Hey everyone, March 10, 2023 is SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING DAY. Here’s a great story you can share with your kids that can help them to develop their empathy for others: Moko the dolphin charmed the locals and tourists by catching and throwing beach balls at Mahia Beach in New Zealand. He pushed their kayaks with his nose. But Moko was … Read More
You probably remember the beloved story of the Ugly Duckling. It resonates with anyone who has ever been left out, teased, or lonely—which pretty much includes all of us. We feel empathy for the misjudged duckling. And when that “duck” discovers he’s a beautiful swan, it gives hope to all that when we discover our true identities, we can also … Read More
Have you ever looked at the clouds and imagined seeing a horse or a pig? And have you ever looked at a scraggly branch on a tree and imagined an old, gnarled hand? If you have, you are good at seeing metaphors in nature. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which you use one object in place of … Read More
By Barbara A. Lewis, author of The Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect with Others (Near & Far) to Create Social Change One of the largest youth-led protests in US history occurred March 14, 2018. One month after the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, thousands of students nationwide from more than 3,000 schools walked out … Read More
By Barbara A. Lewis, author of The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference If you offer brussels sprouts or a forkful of kale to a child, he will probably gag. This is not so true for those who feast on their own tenderly nurtured school garden produce. … Read More
By Barbara A. Lewis, author of The Kid’s Guide to Service Projects: Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference Hey, classroom teachers—are you frustrated with trying to incorporate character education into your classroom? You may have: Too little time Too much paperwork Too much curricular material to cover And on and on . . . … Read More
Have you ever watched TV or spent a few moments on social media, noticed a problem that a student or someone else in your neighborhood had, and gotten a weird idea about what people could do to help out? That is what Caragan Olles did. She was diagnosed with dyslexia in third grade. The diagnosis made sense and explained why … Read More
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.” (A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh) Today I read a letter that came in the mail from one of our granddaughters. She thanked us for attending a special occasion for her birthday. As I looked at the scrawled handwriting and the misshapen hearts … Read More
When I returned to teaching after taking a 20-year hiatus to raise my own children, I had an opportunity to take over a sixth-grade class during the last six weeks of school. When first entering the room, I dodged ricocheting spitballs—not a prime situation for success. I knew I needed a strategy fast. I thought if I focused my attention … Read More
By Barbara A. Lewis, author of The Teen Guide to Global Action Students at the University of Michigan in 1960 must have caught their breath when John F. Kennedy challenged them to contribute two years of their lives in volunteer work. What? Two years? Within weeks of his inauguration, President Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961. Any U.S. citizen … Read More