Week of December 17 - 21

Welcome to the final week of 2018 and of the 2nd quarter!

This week we will have shortened periods for only 2 more days due to district testing, Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, the students and I began reading an article together about how to improve their EQ.  They were also given a set of questions and instructed to do two things before Tuesday's class:
       1. Read the article in its entirety.
       2. Indicate on the article where the answers to each question (#s 1-7) can be found.

The article and questions are shown below.

On Tuesday, the students will write out their answers to each of the 7 questions by (1) restating the question, (2) answering the question asked, and (3) writing their answers in grammatically complete sentences.  This activity should be completed for homework if it is not completed during the class period.

On Wednesday, I will lead the students in an activity that will help them assess their own level of emotional intelligence.  The culmination of that activity is a list of ten qualities of people with high emotional intelligence. 

10 Qualities of People with High Emotional Intelligence
 1. They are NOT perfectionists.
 2. They know how to BALANCE work and play.
 3. They EMBRACE change.
 4. They don't get easily distracted.
 5. They are EMPATHETIC.
 6. They know their strengths and weaknesses.
 7. They are SELF-motivated.
 8. They don't dwell in the past.
 9. They focus on the POSITIVE.
10. They set BOUNDARIES.

On Thursday, after having reviewed the students' written responses to the homework assignment that was due on Wednesday, I used the class period to help the students improve their ability to write an accurate written response.

On Friday, the students will read two short articles about how to manage the emotion of anger, and they will take notes on their learning.

Bell Ringer's this week:

Monday: 3-minute mediation on Staying Awake

Tuesday: How emotionally intelligent are you?  EXPLAIN.

Wednesday: Identify which attribute of emotional intelligence is the most challenging for you.  Explain why this attribute is more difficult for you than the others.

Thursday: List from memory as many of the 10 qualities of people with high emotional intelligence as you can remember.

Friday: Describe how you typically act when you get angry.

Week of December 10 - 14

Welcome to Week 17!

This week will include a few more days of district testing which will shorten our class periods.  Nonetheless, I will continue to move forward in my curriculum, and for these final 2 weeks of the 2nd semester our topic of study will be EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

On Monday, the students received a handout which they will be completing in class.  We began by defining emotional intelligence.  Emotional intelligence (EQ), also known as social-emotional learning (SEL), is the ability to understand, use and manage you own emotions in order to create successful outcomes.  Unlike your IQ which is established at your birth, your EQ can be developed and increased by learning key skill sets which fall into one of 4 categories (or domains).  The 4 domains of emotional intelligence are: (1) self-management, (2) self-awareness, (3) social awareness, and (4) relationship management.

On Tuesday, the students and I discussed the myriad of possible emotions that people may feel, and discussed how difficult it is for some people to even accurately identify what emotion they are feeling.  On Thursday, we will be discussing where emotions come.  In preparation for this discussion, the students were given homework (on Tuesday) to view a video on emotions and the brain (see below) and complete question #3 on the handout I gave them (after they watch the video).

Emotions and the Brain

On Wednesday, only periods 2 and 7 met due to extended district testing.  During these class periods, we discussed last Friday's homework and then read an article about how Kawhi Leonard (a player on the Toronto Raptors basketball team) used emotional intelligence to deal with negative publicity he received.

On Thursday, we watched and discussed the video (above), and I collected the homework (Emotional Intelligence - 3 questions).

On Friday, our 15-minute class sessions (due to extended district testing time) left us with time only for me to pass back and discuss the homework assignment and for all of us to experience a 3-minute meditation on happiness with a follow-up discussion.

Bell Ringers this week:

Monday: Explain two of the successful coping strategies that you and your parent(s) discussed over the weekend for your homework assignment.

Tuesday: What is emotional intelligence?

Wednesday: No bell ringer for most classes due to extended testing schedule.

Thursday: Draw the EQ quadrants and fill them in from your memory.

Friday: No Bell Ringer due to 15 minute classes

Week of December 3 - 7

This week we move into the topic of MINDFULNESS.

To help develop an understanding of meditation, one of the 10 ways the students learned how to tame their monkey mind, students will be spending 3 minutes each day in meditation.  The meditation presented can be found in the "Headspace" app for kids. The students have been asked to simply focus on "being present" and not to worry about whether they feel they are becoming "good" or "bad" at meditation.  Prior to each meditation, they will be shown a short animation that provides insight on "how" to meditate.  The bell ringers this week will consist of summarizing each animation.  Students must be present in class in order to complete each bell ringer.

Jon Kabat-Zinn is best known for introducing mindfulness to western culture with his MBSR technique (mindfulness-based stress reduction) that he created to help patients suffering with severe anxiety due to trauma.  Mindfulness is now very commonly practiced.  It is what arises when we are paying attention in the present moment on purpose and non-judgmentally.  On Monday and Tuesday, the students brainstormed several terms to help them understand the difference between the terms "Mind Full" and "Mindful".  In addition, the students read two excerpts about mindfulness from Kabat-Zinn's book entitled, Mindfulness for Beginners.  The students were required to answer the following 3 questions from their reading, and to memorize the definition of mindfulness.

1.  What is Jon Kabat-Zinn's definition for "mindfulness"?
2.  What is the difference between the "doing mode" and the "being mode" of our mind?
3. What 2 things are necessary in order to shift from the "doing mode" to the "being mode"?

On Wednesday and Thursday, despite the shortened class periods due to the 7th and 8th grade testing schedule, my leadership students continued their meditation practices and added to their understanding of mindfulness by viewing and discussing the following two videos:

VIDEO: What is Mindfulness?

VIDEO: Why is mindfulness a superpower?

This video illustrated the following truth:  

Mindfulness allows you to respond wisely to things that happen to you rather than blindly reacting to events without thinking.

We also learned about 4 ways to practice mindfulness:

1. Stay in the present.
2. Be only the observer of your thoughts.

3. Engage your senses.

4. Transform your relationship with your problems.

The students were required to memorize these 4 important ways to practice mindfulness.  To do so, we discussed multiple ways to memorize material including reciting it over and over, writing it down and quizzing yourself, and creating an acronym.  On Thursday, the students were quizzed on these 4 ways to practice mindfulness.  

On Friday, the students began with another meditation practice, and then they completed a letter to their parents (see below):

                                                                                                               December 7, 2018

Dear Mom and/or Dad,

1. Please read over what I have written on these handouts.  Then, have a discussion with me and let me explain to you how I can "transform my relationship with my problems" so that I can live more mindfully and become more successful in handling my problems.

2. Also, please acknowledge that we have had this discussion by placing your signature on the line below:

_____________________________
(Parent's signature)

Thank you for supporting my leadership development.

Sincerely,

______________________________   Class Period: _______

         (Student's name)

After writing this letter the students brainstormed to complete the following handouts which were attached to the above letter to their parents:

Week of November 26 - 30

Welcome back to Week 15!

This week we change our focus from the 7 Habits to Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence.
On Monday, we kicked off our study with an introduction to the MONKEY MIND.

To introduce the idea and gain a mental picture of the monkey mind, the students had a great time tossing a couple of stuffed monkeys around in a circle (see below). Then, they watched a couple of short videos and took notes on the main ideas in the videos.  Included in this activity, they surrounded their "monkey heads" with many adjectives that describe what it's like to mentally experience "monkey mind."

Video #1

Video #2

On Tuesday, after reviewing the material from yesterday, the students read an article about the Buddha and how he learned to tame his monkey mind (see below).  They annotated the article and answered the questions (see below) by restating each question and answering each question using complete sentences.

On Wednesday, the students discussed the answers to the Buddha worksheet questions and graded the answers of another student based on my rubric. 

On Thursday, the students learned about what meditation is through discussion as well as reading a universal definition of meditation (see below).  As well, they began the process of reading about 10 ways to tame the monkey mind (see below) and gathering in groups to present their findings.  On Friday, the students will continue their presentations of their findings.

What is MEDITATION?
Meditation is a means of transforming the mind.  Meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things.

10 Ways to Tame the Monkey Mind

This Week's Bell Ringers:

Monday: (Activity: Tossing 2 monkeys across the circle for 1 minute)  Based on this activity as well as the words themselves (monkey and mind), explain what you think the term "monkey mind" means.

Tuesday:  Write about a time when your monkey mind took over, and then tell about the result.

Wednesday: Why is it useless to fight with the monkeys in our head?

Thursday: Answer the following two questions accurately.
                    1. What did the Buddha learn?
                    2. How did the Buddha learns?

Friday: Explain your group's method for taming the monkey mind.

Week of November 19 - 20

This is a very short, two-day week! 

To wrap up the learning that took place while my students were with our guidance counselor, Mr. Edwards, last week, Mr. Edwards has assigned a brochure assignment.  All students will be required to create a brochure based on the information they learned from the "Teen Safety Matters" presentations last week.  A handout will be given to all students as well as instructions on how to create the brochure.  This assignment will be due on Tuesday, November 20 before the students leave for the Thanksgiving holidays.  See below for instructions and handout.

This week's Bell Ringers:

Monday: What are 3 main ideas that you learned from last week's study of Teen Safety Matters with Mr. Edwards?

Tuesday: Explain what Thanksgiving means to you.

Week of November 13 - 16

This week all 6th grade students will be meeting during their leadership class time with our guidance counselor, Mr. Edwards, in the media center to discuss topics of "Teen Safety Matters".

Week of November 5 - 8

Welcome to Week 13!  This week we will wrap up our study of the 7 Habits.

On Monday, I will hold a review session covering an overview of all 7 of the habits we have studied.  Students should come to class prepared, already having studied their notes in preparation for the 7 Habits Final Exam.  I will spend the class period helping the students learn how to fill in a graphic organizer that will help them synthesize their understanding of all 7 habits.

On Tuesday, the students will take the 7 Habits Final Exam.

On Wednesday the students will be doing a fun activity (picture boxes) to help them further solidify their understanding of the 7 Habits.  Whatever they don't finish will be their homework.

On Thursday, I will go over the Leadership Exam results with the students and explain the correct answers. I will also be collecting the picture box activity from yesterday.

NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY THIS WEEK! :)

Bell Ringers for this week:

Monday:  How would your life be different if you chose to use the 7 Habits on a daily basis?

Tuesday:  No Bell Ringer

Wednesday: Think about all 7 Habits and decide upon one that you like the most.  Tell me why this one is your favorite habit.

Thursday: Explain how you can use some of the concepts that you have learned from your study of the 7 Habits to resolve conflicts.

Week of October 29 - November 2

Welcome to Week 12 of the 1st semester.

On Monday, I will begin the class by collecting the bell ringers from last week.
Next, we will finish up our study of Habit #6 as we complete the Habit #6 worksheet (see below).

To put into practice Habit #6, the students will work with a partner to create an imaginary problem which will serve as an opportunity to work through the "Getting to Action Synergy Plan."  After deciding upon a problem to tackle, each partner pair will work together to listen to each other's perspective (using Habit #5), brainstorm solutions, and then decide upon the best solution.  If they can effectively do this, they will have created a win-win solution (Habit #4).  They will explain each part of the action plan on the following worksheet:

On Tuesday, the students will share some of their action plans with the class, and then I will collect the Habit #6 worksheet AND the students' "Getting to Synergy Action Plan".  

Next, we will turn our attention to the next and final habit, Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw.

Habit #7, Sharpen the Saw, means regularly renewing and strengthening the 4 key dimensions of your life: your body (the physical dimension), your brain (the mental dimension), your heart (the emotional dimension), and your soul (your spiritual dimension).

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will focus our attention on how we can renew and strengthen our BODY.
On Thursday, we will focus our attention on how we can renew and strengthen our MIND. 
On Friday, we will focus our attention on how we can renew and strengthen our HEART and our SOUL.

Below are the notes that the students took in class:

Then, on Monday, I will hold a review session covering all 7 of the habits in preparation for the
7 HABITS FINAL EXAM which will be given on Tuesday, November 6.

Bell Ringers for this week:

Monday: Beach ball activity (nothing written)

Tuesday: Explain how Habit #6 requires us to use Habit #5 and Habit #4.

Wednesday: Explain what you do to maintain a healthy body by describing how YOU use the 4 key ingredients of a healthy body.

Thursday: What did you do to renew your body yesterday? What did you do to strengthen your brain yesterday?

Friday: What are some things that you could tell a very important person in your life that would help them know how much you appreciate them?

Week of October 22 - 25

This week we will complete our study of Habit #5 and begin our study of Habit #6.
Last Friday, I introduced the students to the concept of empathy.  Below is a quote that sums it up well:

We will start off this week discussing a time when your child used empathy and explore how empathy requires us to get outside of our judgments and take the perspective of another person.  We must use empathy to truly "hear" and understand another person, a requirement of Habit #5 ("Seek first to understand....).  I will explain the second half of Habit #5 (... then to be understood), and we will discuss how to be heard.  The students will then apply the 3 requirements of "genuine listening" to a conversation with a peer as they practice using both parts of Habit #5.

On Tuesday through Friday, we will be discussing Habit #6: Synergize.  The students will learn the definition of synergy (when 2 or more people or things work together to create something better than either could have done alone), discuss examples of synergy (a good band, geese flying in a "V" formation, the sequoia trees, a bird feeding off of a rhino), and discover the 4 requirements necessary to achieving synergy (celebrating differences, teamwork, open-mindedness, and finding new and better ways).  They will also learn about three roadblocks (ignorance, cliques, and prejudice) that prevent us from "celebrating our differences. Finally we will differentiate synergy from compromise and cooperation by describing each of these concepts from a mathematical perspective:

Compromise:  1 +1  = 1 1/2
Cooperation:   1 +1  = 2
SYNERGY:    1 +1  = 3 or more

Bell Ringers for this week:

Monday: Describe a time when you used empathy with another person.

Tuesday: Are you willing to commit to improving your ability to listen? If so, how will you do it? If not, why not?

Wednesday: Describe how the Indian Talking Stick can be used to help you "be understood" (the second half of Habit #5).

Thursday: How can using Habit #5 create synergy (Habit #6) in our classroom?

Friday: Did your group experience synergy yesterday?
Explain your answer by telling me whether your group worked as a team, how you "celebrated" your differences,  and if YOU were open-minded.  Also, tell me one thing your group could have done better in order to create more synergy.

Week of October 15 - 18

This week starts the beginning of the 2nd QUARTER.

During the four days of school this week, we will be learning about Habit #4: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood.  This very important habit is all about listening.

The students will learn that Habit #4 can be defined in two ways:
1. Listen first, talk second.
2. See things from another's point of view (paradigm, perspective) before sharing your own.

Students will discover the importance of this habit when they first recognize that the deepest need of the human heart is to be understood. We all want to be understood. That is why many of us try so hard to share our stories, to get our point across, and to MAKE others listen to us.  However, the easiest way to get someone to listen to you is to FIRST demonstrate that you care about them by LISTENING to them.

Many of us think we are good listeners.  However, the truth of the matter is that we have become accustomed to using our "poor listening habits" instead of genuinely listening to another person. In class, we will discover the 6 poor listening habits, and then we will use self-awareness to recognize which of these bad habits we use the most so we can start breaking those habits.  Next, we will learn how to genuinely listen to others using our eyes, ears and heart.  The result can be much better listening which can lead to much stronger relationships!

To help the students with their understanding of these concepts, they will be completing a worksheet as they read and discuss each concept. I have included a blank worksheet below as well as a worksheet with the notes on them that each student needs to copy down in their own handwriting.

The students also learned about the need for "EMPATHY" when practicing "GENUINE" listening.  To help them understand what the word 'empathy' means, they viewed a short video narrated by Brene Brown (see below).

What is Empathy?

Finally, I collected and will be grading this week's bell ringers. 

Bell Ringers this week:

Monday: How can you get your parents to listen to you better?

Tuesday: Why is good listening an important leadership skill?

Wednesday: What is the difference between selective listening and word listening?

Thursday: Which poor listening style do you use most often? How would your life be different if you were able to listen better?

Week of October 8 - 12

Welcome to the final week of the 1st Quarter!

This week we will focus on understanding Habit #4: THINK WIN-WIN. We have now moved out of the Private Victory, where we were learning how to master ourselves, and into the Public Victory, where we will learn how to master our relationships with others.

On Monday and Tuesday, the students will read in the text all about Habit #4, Think Win-Win.  They will quickly come to learn that Habit #4 is an attitude toward life, a mental framework that says, "I can win, and so can you!" This is a necessary attitude if we hope to develop strong, healthy relationships with others.

On Wednesday, the school schedule will shift to accommodate the PSAT testing schedule. Only periods 3, 4, 5, and 6 will meet following the PSAT test.  In those classes, I will pass back the 7 Habits Quiz that the students took last week and go over the correct answers. 

On Thursday and Friday, I will go over the 7 Habits Quiz with periods 2 and 7 (Thursday), and we will work to finish up our study of Habit #4: Think Win-Win.  The students will learn that in order to achieve a "win-win", they must do two things:

1. Win their Private Victory, and
2. Avoid the "Tumor Twins" (Competing and Comparing)

Bell Ringers this week:

Monday:   Copy and complete the following sentences:
To reach a "win-win" in this class, I must bring my organized binder with the following tabs in this order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I need at least two sharpened pencils and one red pen.  (Write the red words with your red pen).
I also need to bring and use my planner to write down my homework.

Tuesday:  What is the 'definition' of Habit #4?

Wednesday: No Bell Ringer

Thursday: Answer the following question and include specific behaviors that explain each habit you have included in your answer.  
Question:  In order to earn a higher score on your next quiz or test, which habits do you need to apply?

Friday: Clenched Fist activity

Week of October 1 - 5

This week we will finish up Habit #3 (Monday-Wednesday) and jump into THE PUBLIC VICTORY!

On Monday and Tuesday the students learned about how to move from their COMFORT ZONE into their COURAGE ZONE as a way to "Put First Things First".  They also learned the importance of IDENTIFYING THEIR FEARS and then consciously making a CHOICE (Be Proactive) to try to move out of their fears by stepping into their courage zone, another way to practice Habit #3.

In class, the students completed the following worksheet, and I collected it on Tuesday.

As part of our study of Habit #3, we discussed the following ways to deal with PEER PRESSURE:

How to Handle Peer Pressure:
1. Remove yourself from the environment.
2. Care more about what YOU think of you than what your peers think of you.
3. Find a friend who puts POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE on you to be your best.
4. Build your PBA.
5. Write your mission statement (and look at it often) and set SMART goals (and do them!).

On Wednesday, the students will learn that Habit #3 is the hardest habit to master because it requires DISCIPLINE. Also on Wednesday, we will begin our study of THE PUBLIC VICTORY: The RBA, Habit #4, Habit #5, and Habit #6.  We will focus our learning on the Relationship Bank Account (RBA) on Thursday. To help in our understanding of this concept, the students will be given an RBA worksheet to complete during class.

I will also be completing a NOTEBOOK CHECK on Thursday and Friday. 

On Friday, the students will take a QUIZ covering the following concepts:
Habit #1
Habit #2
Habit #3
PBA
RBA
Private Victory
Public Victory
The Car Analogy

Bell Ringer's This Week:

Monday:  (1) Draw and label the "time quadrants" on your bell ringer page.
                (2) In each box, write one activity you did this weekend that fits in that quadrant.
Tuesday: Why do you think Habit #3 is the hardest habit to master?
Wednesday: Write the following sentence and fill in the blank with one word:
                     "The hardest habit to master is Habit #3 because it requires ________________."
Thursday: Write down the names of 2-3 people who are most important to you.  Next, make a list of
                  the things you do to nurture (take care of) your relationship with these people.
Friday: What are some benefits from having many RBAs?

Week of September 24 - 28

This week we will finish up Habit #2 and move into Habit #3.

After allowing students to share their wonderful PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENTS that they created for homework this past weekend, the students then began their study of the next topic for Habit #2 (covered on Monday and Tuesday):  SETTING GOALS.

On Monday, the students read from the Covey text about 5 Keys to Goal Setting.  We summarized our reading with the following notes:

Key #1: Count the COST and consider the BENEFIT of your goal.
              o Decide what you will have to give up to reach your goal.
              o Think about all the benefits you will receive from reaching your goal.
Key #2: Put it in Pen.
              o Write down your goal so that you can see what you've committed to doing.
              o Writing helps you be specific with your goal.
Key #3: Just Do It.
              o Don't say, "I'll try."
              o Do say, "I will do it!"
Key #4: Use Momentous Moments (to propel you to set a goal) like ...
              o A new year
              o A life-changing event
              o A setback
              o Moving to a new school or new city
              o A new day!
Key #5: Rope Up!
              o Seek help from others.
              o Get an "accountability partner" to support you.

On Tuesday, we learned how to actually create SMART goals.  I explained each of the letters in the "SMART" acronym, and then the students began working to create 9 unique, individual SMART goals on the following worksheet.  Their 9 goals are due in class on Wednesday, September 26.

On Wednesday, the students broke out into groups and came up with 3 SMART goals for their group. Next, several groups presented their goals while the remainder of the class evaluated whether or not each goal was, in fact, a "SMART" goal.

On Thursday and Friday, we began our study of HABIT #3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST.
The students watched a short introductory Covey video that demonstrated how important it is to take care of our "big rocks" in life first.  Doing so helps us to prioritize and manage our time well.  We read in the text about the 4 Time Quadrants and learned how to figure out where we are spending our time so that we can start making better choices if we need to become more highly effective.

This week's BELL RINGERS:

Monday:  Why is it important to create a personal mission statement?
Tuesday: Why is it necessary to write down your goals?
Wednesday: What does each of the letters in the SMART acronym stand for?
Thursday: What do you think it means to "put first things first"?
Friday: How can you apply Habit #3 in my classroom?

Week of September 17 - 21

This week the students will complete their study of Habit #1 and then begin their study of Habit #2.

After collecting the PBA worksheet assignment on Monday, I introduced the students to the concept of what it means to "Carry Your Own Weather."  To "carry your own weather" essentially means to proactively choose how you wish to respond to life, even when circumstances are difficult.  After watching a video, narrated by Stephen Covey, the students completed the following worksheet that highlights the main ideas presented within the video:

 The next concept we discussed involving Habit #1 is the concept of the "Pause Button."  The idea behind the pause button is that between a stimulus and a response, there is a space.  It is in that space that we have the freedom to choose.  We can exercise that freedom by "pressing our pause button" before we react and do something we regret.  We need to PAUSE - BREATHE - THINK before we respond if we hope to respond in a way that does not lead to regrets.  To help the students understand and practice this concept, they each created their own "pause button" (which some students chose to wear on their forehead for the remainder of the day!).

To wrap up our study of Habit #1, the students learned about their "4 Human Tools" of (1) self-awareness, (2) conscience, (3) imagination, and (4) willpower.  These tools are inside of each one of us (unlike our pets!) and are available for us to use when we are on "pause" and trying to decide how to thoughtfully respond to situations.

On Tuesday, the students read a scenario about how to apply these 4 human tools.  Afterwards, they broke up into groups and created "real-life" scenarios as well as descriptions of how to apply each of these tools to their scenario.  What was not finished in class is required to be completed for homework (due Wednesday).

On Wednesday, we will begin the study of Habit #2: Begin with the End in Mind.  There will be a hands-on puzzle activity to complete during class, and then the students will read from the 7 Habits book and take notes as they read about Habit #2.  I will also introduce the students to the "Car Analogy" (which corresponds to Habits 1, 2, and 3).

On Thursday, the students will continue reading about Habit #2 and begin to complete The Great Discovery Worksheet (to be completed for homework and due on Friday) in preparation for creating their Personal Mission Statement, an activity which will take place in class on Friday.  

Bell Ringers this week:

Monday: How were you proactive this weekend?

Tuesday:  What are your "4 Human Tools"?  Which one do you tend to neglect most often? Explain.

Wednesday:  If your goal is to become "highly effective" and make an "A" in this class, what do you need to do NOW in order to reach your goal?

Thursday: Describe the qualities of the person you hope to become 10 years from now.

Friday: What is the "car analogy" as it relates to Habit #1 and Habit #2?

Week of September 10 - 14

This week, the students began the week by continuing their study of paradigms and principles.
We graded last week's bell ringer assignment during class so that each student was able to actively participate in an exercise to help them understand the habits that they should have already developed by now regarding the weekly bell ringer activity.
We also had a class discussion about the principles assignment that my substitute gave them on Friday.  If they did not finish this work, they were asked to make sure their Principles 4-square activity was completed by Tuesday (see below).

On Tuesday - Friday of this week, the students will be learning about The Private Victory. 

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students learned about their PBA (Personal Bank Account) which is "how you feel about yourself" or the amount of trust and confidence you have in yourself.
To help them understand how their PBA can increase and decrease, the students filled in a check register with examples of 5 PBA deposits and 5 PBA withdrawals. This assignment was DUE on THURSDAY.

During class on Thursday we brainstormed about how to make some REAL PBA DEPOSITS over the next few days in our bell ringer assignment.  Expanding on this concept, the students were given an additional assignment to COMPLETE the PBA Worksheet by filling in the 3rd check register with 5 real-life PBA deposits that they must make over the next 4 days.  This assignment is due NEXT MONDAY, September 17.

Also on Thursday of this week, we began our study of HABIT #1: BE PROACTIVE.  We will continue our study of Habit #1 on Friday as well.


Bell Ringers this week:

Monday: Describe your "paradigm" of last Friday's class. Include the names of specific students in your description if necessary,

Tuesday:  What is one new habit that you have chosen to make that will help you live by your chosen principle (as written on your Principles 4-square activity)?

Wednesday: How can you make a deposit into your PBA?

Thursday:  Make a list of five PBA deposits that you can make between now and Monday.

Friday:  Describe what it means to be proactive.

Week of September 4 - 7, 2018

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Labor Day celebration and long weekend!

This school week starts off on a Tuesday and begins our study of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.  To kick off this study, the students watched a short video of young people just like them who struggle with similar issues (trying to "fit in", feeling awkward, having trouble talking to their parents, occasionally feeling "out of control", etc.)  These are the issues that the 7 Habits were created to help teens and pre-teens manage during this time difficult period of life known as the middle and high school years.

During class, we defined two very important terms: (1) habit and (2) effective.  As well, we talked about how learning the 7 habits is similar to a tree growing from its roots all the way up to becoming a healthy, strong mature tree.  To help the students understand this relationship, they filled in each habit on a picture of the 7 Habits Tree, being certain to spell each habit and the terms "private victory", "public victory", and "renewal" correctly.  We also discussed each of these terms as they relate to the 7 habits.

On Thursday and Friday of this week, the students will learn about paradigms and principles, two more terms that are important to their understanding of how the 7 Habits can help you become highly effective.

Bell Ringers for the week are as follows:

Tuesday:  What are two of your best habits? What are two of your worst habits?

Wednesday:  How can your habits "push you onward or drag you down to failure"?

Thursday:  Choose an adjective that describes your middle school experience so far.   Then use that word to describe what if feels like to be in middle school.

Friday: Describe a time when your paradigm shifted.

HOMEWORK this week:

Complete the 7 Habits Tree (folded, terms written accurately in the correct spaces, and tree colored).

Week of August 27 - 31

Welcome to Week 3 of the first semester.

Last Friday,  my substitute collected your bell ringer responses from last week.  You should have completed five bell ringers (one for each day of the week), and all five of your responses should have been on only one piece of paper and clearly labeled as I have instructed.  Please remember my late policy, and be sure to turn in your bell ringers no later than Tuesday (8/28) to receive credit for your work.

On Monday and Tuesday (and possibly Wednesday), all students will be taking the District Baseline Critical Thinking Exam.  After all students have completed this testing process, we will continue our study of how to write complete and accurate sentences.

Wednesday: Students received a handout on Sentence Agreement and Sentence Review (see pictures below).  Their homework is to complete the FRONT side of this worksheet at home.

Thursday: I will lead a discussion to help the students accurately complete BOTH SIDES of the worksheet.  We will also review the information learned from this work.

Friday: The students will be quizzed on their understanding of this worksheet.

Please remember to check your grades in FOCUS on a regular basis to make sure you have turned in all assigned work.

This week's bell ringers are as follows:

Monday & Tuesday:  NO BELL RINGERS due to District Testing
Wednesday: Would you rather have more time or more money? Answer the question, and explain your answer.
Thursday: What are the steps you must take to replace a "0" that you will receive if you turn in an assignment without your name on it?
Friday: Copy the following quote, and explain why the second comma is necessary.
"If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them."  - George Orwell

Handout: