Critical #TeacherFriends Twitter Chat: "Over the Top" Kids

"Over the Top" Kids

recap by Debbie Clement

This past Tuesday we had an incredibly insightful Twitter Chat!

Actually EVERY Tuesday is an amazing Twitter Chat! 

This one just resonated with me. Personally. 

Our #GuestEduCelebrity was Wendy Young. 

She is co-author of the forthcoming book, "BLOOM." 

I'm going to screen shot several of Wendy's tweets from our chat. 

She is a wealth of information, insight and support. 

My hope is to support you as you support children who have challenges.

At the same time I'd like lure you into our weekly Twitter chat!

WE HAVE PRIZES EVERY WEEK! 

I know. I know. You don't even have a Twitter account. 

Or you started one ages ago and then just couldn't see the benefit. 

Let me tell you. Honestly. Twitter is an acquired taste. 

You just have to find some tweeps that resonate with you and your experience. 

THEN you can have professional development 24/7! 

IN YOUR JAMMIES! 

I'm @Kweezlequeen on Twitter: long story, just follow me! 

Let me see if I can capture just a little bit of what you missed. 

I am the moderator of our Tuesday night chat. 

I ask our guests five questions over the course of an hour. 

Everyone that 'attends' also answers the question. 

For Tuesday, the first question I asked was: 

"TeacherFriends What's your favorite suggestion 

for helping angry, 'Over the Top' Kids?" 

Now here come some of Wendy's answers............

*****These are screen shots....

Just click on the images below 

to go directly to the article quoted.

We are working diligently to get the entire chat into an organized, archived format. 

Several tech gliches have kept us from having that ready at this time. 

I will add it here, just as soon as it is captured. 

In the meantime, come wading in the Twitter pool with me! 

Can you believe that the month of May has arrived? 

I think May and I think Mother's Day. 

A while back I created this 'subway' art of my mothering thoughts. 

I titled it, "Things I Learned in Mom School." 

Download and print: VOILA! 

Give it to your favorite mom.... or better still? 

Give it to your favorite GRANDMOM!

If we've arrived at May, then it is seriously time to  get your End-of-the-Year Program together. 

I have two songs that I've written and recorded that are each perfect for this time of year. 

They are each in digital format, with Mp3s included in the zip file. 

Start today and I *PROMISE* you will be performance ready in time. 

They are each THAT simple! 

Depending on the focus of your program, 

you can either go with the three tissue self-esteem anthem,

"You're Wonderful" 

or go patriotic and use 

"Red, White and Blue" 

which has also been known to incite tears. 

They are each available at our Early Education Emporium. 

Or perhaps you are more familiar with TeachersPayTeachers.

I've had a couple of AMAZING school visits since last month, 

to some of your favorite cyber-friend/bloggers. 

I just visited Mr. Greg in Nashville..... read all about it on my blog here or on Greg's blog there! 

I absolutely ADORE this picture of their preparation for my arrival! 

They are making quilt square art in response to my first picture book! 

Greg is going with the "no table" approach to his kindergarten classroom this year. 

Give the room a whole new feel. 

Opens it up and allows for my kinder-sprawl! 

Can you find my book? 

RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THE ACTION!

Be still my heart!!!

AUTHENTIC ART IN THE MAKING!

As if that wasn't enough.... two days ago I visited with Cheryl of "Primary Grafitti" fame.  

Here's the tweet that she sent out right in the middle of #TeacherFriends chat. 

The mature students are 'freezing funny faces' in response to my song, "Jumpin' Jiminy.' 

If you EVER wanted to take a peek at an 'organized' classroom, 

come look over my shoulder as I mozy around the perimeter of her room! 

Prepare to be amazed! 

{Click pic below}

Here's one more FREEBIE for you for your End-of-Year gift. 

You can download it in pdf format over at our Early Education Emporium! 

I'll sign off with a HUGE sense of gratitude for yet another of my blogging friends. 

Mary, over at "Sharing Kindergarten" has embraced the Wobble Seats that we distribute. 

I don't have to put words in her mouth, as she's written at length about her excitement over our seating alternative. 

She started with a set of four WobbleSeats and then got a dozen MORE! 

When you order a dozen we can have them shipped for free. 

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence

A friend who teaches science to kindergarteners through 5th graders in local public school, recently told me how she decided to dedicate time to teaching how to be a good friend.  She went on to explain how her students, mostly from low-income families, would react so harshly and how social interactions tended to escalate quickly.

Although taking time away from academics may be frowned upon by some, emotional intelligence is critical to later success in life.  Jane M. Healy, Ph.D., an educational psychologist, has written numerous, well-researched books on children, their brains, and learning.  In Your Child’s Growing Mind, she argues that emotional intelligence is “actually more important in life than school smarts.”

One way to cultivate emotional intelligence is to help children learn how to identify when they are starting to feel out of control or overwhelmed, and then access tools for calming themselves down.  In our school, and at home, we use “Take a Break” spaces.  Please note that these are not for the traditional “time out.”  Rather, these are places where children can go on their own accord, so as to regain some composure or calm.

At The Montessori School of the Berkshires our Take a Break spaces are inspired by The Shining Mountain Center for Peaceful Childhood and include items that appeal to different senses.  Some key components of the Take a Break spaces can include:

• scent bottles with essential oils (for calming, energizing, or promoting balance)
• pictures of peaceful scenes from nature
• textured items (objects from nature, sensory balls, etc.)
• items like a sand timer or electric tea candle (to indicate a “start” to using the space)
• objects that provide auditory or visual interest (e.g. sea shells, thumb piano, kaleidoscope, etc.)

  

To keep the area fresh and engaging, we try to rotate the Take a Break items every few weeks.  We have a Take a Break space for each classroom (either in the classroom or in the hallway just outside the classroom door, depending upon various factors), and I have a space in my office for children who need an even greater distance from whatever is troubling them.

My daughters and I created a cushier version of the Take a Break space for home.  They picked out a neutral space in our upstairs hall where we could nestle in a bean bag, a PillowPet, a blanket, and a basket of some calm-down items.  The tissue box came later, once someone used the space while teary-eyed.

In addition to some books (both for reading and one for coloring), we added scenty pencils, a small bean bag, a sensory ball, as well as some easy-to-make items.

In a slender jar, we added glitter, water, and food coloring, which provides a lovely, calming effect when you shake it.

We also colored rice with food coloring and rubbing alcohol, added it to a ball jar, and hid little items inside.

Finally, we smooshed homemade playdough into balloons, which creates the perfect squish-when-upset item!

Our inspiration for the Take a Break spaces at home came from a Positive Parenting post on a Calm Down Corner and Calm Down Travel Bag.

While fun to make, the underlying purpose of all of the items and spaces is to help children become more emotionally literate.  I’m delighted when one of my children stomps off, shouting, “I need to take a break!”  In that moment she has recognized that she’s on the brink of doing something that she’ll likely regret once she’s calmed down.

Whether at home or school, we can create the spaces where our children can cultivate their emotional intelligence and form a foundation for future success.

A Sensory Explosion

October greetings from Barbara at The Corner On Character. I visited Rachel Chapman's preK class at Westwood-Bales the other day and look at the cool tactile tools I found - 

A Sensory Explosion! 

Rice dyed blue and red in plastic bins with all sorts of fun stuff to scoop up and arrange. Mrs. Chapman tells me she used three cups of rice with three Tablespoons of colored water, though she added that she might try a little vinegar next time to seal in the color. 

A bin full of colorful magnetic letters for place and trace.

A bean bin for counting, sorting, and fine motor practice.

And back in my office, a calm-down basket filled with 

scented rice and puddle stones. Hide the puddles and challenge them to find the one with the letter A. What could that represent? There are also two with a secret message on them for older learners.

Do you want add another layer to your sensory explosion? Use these things to explore feelings. Find out from your little learners which items might represent mad. They could choose the scissors 'cause it cuts or something red because of its color. Which item(s) represent happy? Perhaps the plush puffs or the smooth stones. Scared? Silly? Sad? Reinforce these feelings concepts with a book like 
Happy, Sad, Silly, Mad: My World Makes Me Feel 
by John E. Mitchell and Jana Christy.

Then sing along with Rock-ucation's 
Happy Sad Silly Mad song:

Click {here} for more activity suggestions by Shelley Frost to help your little ones learn and explore more about their feelings.