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Dear Parents,
This lesson is designed to help you and your students explore grade appropriate topics in a motivitional and educational way(K-2: Educational Transitions, Grades 3-5: Organizational Independence, Grades 6-8: Responsibility and Accountability).
Thanks,
Mrs. Profito and Miss. Megan
Grades K-2
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”- Dr. Suess
Objective:
Recognizing educational transitions and developing a parental plan to help students cope and identify their feelings.
Do:
- Parental reflection:
- Reflect and consider the anticipation of your child’s reaction to transitions based on temperament, resiliency and previous experiences
- Reaction Examples:
- Child shows potential for separation anxiety from parent or caregiver by showing distress when an adult leaves them
- Students has exhibits stress when in a large group or environment
- Recognizing eating habits and how a child will eat in a communal setting
- When placed in a transitional setting, does you child show a physical ailment such as tummy aches and heachaches?
Discuss:
- Discuss what the school day will be like-
- Explore the school website with your student
- Showing different activities, pictures of teachers
- Research and show what a classroom may look like
- Discuss what the school lunch may be
- Lunch from home
- Go over the school lunch menu
- Explain the school bus ride
- How long it may be, where they would be sitting, using a seat belt, possible sitting with a neighbor
- Talk about making friends and remind your child that it is okay to be nervous
- Everyone is feeling similar
Activity:
- Draw a picture of your classroom, school bus, school lunch and/or your potential teacher
Grades 3-5
“A goal without a plan is just a wish”- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Objective:
Helping and preparing students to become independent and organize learners through routines.
Discuss/Activity:
- Create a vision for a future plan
- Short term plan example: Getting “A” in Math, doing well in gym
- Long term plan example: Graduating in the top 5% of the class, Being fit for life
- Using a Positive tone while discussing the future
- Validate the learners views and feelings
- Words offer for guidance should be positive in nature and not in criticism
- Interactive Modeling with Parent and Student (Through observation and discovery)
- Discuss strategies to accomplish the plan
- Example for getting an “A” in Math: they will have study, do homework and participate in class
- Example for being fit for life: talking with your doctor, developing a health and fitness plan with a professional
Modified from The Responsiveclassroom.org
Grades 6-8
“We want our children and teens to learn and grow from their successes and their mistakes.” - The Healthy Family Connection with Neil D. Brown
Objective:
Creating an environment that promotes learning experiences from both successes and mistakes.
Activity:
Definition: Accountability - Taking responsibility for one’s actions (WordPress.com)
How to Become Accountable
- Taking Responsibility and avoid blaming others
- Promoting a culture of accountability within your circles of friends and family
- Create your own rules to live by and establish achievable boundaries
- Reflect on your decision making process and share with an trusted adult
Activity modified from WordPress.com Parenting with Youth and Responsible Adulthood (MiddleEarth)
Discuss-
How our choices affect us both positive and negative; how can we make improved choices next time? How is accountability important in decision making and self-reflection?
Do-
Think of a time when it was hard to take accountability for your actions (cheating on a test, forgetting to do your homework, breaking a loved object, gossiping about a friend/classmate, etc.). Self-reflect on this time. Was it hard to take responsibility? What would you change today about that situation?