THE CE SCOOP
Take a Peek at What We've Been Doing
Grade 1
Issue #1, Quarter 1, 2016/2017
First Back-to-School Weeks
1R: Officially First Graders!
1S: Officially First Graders!
1T: Officially First Graders!
A Lesson Learnt from the BOOMERANG: Respect
Our little explorers joined Burna in her journey to learn a life-long lesson about RESPECT: Give it, get it!
The video depicts and identifies respectful and disrespectful behavior, and teaches that treating people with respect leads to good friendships and positive interpersonal relationships.
The Golden Rule: TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU!
Grade 1 Bag of Gold Project
The first graders made a group project representing the Golden Rule on "gold pieces" filling "their treasure bag of the golden rule." Some of them chose to take their "golden piece" back home to remind them of the golden rule.
digging deeper into respect
Students practiced using the magic polite words: please, thank you and excuse me, in a game and in real-life settings; inside and outside of the classroom.
Moreover, kids practiced effective listening skills: stop, look (eye-contact), listen (elephant's ears), focus and show understanding by nodding, asking questions... Each class enjoyed making their very own story by building on each others' sentences which required practicing their listening skills!
Finally, we wrapped up the theme by demonstrating respectful manners throughout a full day by acting out scenes of "The Perfect Day of Respect" in which we included Table Manners as well.
Here are some things you can do to reinforce the Core Value of this quarter: Respect.
- Ask your child to tell you about "Burna's" video and what he or she learned from it.
- Talk with your child about the importance of treating other people with respect. Make sure he/she knows that it is important to you, and that it will lead to stronger friendships.
- Take the time to encourage and acknowledge when your child says "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," "I am sorry," and "Good morning,"...
- Watch a television program together, and discuss the various ways in which the characters acted respectfully or disrespectfully towards one another. Watch for put-downs, insults, and subtle forms of bullying.
- Help your child become sensitive to his or her own behaviors or language that may be of a disrespectful nature, as he or she deals with siblings or friends.
- Encourage your child to to greet and smile at neighbors when they meet. Even better, visit your neighbors with a share of something you cooked for yourselves or simply a flower and a smile.
- Model using polite words with everyone, and encourage your child to always use them, especially with helpers (nannies, drivers, porters, matrons...)
- Model good listening skills especially to your children, give them the full attention and have eye-contact while they're talking to you, and acknowledge it when your child does so.
- Make it a habit to say all your prayers with your child upon doing anything throughout your day, grab the opportunity to explain their meaning and effect on oneself.
- Accompany it with the manners related to it: eating, drinking, sleeping, bathroom, riding, greeting...
- We will start "The Tree of Manners" which will grow as we nurture our souls with more values. Kids will add "leaves" to it as they apply more of what they learn.
- Remember that you are a powerful role model for your child. If you treat people respectfully, that is what your child will learn from you.
Eid Celebration
Stay and Play
Stay tuned for your class' turn.
Here's my favorite part!
Coming Up: RESPONSIBILITY
Our children will have meaningful jobs at school, which they choose and believe they can carry out. They're going to learn how to express themselves, manage their feelings, balance between choices, resolve conflicts and have successful discussions and fruitful meeting. This is going to incorporate Positive Discipline and The Seven Habits of Happy Kids. Practice is much needed for kids to acquire and master these skills. I'll keep you posted insha'Allah :)