Diversity

My lessons for the past couple of weeks have focused on differences between people.  Here are a few of the books I've used to stimulate our discussions:  Hooway for Wodney Wat by H. Lester , The Other Side by Woodson, The Big Orange Splot by Pinkwater, Let's Talk About Race by J. Lester, and The Adventure Begins:  First Day at Detinu International School by Munnerlyn.  We brainstorm all the differences between people:  skin color, eye color, size, abilities, nationality, preferences, and many more.  The depth of the discussion varies greatly according to their developmental level, but all grades discuss that it is not OK to judge someone based on their appearance.  In the older grades, we get into the topic on a deeper level and begin to define race and racism.  We also discuss the fact that as international school students, they are a unique group of kids, called "cross-cultural kids."  (Refer to earlier blog post about David Pollack's book, Third Culture Kids.)

Sparks

Peter L. Benson, PhD on "Sparks"
Click the above link to watch Dr. Benson discuss sparks, an individual's deepest passions and interests that give them meaning, focus, joy and energy.  Thanks to those who were able to attend the last Parent-2-Parent session this week, I enjoyed the discussion.  Click this link to see more information about Dr. Benson's book.
Sparks : How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teenagers

Stress!

"Don't Pop Your Cork on Mondays!" -Moser

This month, I have been focusing on STRESS with the kids.  We are defining stress, talking about what causes stress for them, and finally practicing ways to reduce stress levels.  One of my favorite books is pictured above.    We discuss several methods for reducing stress:  exercise, talking to your family & friends, "square breathing," progressive muscle relaxation, using your imagination to picture yourself in a calm place, reducing the number of activities, and alone time.  I'm also using the book "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Pressure."  I practiced the muscle tightening and relaxing technique with EC all the way up to grade 5.  It's fun to speak with all the students about this topic.  Please ask your child about their lessons with Mr. Everett!  

Happy 2012 !!

This week we are welcoming a lot of new students to TAISM, and my lessons are focusing on moving...what can we do when we have to move?  Or when our friends have to move?  Kids can often have very strong and varied feelings during relocation, and it's important to give them ways to cope with these feelings.

From Jan 15-22, I will be teaching my "Personal Safety" lesson in each classroom.   They will be learning how to keep their bodies safe, and they will begin to identify the adults in their lives that they can talk to if they have a problem. On the day that I teach your child, I will send home a handout to parents with specifics.  Talking about this lesson with your child will help to reinforce the points I cover.  If you have any questions beforehand, please email me or stop by my office.

Please feel free to attend the next "PARENT-2-PARENT" meeting on Monday, Jan 16 @ 10:00, in the Library Conference Room.  (This will follow the Parent Coffee at the same location with Steve Lake.)  I will be sharing what I've been doing in the classroom this week, as well as previewing next week's personal safety lesson.  And then we'll end with discussion about those topics.

Thanks to all of you who were able to attend the Parent-to-Parent Meeting on Dec 12th.  The discussions were thought-provoking, as the topic is of interest to all of us with "cross-cultural kids!"  If you were unable to make the meeting, you can check out the book pictured here, by David Pollock & Ruth E. van Reken.  The library has a copy, and it is available on most online booksellers.    I will attempt to post the power point presentation I prepared that summarizes the book.

If I could only recommend one book to someone, this is it.  It's a quick read, but it's fascinating for parents, and is applicable to every aspect of your life.  We referred to this book in our discussion last week, at our first ES "Parent-to-Parent" meeting.  The next P2P meeting will be on December 12 after the ES Parent Coffee. You can expect the meeting to start at approximately 10:00 and end at 11:00.  The next brief presentation, and longer discussion, will be about "Third Culture Kids."  The information will be based on David Pollock & Ruth Van Reken's book, "Third Culture Kids:  Growing Up Among Worlds."  Hope to see you there!

"Parent 2 Parent" Kicks Off!

I hope to see many of you at the first "Parent 2 Parent" meeting on November 14 after the Parent Coffee.  The meetings are intended to provide support for parents who are always looking to find better ways to interact with their children.  I hope to cover a variety of topics in the coming months.  The structure of the meetings will involve the presentation of a parenting topic at the beginning, followed by discussion among all of us present.

In class this week, I've been talking with the kids about the art of compromise, and working out solutions to conflicts.  Some classes in the younger grades are learning about anger management as well.