Singing My Song

Today I'm excited because the leaf-sized hearts, filled with the things we're grateful for, are filling up this tree in the entrance to our school. 

The most beautiful, heartfelt things. 

Families & friends. 

Sunshine & rain. 

God & Jesus. 

Gratitude, from the bottom of our students' hearts. 

I can't wait to share a picture of it once it's complete.

I'm also eager to share this recap of my visit to

Charlotte Anderson Elementary in Arlington, Texas, last week.

I arrived on Thursday evening in time for Family Character Night. Picture the scene: 50 families coming together for dinner, for a singing performance by their kids, and for some time with an author and character educator, me. The coolest part is that those angelic voices were singing one of my songs. 

On stage. 

Live. 

To me.

I wish you could have been there to hear them singing my song, 

the one called Talk, Walk, Then Tell, 

set to the music of The Chicken Dance:

If a bully bothers you, 

and you don't know what to do,

out at recess or in school,

talk, walk, then tell.

I'll be a buddy, not a bully.

I'll be a friend and take a stand.

I can swarm or go get a grown-up,

so we can all lend a helping hand.

What an honor, to have those superheroes singing my song. It was a hard act to follow, that's for sure. For my part of the program, I chose to read aloud Maria Dismondy's Chocolate Milk Por Favor, and intersperse the text with a few of my other poems, ditties, and songs. I drew a parallel between my story about Carlos (how he came to live on our farm not knowing a lick of English and how his predicament taught me empathy) and Gabe in Maria's masterpiece. When I'd finished, a young boy came to thank me, and his mom shared that that was his story just two years prior, coming to America to school and not speaking the language. Then she asked if she could take a picture of her children with me. 

Be still my beating heart.

Friday was equally as heartwarming. I played my ukulele as students arrived at school. They'd stop to talk - Thank you for the music. - and ask questions - Do you get paid to play that for us? and more questions - Wait, are you the author? And I felt right at home, in my element. 

Kindness: The writing's on the wall at CAE.

Routines changed a bit that morning because the school was on an early dismissal schedule that day but it didn't seem to phase the kiddos one bit. I met them in the gym where they were sitting respectfully and the Art teacher and I led an impromptu ukulele-guitar sing-along using the song You Are My Sunshine. Such an AmAzInG way to launch into a fantastic Friday!

Don't you love the kid-friendly LOOK?

I spent two hours with the Character Crew before being interviewed by this Viking News Network Crew. Here are two excerpts from that time with them; prepare to be WoWed by these articulate budding reporters.

I truly could have visited with them all afternoon, without question. After their dismissal and our lunch, I led a two-hour afternoon session with the staff on school climate. Before I was whisked away to the airport, I was given a very special gift, one that I'll never forget. The CAE school family has commissioned a Buddy Bench to be built and installed on their playground in my honor. Such a generous gesture of caring, support, kindness, enthusiasm and love.

Oh yeah, they're singing my song alright.

Who's singing your song?

0

PPBF: Mogie - The Heart Of The House

First, an update about our Sweets For The Soldiers campaign:

Forty boxes of homemade goodies and treats are shipping out this morning en route to sixteen different deployed servicemen and women around the world who won't be home for the holidays, along with heartwarming notes like this one.

I just love that this writer gives her soldier credit for her safe feelings. And if my heart weren't happy enough, this morning I get to start the day with my friend Jennifer down the road at Southside Elementary in Angleton for their National Schools of Character celebration. We're on the agenda right after the AHS cheerleaders; I'm so eager to dance the Six Pillar Shuffle with those superheroes. And, I've got just the right PPBF to launch us into our

 Thanksgiving break week off.

Title: Mogie - The Heart Of The House

Author: Kathi Appelt

Illustrator: Marc Rosenthal

Publisher: Anheneum Books For Young Readers

Date: June 10, 2014

Suitable for: ages 4 - 8

Realistic fiction

Themes: compassion, friendship, empathy

Brief synopsis: Mogie is a Labradoodle who makes his way into the Ronald McDonald house in Houston to befriend and ultimately help restore mojo to a sick boy named Gabe.

Opening page:  There once was a very special house in the middle of a big city.

Resources: 

Visit the book's website {here}.

Read a Kirkus review {here}.

Watch the book's trailer on You Tube:

Why I like this book:  An adorable, active pup, a sick child, a charitable organization like the Ronald McDonald House ... what's not to like? Meet the real Mogie. This story is based on the real-life story of this empathy expert, who seems to have an uncanny ability to help the children who need him most. 

Click the picture to read his real-life story.

In this PPBF pick, Mogie is the one pup in a passel (have your students look up that word) who isn't destined for something big like his siblings, some of which join a Search and Rescue operation, others who take a Service job, and the rest who become Show Ring trophy dogs. 

Instead, Mogie is a rule-breaker who ends up at a Ronald McDonald House in Houston, destined to be the pet with the therapeutic ability to help heal. And when Gage, a sick child who is in the special house for treatment while he's ill, gets his mojo back, Mogie stays to help nurse Antonio back to health. 

Sounds like a really good job for a dog, don't you think?

I read it to a first-grade class yesterday, and they identified it as a circle story. Use this circle story to talk about empathy. How can you tell from Mogie's tale that it might be possible for a pet to have empathy? Have them cite specific examples. Switch places with Gage. What must his experience be like? How do you think he feels? What do you think he needs? What do you think his parents need? How about his friends? How could you use your superpowers to help this family?

This would be the perfect book to springboard a service-learning project. Is there a Ronald McDonald House in your area? What services to they provide? What do they need? Maybe you could partner to provide them a service. Could you make get-well cards or notes of cheer for the residents and their families? Maybe they need stuffed animals or board games? Some of the chapters take those pop tabs from soda cans. Perhaps you could start collecting them? Research what they use those for to spark a discussion about repurposing.

My brother Mark is on the Board of the Milwaukee Ronald McDonald House Chapter, so this charity has a personal connection for me, another reason that I was instantly endeared to Mogie.

Finally, have students write an essay and draw an illustration about who the heart of the house is at their place and why. These would make really special presentations and perhaps even a holiday bulletin board.

Check out this book; I think you'll want a copy for your shelves, too. Then head to Susanna's blog for today's other PPBF titles.

28

Cold Feet

Happy November!

My feet were freezing as I toured around DC before heading home today, so I repurposed my fingerless gloves. They've got potential, don't ya think?

We saw so much breathtaking natural beauty on our tour of the Arlington Cemetery and the Pentagon Memorial, despite the fact that both of those places make me feel deeply sad and somber.

Ask not what your country can do for you ...

the perfectly fitting end to an amazing character conference.

The cold feet totally complement my keynote theme;

what a blast it was to dress like a (n)ICE Queen

as I talked about kindness as the real global warming!

Click the picture to watch us dance the Kindness Hokey Pokey!

And look who we found in the hotel lobby this morning,

author Trudy Ludwig. Such an inspiration.

What a wonderful weekend it was!

The table toppers made by art students at Sullivan Primary where my friend Tina teaches were fantastic!

Before I spoke, Tina snuck by to give me these

Seeds of Happiness. Super sweet!

I'd like to say my keynote went off without a hitch,

but that wouldn't be entirely truthful. Actually, technology wasn't exactly our friend that morning, and my slides didn't come up like we'd planned, so time stood still and I had to wing it for the first few minutes.

But once I talked myself into the fact that they may not be coming up, I backed away from the podium and started to soar. Time hasn't flown by so quickly since I'm not sure when, and, before I knew it, the event I've been planning for for a year was in the books. I was honored and humbled by the opportunity, the standing ovation, and the kind words of affirmation that would follow into the weekend.

My Godparents joined us from PA and my sister came in from WI.

And on Saturday my friends Kelly and Jenn served as emcees for the 

National Schools of Character luncheon.

We celebrated 44 NSOCs, including Southside Elementary, a school whom we had the privilege to mentor a little bit.

I am excited and energized by caring educators like these

and I'm here to say that I don't have cold feet about our future because it looks super-bright with their superheroes leading the way!

3

The Empathy Way

Yesterday's mail delivery brought some new empathy books and a Teacher's Manual with all sorts of research, tips, and strategies for stretching empathy from my new friend and author, Dr. Anne Paris. 

Talk about your buried treasure!

This serious look at the glorious virtue of empathy, with photography by Marian Brickner, does not monkey around! This dynamic duo has integrated actual photographs of the Bonobo Apes, known for their "peaceful behavior," to discuss concrete behaviors and ultimately nurture and evoke empathy in their readers. 

In the You Scared Me! story, for example, one monkey doesn't know how to get another's attention appropriately, so his behaviors end up scaring/bullying two of the other friends. They then have to work through those scared feelings and figure out a way to keep that harassment from happening again. The story unfolds with courage and conversation, just as you'd hope it would in your own backyard or on your own playground. Dr. Paris' authentic look at empathy will undoubtedly help even our youngest learners understand how it looks, sounds, and feels.

The teacher's guide is brilliantly written and the lesson plan ideas require very little prep. My favorite part has to be the Empathy Buddy Badge that a child can earn to show that he or she has mastered the concept of empathy and is now 

proudly practicing it ... to get better.

Three books grace this series; for video clips, information and more, 

visit The Empathy Way online.

As an engaging follow-up option, try this new script that I wrote

for Tanya's Empathy in a (Shoe) Box lesson:

Here's the scenario:

I am a little child whose mommy is sick. Everybody whispers so I don’t know exactly what’s wrong but I’m sensing that it’s really bad. I don’t get to see her very much and when I do she’s super tired and mostly asleep. Daddy seems really worried and I have to stay with babysitters most of the time. What does my mommy need? What does my daddy need? Is there something I could do to help them? What do I need? What will help us or make us feel better? How could you use your superpowers to help us?

Need more information, activities or ideas on elevating empathy? 

Visit my Elevating Empathy Pinterest Page.

And why not make plans now to attend the 21st annual National Forum on Character Education in Washington, D.C. next month? I'll be delivering the kickoff keynote ~ Kindness Is The Real Global Warming ~ on Halloween and I can't wait! Mary Gordon, Founder of Roots of Empathy, is a headliner in the line-up of passionate speakers charged with inspiring greatness. Click the flyer for information on how you can join us at this year's big event. 
I hope to see some of you there.

0

Kindness Ripples

Today I'm thinking about kindness ... and ripples.

As I was walking this morning, I was pondering what empathy and kindness actually have to do with one another, and I was reminded of Sam. I had the pleasure of meeting Sam, a kindhearted custodian from the Show-Me State, during a National School of Character site visit via Skype about five years ago, when I asked to visit with him about something I'd read in their NSOC application. You see, Sam has a tradition of going into the cafeteria and giving every child a hand-crafted card with a dollar in it on his/her birthday, a practice that had sparked something supersized at his school. 

Students told me that they cannot wait for their turn to turn a year older and receive their dollar from Sam. We're talking about a dollar, people ... but it's not the money at all, is it? Nope, it's the kindness that's wrapped up in that card and sealed in that envelope that is the much-anticipated treat for these birthday boys and girls. It's a big deal to get something special from their superhero Sam.

I imagine it goes like this:

Empathy - Sam figures it'd feel pretty good to get a homemade birthday card in the cafeteria on your special day.

Compassion - Sam thinks with his heart and cares enough to want to spread those feelings of positivity and joy while honoring his little friends with something special on their birthday.

Kindness - Sam gets a birthday list, starts making cards, saves enough money so he has a dollar to give to each child, and Sam makes it happen, one birthday at a time, all year long.

Just think about all the goodness that might happen as a result of Sam's kindness. I'm wondering if his parents know what a terrific job they did raising him ...

And wouldn't you know that it started with empathy, such a nice segue into the reminder that tomorrow our book study continues with Chapter 4 over at EduKate and Inspire. I can't wait to hear what Kate, a second-grade teacher who's also got a counseling degree, has to say about one of my favorite chapters.

Here are a few more resources I found 

on empathy and kindness this week:

Download the Ripil Kindness App {here}. From our friends at Pay It Forward, this free app lets you express your kindness and keep track of the good that it does.

Read advice from a Harvard psychologist about raising kind kids {here}.

Glean ideas on encouraging empathy from Melissa Harding {here}.

And see Sandra Smith's thoughts on Compassionate Kids {here}. 

How will you use kindness ripples to make a splash today?

  

1

Sold Out For The Kids

I wasn't even going to go to that National School of Character Open House at North Pointe Elementary yesterday because I've been there before, three times to conduct workshops, once as a site visitor and then in November when they brought home the CEP banner from the National Forum in DC.

That was a special celebration!

I attended that day to bring congratulations from our NSOC to theirs 

and to dance the Six Pillar Shuffle with them.

Click the picture to read all about it.

But late this week I made a last-minute, executive decision that, because I have an intern who would totally benefit from attending and networking at their NSOC Open House, I simply had to attend.

And, sure enough, I was blessed beyond belief. 

The sixty participants were treated to the most amazing morning. We started in the monthly Character Connection community meeting, then moved to the library for an overview and agenda, to look at our maps and to enjoy some time to reflect. At 9:00, we broke into a six-session, two-hour block of pure bliss. 
Our chance to watch and see, to learn and grow. 

From the best in the business.

A school family that is clearly sold out for the kids.

I sent my intern with Angela, a counselor and friend from a neighboring district, and I moved from session to session enjoying the blessing by the fruits of our labor. You see, the character momentum was fueled when their Principal Kelly Mooney and their Counselor Jennifer McCaffrey joined us at the Westwood Elementary NSOC Open House at this time five years ago in 2009. I am at once honored and humbled to have been a part in this school's glorious journey.

I started in the Coffee Chat with the Principal, then I took a solo session to simply roam the halls, look at their vibrant visual displays, followed by the Character Cruise session led by my colleague and friend, Jennifer. I was bursting with pride at the way this young counselor has taken seeds I've planted and cultivated them to positively impact her faculty, staff, students, and families. I took a water break that's worth mentioning because it was a passing period, and I got caught at the bubbler while a class passed by. One student saw that I was waiting, and she stopped the line and invited me to go through to get back to my classroom. On her own. Because that's how they treat others at this  model school. 

I attended a session on the CEP's Eleven Principles, a session on Morning Meeting, and visited a random classroom where students recognized me from their celebration last fall and were eager to tell me about their blogging adventures. I was intrigued when they broke into small groups and began by working on their secret group handshakes.

Before I knew it, it was time for a yummy working lunch and the closing. I sat by my intern and listened as she eagerly shared all that she'd taken in and experienced. After we heard from the fifth-grade Leadership Team, it was time for a Q & A with a student panel. I decided to play devil's advocate and ask this question: Aren't fourth and fifth graders too cool 

for all of this character stuff?

It was while students were answering my question, that I got emotionally overwhelmed and started to cry.

Yep, big crocodile tears. 

Of pride. 

Of joy. 

Of hope.

This fifth-grade girl told the participants in no uncertain terms that they were not too cool, that, in fact, kindergarteners "get so ecstatic" to be able to sing with the big kids. We do it for them, she told us. Another student added that it's important because "we're building our reputation." And a fifth-grade boy said that they might be the oldest now, but next year in sixth, it'll be like they're "back in kindergarten as the youngest." 

Their message? You're never too old to be a character kid. And that doesn't happen by chance. That happens when you're committed to raising future leaders founded by character values. It's because you're hiring for character and a climate of caring is your top priority.

And, as we were leaving and thanking administrators for the morning, Kelly handed my intern a hardcover copy of the Kathryn Otoshi's One from her Principal's Book Of The Month club and wished her well, evidence that they're walking the talk and always seizing opportunities to pay it forward.

Thank you, NPE, for inviting us to experience what being

 sold out for the kids looks like, sounds like, and feels like.

You have truly captured my heart.

2

Super Schools Celebrated

Today I'm grateful to be guest posting at the Character Educator. I've enjoyed wonderful partnership over with my friends at the Josephson Institute of Ethics, home of the Character Counts! Six Pillar framework, these past thirteen years. 

Click {here} to go there and read all about our time at the Character Education Partnership National Forum celebrating the 2013 National Schools of Character! The deadline for this year's application is December 2nd; why not consider applying for this distinction? Please contact me if that's a process I could help you through or consult with you on.

This morning I'm on my way to the Post Office with an additional 24 boxes of cookies for the troops. That makes 40 in all ... 400 dozen cookies. I can't wait. When I was in the Post Office on Monday, a customer overheard me scheduling our appointment. He said, "Hey, you're the soldier boxes lady! I've helped you before." I thanked him and then the man behind the counter said, "How does 9:30 work?" So for fun, I turned to the man in the line and asked, "How does 9:30 on Thursday work?" Sure enough, he put us on his calendar and is meeting us there in the morning to help carry boxes in. He told me that he'd be bringing the Chief. Yay. Chief of Police Weiners helped last year and it seems he'll be showing up again.
 Gives new meaning to It Takes A Village ...

I also wanted to give you an updated look at our 

Tree of Thanks-Giving!

At the time of the year when leaves are typically falling off of the trees, it's glorious to find a tree where leaves are growing. These particular leaves bear words and drawings that represent appreciations, gratitude, and blessings.

Don't you just love Thanksgiving time?

Want to experience more thankfulness?
Watch this TED Gratitude video {here}.
Then teach your students to show appreciation with
help from Laura Candler's post {here}.

1

Blasting Off With Writing

Today I'm excited to share a promising practice that came about as a result of shared ideas between the North Pointe Elementary Rockets, Jennifer Quigley, a first-grade teacher in our school family, and my webmaster Jane Ann. It sparked when NPE sent a team to our NSOC Open House, where I told them about a teacher T-shirt team-builder that we did with our staff. They took that idea back and had their teachers design character Ts, then took it a step further and had the best design made into their school shirt that year. They gave me one of their Ts in exchange for a character workshop with their school family.

So Mrs. Quigley sees me wearing that shirt and it clicks; 

wouldn't that make a great title for her students' character journals?

When Jennifer tells me what she's thinking, I ask my friend and techno-guru Jane Ann to create the cover for these amazing keepsakes. Each week for six weeks in the spring, Mrs. Quigley comes to my office to snag a title from my 

Books That Teach list and reinforce each of our 

Six Pillars of Character. The class family reads it and talks about it before reflecting on the trait in their journal. Here's a sneak peek inside Ava's handiwork; a special thank you to her and her family for letting me share her thoughts with you.

 t

 

Can't you just feel the love that my character cam caught

as Ava shared her finished product with her teacher?

Never underestimate the power of synergy

to help you and your little authors

blast off!

1