More than Peach by Bellen Woodard (click the link for a read along read by the actual Bellen Woodard who is currently in middle school).  

This book is a true story about Bellen Woodard who is a young lady with a great family and caring friends. She notices in class one day that she is asked for the “skin color” crayon and is expected to hand the “peach” crayon in response. It has happened before and has not bothered Bellen, but today she notices it more, and realizes it makes her uncomfortable. After talking with a trusted adult about the problem, she decides to create a loving response that highlights everyone’s individuality, while not shaming her friends or classmates. It is received well and soon spreads beyond Bellen’s classroom. This book is about recognizing that your words have power for good, and you can spark a change when you say it in positive ways.

The Empty Pot by Demi (click the link for a read along).  The book is here.

This story is about a boy who is ultimately rewarded when he told the truth. The parent volunteers discussed the "CHIRP concept" from the YMCA. CHIRP stands for Courage, Honesty, Integrity, Responsibility, and Perseverance. 

The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill (click the link for a read along)

The Recess Queen, written in a playful rhyme, tackles a serious issue: bullying on the playground. Mean Jean, the playground ruler, hides her loneliness with meanness. Katie Sue, a new student, sees right through her. Instead of fear, Katie Sue offers kindness and friendship, filling Mean Jean's emotional bucket and showing her a better way to play. This heartwarming story teaches empathy and shows how inclusivity and social skills can turn a child exhibiting bullying behaviors into a friend, making recess fun and safe for everyone!

The book talked about: 

★ Empowering students to be “Upstanders”.

★ Creating a safe, caring, and inclusive climate on the playground.

★ Including others.

★ Using conflict resolution skills.

In additional news, Ms. Carter and BRSSD announced a partnership with an external nonprofit, Playworks. The Playworks coaches  are spending time with students at recess and training upper class students to be “Junior Coaches”.  The goal is to create a positive influence on the playground at recess. 

Simon's Hook by Karen Gedig Burnett (click the link for a read along)

Simon's Hook; A Story About Teases and Put-downs is a children's book that teaches children how to deal with teasing and put-downs. The book's main character, Simon, has a bad day after his sister cuts his hair and his friends tease him. He runs home in tears, but his grandmother, Grandma Rose, tells him a story about fish to help him understand how to avoid being an easy target for teasing. Grandma Rose explains that children have the power to choose how they respond to teasing, and that they should focus on their own actions instead of the bully's behavior. 

Simon’s Grandma teaches Simon he can do 1 of 5 things: 

• Don't react to the hook

• Agree with the hook

• Laugh or joke about the hook

• Distract the fisherman

• Swim in another part of the sea 

Simon’s Hook blends nicely with our school counselor Ms. Atwood’s October lessons on conflict resolution. The Project Cornerstone team and Ms. Atwood are partnering together to keep our themes integrated as often as possible. 

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas:

• Go through insults from the book and discuss different ways to respond.

Listen and Learn (TK/K) by Cheri Meiners, M.Ed. (click the link for the read along).  

 Listen and Learn teaches children what listening is, how to listen, and why it’s important to listen. This book talks about ways to listen in a positive manner and what to do when someone doesn’t listen to you. 

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas:

1. Discuss that a good listener keeps quiet, looks at the speaker and thinks about what they hear. This helps me learn.

2. If I do not understand, I can ask questions. I can also answer questions. By taking turns to talk and listen we all learn together.

3.  Listening shows I care. I care about my teacher, she’s helping me learn. I care about my friends, I listen and understand them. I like it when my teacher and my friends listen to me. 

4. Encourage the kids to tell you about their day, and show them how you listen. Asking questions is a part of listening, it shows I’m following what you’re saying and I want to learn more.

5. Affirm to the kids that you are there to listen to them, to understand them and to learn together with them. If they are upset, they will know there is someone at home who will listen and understand them.

I Wish You Knew (1st - 5th) by Jackie Azua Kramer (click the link for the read along)

This book provides opportunities for conversations about compassion, active listening, and perspective-taking.  The lesson themes were listening to understand and empathy. 

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas:

• Ask questions, actively listen, make eye contact and paraphrase responses to show that you understand.  Questions can be simple or serious.

  • What would you do, if you won the lottery?

  • What is one thing you wish grown-ups knew about being a kid?

  • If you had a magic wand, what would you change about the world?

  • What house rule would you like to change and why?

  • If you could do anything you wanted to right now, what would you do? 

  • Did you do anything to fill someone's bucket today?

• Role play what active listening looks like.  Role play what distracted listening looks like.

Polite and Kind (TK/K) by Cheri Meiners, M.Ed. (click the link for the read along).  

This book focuses on manners such as courtesy, respect, and kindness. The book helps children learn that good manners help everyone get along and do kind acts. This book works well with the ABC book, Have You Filled a Bucket (See December 2023 and May 2023). 

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas:

1. Do acts of kindness together as a family. If you make a meal for someone, involve your child in the cooking, have them make a card and help with the delivery.

2. At home, you can also play a game with your child that will encourage them to use their “magic manner words” (such as please, thank you, you’re welcome, or good job). or do acts of kindness. 

3. Make a chart with the “magic manner words”  and acts of kindness. Every time you hear or see the manners used, award your child with a sticker, a hug, or words such as “I heard you say ‘thank you’ to your friend at the end of your play date.”

BIG (1st - 5th) by Coleen Paratore (click the link for the read along)

The focus of this book is to learn about becoming a BIG person, a person who thinks BIG about the world and their place in it. Students will look within themselves to see how they can tap into their personal power to become a valuable member of their world (aka - how they can be BIG) as they look for ways to contribute through acts of service.

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas:

1. Have a family discussion about ways to be the biggest you that you can be. During your BIG talk, discuss ways your family can contribute individually and together to making a difference in the world. Ask questions like:

• How can I be healthy BIG?

• How can I be BIG in my family?

• What do we do to be BIG toward our planet?

• How can we be kind to each other in a BIG way?

• How can we be BIG in our community?

This month, we are focusing on the topic of growth mindset. In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. 

Volunteers read “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds (click the link for the read along). The child in this story dislikes art class because she is convinced she can't draw. Her teacher gently encourages her to begin with a single dot and her creativity takes off. The story celebrates the creative spirit and “growth mindset” in everyone.  

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

• What are some times when your brain tells you “I can’t”? When are you scared to try something new? 

• How can we turn these clouded and “fixed mindset” thoughts around? What words can we tell ourselves to motivate us to keep going? 

• How do you feel when you make mistakes or fail? Why is it important to make mistakes when we are learning?

Understand and Care (TK/K) by Cheri Meiners (click the link for the read along).  This book focuses on explaining empathy to children.  It teaches how to identify emotions and to understand how another person feels.  In order to be able to understand and care, children need to be able to name, identify, and recognize feelings.  Knowing and recognizing how others feel will help children develop friendship skills. Learning to walk in someone else’s shoes promotes respect and caring for others. 

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

1. Why do we want to understand how other people feel? 

2. What are some times when people might want us to understand and care?

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho (click the link for the read along) (1st - 5th).   The author writes this book from her personal experience.  The book promotes students’ understanding and appreciation for their heritage at a young age.  When people know more about their own culture, they are better able to understand and appreciate the culture of others.  In this story, a young girl notices that her eyes look different from her friends’ eyes. Instead of their big, round eyes, her eyes “kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea”.  She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her amah’s, and her little sister’s and they are all beautiful.

For ways to engage your student in a discussion on topics from this book, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

1. What do you know about families? Who is in your family? (Be aware that families come in many shapes and sizes.)

2. How does your family show love? What are some of your favorite family moments?

3. What do families give or share with each other?

4. How do you appreciate or show gratitude for your family?

Our Social-Emotional Learning Parent Volunteer Team read either When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry (TK/K) or Clovis Keeps His Cool (1st - 5th).

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry  (TK/K) by Molly Bang (click the link for the read along).  This book tells the story of a little girl named Sophie, who learns that it's okay to be angry. For children, anger can be very upsetting. In this book, the students saw what Sophie does when she gets angry and also what she does to calm her body down. 

Clovis Keeps His Cool by Katelyn Aronson (click the link for the read along).   The book is about the proverbial bull in a china shop.  Clovis (the bull) has been working on his temper. However, when rivals from his football days tease him, Clovis faces a big challenge to keep his cool and is unable to use his coping tools. After he loses his cool, Clovis focuses on reconciliation and giving second chances to his rivals. Offering second chances can lead to building new relationships. 

For the month of January, we focused on emotional regulation while using a framework called “Zones of Regulation”. The BRSSD counseling team and the YMCA both use this framework. When students can describe their emotions effectively, they are better able to self-regulate and also help their peers self-regulate their big feelings.   We used a mood meter to help students state which color zone they believe they are in.  It also helps them recognize what color zone other students are in. 

For ways to engage your student in an “emotional regulation” discussion, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

1 - When you feel worried, what can you do? 

2 - When you feel that you are getting very angry, what are some things that you can do to help your mind and body? How can I help you when you feel angry? 

3 - When you see that a friend seems down/sad, what can you do to help?

We also reviewed Bucket Filling from last month.

What is Bucket Filling? 

Bucket Filling is the concept that everyone has an invisible bucket. When it’s full, we feel happy and joyful. When it’s empty we feel sad or angry. When someone “dips” in our bucket, or when we dip in another’s bucket, we lose happiness from our bucket. We can use a “lid” to cover our bucket and protect it from dippers. Ways to use our lid include: asking someone to stop a behavior or to stop using certain words, walking away, asking an adult for help, and more.

Who is Bucket Filling? 

All students, teachers, and staff are bucket fillers. So are parents! 

Grades TK - 2 are focused primarily on filling their buckets, filling others buckets, and being aware of dipping. 

Grades 3-5 are focused on all areas of bucket filling: buckets, dippers, and lids. 

Where Can I Learn More? 

• For more information on Bucket Fillers, please see the creator’s site:  Bucketfillers101.com

• If you’d like to watch a 4 min video with your student(s) about Bucket Fillers, watch this read-a-loud:  Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

This month's topic was "Inviting and Including."  This lesson addresses relational bully behaviors. Taking the time to get to know and value another person allows one to appreciate the uniqueness of an individual's personality.

Volunteers read Ruby Bridges: Goes to School by Ruby Bridges.  You can read the book aloud here.  Ruby tells her extraordinary story of being the first Black child to integrate a New Orleans school following the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown vs Board of Education, which ordered school districts in the South to end the policy of racially segregated schools. In 1960, six-year- old Ruby Bridges walked through an angry crowd and into school, changing history.  Ruby’s impassioned words, filled with love and grace, serve as a moving reminder that “what can inspire tomorrow often lies in our past.”  These books tell the story of Ruby’s courage and remind us all that the struggle for justice continues.  The book was read this month to coincide with Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on November 14.

For ways to engage your student in an “Inclusion” discussion, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

1 - Why do you think Ruby was brave when she joined her new school? 

2 - How can you be brave when standing up for what you believe is right? 

3 - Ruby’s teacher really helped welcome her to the new school. How can you be welcoming to others?

This month's topic was "Inviting and Including."  Volunteers read either “The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig or "Gustavo the Shy Ghost" by Flavia Drago (lower grades) which focuses on the hurt that exclusion can cause and the positive outcomes of including others. If you want to learn more about the book, you can watch the Invisible Boy Read-a-loud online or Gustavo the Shy Ghost Read-a-loud online.

For ways to engage your student in an “Inclusion” discussion, here are some ideas for questions you can ask: 

1 - If you see someone playing or eating lunch by themselves, what can you do to include them? 

2 - What are some nice things you can do or say to a new student? 

3 - Have there been times when you felt excluded? How did you feel? What are some ways you can ask for help? 

This month's topic was "Bucket Filling."  The books varied by the grade (see below) but the concept was everyone walks around with an invisible bucket.

Bucket Filling: You fill a bucket when you show love to someone, when you smile, make someone feel special or do something kind. A bucket filler is someone who says or does nice things to other people. Bucket fillers are those who help without being asked or give hugs and compliments.

Bucket Dippers: Bucket dippers use their words and actions to disrespect and tear others down, which dips into the bucket of the giver and receiver and takes away positive feelings. 

The Lid: For some grades, we also discussed our "lid."  We “use our lid” to protect and keep the happiness inside our bucket.

Your class may have gone over some "Bucket Filler Guidance":

3 Rules of Happiness (Lower Grades)

1. Be a bucket filler. (Be kind.) 

2. Don’t dip. (Use self-control.) 

3. Use your lid. (Have resilience.)

    10 Facts of Living (Upper Grades)

1. Some people will be your good friends, and some will not. 

2. Sometimes even good friends and family will let you down. Sometimes you’ll let them down, too. 

3. Sometimes you’ll make the team, and sometimes you won’t. 

4. Sometimes you’ll win, and sometimes you’ll lose. 

5. Some people you like won’t like you back. 

6. Sometimes you’ll work hard and get a good grade, and sometimes you’ll work hard and not get a good grade. 

7. Some people will judge you even before they get to know you. 

8. Some people will say or do things that hurt you very much. 

9. Some things in life are just not fair. 

10. No one gets to choose the body or the talents they are born with, only what they do with them.

Books:

Lower Grades: Fill A Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children

Middle Grades: Have You Filled a Bucket Today?  A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids

Upper Grades: Bucket Dippers and Lids.  Secrets to Your Happiness.

Additional resource:  The Bucket Filler website is https://bucketfillers101.com/ 

This month's book was The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.  You can listen to it here.   It goes through a series of things a kid tries to do and is "OK" at and that's just great.  

This book focuses on resilience. Resilience is an ability to bounce back, recover from adversity or return to your original form. We can help youth develop resilience. Resilience is built upon 7 building blocks: competence, confidence, support, positive values, contribution to others, coping strategies and personal power. The confidence and support of caring adults gives children the freedom to explore, try new things and find out what they like to do. 

Belief in the ability to change and grow is called a growth mindset. In this lesson, asset building adults will be spark champions and help youth identify and cultivate a growth mindset. A growth mindset allows a person to view challenging times as temporary. Using the building blocks of resiliency as a cornerstone, youth will be better prepared to overcome the challenges of new and difficult experiences.

The goal for this lesson is for students to:

• Develop a growth mindset that embraces trying new things; being “OK” with enjoying,

while pursuing mastery.

• Find joy in discovering new sparks and interests.

• Learn from mistakes to develop resiliency.

• Turn I can’t (reactive) attitudes into I can (proactive) attitudes.

Proactive people say:

o I’ll try it

o I’ll do it

o I can do better if I try again

o Let’s look at all of our options

o I choose to

o There’s gotta be a way

This month's book was Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson.  You can listen to it here.   

This book tells the story about a boy, the narrator, who believes he doesn’t like the new kid, Jeremy. He uses mud thoughts to perceive that Jeremy is his enemy. He asks his father for help. His father shows how a caring adult can help create opportunities for friendships to grow. Thanks to the special recipe for enemy pie (spending time together, getting to know each other, and discovering similar interests), their friendship grows and blooms. In the end, the narrator and Jeremy forgive their past behaviors. They realize that they share common interests and enjoy doing things together. Their friendship grows and they learn the secret recipe to making friends. 

This month’s book was “Long Shot” by the famous NBA player, Chris Paul. In this book, Chris talks about when others did not believe in him and/or made fun of him. He also talks about how he had people in his life that supported him, which allowed him to pursue his passion. 

Our parent volunteers read this book, led a discussion, and completed a class activity. The topics included one or more of the following:  determining what brings them joy (“their spark”), calling on others to support them, how to support others during game time/play time, and positive sportsmanship. 

If you would like to extend the learning with your child at home, you can watch Chris read his book here and utilize some or all of the following discussion questions: 

Discussion Questions: 

• What brings you joy (your “spark”)? 

• What goals might you have around pursuing and spending time on this “spark”? 

• How can you support your friends and their “sparks”? 

• How can we as your parents or guardians support you? 

• What does it mean to be a good team player? 

• How can you have good sportsmanship when you lose and when you win? 

Our Social-Emotional Learning Parent Volunteer Team read Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis. (You can watch the read-a-loud with your child here.) This book is about a girl who experiences and describes her wide range of emotions. When students can describe their emotions effectively, they are better able to self-regulate and also help their peers self-regulate their big feelings. To support student in naming their emotions, our volunteers will be using the concept of a “Mood Meter” during the lesson.

The mood meter helps students state which color zone they believe they are in, and also helps them recognize what color zone other students are in as well. In addition, parent volunteers will be discussing what actions students can take when they find themselves having overwhelming emotions.

If you would like more information about supporting your child with emotional intelligence, I recommend the book Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett. He is the director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. You can also search for him on YouTube to see some of his previous talks. 

In the book Molly Lou Melon, by Patty Lovell, Molly is constantly picked on by a bully at her new school. But, with the help of a caring adults (Grandma), she demonstrates how positive energy can not only chance negative behavior, but also create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The classroom activities focused on acknowledging our negative self-talk and then focusing on our positive self-talk to keep us focused on our own special attributes and building resilience.

As a follow up to our lessons, you can engage your child(ren) by reading the online book with them and/or using the following handout (grades K-3and 4-5).

During the month of October, a volunteer came to your student’s classroom and read René Has Two Last Names by René Colato Laínez. The focus of this book provides discussion on the significance of our names and identities, the process of adapting to a new culture and language, and the challenges of making friends.   It also discussed how diversity makes us stronger, how to use friendship boosters to build and strengthen friendships, and  how to identify and celebrate individual’s personal identities. 

By teaching our children the importance of accepting others and sharing our cultural heritage, we create a stronger community where all students feel safe and know that they belong. We hope you will talk with your child about your cultural heritage. Below are some suggested questions you can ask your child to continue the discussion at home.

• Discuss with your child where their name originated from. Does it have a meaning? 

• Ask your child if someone has made fun of their name or cultural traditions. If so, explore ways to handle such situations.

• Look at family pictures with your child while discussing your family’s heritage or cultural background.

• Enjoy eating foods from other countries. Learn about the country-its location, traditions, and customs.