Day 7 Report - Our Final Class

Goal Work: Today the students reflected on the extent to which they feel they accomplished their goals. They also reflect on which of the goal setting steps they felt they were most effective at and which they could have done more effectively. Regardless of to what extend they achieved their goals, all the students felt that they learned about goal setting and attainment! For more information on this topic, check out the ESTEEM Team website.

Happy Habit #7 - Sharpen the Saw or Balance
The story we read explained the importance of feeding our mind, body, heart, and soul. If we neglect one of these aspects of our self we become out of balance. You wouldn't continue to use a saw without ever sharpening the saw. Check out your child's notebook for ways in which they can keep themselves in balance. The book that I used for the happy habits lessons was The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey. For more information on the 7 Happy Habits, check out The Leader in Me website.

Mindfulness: Throughout the past seven weeks, we have been practicing mindfulness and focus exercises. For more information on using mindfulness with kids check out The Hawn Foundation website or my Minds On Learning blog.

Don't forget to complete the survey that I emailed you and receive 20% off the next class you enroll your child in!

Day 6 Report

• Today's mindfulness exercise was focusing on the virtue of generosity for 3 minutes after we discussed the quote, "The real secret of happiness is not what you have or what you receive, it's what you share." (unknown) and examples in our lives of being generous and having others show us generosity.

• Goal work: we reflected on what actions and strategies we used this pass week in working toward our goals. As well we reflected on the 7 goal setting steps and which ones we felt we had done exceptionally well at and which ones we could have put more energy into.

• Happy Habit #6 - Synergize or 1+1=3 - By working together and using each person's strengths much more can be accomplished than the sum of each individual contributions. Today the students each started a list of their own personal strengths and then each one added to everyone else's lists. Here is a picture of the girls showing terrific synergy to run a highly competitive game in the nicest way possible:

• Today's homework focus on working on their goal as much as they can for this final week.

Just a reminder, next week is our last class.

Day 5 Report

I have added a video to last week's post regarding Happy Habit #4 Think Win-Win

*This week's Happy Habit # 5 was Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood which was about listening not just with our ears but also with our eyes and our hearts. The children have homework in regards to this habit. They have the choice to either spend an hour not talking and only listening or to think of someone who is a good listener and write a list of what makes them a good listener. I have recommended that if they choose to spend an hour not talking and only listening that they inform the people they are around first. And no, it doesn't count if they spend the hour playing in their room by themselves, lol.

*For goal work, the children spend some time coming up with ways that they can acknowledge their accomplishments and celebrate once they achieve their goals. Here are some of their ideas:
- a bubble bath
- doing a celebration dance (and song)
- a board game night with family
- spend the day reading
- go to Chuck E Cheese
- have a picnic
- go get ice-cream
- brag (to mom and dad)
- go in the sprinkler
- show Stacey the accomplishment
- do something special with parents

*We also spend time learning about the virtue of attitude. More specifically we discussed the idea that we can't control our circumstances but we can control our thoughts. We discussed the following important terms.

Self-control: The ability to control your own behavior, especially in terms of your actions and impulses.
(This is why we practice mindfulness each week)
Personal-control: Believing that you have control over the important outcomes in your life.
Pessimism: Always expecting something bad to happen.
Optimism: Believing, expecting, or hoping that things will turn out well.

See if your child remembers the ABCDE Way to get rid of negative thoughts. Here's a hint:
Any problem, Bad thoughts, Creepy feelings, Decide, Enjoy


Thanks for sending me such a wonderful group of children. They have such wonderful attitudes toward learning and they treat each other so respectfully that it makes each class a joy!

Day 4 Report

Goal Work:
Today we discussed obstacles that were or could prevent us from working on our goals. The kids each listed possible obstacles for their goals and came up with strategies for dealing with these obstacles.

Happy Habit # 4 - Think Win-Win - This habit is about thinking of others happiness as well as your own. The kids made a poster of examples of thinking win-win. Here they are explaining their examples.

Homework - Persevere with working on goals and overcoming obstacles. "Go over, go under, go around, or go through. But never give up." - Unknown