Little thing = Big Difference

Stop!!! Before you read this post please watch the video above. It's my MOTTO this next school year.

It's the little things we do that make a BIG difference in the World. It really speaks to me. It's what sparked my idea for happy notes and ordering the seeds of happiness. I can't wait to start spreading smiles around my town and the blogging world. I also signed up for the SLANT box exchange.  I'm so excited!!! Have you?

SLANT- Sending Love Across the Nation to Teachers

Happy Notes - ON SALE $3.20

Seeds of Happiness

Look what arrived yesterday! I have little apple seeds of happiness. They are for sale or you can win a pack of three by commenting below. 

Here's the idea behind the seeds:

Seeds of Happiness was born out of an act of kindness. Mark Borella, a sculptor, created small smiley faces from left-over lumps of clay. He gave these to his friends whose young son was dying of cancer. He told them: I know there is nothing I can say or do to make you feel better so I thought I would bring you some smiles to help you get your smile back. I call them Seeds of Happiness. Sharing the Smiles continues to grow as our customers plant Seeds around the world.

These are my two favorite kindness stories.

When "One-of-a-Kind”is laughed at by Purple for being weird and Green playfully calls One a klutz after tripping on the stairs, is the Tease Monster to blame? With words of wisdom from Mom about the Tease Monster, One discovers that teasing is part of life. And not all teasing is the same. One learns that laughing at someone (mean teasing)has a hurtful bite, but laughing with someone is alright when it's not done out of spite. This the newest book in the Building Relationships series by Julia Cook.

ONE SMILE

PreSchool-Grade 2-On the way to the bus, a little girl smiles brightly at a young man sitting on a park bench. He has recently lost his job and is feeling discouraged, but Katie's smile inspires him to start looking for a new one. The young man in turn helps a woman change her flat tire; the woman, feeling grateful, leaves a large tip for a waitress; the waitress uses the tip to buy food for a picnic for her children, and they invite another family to share with them; etc., etc., etc. In the end, Katie and the man are reunited when he has a new position as a mechanic and repairs her mother's car. This enables the child to attend her grandfather's birthday party. The purpose of the story is to show how even the smallest act of kindness can powerfully impact the lives of others, but the events seem manipulated. Also, the waitress's tip enables her to buy sodas, potato salad, fried chicken, and a soccer ball, which seems highly unlikely. While the full-bleed, full-spread pictures of Lisa and the people she meets are colorful and competently done, this is an additional purchase.
Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

I've also ordered extra copies of these wonderful books. This week I'll be giving away tons of goodies so check back each day. Its part of my mission to send love to teachers who can then send love to their students. Leave me a comment with a Random Act of Kindness your students could preform around campus or town. I'll pick three winners and announce the winners during Saturday Snapshots.

There will be three winners 

Winner #1 3 apple seeds of happiness

Winner #2 book-Tease Monster

Winner #3 book- One Smile

My Mamma Said

Cute video and so true! I love that Rita points out that we need to tell the parents that we respect their home rules but we also need to have a second set of rules.

Do you ever wonder why fighting is on the rise with students these days?

Why are there so many behavior problems? It's not only fighting... there are many children who lack respect for authority, have difficulty following directions, and lack social skills.

I think it boils down to TEAM BUILDING. 

In my years of teaching, all of these behaviors seem to be a part of a bigger picture. Children are fighting over the silliest things. I feel these children are not learning the problem-solving skills needed to be productive students. Students are lacking social skills simply because they haven't been taught how to handle various social situations. There will always be disagreements and conflicts within the classroom but we need to incorporate team building activities so students will feel confident and comfortable when they arise. When your students get to know you and each other in a fun and supportive environment you are able to establish a the kind of rapport that will enable you to have a trusting relationship with them throughout the year.

Let's share some of our favorite team building activities or strategies. Leave comment below with a tip, game or strategy. Then I'll compile a little sheet for easy access. I'll pick 2 winners to win my happy notes and behavior beads.

Behavior Beads/Badges

Happy Notes

COLORS OF THE RAINBOW

This activity is an icebreaker for children who need to be introduced to each other.  Either pass out a handful of Skittles (if allowed) Do not let them eat their skittles yet.  Each color skittle must symbolize a certain aspect of their life, such as red is for things you love to do, green is for things you hate, yellow is for favorite foods, blue is for friends, etc.  The students can go around the room sharing about themselves.  You may want them to just share about the color that they have the most of instead or keep going until your time runs out.  

    

A Legacy of Relationships

I have watched many videos but this one is the best! I must have been living under a rock. I had never heard of Rita Pierson before this video. Please take 7 minutes to watch this powerful video.

I'm going to be using Rita's quotes on a motivational wall in my supply closet. 

“Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

“I gave [my students] a saying to say: ‘I am somebody. I was somebody when I came. I’ll be a better somebody when I leave. I am powerful, and I am strong. I deserve the education that I get here.’”

Pierson quotes others in her talk as well:


“Stephen Covey had the right idea…’Seek first to understand as opposed to being understood.’”


“James Comer says that no significant learning can occur without a significant relationship.”


“George Washington Carver says all learning is understanding relationships.”

What are you doing to build relationships with your students and parents? Leave me a comment and I'll pick 2 winners to win a pack of smiles, happy notes and behavior badges/beads . 

   An Assortment of Seeds

Seeds by Color

Ways I'm building relationships- I try really hard at building relationships. I love this quote.

Behavior  Badges/Beads

Seeds of Happiness

Happy Notes

Building relationships with parents

Scatter Seeds of Kindness

Scatter seeds of kindness wherever you go!

Do you find the time to teach kindness with all the demands of testing?  When I first started teaching,

I didn't know where to begin. Luckily, I found some wonderful books that changed my classroom.  I started teaching lessons on kindness but more importantly I taught kindness by example.   

Over the years, I've tried everything such as reward systems, clip-charts, class-dojo, brownie points, etc. Last year I found these little seeds of happiness. The whole story is so inspiring.  Watch this short clip if you haven't seen the tiny seeds. 

I quickly ordered a whole display kit and FELL IN LOVE. I would pass out smiles to students who were having a rough day or just because!  Motivating students with these seeds and happy notes were simple and effective. The seeds inspired my students to be kind and spread a smile. This year students will also be able to pass out seeds and happy notes. Their job will be to make the world a happier place by spreading seeds and happy notes.  They will learn to pay it forward because keeping the seeds and notes will NOT help the smiles grow.  How fun would it be to mail seeds of happiness and happy notes to distant family members and ask them to mail their favorite positive quotes back or better yet another classroom? Think ... Flat Stanley  Pays It Forward.  

Take a LOOK! I'm about to show you my Monday Made It. Thanks Tara for hosting. I just love her! This is by all means my favorite linky party so thanks for hosting every Monday in the Summer.

My HAPPY NOTES BOX (Found at Michael's and added the burlap bow for Monday Made It)

Monday Made It

Ideas for spreading happiness

Focus on a quote of the day or week

Post the quote on a door, computer screensaver, ribbon display chart, or in frames

Put a bunch of happy notes in a fishbowl and pull one out at the beginning of each day

Start a random acts of kindness journal and continue the KIND KIDS CLUB thanks a year of many first for the BEST freebie!

The possibilities are endless. How do you teach kindness in the classroom?

 I would like to scatter seeds of happiness today by allowing you to enter my Bee Happy giveaway. 
Leave me a comment telling me how you teach kindness for a chance to win a class set of seeds (20 seeds) and $15 to my tpt store! 

Bonus- Purchase the HAPPY NOTES packet on SALE today and get 10 extra entries. Just let me know your tpt username and I'll enter you 10 more times. :) Sale price $4.00 Monday ONLY!

I'll pick 2 winners Monday night. 

Super Cheap Stylish DIY notepad

Are you always running out of scratch paper? This is a fun way to have stylish notepads. I'm always going through post-its which cost an arm and a leg. I was looking at all of my scrapbook paper and thought ... what if I cut them in fourths??? I used heavy scrapbook paper (cardstock) and had Office Depot cut in quarters. The total cost was $1. 60 for cuts. They would have padded for only $1.00. The neat thing is they have TONS of different patterns and packs at every craft store and they are usually half off. Two notepads won't need padding as they are already padded. I'm keeping the other two pads loose in a little basket.

$11.60/4 = $2.90  for a cute sturdy notepad... I THINK SO!

The paper notepads are cheap, durable, stylish, and students/parents will not loose the note because it stands out!What do you think?

Be HAPPY and PASS IT ON!

Happy Notes.... BEE KIND

Can you guess what's inside? Don't you just love the chevron case? It's from Michaels ... if you're wondering. 

Monday Made It Preview-- I HAVE MORE GOODIES TOMORROW!

Let me introduce you to Happy Notes! I've been giving happy notes and seeds of happiness to my students since last year. It really fosters kindness, love, and generosity.  My sweet students  love performing random acts of kindness for others. They especially love giving happy notes and these little seeds of happiness. 

I'll leave you with some pictures.  Come back tomorrow because there will be a giveaway for tomorrow only!