100 Books That Build Character
Every now and then a situation presents itself where I find myself looking for that just-right book to read to my class — one that will serve as an example of good character or act as a literary pep talk for my students. It might be a book on caring after we’ve had an incident of unkindness, a book on fairness after an especially tough recess, a book on honesty after someone’s eraser collection goes missing, or maybe a book on perseverance to let a student who may be finding something particularly challenging know that it will all work out. I am fortunate to suffer from a first-world problem of having many, many books in my personal library, which means I often can’t remember which book may be the best for the situation at hand. (Okay, maybe that's just old age kicking in!) To solve my problem, I recently decided to go through my collection of books and organize them into categories using Scholastic’s Book Wizard. Below you will find books about:
Transitions - Grades 8-9
Transitioning from elementary to secondary school is a very exciting time for all students. There are a lot of opportunities available to students during their grade 8 year that will help to make this transition a smooth and enjoyable experience. Below is some information about events, activities and opportunities that may occur throughout the year.
The Social Model of Disability
Download this Factsheet as a Word Document: The Social Model of Disability Factsheet – Inclusion London.doc Download this Factsheet as a PDF: The Social Model of Disability Factsheet – Inclusion London.pdf
Growth Mindset resource and
Why do kids need to learn to struggle? As adults we all know the most rewarding experiences in life often involve significant struggle and sacrifice at some stage. Personally the greatest joys in my life have all come with some form of struggle…
Sugar Aunts: Quick As A Cricket Activity Teach Empathy
Kids can have a difficult time with learning to be empathetic. Teaching kids empathy doesn't have to be hard. Empathy is an important part of social-emotional awareness and self-awareness.
'YourKids' Teacher: Erasing Meanness
When my kids came back from spring break this week, they were greeted with shampooed carpets, new collaboration desk clusters, fully stocked common desks, rotated book titles, and one less fish. I forgot to bring back Skittles, our classroom fish, who was still sitting on the entertainment center at home. It was very much a fresh start for everyone after the winter grind that brought long streaks of indoor recess, multiple rounds of state and district testing, and a consistent escalation of what my kids call "drama." I call it meanness.
SENSORY ORGANIZING TIP OF THE DAY: BACK-TO-SCHOOL THE SENSORY WAY – MORNING ROUTINES
A big part of supporting the Back-to-School transition has nothing to do with school — it happens in the many transitions at home around preparing for school. It happens in the morning as our kids get ready for the day at school and/or in the afternoon / eventing as our kids prepare for the next day at school. These many transitions and tasks at home are also where small changes and simple supports can be a powerful tool for our sensory kids. The morning transition can be one of the more challenging transitions as many of our rigid, anxious, or distracted kids have a hard time waking up in the morning, have anxiety about school in general, and/or know they will be working hard to pay attention and hold in together for the next 6 hours.
11 Ways To Raise A Grateful Child — BonBon Break
“Thank you for making dinner, Momma.” “Thank you for my new toy.” “Thank you for reading to me.” “Little Brother, thanks for the balloon.
Famous People Talk About Learning and Attention Issues
Celebrities with learning and thinking differences are often willing to share what those challenges have taught them. Here’s what 9 famous people with ADHD, dyslexia and more have to say. “If you have kids who are struggling with dyslexia, the greatest gift you can give them is the sense that nothing is unattainable. With dyslexia comes a very great gift, which is the way that your mind can think creatively.” —Child Mind Institute Will.i.am, Grammy-winning singer and producer
Encouraging Children to Listen: 3 Steps to Avoid Yelling
The other evening, dinner was approaching. I poked my head out of the kitchen and asked ever so cheerfully for my children to put away their books and toys and start getting ready for dinner. “Uhm…uhm..”
Celebrities With Dyslexia, ADHD and Dyscalculia
Some of the biggest names in movies, music and sports are people who struggled in school with learning and thinking differences. Here are a number of the celebrities who found their passion and overcame their challenges. Whoopi Goldberg (dyslexia) Daniel Radcliffe (dyspraxia)
22 Kid-Approved Acts of Kindness You Can Do THIS Week -
Has anyone else noticed how crazy easy it is to get overwhelmed with all of the things we want to teach and work on with our kids? We see their struggles and insecurities, and we want to take each one head on. But for me at least, wanting to do everything usually leaves me doing a dozen things on a surface level instead of a few things wholeheartedly.
Mighty Mommy : 8 Strategies for Dealing with a Defiant Child
When a child acts out and demonstrates defiant behavior, there is usually a reason behind it. Whether it’s just looking for attention, testing boundaries, or frustration about school or social life, taking the time to understand why your child is acting out is often a big part of the solution. There are circumstances, however, when this behavior is the result of a more serious condition known as Oppositional Defiance Disorder, or another more significant emotional issue. But in the absence of these, more serious ailments, the average child will most definitely test your limits while growing up. The following strategies have helped me with my own brood. And it’s not a coincidence that there are 8 strategies here – one for each of my 8 kids!
7 Tips for Parenting Your 2-year-old
Inside: 7 science-backed tips for parenting your two year old. The early toddler years are both joyful and difficult, but once you understand their development, it puts it all in perspective. The first time I did research with two-year-olds was a wake-up call. Previously, I had only worked with little babies and older children. It is quite challenging to study the development of emotions and cognition in babies, but believe me, two-year-olds, were a whole other level.
