In November...Harness Your Energy

Descriptor:
  • Focus on the solutions rather than the problems.
  • Mistakes are opportunities to learn.  There are no mistakes – only lessons.
  • Character education, reputation, resiliency
  • Using our strengths or talents to help us find solutions and possibilities.
  • “Run the Race”
  • Important to know history so we don’t repeat the same mistakes.
Public Service Announcement:
We recognize that by using our strengths and talents we can find possibilities and solutions.  Focusing on our strengths will give us energy to fix what is wrong. 
Thought for the Month:
  • “Do it now” - Terry Kelly
  • “Everyone has the right to be respected and the responsibility to respect others.”-bullying.org
  • “It’s Cool to Care” - Anonymous
  • "The root of the word 'society' is 'friendship' and 'companionship.'" - Anonymous
  • “Being a hero is not determined by what you can see or hear, it is based upon what is achieved for society…” - Olivia Heaney
  • “The habits we form from childhood make no small difference, but rather they make all the difference.” - Aristotle
  • “My world is different than any others.” - Anonymous
  • “People can be geniuses – create the conditions necessary.” - Anonymous
  • “Success on the outside begins within.” - Anonymous
  • “Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage.” - The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
Suggested Whole School Events/Activities:
  • Celebrate National Child day on November 20th  (see suggested list of activities found under classroom activities or see resources folder).
  • Adopt the “No Blame” Approach to Bullying.
  • Create a “Peer Power” peer support group/peer mentoring group.
  • Drama clubs could identify or develop plays with celebration message to get out to the community and/or take to younger grade.
  • Have a school debate on the rights and responsibilities of children or invite a guest speaker to address the whole school on this issue.
  • If students are not familiar with the 8 keys of excellence share them with them: integrity, failure leads to success, speak with good purpose, this is it, commitment, ownership, flexibility and balance ( Quantum Teaching Orchestrating Student Success by Bobbi Porter, Mark Reardon, Sara Singer-Nourie, Allyn and Bacon).
 Classroom Activities:
  • Invite your students to take a moment today to record a story from yesterday for tomorrow.  They might like to draw a picture, use a photograph from home, take pictures with a digital camera or use a video camera to help tell the story.
  • Have students list some of their challenging accomplishments as well as something they would like to accomplish in the future (i.e. overcome shyness, learn to skate, improve in math or English).
  • Have your class complete one of the poem activities for National Child day (see attached) or celebrate it in other ways such as:
  • Organize a bottle drive and donate the money raised to a local charity.
  • Have students produce on a postcard what “A World fit for Children” would look like.
  • Donate gently-used clothes to a local shelter.
  • Exchange decorated school t-shirts between schools in other communities.
  • Volunteer your time.
  • Show your thinking on children's rights by:
    • putting on a play
    • creating a video
    • painting or drawing some pictures or a mural
    • creating some music or a song
    • writing a poem
    • taking photographs
  • What could you do with your National Child Day activity?
  • Present it to your town/city hall, or other decision-makers.
  • Share it with other local communities.
Suggested Reading:
  • The Wednesday Surprise (E)*** - Eve Bunting
  • Night (M/H)** - Elie Wiesel
  • Goodness Gracious Gulliver Mulligan (E)*** - Susan Chalker
  • Sometimes I’m Bombaloo (E)** - Rachel Vail
  • It’s Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel (E)*** - Jamie Lee Curtis
  • I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem (E)*** - Jamie Lee Curtis
  • Moonbeam: a Book of MeditationsFor Children (E/M)** - Maureen Garth
  • Earthlight: Meditations for Children (E)* - Maureen Grath
  • How Are You Peeling? (E)* - Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers   
  • I’m Mad: Dealing With Feelings (E)* - Elizabeth Crary
  • The Way I Feel (E)* - Janaan Cain
  • Is a Worry Worrying You? (E)** - Ferida Wolff & Harriet May Savitz
  • When I Feel Sad (E)*** - Cornelia Maude Spelman
  • When I feel Angry (E)*** - Cornelia Maude Spelman         
  • Some Things Are Scary (E) - Florence Parry Heide
  • I Feel Orange Today (E)* - Patricia Godwin & Kitty Macaulay
  • Stress can Really Be Hard On Your Nerves (E/M)* - Elizabeth Verdick & Marjarie Lisovskis
  • Children of the Prairie (Ages 5 to 9) - Joyce Dufresne and Merna Forster
  • Emily Carr (E/M)* - Rosemary Neering
  • Emily Murphy (E/M)* - Donna James
  • Lucy Maud Montgomery (E/M)* - Mollie Gillen
  • Amazing Spiderman-Skating on Thin Ice (E) - comic book
  • Moccasin Goalie (E)*** - William Roy Brownridge
*Available in the Provincial Library System http://vision.gnb.ca/welcome.html
**Available at Benjamin Books
Resources:
  • Mind Masters: Tools for Helping Children Master Positive-Living Skills Dr. Terry Orlick   (See attached information sheets and the enclosed MindMasters CD for children ages 6 to 12).  More information available at http://www.child-youth-health.net/MindMasters.htm) 
  • Be Bright-Think Right program, which includes units on school bus safety, safe Internet use and respect for diversity in your community.  This is available on line for educators, kids and parents at http://www.scouts.ca/bbtr/ba.html.
  • "Mental and Physical Health Across the Life Span" The Relationship Between Physical and Mental Health packet available free from http://www.wmhday.net. Available in French and English.
  • When Something’s Wrong: Ideas for teachers and families by the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation (http://www.cprf.ca).
  • Mental Health Meter fact sheet and brochure (see attached).
  • Coping for Kids: A Complete Stress Control Program for Students ages 8-18.
  • Quantum Teaching Orchestrating Student Success by Bobbi Porter, Mark Reardon, Sara Singer-Nourie, Allyn and Bacon).
  • For a special collection of health care resources available through the NB Public Library System you may go to: http://www.mindcare.ca/MindCareBibliography5thedition.pdf
  • Celebrate National Child Day- November 20thresource sheet (see attached)
Supplementary Resources (found in the green hanging file folder):
  • Teachers Guide from the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (see attached)
  • Mental Health Fitness Tips
  • Celebrate What’s Right with the World DVD by Dewitt Jones & Leader’s Guide (elementary schools may borrow a copy by contacting Sandi McQuinnsandi.mcquinn@gnb.ca or 848-6684).
  • List of Other Recommended Literature
  • Information on 40 Developmental Assets
Web Sites: