Positive School Climate Boosts Test Scores
A new study by WestEd found that extraordinarily successful California schools had one thing in common: A positive school climate, defined as caring relationships between teachers and students, physical and emotional safety, and academic and emotional supports that help students succeed. The goal of a positive school climate is “a sense of belonging, competence and autonomy” for both students and staff, the report said. This issue of the PBIS Newsletter explores results of the School Climate Survey, feedback strategies to build a sense of competence and autonomy, and activities for boosting a sense of belonging on campus for both students and staff.
Get your "happy" on!
Happy people are more productive and happy students earn higher grades and test scores. Watch this fun TED Talk by positive psychology researcher Shawn Achor about "The Happy Secret to Better Work."
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Staff Challenge: 21 Days to Cultivate Happy Habits
DAILY HABIT # 1: Mindfulness, the ancient practice of focusing non-judgmental awareness on the present moment, is increasingly recognized in today’s scientific community as an effective way to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, enhance emotional intelligence, and effectively manage painful thoughts and feelings. DAILY HABIT # 3: Physical wellness (exercise, sleep, healthy diet boosts mood, enhances work performance, improves motivation and feelings of mastery, reducing stress and anxiety) DAILY HABIT # 4: Altruism, compassion, giving back (5 acts of kindness over the course of a day will make you feel happier) DAILY HABIT # 5: Authenticity, vulnerability, forgiveness, letting go (these are the roots of social connection) DAILY HABIT # 6: Social connection, nature connection, empathy (increases immunity and longevity and boosts mental and physical health) DAILY HABIT # 7: Meaning, purpose, strengths (looking forward to something raises endorphin levels by 27%! Do something that emphasizes your strengths. Infuse positivity into your surroundings - 5 to 1 ratio, anyone?) Find a free "Happy Teacher Challenge" Calendar at Teachers Pay Teachers 21-Day Happiness Challenge https://projecthappiness.com/ | Create a Random Acts of Kindness challenge for a week or a month Students and staff alike can participate in the challenge. It can take a variety of forms - punch cards, post it notes to document kind acts, whole-class projects... lots of creative options! A favorite is the trio of kind acts: An act of kindness for someone you don't know, one for someone you know, and one for yourself. Get ideas from these websites: http://minds-in-bloom.com/random-acts-of-kindness-one-teachers/ https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas http://neatoday.org/2016/04/01/random-acts-of-kindness-classroom/ This counselor's website includes lessons and schedules: http://www.elementaryschoolcounseling.org/random-acts-of-kindness-week.html https://www.kidsforpeaceglobal.org/events_peace_day.html No act of kindness, If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion - Dalai Lama Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. - Desmond Tutu | Inspiring Students to Pay It Forward To inspire students to join in the kindness challenge, share stories or videos to stimulate a discussion about kindness and its power to create change. Pictured above: Here are some short videos that show students "paying it forward": Lacy Elementary Kindness Boomerang (3:24 min) features lonely kids who are invited to join activities, as well as helping kids being harassed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user Third graders demonstrate the kindness boomerang (1:20 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user Kind kids club features class projects that benefit kindergarten students and hide bookmarks with kind messages in random library books at school (4:17 min): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBicz2uoG8Q&feature=em-share_video_user Spread the love project: Middle school students take turns writing compliments about each student in class (5:04 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzkqx0WdW_Q Pay it forward video that comes full circle - Liberty Mutual commercial (4:35 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZMEIPCVgXY Find list of children's picture books about kindness here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/8-books-for-children-about-kindness/ |
Staff Challenge: 21 Days to Cultivate Happy Habits
Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. In fact, science has shown that, “The brain at positive is 31% more productive than at negative, neutral or stressed.” ~Shawn Achor, Harvard
DAILY HABIT # 1: Mindfulness, the ancient practice of focusing non-judgmental awareness on the present moment, is increasingly recognized in today’s scientific community as an effective way to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, enhance emotional intelligence, and effectively manage painful thoughts and feelings.
DAILY HABIT # 3: Physical wellness (exercise, sleep, healthy diet boosts mood, enhances work performance, improves motivation and feelings of mastery, reducing stress and anxiety)
DAILY HABIT # 4: Altruism, compassion, giving back (5 acts of kindness over the course of a day will make you feel happier)
DAILY HABIT # 5: Authenticity, vulnerability, forgiveness, letting go (these are the roots of social connection)
DAILY HABIT # 6: Social connection, nature connection, empathy (increases immunity and longevity and boosts mental and physical health)
DAILY HABIT # 7: Meaning, purpose, strengths (looking forward to something raises endorphin levels by 27%! Do something that emphasizes your strengths. Infuse positivity into your surroundings - 5 to 1 ratio, anyone?)
Find a free "Happy Teacher Challenge" Calendar at Teachers Pay Teachers
21-Day Happiness Challenge
https://projecthappiness.com/
Create a Random Acts of Kindness challenge for a week or a month
Students and staff alike can participate in the challenge. It can take a variety of forms - punch cards, post it notes to document kind acts, whole-class projects... lots of creative options!
A favorite is the trio of kind acts:
An act of kindness for someone you don't know,
one for someone you know,
and one for yourself.
Get ideas from these websites:
http://minds-in-bloom.com/random-acts-of-kindness-one-teachers/
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas
http://neatoday.org/2016/04/01/random-acts-of-kindness-classroom/
This counselor's website includes lessons and schedules:
http://www.elementaryschoolcounseling.org/random-acts-of-kindness-week.html
https://www.kidsforpeaceglobal.org/events_peace_day.html
A favorite is the trio of kind acts:
An act of kindness for someone you don't know,
one for someone you know,
and one for yourself.
Get ideas from these websites:
http://minds-in-bloom.com/random-acts-of-kindness-one-teachers/
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas
http://neatoday.org/2016/04/01/random-acts-of-kindness-classroom/
This counselor's website includes lessons and schedules:
http://www.elementaryschoolcounseling.org/random-acts-of-kindness-week.html
https://www.kidsforpeaceglobal.org/events_peace_day.html
No act of kindness,
no matter how small
will ever be wasted
- Aesop
If you want others to be happy,
practice compassion.
If you want to be happy,
practice compassion
- Dalai Lama
Do your little bit of good where you are;
it's those little bits of good put together
that overwhelm the world.
- Desmond Tutu
Inspiring Students to Pay It Forward
To inspire students to join in the kindness challenge, share stories or videos to stimulate a discussion about kindness and its power to create change.
Here are some short videos that show students "paying it forward":
Lacy Elementary Kindness Boomerang (3:24 min) features lonely kids who are invited to join activities, as well as helping kids being harassed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user
Third graders demonstrate the kindness boomerang (1:20 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user
Kind kids club features class projects that benefit kindergarten students and hide bookmarks with kind messages in random library books at school (4:17 min):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBicz2uoG8Q&feature=em-share_video_user
Spread the love project: Middle school students take turns writing compliments about each student in class (5:04 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzkqx0WdW_Q
Pay it forward video that comes full circle - Liberty Mutual commercial (4:35 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZMEIPCVgXY
Find list of children's picture books about kindness here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/8-books-for-children-about-kindness/
Pictured above:
pencils with handwritten positive messages.
Here are some short videos that show students "paying it forward":
Lacy Elementary Kindness Boomerang (3:24 min) features lonely kids who are invited to join activities, as well as helping kids being harassed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user
Third graders demonstrate the kindness boomerang (1:20 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXDL_qW_mvI&feature=em-share_video_user
Kind kids club features class projects that benefit kindergarten students and hide bookmarks with kind messages in random library books at school (4:17 min):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBicz2uoG8Q&feature=em-share_video_user
Spread the love project: Middle school students take turns writing compliments about each student in class (5:04 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzkqx0WdW_Q
Pay it forward video that comes full circle - Liberty Mutual commercial (4:35 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZMEIPCVgXY
Find list of children's picture books about kindness here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/kids/8-books-for-children-about-kindness/
