Paper Chain & Positive Words; Self Esteem 3

Be Positive

Words and feelings are connected; if we speak in a negative manner, it seeps into how we feel about ourselves.  Self doubt is something we have all felt and children can feel self doubt often since they compare themselves to their peers.  Help your child to overcome negative thoughts and beliefs by giving them the skill to think positively.  Positive words will lead to a positive attitude.  The easiest way for children to learn to speak positively is if they hear positive words at home.  


I Can Do It
When young children are learning to button, tie shoes..., it can be frustrating.  If they can say, "I can do it," it sends a positive message of self confidence.  When our children get frustrated and announce, "I can't do it," help them turn the negative statement into a positive one.  Teach them, "I can't do it yet."  Yet sends the message that they will be able to do it.  Every time "I can't" is mentioned, help the child to rephrase the sentence; I can't do it yet, but I will. 

Activity: Positive Chain Links
Give children strips of paper for a paper chain.  Have children think of positive words or sentences and have them write the words/sentences on the pieces of paper, (child can dictate words).  Each child can take their paper and turn it into a paper chain.  When everyone is done, the parent/teacher connects the individual chains together.  String the chain up in your home or classroom.

Positive Words

Teach children to turn negative talk to positive talk.  Explain the difference in positive and negative statements and help children to turn the negative statements around.  I Feel Proud, follows.

I can't do this.

I will be able to do this someday.

I am stupid

I am having difficulty with this, but I am smart in many ways.

If I keep trying, I'll get this.

I am always clumsy.

I'll slow down so I won't run into things.

Look how far I've come since crawling as a baby.

I hate homework

I love when homework is finished.

Michael's a jerk.

I like playing with Patrick.

I like hanging around Missy.

I really stink; I'm never trying out again
Maybe if I practiced more, it would have turned out better 
Trying out was difficult, but I am good at playing chess



Re-Frame Your Words

1. I can't do this. ________________________________________________________

2. I am stupid. __________________________________________________________

3. I am always clumsy. ____________________________________________________

4. I hate homework. ______________________________________________________

5. Michael's a jerk ________________________________________________________

6. I really stink; I'm never trying out again ______________________________________

I Feel Proud

I helped someone by _______________________________________________________

I was a friend by __________________________________________________________

I worked hard at __________________________________________________________

I surprised myself when _____________________________________________________

It took a lot of courage when _________________________________________________

I messages & Response; Conflict Resolution 1

I Messages-Asking for Change

I messages communicate your wants, needs, and feelings in a respectful manner. Scroll underneath the chart and follow directions on leaning how to use I messages and the response.  Next, give children a scenario and have them use the chart as a guide to ask f0r change, or to respond with active listening.  

I Messages

• Starting a sentence with an I, conveys how a person feels or what they want; I feel mad that you take my toys.
• Starting a sentence with YOU, assigns blame: You took my toys.  

(Use the chart above as a guide)
Start by practicing half of the sentence; I feel mad, when you take my toys.
After the first section is said smoothly, add the second part;
I feel mad, when you take my toys.
Can you ask me first, and then you can play with them

Example
I feel mad, when you take my toys.

Can you please ask me first, and then you can play with them.

I feel frustrated, when you push me.

Can you please stop pushing me, and then we can get along.

I feel scared, when you yell at me.

Can you please talk softer, and then I will try to pay attention when you are speaking.

Response-Active Listening

The next step is learning how to answer back with active listening.  If a person answers back in this manner, others will know you have heard them and understood what they are saying.  It works well to learn this in two sections also.

Example
You sound mad, that I took your toys.            

Next time I will ask you, and I'm sorry.                                

You sound frustrated, because I pushed you.

Next time I will not put my hands on you, and I take responsibility.

You sound scared, that I was yelling.

Next time I will talk softer, and I am sorry that I scared you.   

Who's the Beast, Brown vs Board; Same and Different 3

Same and Different
The concept of same and different is to inspire children to have a  greater awareness of other people, especially those who are different.  At the same time we want to be aware and celebrate our own uniquenes.  Hopefully barriers and stereotypes that divide people can be overcome so that we embrace similarities and appreciate differences. 


Who's the Beast, by Keith Baker: Younger

(One of my favorite books; the illustrations are amazing!)

A friendly tiger goes through the jungle while other animals scatter at the sight of the beast.  When the tiger sees himself in a river, he sees only himself, no creature.  Could he be the beast?  The tiger goes back through the jungle retracing his steps, and points out similar features he has with the other animals.  In the end the story shows the many ways the animals are alike.

Art Activity

Scroll down to the bottom of the post and copy the tiger stripe background on a piece of orange construction or printer paper.  Copy the printouts in colors that match the animals; bee yellow, frog green…  Have children glue animals and 2 leaves on the tiger striped background.

Brown Vs Board: Older

In May of 1954, the U. S. Supreme Court made a decision on a famous case called Brown versus Board of Education.  The decision was to end segregation in schools.  Before this decision children went to schools based on the color of their skin.  Black students went to all black schools and white students went to all white school.  A civil rights organization called the NAACP tried to register black students in all-white schools throughout the South.  One of the schools was Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

On September of 1957, nine black students showed up at Central High School which had been an all white school.  They were met by white protesters.  The governor of Arkansas even sent the National Guard to keep the black children out of the school.  The soldiers blocking the teenagers from going to school made national headlines.  President Dwight Eisenhower over road the governor decision and removed the soldiers.

The nine students still had to face hundreds of protesters, which were mostly parents of white students who didn't want the black students to attend the school.  Federal troops were sent in to protect the black teenagers, but they still encountered physical and verbal violence throughout the year.

The next year, the governor closed all the public schools rather than allow integration to continue.  The Supreme Court ultimately made Arkansas reopen Little Rock's schools to all children.

Art  Activity

Copy and enlarge the butterfly outline at the bottom of the post.  Print out four colors of butterflies and enough for everyone to have one whole butterfly.  Also print out extra butterflies; cut them in two lengthwise and then crosswise to have four separate wings.

Have a discussion about how boring the butterfly is with just the one color, and how wonderful it is to integrated or unite, when other colors are added to the butterfly.  After the discussion allow children to choose different colors of wings to glue on to their butterfly.  Cut out the body and glue on.  Supply glue, glitter or other decorations to adorn the butterfly.  Admire how colorful and unique each butterfly is now in its multicolor state; similar to multicultural.  


Brown vs Board         

Whose The Beast

Strike a Pose and Feelings Charade; Feelings 4

Feelings
Visual cues help us to understand how another person is feeling.  Physical cues help us to understand how we feel.  Understanding the cues improve communication.   Continuation from, The Face Moves; Feelings 2 and 3.


Feelings Charade

One at a time, give a feeling word to a child and have them silently act out the feeling, while everyone else guesses.  Or, write feeling words on cards and have the child pick a card to see what feeling they will be acting out.  The other children (or parent), guess at what feeling is being acted out.  

happy, joy, glad, excited, proud, love, shy, lonely, sad

worried, scared, embarrassed, confused, afraid, upset, 

mad, angry, jealous                                

               

pleased, amused, cheerful, delighted, blissful, content,

joyous, jubilant, thrilled, grateful, fabulous, elated, dismayed,

annoyed, frustrated, irritated, aggravated, exasperated

Strike a Pose

      Make copies of the feeling page; scroll down for outline.  Use individual pages, or make a cover and staple feeling pages together to make a booklet.  

                                                                

      With a camera take picture of children posing with facial expressions that represent a feeling word; happy, proud, angry, lonely...  Take photos individually or in small groups and print out.  If you are unable to take photos, have children cut out magazine pictures of people whose expressions match the feeling words.  (For very young children, cut the magazine pictures out ahead of time).


On the, I Feel Page, write the feeling word that represents the picture and glue the picture in the frame.  Have children dictate or write a sentence about the feeling word. Example: I feel happy when I play at the park.  I feel frustrated when my brother takes my possessions out of my room.