A Day of Groups

Today was the last day of the week. Everyone was excited because next week we are out for Spring Break. There were quite a few teachers out throughout our district this week for various reasons. The flu is still going around. We managed to squeeze in three storm drills to wrap up the quarter. Friday is my busiest day of the week for groups and individual sessions. I've been using Classroom Guidance Games with my group of 5th and 6th grade boys.

I have found many activities in this book that really work for this group of boys. Today we worked on emotions. We learned and discussed various emotions, some they didn't even know existed or what they were (distraught). We also worked on various levels of emotions (agitated, mad, angry, enraged) and how some emotions were good at different times and other emotions we needed to try and keep in check or work out with some help. I wrote out a list of emotions as suggested, but color coded them red, blue and green to help the boys visualize them. I used A Smart Girl's Guide to Friendship Trouble with the 5th and 6th grade girls. Like the previous book, I've been using this with great success with this group of girls.

Today we worked on the respect lesson and not only could I see some wheels turning inside the girls' heads but, they also had some great input. The successes in these two groups were a great way to end the week! I've been doing a lot of research to find lessons on impulse control for a kindergarten class. I'd been reading so much about Hunter and His Amazing Remote Control that I finally decided to order it. Now I can't wait to get it. The teacher for whose class this is will be great to work with and maintain some of the language in it! I also ordered a couple more books.

I've had great success using books to have guidance lessons with students and still not take up much of the teachers' class time. We are on the threshhold of testing season so I know they appreciate this! I read The Paperbag Princess today to third graders just for fun. I joked the the boys that they were going to have to step it up after I read this book because the girls were not going to let anything they say get past them. We had some great laughs with this book! This week, while on spring break, I hope to get many projects accomplished around the house. It desperately needs me (there is a thick layer of dust on some of my curtains!) I also plan on having some fun by running around and shopping with a friend a couple of days, going to play with her first and only grandbaby and conducting a private cake decorating lesson. I hope everyone has a fun and productive week, too!