Check-Ins

My kids don't always get the fact that things happen that make us feel a certain way.  Mr. Duyan and I went to a training that told us to do check-ins in the morning to help the kids make this connection.  As stated by the facilitator (and restated by me a number of times), the whole point of the activity is to grasp and articulate the cause/effect relationship between events that happen in our lives, and the way they make us feel.  To help the kids, I printed out little cards with pictures of different emoticons.  We all choose a card and then explain why we chose the card:

12/16 - Check-ins

-Marvin:  "I picked this card" (holding card so only he can see it) "because I don't want Ms. C to go to Italy.  The plane is going to crash."

-Ms. C:  "I am pretty afraid of flying, Marvin, but most planes don't crash.  And what about YOU?  What's happening in YOUR life?  How are YOU feeling today?"

-Marvin:  "Oh.  Good."  (Shrugs shoulders and nods head)

-Colin:  "This one time, I went on a plane, and I was scared it was going to crash, but then it didn't, and I faced my fears, and that's what you should do Marvin, you should go on an airplane and face your fears, so then you won't be scared about Ms. C crashing anymore."

-Rick:  "Can I go next?  I picked the joyful card because I'm excited to be here with all of you, my friends, and all of my great teachers before the break."

-Ms. C:  "Rick, it's okay to say you're excited to have two weeks off school."

-Marvin:  "Really?!  Isn't that, just like, just like, jerk?"

-Ms. C:  "Nope. Most people feel excited to have time off work."

-Rick:  "Feew.  Yeah.  I can't wait to get the heck out of here today.  Sorry to say the 'h' word."

-Dash:  "Me too.  I can't wait to not have to see you guys for two weeks."

-Ms. C:  "Too far, Dash, too far.  It's okay to say you're excited for time off of an activity - activities don't have feelings.  We do."

-Dash:  "I was kidding!"

-Colin:  "Mr. Duyan... you go next."

-Mr. Duyan:  "I feel cathy today" (shows card) "and I don't have to say why."

-Al:  (raises hand) "What does cathy mean?"

-Mr. Duyan:  "You know... cathy."

-Ms. C:  "Mr. Duyan, can you explain what that word means."

-Mr. Duyan:  (sigh) "Cathy is a comic strip character.  She is a young woman who encounters many obstacles as she's trying to make her way through the business world.  She often feels discombobulated, but she is able to push on... and I'm not going to explain why I feel that way."

...I think we're canceling check-ins.