BEST PRACTICEMORE

More emphasis on active, hands-on learning More acceptances of the noise and movement which accompanies

students actively doing, talking, and collaborating More reading of whole, original, real books and nonfiction materials More deep study of a smaller number of carefully chosen topics More emphasis on higher-order thinking; learning each content field's

key concepts, principles, and ways of knowing More responsibility and choice for students; e.g. picking their own books,

writing topics, and team partners; setting goals, keeping classroom records, etc.

Honoring and modeling of the principles of democracy in school More attention to the affective needs and the varying cognitive styles of

individual students More co-operative, collaborative activity; more sense of the classroom as

an interdependent community More heterogeneous classes where individual needs are met through

inherently individualized activities rather than segregation of bodies More delivery of special help to students in regular classrooms More team-teaching by teachers More trust in teachers' descriptive evaluation of student growth,

including qualitative/anecdotal observations

LESS Less presentational, whole-class, teacher-directed instruction, e.g.

lecturing Less student passivity: sitting, listening, receiving, and absorbing

information Less prizing and rewarding of silence in the classroom Less classroom time devoted to fill-in-the-blank worksheets, dittos,

workbooks, and other "seatwork" Less student time spent reading textbooks and basal readers Less attempts by teachers to thinly "cover" large amounts of material in

every subject area Less rote memorization of facts and details Less stress on competition and grades Less tracking or leveling students into "ability groups" Less use of pullout special programs which erode the sense of classroom

community and stigmatize some students Less use of and reliance on standardized tests.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPSNancy Doda, Teacher- to-Teacher

www.teacher-to-teacher.com

Making Connections Check-In ActivityPurpose:Connections is a protocol that is used to bridge the interval between what has happened at home over the weekend and what happens at school. It is a way for students to clear their minds, acknowledge personal problems, announce an achievement, or share how they are feeling or why. The Connections protocol can also give teachers a deeper understanding of their students and/or advisees, alerting them to problems, challenges, or triumphs in their students’ lives. Therefore, it is important that every student participate.Insist that all students sit in a circle facing each other and that desks are clear.Rules:

This time may not be used as a study hall or SSR. This time is not for use as just a “gripe session”—if students have a genuine concern, ask that they share it

appropriately. Sometimes people just need to get things off their chest, so you’ll notice that many of these activities require that listeners not respond immediately.

Do not allow students to sit in isolation or visit with a good friend – even paired-sharing should be an attempt to pair students who do not normally talk to one another.

Do not allow students to listen to ipods. Do not allow students to leave the room for any reason.

Basic Check-In Protocol:1. All participants must sit in a circle.2. The advisor says, “Connections is open” or gets things started by offering his/her own check-in.3. Students take turns sharing in either a go-around, which begins with one student and then goes around the

group in a clockwise formation, or popcorn-style, with students who are seated anywhere in the group speaking.

4. Follow these NORMS: Everyone must say something (even if it’s just “good morning”). Speak only once until everyone has had a chance to speak. Listen actively to what people have said but do not respond. This includes verbal and nonverbal

communication such as nodding/shaking head, smiling/frowning, or giving any type of reaction. “Connections” is not a time to engage in discussion.

NOTE: If any issue comes up that the group wants to respond to, the participants can decide to make time for a discussion after “Connections” is over. You can then use this time as a “teachable moment” and ask students to try to see the other side of a situation or ask the group to help problem-solve.

Alternate Check-In Activities:

1. What’s Your Weather? - Each student checks-in by explaining his/her current “weather condition” (e.g., “stormy”, “cloudy”, “sunny”, “hurricane’s a brewin’”, etc.) Everyone must offer a weather condition, although they may choose not to share an explanation.

2. Four Corners - Create four possible check-in reactions (e.g., four “weather conditions”, four emotions, one – four stars); then ask each student to choose a corner and then share with everyone in that corner why they are there. One option is to have the group come back together and each person share-out one thing they heard someone else say.

3. Pair-Up - Students check-in with a partner. Since the point of this activity is to encourage students to get to know each other, you can also Have students create “appointment calendars” so they are sure to pair up with everyone else at least once

throughout the year. If students create an appointment calendar without specific dates, you can have them use them once a month, checking-in with several others each time.

Create name cards and randomly/selectively pair-up students

NOTE: The Advisor could pair-up with a student if there is an odd number, specifically checking-in with a particularly troubled student.

4. “Dear Advisory” – Advisory begins with students being given 3x5-inch cards on which they can write a dilemma they are having, a question about a difficult situation they are in, or a problem for which they need advice. Students can write as little or as much detail as they would like, but they do not write their name on the card unless for some reason they wish to do so. The advisor collects the cards and takes a moment to look through them. The advisor should note if any themes emerge (so that he or she does not pick similar problems) and choose four or five cards to read aloud. After reading one aloud, the advisor asks the group for advice on the problem. Advisors can encourage student discussion by asking questions such as, “What do you think about _________?” or “What would you do if this was your problem?”Some alternatives: Circle-Up and Light a Candle - This is similar to “Dear Advisory” but without the anonymous factor, so it

should be used with students who feel comfortable with discussing problems together. Students simply take turns sharing out problems or frustrations; it is the job of the circle to find the “Buddhist gift” or “silver lining” or possible solutions.

Can You Relate? - Students take turns sharing a frustration and students who can relate share a similar situation/frustration. The point of these is not to look for solutions, just “vent” and seek common ground.

Activities for Getting to Know Each Other:

1. Human Safari – Each student writes down an interesting or unique fact about himself or herself on a piece of paper. The advisor collects and mixes them up and redistributes them so that each person gets a card (not his/her own). Then each person tries to find the person who matches the information on the card. At the end of the time allotted, each person introduces the person they found and gives an interesting fact about them. NOTE: If someone did not find their person they can share the interesting fact and that person can step forward.

2. Fact or Fiction – Each student writes down two things about themselves, one factual and one fictitious. Then each student takes a turn sharing one (they may choose to elaborate); then the others try to decide whether it is fact or fiction being shared.

3. Loaded Questions -- Pass out quarter sheets of paper. Each student will need a pencil or pen. (It works best if all students use the same type of writing utensil.) Ask a question; each student writes down an answer on a piece of paper. These are collected and one student goes through the stack, trying to match each answer to the writer. Some possible questions: What 3 adjectives describe you the best? What is the one thing that always makes you laugh hysterically? If you were guaranteed an honest answer to any question from any person in the world, who and what

would you ask? What are you most proud of? What song do you keep hearing over and over again? What is the most annoying show on television? What is the nicest feature of the person on your right? What is the last movie that made your eyes tear up? What one object in your home are you most embarrassed about owning? What is your most annoying habit? How many minutes does it take you to get ready in the morning? What is one thing you always wanted as a kid but never got?

4. Speed Interview (“NASCAR Journalism”) Divide the group in half; create an inner circle and an outer circle, facing each other. In one-minute intervals, rotate the inner circle. Some possible interview questions: Each person creates an interview question (without sharing it out), and then asks that question of each

person he/she interviews, noting the answers. When the interview is over, each person figures out a way to summarize the “data” collected and shares it with the class. (For example, if a student decides to ask, “What’s your favorite movie of all time?” they may report out the information by offering titles or by categorizing films into genres: “A third of this group offered horror titles and two-thirds preferred comedies.”)

Each pair talks for the allotted time before rotating. At the end of the interview period, each student tries to write down 1 fact they learned from each interviewee. Then they can share out lists to check for accuracy.

5. Commonalities - Form small groups of 3-5. Each group will need a piece of chart paper and markers. Ask each group to list things they can observe that they may have in common; then ask each group to list things they may have in common but cannot be seen. After five to ten minutes, ask each group to select 3 – 5 favorites to share out.

Debriefing questions: What cliques do we have at school? Do you consider cliques good or bad? How might being part of a clique be helpful or limiting to us? What does it mean to stereotype? How might we stereotype people? What efforts can we make to learn about what people are like on the inside?

5. Venn Diagrams - Form small groups. Each group will use a piece of paper and markers to create a Venn Diagram that depicts all the things they have in common with everyone in the group and with one other and all the ways they are unique.

Debriefing questions: What surprised you? Did you have more in common than you thought? What do you think are the reasons behind your commonalities? In what ways were you unique? What contributed to your uniqueness? What did you learn about someone else you didn’t know previously?

6. Human Bingo – Give each student a copy of the “Human Bingo” board (see attached). Instruct students to fill in their bingo sheet by asking other participants if they have any of the things, qualities, or accomplishments on the sheet. If the answer is yes, the student signs his or her name on the bingo game sheet next to the answer. Each person may only initial one box on the bingo card. To win the game, participants must make a row in any direction. (The teacher may decide to offer a “free” box before the game begins.)

Debriefing questions: What surprised you? Was there any question that no one could answer? What was the one thing that people most often checked off about you?

7. Circle Scramble – Each person says his/her first name so that everyone can hear it. Then, without any verbal or nonverbal communication, the group must attempt to organize into alphabetical order. Once they think they have it, each person says his/her name to see how close they came. Go for further rounds if necessary. You can also try this with:

Middle or last names Birthdays Addresses Names of pets

8. High-flying Spirits – Give everyone in the group an index displaying a name associated with a theme (Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Chief O’Hara, The Joker). Participants find other people in their theme. When all groups are formed, they must create and present a cheer related to their theme. (The advisor will want to create enough themes that enable him/her to divide the advisory into small groups of 4 to 5)

9. Twenty Questions – Each participant needs pencil and paper. Instruct each advisee to complete the sentence, “I am” twenty times, listing all the “roles” they fill (such as “I am a daughter”, “I am a baseball player”, “I am a driver of a red car”). Encourage the listing of roles or positions/activities, not personal characteristics/adjectives. Each participant then shares his/her list with the group.

10. Show and Tell – Just an old-fashioned game of “show and tell”. If you want students to bring in an item, let them know ahead of time.

Lost on the Moon

Your spaceship has just crash-landed on the light side of the moon. You were scheduled to rendezvous with a mother ship 200 km away on the surface of the moon, but the rough landing has ruined your ship and destroyed all equipment on board except for the 15 items listed below.

Your crew’s survival depends on reaching the mother ship, so you must choose the most critical items for the 200 km trip. Your task is to rank the 15 items in terms of their importance for survival. Place 1 by the most important item, 2 by the second most important, and so on through 15, the least important.

You will rank these items twice. First you will rank them on your own (phase 1) and then you will consult with your group and rank them again (phase 2). Share your individual solutions and reach a consensus ranking for each of the 15 items that best satisfies all group members. NASA experts have determined the best solution; their answers will be revealed later.

ITEM Phase 1Your Rank

Error Points

Phase 2Team Rank

Error Points

NASA’s Rank

A. Box of MatchesB. Food ConcentrateC. Fifty Feet of Nylon RopeD. Parachute SilkE. Solar-Powered Portable Heating UnitF. Two .45-Caliber PistolsG. One Case of Dehydrated MilkH. Two 100-Pound Tanks of OxygenI. Stellar Map of Moon’s ConstellationsJ. Self-Inflating Life RaftK. Magnetic CompassL. Five Gallons of WaterM. Signal FlaresN. First-Aid Kit with Injection NeedlesO. Solar-Powered FM Receiver-TransmitterTotal

Item NASA’s Rank ExplanationA. Box of Matches 15 The moon has no oxygen to

sustain flame; matches are

virtually worthless.B. Food Concentrate 4 An efficient means of

supplying energy requirements.

C. Fifty Feet of Nylon Rope 6 Useful for scaling cliffs and helping the injured

D. Parachute Silk 8 Offers protection from the sun.E. Solar-Powered Portable

Heating Unit13 Not needed on the lighted

side, won’t work on the dark side.

F. Two .45-Caliber Pistols 11 A possible means of self-propulsion

G. One Case of Dehydrated Milk

12 A bulkier duplication of food concentrate

H. Two 100-Pound Tanks of oxygen

1 The most pressing survival need.

I. Stellar Map of the Moon’s Constellations

3 The primary means of navigation.

J. Self-Inflating Life Raft 9 The CO2 bottle in the raft may be used to propulsion.

K. Magnetic Compass 14 The moon’s magnetic field is not polarized; a magnetic compass is worthless for

navigation.L. Five Gallons of Water 2 Replacement for the

tremendous liquid loss that will occur on the light side.

M. Signal Flares 10 Will be needed for use as a distress signal when the mother ship is sighted.

N. First-Aid Kit with Injection Needles

7 Vitamins, medicines, etc. are injected with needles that fit a special aperture in the space

suits.O. Solar-Powered FM

Receiver-Transmitter5 Needed for communication

with the mother ship.

Doubting DEBBIE

Debbie would like to have Marsha as a friend. Marsha has invited Debbie and several other girls

to a party at her house. Debbie knows that some of the girls invited will smoke cigarettes and

she could be expected to smoke if she went to the party. Debbie has never smoked and she

doesn’t wish to start. She has some doubts about going to the party.

If Debbie goes or if she decides not to go to the party, there could be some problems.

What problems might come up if she decided to go?

What problems might come up if she decided not to go?

Go back and review your list of problems. Should Debbie go to the party? Depending on your

answer, which problem will provide the greatest challenge for Debbie?

Objective:

To identify problems associated with peer pressure.

Time: One session

Materials: Worksheets

Procedures:

Say to students:

There are times when we find ourselves in troublesome

situations. We really don’t know what to do. It may be that

we did something that caused a problem, or it may be that

something just turned out that way. When we don’t know which way to turn, when things seem

to be more than we can deal with, it helps to stop and think

things through. Today you will have a chance to think

things through and identify some problems.

Hand out worksheets and read the example re: “Debbie” aloud to students. After they have had time to complete the worksheet call for a show of hands on the questions on the bottom of the handout. Encourage individual responses from volunteers.

FORCED CHOICE STRATEGY

There are several ways this activity can be used. One that is usually successful with middle school students is to have each student complete the list privately. After making choices, have students who made the same choice stand on one side of the room and students who made the opposite choice stand on the other. Ask for volunteers to share reasons for making the choice. A second technique would involve pairs. After students complete the list, they would share their results with one other person. After the pair had discussed their decisions, they would find another pair and would share.

Instructions: Write or circle the word in each pair of words that best describes you.

__________ 1. More of a saver or spender?__________ 2. More of a loner or a grouper?__________ 3. More like summer or winter?__________ 4. More yes or no?__________ 5. More present or future?__________ 6. More intuitive or rational?__________ 7. More like a paddle or a ping-pong ball?__________ 8. More like a mountain or a valley?__________ 9. More like a book or a picture?__________ 10. More an arguer or an agreer?__________ 11. More like a clothes line or a kite string?__________ 12. More like hard candy or soft-centers?__________ 13. More physical or mental?__________ 14. More like a knife or a spoon?__________ 15. More like dress shoes or house-slippers?

If I Were In Charge of the World

~ Judith Viorst

If I were in charge of the worldI’d cancel oatmeal,Monday mornings,Allergy shots, and alsoSara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the worldThere’d be brighter night lights,Healthier hamsters, andBasketball baskets forty-eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the worldYou wouldn’t have lonely. You wouldn’t have clean.You wouldn’t have bedtimes.

If I were in charge of the worldA chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts

would be a vegetable.All 007 movies would be G.And a person who sometimes forgot to brush,And sometimes forgot to flush,Would still be allowed to be In charge of the world.

IF I WERE IN CHARGE OF THE WORLDBy Judith Viorst

Adapted by ___________________ Your Name

If I were in chare of the worldI’d cancel ___________________. ____________________ , 4 things, ideas, people, philosophies, etc.____________________ , and also that you don’t particularly care for.____________________ ,

If I were in charge of the worldThere’d be _________________ , 3 things that you would like to improve____________________ , and so they would be better for you. _______________________________.

If I were in charge of the worldYou wouldn’t have __________________ . 3 things that you wish didn’t existYou wouldn’t have __________________ . or were different about the worldYou wouldn’t have __________________ . Something someone says to youOr “ ___________________________________ .” that you don’t like to hear. You wouldn’t even have _____________________. Something that goes along with your quote from above.

If I were in charge of the worldA ________________________________ A delicious food that you love to eat

would be a vegetable. All ________________ would be _________________. Something that you want to change.And a person who sometimes forgot to __________________ , and how you would change it

And sometimes forgot to ___________________ , Two things that you

Would still be allowed to be sometimes forget to do

In charge of the world.

CHALK TALK PROTOCOLS

A Chalk Talk is what we do in advisory when we want to discuss something, but f we were all taking it might not make any sense because we ‘d be talking on top of each other. So in a Chalk Talk, we write down everything that we think on a big piece of paper, and there is no talking. All you need to do is take a marker and write whatever you‘re thinking.” --Wildwood sixth-grade student

A Chalk Talk is a silent activity that gives participants the opportunity to brainstorm or share their thoughts about a specific question. A Chalk Talk allows students to express their feelings, emotions, and opinions about a particular topic that can then be commented on or discussed nonverbally It’s like a big virtual chat room. Chalk Talks give even quiet students an opportunity to participate and “speak.”

A Chalk Talk begins with the advisor writing a question or prompt on a chalk- or white board or on a large roll of paper that has been affixed to an advisory room wall. Students are given chalk or markers and are asked to write their thoughts, comments, or perspectives about the topic Participants can comment in writing on what another person has said, agreeing, disagreeing, or sharing a different point of view. When not writing, students should be active readers, studying and thinking about what their peers are writing and commenting on each other’s statements.

At the end of a Chalk Talk, especially the first few that an advisory does together, the advisor and students should debrief the protocol verbally to reflect on both the experience of participating in a Chalk Talk and the question or prompt that they were commenting on.

Chalk Talks can be used as a tool to explore any unit in the advisory curriculum. For example, at the beginning of a Division Three unit on leadership, students are asked: “What is a leader?” Another example in Wildwood’s Division Two is when a Chalk Talk is used to explore the essential question: “How do we create a healthy community?” Using Chalk TaIks in this way gives students the opportunity to write down their initial thoughts and to create, as a group, their own definitions of leadership or community

A Chalk Talk can also be used to check on students’ understanding of a topic Advisor Becca Hedgepath recalls a memorable Chalk Talk that she did with her sixth-grade students: “The topic for the Chalk Talk was, ‘What is advisory?’ I wanted to see if, having talked about advisory and having experienced it, they really understood it. Students wrote statements like, ‘It’s an opportunity to get to know the teachers ‘It’s an opportunity to brainstorm: ‘It’s an opportunity to team-build: ‘It’s an opportunity to seminar: and so on.”

Hedgepath continues, “I’ll never forget that someone wrote, ‘Advisory is like a cheese muffin. It’s crusty on the outside, and then when you get to the inside it’s nice and soft and sweet and delicious I thought that was great. And they sort of bounced off that and talked about how they enjoy it, how it’s a safe space, and how advisory is an interesting place to come and connect.”

A Chalk Talk is also a safe way to discuss problematic topics such as race relations, class conflicts, or bullying issues. Chalk Talks can also encourage students to dig deeper into a question or dilemma. Questions can range from “What is the difference between collaboration and cheating?” to “What is the difference between affirmative action and reverse prejudice?”

Finally, Chalk Talks can be used at the end of an advisory unit to do a final group reflection. An example in the Toolkit DVD is a high school advisory group that reflected on the question: “How have I used the Habits of Heart at school this year?” As was noted, the advantage of using a large roll of paper for a Chalk Talk is that it can be saved and reviewed in the future as a starting point for additional discussion or reflection.

Chalk Talk

Purpose: To reflect, generate ideas, solve problems, or express opinions silently Chalk Talks encourage participation by everyone, even quiet students. The silence encourages thoughtful contemplation and dialogue.

Time: Typically 1 5 to 20 minutes plus 10 to 1 5 minutes to debrief

Materials: Chalk- or dry erase board or a large, 4-to 6-foot sheet of paper taped to the wall (this

allows the Chalk Talk to be saved for future reference and/or documentation)

Colored chalk or markers

Protocol: • The advisor writes a question or prompt in large lettering in the center of the board

or paper.

The question or prompt is used to generate written dialogue on a subject or issue for the advisory

group to explore.

• The advisor explains that a Chalk Talk is a silent activity No one may talk. Students are given

chalk or markers with which to write down their thoughts, opinions, or solutions. Besides

writing, time is spent reading and reflecting on what others have said. Participants can comment

or ‘build on” what is written by:

o Linking comments by drawing a line to connect one comment to another

o Adding to what someone has written

o Agreeing or disagreeing with what someone has written

• The advisor can choose to act as an observer or to interact with the Chalk Talk to expand the

conversation by:

o Writing a question in response to a participant’s comment

o Adding his or her own reflections or ideas

o Circling an interesting idea and inviting participants to comment

o Connecting ideas or comments with a line and adding a question mark

• These types of interactions by the advisor encourage the participants to do the same, and a very

active written conversation can develop. At the end of the Chalk Talk, the facilitator can choose

to take some time to verbally debrief with the participants, asking them to further reflect on what

they have learned.

Helpful and Healing Reading Resources

Nancy Doda, Teacher-to-Teacher

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PICTURE BOOKS

TITLE: You Look Ridiculous Said the Rhinoceros to the HippopotamusAUTHOR: Bernard WaberPUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston

TITLE: There’s a Nightmare in My ClosetAUTHOR: Mercer MayerPUBLISHER: The Dial Press, New York

TITLE: The Giving TreeAUTHOR: Shel SilversteinPUBLISHER: Harper & Row, Publishers

TITLE: The Blind Men and the ElephantAUTHOR: Lillian QuigleyPUBLISHER: Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York

TITLE: The Velveteen RabbitAUTHOR: Margery WilliamsPUBLISHER: Platt & Munk, Publishers

TITLE: The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All AgesAUTHOR: Leo Buscaglia, Ph.D.PUBLISHER: Charles B. Slack, Inc.

TITLE: How Does it Feel to Be Old?AUTHOR: Norman FarberPUBLISHER: E. P. Dutton, New York

TITLE: Love You ForeverAUTHOR: Robert MunschPUBLISHER: Firefly Books

TITLE: Hey, Al

AUTHOR: Arthur YorinksPUBLISHER: Sunburst Book

TITLE: I’ll Always Love YouAUTHOR: Hans WilhelmPUBLISHER: Crown Publishers, Inc., New York

TITLE: Where Are You Going, Little Mouse?AUTHOR: Robert KrausPUBLISHER: Mulberry Books, New York

TITLE: The Runaway BunnyAUTHOR: Margaret Wise BrownPUBLISHER: Harper & Row, Publishers

TITLE: Joyful NoiseAUTHOR: Paul FleischmanPUBLISHER: Harper & Row, Publishers

TITLE: The Pain and the Great OneAUTHOR: Judy BlumePUBLISHER: Dell Publishing Co., Inc

TITLE: Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing FamiliesAUTHOR: Laurence Krasny Brown and Marc BrownPUBLISHER: Little Brown and Company, Boston

TITLE: My Mother’s Getting MarriedAUTHOR: Joan DrescherPUBLISHER: Dial Books for Young Readers

TITLE: What Kind of Family Is This?AUTHOR: Barbara SeulingPUBLISHER: Western Publishing Co., Inc., Racine, WI

TITLE: Somebody’s MotherAUTHOR: Susan Fulop KepnerPUBLISHER: Strawberry Hill Press, San Francisco, CA

TITLE: Arthur’s Teacher TroubleAUTHOR: Marc BrownPUBLISHER: Little Brown & Company, Boston

TITLE: 101 Ways to Tell Your Child “I Love You”

AUTHOR: Vicki LanskyPUBLISHER: Contemporary Books, Chicago

TITLE: What To Do When You’re Feeling BlueAUTHOR: Mark Schneider and Ellen MeyerPUBLISHER: Contemporary Books, Chicago

TITLE: The Hating BookAUTHOR: Charlotte ZolotowPUBLISHER: Harper & Row, Publishers

TITLE: PeopleAUTHOR: Peter SpierPUBLISHER: Doubleday

TITLE: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DayAUTHOR: Judith ViorstPUBLISHER: Macmillan Publishing Company, New York

TITLE: Rotten Ralph’s Trick or TreatAUTHOR: Jack GantosPUBLISHER: Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston

TITLE: Jenna and the TroublemakerAUTHOR: Hiawyn OramPUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company, New York

TITLE: The Same But DifferentAUTHOR: Tessa DahlPUBLISHER: Viking Kestrel, Viking Penguin, Inc., New York

TITLE: A Family Is a Circle of People Who Love YouAUTHOR: Doris Jasinek and Pamela Bell RyanPUBLISHER: CompCare Publishers

TITLE: A Dictionary of Silly Words about Growing UpAUTHOR: Henry Beard and Roy McKiePUBLISHER: Workman Publishing, New York

TITLE: Speaking of SuccessAUTHOR: Mary Alice WarnerPUBLISHER: Peter Pauper Press, Inc., White Plains, New York

TITLE: The Hug Therapy Book

AUTHOR: Kathleen KeatingPUBLISHER: CompCore Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota

TITLE: It Isn’t Always Easy, but Always Know That I CareAUTHOR: Susan Polis Schutz, EditorPUBLISHER: Blue Mountain Press, Boulder, Colorado

TITLE: Don’t Ever Give Up Your DreamsAUTHOR: Susan Polis Schutz, EditorPUBLISHER: Blue Mountain Press, Boulder, Colorado

TITLE: A Song Called HopeAUTHOR: Arthur GordonPUBLISHER: C. R. Gibson Company, Norwalk, Connecticut

TITLE: Listening to the LittlestAUTHOR: Ruth ReardonPUBLISHER: C. R. Gibson Company, Norwalk, Connecticut

TITLE: A Book of Wishes for YouAUTHOR: Eve MerriamPUBLISHER: C. R. Gibson Company, Norwalk, Connecticut

TITLE: The Kid’s Book of QuestionsAUTHOR: Gregory Stock, Ph.D.PUBLISHER: Workman Publishing Company, Inc., New York

TITLE: A Book of Questions to Keep Thoughts and FeelingsAUTHOR: William ZimmermanPUBLISHER: Guarionex Press, Ltd., New York

TITLE: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in KindergartenAUTHOR: Robert FulghumPUBLISHER: Villare Books, Inc., New York

TITLE: Life’s Little Instruction BookAUTHOR: J. Jackson BrownPUBLISHER: Rutledge Hill Press

TITLE: 14,000 Things to Be Happy AboutAUTHOR: Barbara KipferPUBLISHER: Workman Publishing

TITLE: The Book of Questions

AUTHOR: Gregory Stock, Ph.D.PUBLISHER: Workman Publishing

TITLE: The Kid’s Book of QuestionsAUTHOR: Gregory Stock, Ph.D.PUBLISHER: Workman Publishing

TITLE: P.S. I Love YouAUTHOR: J. Jackson BrownPUBLISHER: Rutledge Hill Press

TITLE: Oh, the Places You’ll GoAUTHOR: Dr. SeussPUBLISHER: Random House

TITLE: Learning to LearnAUTHOR: Gloria FenderPUBLISHER: Incentive Publications

TITLE: Crow BoyAUTHOR: Taro YashimaPUBLISHER: Puffin Books

TITLE: The Teacher from the Black LagoonAUTHOR: Mike ThalerPUBLISHER: Scholastic Books

TITLE: Charlie the CaterpillarAUTHOR: Dom DeLuisePUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster

TITLE: Sleeping UglyAUTHOR: Jane YolenPUBLISHER: Coward-McCann

TITLE: On the Day You Were BornAUTHOR: Debra FrasierPUBLISHER: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich

TITLE: The Frog Prince ContinuedAUTHOR: Jon ScieszkaPUBLISHER: Viking Press

TITLE: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

AUTHOR: Jon ScieszkaPUBLISHER: Viking Press

TITLE: The Giving BookAUTHOR: Bob StanishPUBLISHER: Good Apple Publishing

TITLE: Connecting RainbowsAUTHOR: Bob StanishPUBLISHER: Good Apple Publishing

TITLE: 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Save the EarthAUTHOR: Earthworks GroupPUBLISHER: Universal Press

TITLE: Revolting RhymesAUTHOR: Ronald DahlPUBLISHER: Bantam Books

TITLE: Worlds of the FutureAUTHOR: Educational InsightsPUBLISHER: Dominguez Hills, CA

TITLE: Fred’s TVAUTHOR: Clive DobsonPUBLISHER: Firefly Books

TITLE: The Terrible Thing that Happened at Our HouseAUTHOR: Marge BlainePUBLISHER: Scholastic Book

TITLE: Paper Bag PrincessAUTHOR: Robert N. MunschPUBLISHER: Annick Press, Ltd.

TITLE: Forget Me NotAUTHOR: J. ScheinPUBLISHER: Annick Press, Ltd.

TITLE: I Know the World’s Worst SecretAUTHOR: Doris StanfordPUBLISHER: Heart to Heart

Compiled by the National Middle Grades Resource Center

The FishbowlThe Fishbowl method allows you to explicitly teach a variety of social skills. It is one way to shine a light on the specific social skills that can either move a discussion forward or shut it down. The Fishbowl offers the class an opportunity to closely observe and learn about social interactions. You can use it in any content area.We often ask ourselves, “How can we possibly teach students to have thoughtful conversations, to ask open-ended questions, to appreciate other students’ ideas, or to put their own ideas on the table?” For me, the fishbowl method is one way to approach these issues. In my overview (see “SEL Overall Plan”), I’ve included a list of ideas to consider under the direct-instruction construct. Most often, you’ll want to combine these ideas in one way or another. You can teach any one of the skills listed under the direct- instruction construct using the Fishbowl method.Note: This is a cooperative-learning structure for a small-group discussion or a partner discussion. Spending time on this method is an investment I believe will yield a more productive, efficient, and engaging classroom environment down the road.Here is how you do the Fishbowl method:1. Before engaging in a fishbowl lesson, you should outline the goals or rubric.a. We may use discussion goals as the target, a component of our working agreements (see “Developing Working Agreements,” “Implementing Working Agreements,” and “Our Working Agreements”), or something specific from class we’ve noticed needs improving.b. If you’ve discovered a pattern in the classroom you need to address, list goals and you’re ready to go.c. Students must have an idea of what they’re shooting for.2. The entire group discusses the goals the class will focus on.3. Give a thought-provoking problem or question for all individuals to consider and work through privately. This could be an article to read, a math model to build, a story problem to solve, a piece of artwork to consider, and so on. Make sure students have a product or idea to share (notes, questions, solutions) when they’re done. This accountability is important, because discussions are richer when participants have an investment in their ideas.4. When you feel that the students are ready to move on, announce that the class will be taking a “field trip” to observe a single team or pair of students engage in a discussion about their ideas.a. Again, the purpose of this activity is to model, practice having, and closely assess a discussion so that in the future, students will understand the skills they need to independently participate in and lead productive discussions of their own.b. The whole process of students moving around the classroom and positioning themselves is also part of the lesson: Can everyone see? Can everyone hear?c. Make sure the audience knows you will hold them accountable for sharing their observations. I often use equity sticks (a cup of sticks with each student’s name on one) to increase audience accountability.d. As students become more adept at the discussion process, you can use the same Fishbowl activity to demonstrate high-quality discussions in regard to content. In other words, the content and students’ thinking can become the focus (the products rather than the process). Of course, the hope is that students will work on both content and discussion skills at any given time, but we must develop their skills to get to that point.5. The class gathers around the team.6. Thank the team for being in the Fishbowl, and acknowledge the students’ nervousness about being watched. Then, remind your students of the goals. These will vary depending on your class and where they are in the process. Discussion goals might cover how to© 2008 Chris Opitz, Willard L. Bowman Elementary School, Anchorage School District. Used with permission.7.Remind the students in the audience about their job as observers: They need to note examples of when their peers in the discussion group are following the rubric and when they’re not. And the observers need to record anything else important they see and be ready to share it.a. b. c. d.begin the conversation in a fair way. make sure all students get to speak.ask open-ended questions. invite team members into the conversation.This is an ongoing process, and it takes time for students to develop the social skills necessary to have a thoughtful and sometimes disagreeable discussion. The Fishbowl sheds light on those specifics and allows students to notice the particular behaviors and skills that are either helpful

or detrimental to the process.Have the team begin its discussion. Once the team has completed the discussion, allow them to assess themselves according to the established goals and mention anything else they’ve noticed. Ask the audience for comments: First, what did the team do well? Second, what could the team members do better? Let students make final comments.Thank the Fishbowl team for its work. Keep your comments fairly neutral. Mention any specific comments you feel the team or audience members have missed. Have students return to their own teams.© 2008 Chris Opitz, Willard L. Bowman Elementary School, Anchorage School District. Used with permission.

Class MeetingsThere are many published resources out there discussing the purposes of class meetings and the various possible formats for them. Here are the procedures we follow:1. We first read the class-meeting rules together. The students developed this short rubric at the beginning of the year. At first, they had a huge list of rules, but through conversation and debate, they narrowed them down:a. Everyone should be seen. b. Project your voice. c. Raise your hand to speak. d. Wait your turn to speak. e. Pick a variety of people to speak.1. Students begin the meeting by noting random acts of kindness. This is an opportunity for students to notice the small things that other students are doing to help make the classroom a positive place to be.a. Ifitisameetingthatwillfollowastudentagendaitem,weconsultthechartonwhichstudents write the possible agenda items.b. The student who wrote the agenda item introduces the topic and explains his or her thinking. If it is the teacher’s agenda item that addresses a success or concern, then the teacher explains his or her thinking before opening the discussion.c. If it’s a topic for class discussion, then we open the meeting to all students, and the discussion begins.d. The goal is to allow students to express their opinions and ideas regarding the topic. We want to provide students with the chance to have some ownership over their education. Occasionally, the students come to an agreement on the topic, while at other times, they agree that there is too much to discuss right then. In this case, students try to agree on next steps and who will be responsible for what.e. We close the discussion.Successes and ConcernsOne change that I made to the process recently was to add a grade-level meeting called Success and Concerns. Once every couple of weeks when I am working with a single grade level (fifth or sixth), I will gather the students in a circle for a very brief check-in before beginning class. The purpose is to make sure kids have an opportunity to share what’s on their minds. This is not a discussion. It’s simply a chance to be heard. It is a way for me to take a quick reading of any students I might need to talk with later.Here’s the procedure for a Success and Concerns meeting:1. 2.3.Gather all students up front in a circle.Conduct the meeting in a round-robin format. a. Students recount a success in their life or pass to the next student. b. Students talk about a concern in their life or pass to the next student.Give directions for the beginning of class, and everyone gets back to work.© 2008 Chris Opitz, Willard L. Bowman Elementary School, Anchorage School District. Used with permission.1