January 23rd - 27th

This week, scholars met the nine EmoTrolls: Cool and Groovy, Smiley, Stuffy, Sulky, Blamey, Gossipy, Vengy, Bully, and Bomby. As in past years, the kids really enjoyed this topic because they identify with the behaviors enacted by each character. Students were able to use relevant vocabulary and pinpoint times when they acted like an EmoTrolls. On No-Fun-Friday, we utilized a Kagan structure to make sock puppets that represent each EmoTroll. The students' creativity was, as always, astounding and I was really proud of how well they did. Take a look at some of their works of art below!

Soon, we'll be writing scripts and putting on puppet shows to demonstrate how EmoTrolls harm our relationships and devise more productive ways of handling our emotions. I can't wait to see where the scholars go from here!

January 17th - 20th

Was this week only four days? I couldn't tell because we got so much accomplished! Tutoring Tuesday was spent helping kids study for Science and Social Studies tests, as well as completing various homework assignments. Wednesdsay, Thursday, and Friday were all dedicated to Hot Buttons. I was really proud of how well the scholars identified with this concept. To make the topic more interactive, I designed an in-class project where students made artistic representations of their Hot Buttons and Cool Buttons. Take a look at some of their work!

The other exciting news from this week involved our t-shirts! The kids were thrilled to receive their shirts and many put them on immediately. We've even had teachers ask if we have extras!

January 9th - 13th

Our first full week after break was a great one! The mentors began discussing their experiences as positive leaders. They will be writing essays on their "Personal Best" and sharing them with one another over the coming weeks. I'm looking forward to hearing their tales! On Tuesday, many students were able to practice Literacy in Achieve 3000 during tutoring time. Wednesday and Thursday, we discussed biases and how they shade our view of the world. We also talked about the core emotions and the ways in which our emotions affect our ability to reason and think logically. The kids were all able to come up with some solid examples of instances when their brains were "hijacked" by their emotions and they lost control. Friday, we participated in fun team builders like Kick the Can and Cat Tails.

January 4th - 6th

Our first week of 2017 was a short, cold one! The students were placed in new Kagan Cooperative Learning teams on Wednesday, so we devoted the class to creating a new team identity. As I type this, I'm reflecting on how difficult it was for the students to reach consensus at the beginning of the year and how quickly they complete this task now. I'm incredibly proud of their growth, as it relates to relationship-building! On Friday, the scholars participated in a cherished language game called Rattled. Students are given eight random letters and they are challenged to come up with as many words as possible during a set time frame. The kids love this activity because it's fun and they get to work with their team, but I love it because we get to talk about new, interesting words!