We are currently reading and studying Sharon M. Draper’s novel, Out of My Mind. In the book, the narrator, Melody, gets a golden retriever named Butterscotch. Her dog is incredibly helpful, especially since Melody is in a wheelchair and cannot speak. But would Butterscotch be a good therapy dog? To help us find out, students did a little primary research and interviewed our very own therapy dog team here at SPSL– Ms. Naughton and Miles! They enjoyed the visit and learned so much about what it takes to become a therapy dog team.

We want to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Ms. Naughton for all the time and care she has donated to the students and faculty at SPSL.

She and Miles truly lift spirits every time they visit. What a gift!

This week in Skills Class we followed up with a second day of teaching on restorative practices. The activity was a listening circle. I shared the guidelines for a productive listening circle: Speak from the Heart, Listen from the Heart, Be Spontaneous, Use Lean Expression, and Keep in Circle.

Sixth grade students did a fabulous job following the guidelines for our questions.

We shared the following:
– an event that has had an impact on us (positive or negative)
– what gives us strength
– what qualities we possess that we “bring to the table” in our classroom, school, home, or community

We followed up with a little bit of Friendzy teaching about how “We Need Each Other”. The Seahawks consider their fans the “12th Man” and emphasize the importance of the fans to their team and to the eleven men on the football field from their team. What a great example of a group understanding how they need each other! Students also learned a bit about how mirror cells are tiny cells in the brain that allow us to mirror, or copy, someone else’s feelings. These mirror neurons help us to empathize and understand the people around us.

In my guided reading classes we have just finished two stories that both deal with bullying- “Muffin” by Susan Cooper and “Tuesday of the Other June” by Norma Fox Mazer. Students analyzed characters and submitted character essays. As follow-up to their learning, students are choosing a project. There is a research/presentation option, a poetry option, an option to read the other story and facilitate a compare/contrast discussion, and a mini passion project option where students can pitch me a project idea. I look forward to seeing how they extend their learning on the topic of bullying.