Bullying... or, how we can help to prevent it!

There is an increased focus on bullying these days, as there should be. Unfortunately many of our students and our own children are exposed to all sorts of behaviors that range from teasing all the way up to full-fledged bullying. Let us not forget, the bullies have parents too - even if they don't want to admit it. Not every kid is the victim, some are the perpetrators and others are the bystanders. Others are actually trying to be something different - peacemakers! Wouldn't it be great if all of our kids fell into one category? THE PEACEMAKERS!  I realize that may be a Utopian view that isn't ever going to be reality. It's likely unicorns will walk on Earth the day that happens. But still, can't we try to imagine a world where kids work proactively to get along and broker peace? Maybe the adults could try it too?

I found a new resource that helps children (and their adults) to be more peaceful, mindful, and empathetic.

This book is an amazing resource that comes with a CD of all of the worksheets that you can use with students, or even your own children. Its target audience is grades 3-6.  This text has 125 mini-lessons that can be taught within 20 minutes or less. Student activities—including games, role plays, group discussions, art projects, and language arts exercises—affirm the importance of respect, listening, and kind actions vs. bullying in schools. Kids learn skills they can use to calm down and conflict resolution techniques for situations when strong emotions threaten to disrupt the peace. With a focus on preventing teasing, name-calling, fighting, exclusion, and other hurtful actions, No Kidding About Bullying also features activities to stop bullying when mistreatment is occurring.

If you'd like to see sample pages/sheets from the book, visit the publisher's site. They have many other wonderful resources for teachers and parents. I highly recommend (and own) many of their products:

FREE SPIRIT PRESS

I borrowed this from my local library, but I plan to purchase it and add it to my shelf. It's that good!

I will post additional mindfulness and empathy resources in coming weeks. Stay tuned...

Wonder by RJ Polacio

We're at the near beginning of reading this amazing book for young adults in my classroom, and I'm finding it difficult to read aloud. I keep wondering if I'm using the right tone, voice, pacing, rhythm to do this story justice. I'm loving how it's keeping my students on their toes, making them question themselves and the actions of others. They are digging deep into their values and morals. I love that stuff.  One of the interesting parts of the book is the teacher, Mr. Browne's, precepts (think fortune cookie statements, inspirations, quotations) that he presents to his students. I found a blogpost by the author that explains these precepts, and how their use could play itself out in a classroom. You can find the post here:

The Nerdy Bookclub - RJ Polacio post

(If you don't already read "The Nerdy Bookclub" blog, you should. It's excellent.)

I also found a teacher page on the author's website. It lists thought-provoking questions that go along with "Wonder", and it also has a compilation of all of Mr. Browne's precepts (spoiler alert):

RJ Polacio's website

I'll write more about "Wonder" when we're through. I'd love to hear from others who have read it.

"The One and Only Ivan"

A few weeks ago, I finished reading this modern-day "Charlotte's Web" to my fifth graders. It is a  beautifully crafted story (based loosely on true events) that lends itself to being read aloud. My students especially enjoyed the voices that I created for the various characters! Admittedly, I also had to pause and wipe away a tear or two at certain points. 

My class and I drew many comparisons between Julia (the young girl who befriends Ivan) and Fern, Ivan and Charlotte, and Wilbur and Ruby (the young elephant taken under Ivan's wing). Even though one can make strong connections between the two stories, "The One and Only Ivan", is sure to be remembered as a classic in its own right.

I always like to make connections for my students by offering background information to help them think critically and dig deeper into the topics and issues we read about. I'll show images or videos, and I try to bring the "real-world" into our classroom conversations and learning as much as I possibly can. 

Here are some suggestions for extending beyond the book, "The One and Only Ivan".

Official book trailer:

We also visited the Atlanta Zoo website. Ivan was transferred there after living in a shopping center in Tacoma, Washington. We were able to see video and pictures of the gorilla, Ivan, on whom this story was based. 

Zoo Atlanta - Ivan pictures 

We also Googled "Ivan Gorilla paintings" and found examples of the finger painting that the "real" Ivan made.

Recently, a baby gorilla was rejected by her mother and is being cared for at the Cincinnati Zoo. We read the story here:

Link to story


 Applegate's wonderful prose, combined with sweet illustrations, make this book a gentle read. Even though the topic of animal welfare and captivity does have a dark side to it, Applegate handles the issue in a way that isn't overly scary. (Younger children may have a bit of a difficult time with a few references to animal mistreatment, but the adult reader could easily omit them without altering the integrity of the story.)

 Sadly, Ivan passed away at the Atlanta Zoo last August due to complications from surgery. 

I highly recommend this book. It's no surprise that it won the Newbery medal this year!

Author's Website - Ivan information

"The Burgess Boys"

Fans of "Olive Kitteridge" will certainly be excited to read another Strout novel. I know I was! This novel focuses on a small Maine town in transition as Somali immigrants try to assimilate and retain some of their culture, while juxtaposing this lifestyle with the bustle of urban New York.

"The Burgess Boys" focuses on the family dynamics of eldest brother Jim, his wife Helen, and Jim's younger twin siblings, Bob and Susan. Strout has a gift in her ability to develop strong characters, most of whom are not very likable. She explores interesting themes, and backs them up with realistic characters and issues that make us think about ourselves, where we stand, and what we value.

I admit I was disappointed when I first read about the conflict in the story -  Susan's son's lapse of judgment (deemed a hate crime) in a mosque. I was expecting the typical child-gone-wild story that we hear too often in the news and through other works of fiction. But, I actually enjoyed the slower paced unraveling of the story and the nuances of the relationship between the Somali immigrant community in Maine and those who had grown up and raised families in this small New England town.

"The Burgess Boys" isn't a page-turning-stay-up-all-night sort of read. It's a slow, thoughtful examination of family, parenting, culture, and humanity. If you like slice-of-life books that make you think, question yourself and the world around you, you'll enjoy "The Burgess Boys". It will be available for purchase on March 26, 2013.

I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher.