all ages can use these simple, but powerful choices to solve their ever-changing conflicts. With every adult in their daily sphere reiterating these choices, it gives students a solid framework to address small conflicts and feel empowered instead of frustrated. Find more information at: https://kelsoschoice.com. There are free downloads and loads of extra information for you to peruse. There is also information about a 30-day Free Trial, if you think you would like to experiment before you make the schoolwide decision. Have you used Kelso's Choice in your school? I would love to hear about your experiences with it in a schoolwide system!
English grammar is the body of rules that describe the structure of expressions in the English language.
