Our fifth grade girls have been having some ongoing issues with each other. Last week, I brought them together as a group and did some dyad (deep listening) practice with them, talked about "I"statements, forgiveness and friendships. They asked if we could meet once a week, "just to talk!"While telling this story to a friend, she mentioned keeping a 'bliss' journal, so that naturally led to a late night trip to the dollar store. While we were in line, my friend took half of the journals and said they were her contribution to the girls. What a pleasant surprise, and a great way to start the topic for the day: kindness!
They loved the journals, and kept the kindness quotes I had provided, sticking them on or inside the covers. I am constantly reminded or the responsiveness of children to this work and of the great need for it. They are so ready to learn and sincerely want to do better for themselves and others. It is a privilege and joy to work with children, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
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- Posted by Novice50
- Jun 22, 2016
- Comments (16)
Readers Comments
laughingsoul wrote: How beautiful! The girls asked for weekly talks, that is so wonderful, wow, I could almost feel their hearts singing. Thank you so much for sharing kindness!
Ella de Jong wrote: Lovely! Having been a teacher for 30 years i love this. Now i deliver training courses about "energizing communication with troubled youth". I'll share this story! Thank you!
Droundy wrote: Not only is it a great idea, but it will literally rewire their brains if they do it every day for about a month. When they meet have them each share one journal entry so they have a reason to keep going. Takes 21 days to start a new habit. Think of the lives yu will change!
You could have them, one day, take a journal page and each write thier name at the top of a page then pass the page around and each oerson write a nice word about what they like or appreciate about that person thenpass it to the next person. Those journals will become rocks of stregnth for their eqrly teen years.
You could have them, one day, take a journal page and each write thier name at the top of a page then pass the page around and each oerson write a nice word about what they like or appreciate about that person thenpass it to the next person. Those journals will become rocks of stregnth for their eqrly teen years.
MaryLynne wrote: Deep listening! We all need to be able to do that. And the bliss notebooks for journaling would be just the thing for the girls! I know you must feel a glorious sense of joy in doing this project with the girls! "follow your joy" is another delightful way to love life.
cynthia mason wrote: What a joy to be able to do this work in public school! It is so needed. How lucky they are to have such an aware teacher and what a gift your children are :)
LW Warfel wrote: This is so wonderful! Sitting here wondering how my life might have been different if i had had this opportunity. Keep up the enlightening, engaging, edifying work you are doing! And thanks for making the world a better place.
leoladyc728 wrote: The journals are a fabulous idea. I also like the fact that they want to meet to just talk. Sounds like they really trust you.
kiwicat wrote: I had a super needy student in yr 4, and we kept a joint journal, she wrote in it, left it on my desk and Id write a reply. It stopped her interupting lessons with irrelevant stories from home... Her home life was sad, so the journalling it gave her an opportunity to be heard, and me an end to the frustration of her constant interruptions.
pyronik wrote: Great result :-) what a great influence you are & what an impact you're having!
mnc_91 wrote: Beautiful way to share journaling goodness to children :-) I myself learn to journal at 30 :-)
