Bring on the Bad ~ We're Bringing the Good

As I write this I again realize how very proud and equally impressed with every member of this class I am. The teacher is only half of the solution, the students are the other. Without you, everything I do is just good intention. You guys turn that into reality....and what a good reality it is :-)

Katie Crying ~ Bring On The Bad cuz We're Bringing the Good!


The video was accidentally cut short, but long enough when I saw it to remind me what it was about. Katie thought she heard others saying they DIDN'T want her to represent the class in the speech contest, and was hurt.

They actually said they most definitely DID want her. But instead of telling her "not to be so sensitive", we talked about the power of feeling so deeply, and developing the inner strength to guide those deep feelings to control yourself and overcome ANY obstacle, including the ones they'll all face in middle school where someone might not want them to do well.

I don't allow negativity or ill thoughts in the classroom, it is a very safe and protective environment. However, in order to prevent this from weakening them from preparation for the real world, I also build their self-esteem so much that another's, or even many others, criticisms and doubts WILL NOT STOP THEM from continuing to DREAM and DO BIG.

The neat trick we're playing on this sometimes ugly and cruel world they're heading into, is that not only will they not be stopped by it, but they WILL OVERCOME it, and..........HELP others conquer it too!

Go ahead, bring on the bad. Just know we're bringing the good, and believe me, it's very strong and the good is very "bad"!

School bullies are a real problem. I just saw on the news how six girls lured another girl to a "friend's" home and beat her up while two boys stood guard outside.

This is an extreme case. I don't want to scare you and it IS NOT likely to happen to you. But I don't care if it rarely happens. It shouldn't happen at all! And YOU all have great power in stopping it.

What if we turned this problem inside-out, and started sending kids away from us feeling so good about themselves that they weren't lacking so much that they felt they had to take it away from others via emotional, psychological and physical abuse?

WHAT IF WE DID THIS?

Well we are!!!!!! Everyone in Room 208 IS doing this. You are TOO STRONG to worry about fitting in, being liked or disliked by the popular groups, or being harassed or bullied. And for the rest of your life, you can always turn to your parents and your 5th grade teacher when you need to.

Now, can you imagine being so strong in this area you could help the bullies feel better about themselves so they didn't have to take it away from others who are not as strong as you? No one wants to hurt someone who makes them feel good about themselves.