Two Trainings & A Bulletin Board

So I'm going back and forth between recapping my day while I veg on the couch and crawling under the covers for a one-hour power nap ... obviously the couch spud post is winning this volley. I'm happy to report that I survived my official first-day back. It was great fun, actually, because I got my office somewhat organized, conducted two trainings and made a bulletin board. First things first:



As you may know, Texas is not a Common Core state, but it shocks me nonetheless to read that there's isn't a bit of character education woven into those standards anywhere, so I covertly put the Common Core in this interactive bulletin board because, in the end, Character is our Core!

















The two one-hour trainings were a blast for me. One was at North Pointe Elementary, a 2013 National School of Character. It's my third visit there, and I worry that they might one day sort of groan when they see me coming. But this staff is so warm and welcoming that I always feel right at home and they're so respectful and attentive while we're working together. It's part of my NSOC outreach to do some pro bono sharing but I came away with a red
Keep Calm & Show Good Character shirt.

The second training was a short introduction to our character education framework for our newest Friendswood ISD employees. I enjoyed a light lunch with them, then walked them through our Six Pillar framework and Capturing Kids' Hearts classroom management system. We had fun connecting and collaborating.

For both groups, I posed the question: Who was/is your character role model? After a pair 'n share, a few volunteers told the whole group aloud whom they'd chosen and why. Once they talked about their special person, I asked them to ball up those model character traits into an imaginary ball and toss them into the empty lunch bag that I was holding. I would pretend to catch them and together we were filling the bag with virtual values and virtues. It's an engaging activity that also gives participants a reflection piece and would springboard nicely into a discussion about character and reputation. 

When I got back to the office, I made this video clip so that you can see what I'm talking about and give it a try if you'd like.



It'd also be fun to use with questions like this: 
What ingredients do you want/need for a friendship?
Or in another curricular area:
What safety items do we need in a Science lab? 






3 comments

  1. Barbara:
    That was worth it just for the "snap and catch" technique! (Yet another talent of yours you've kept hidden all this time!)
    I am so glad you enjoyed your first day. When are you coming to do an inservice at my school?
    Now I'm going back to review the posts you referenced... Thanks for leaving the links!

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  2. One of my professional goals is to be a participant in one of your character sessions! I can only imagine how uplifting and inspirational they are.

    Have a great start to the year!

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