Dear Grown-ups,
I know that usually you are telling us kids about being kind to each other. You are always trying to remind us about how our words can hurt. Grown ups are always telling us kids about how we need to think about what we say before we say it.
Sometimes, I think the grown ups need to hear the same reminders that they give us kids.
Grown ups use words that hurt. Grown ups sometimes are not kind to each other. And we are watching you. We are learning from you all the time. Even when you are not teaching us. Maybe you should take your own advice and remember that whether you are speaking to someone face-to-face or posting to Facebook or tweeting or writing an email...your words impact others. Your words can bring someone down or they can lift someone up. Choose wisely.
You probably grew up hearing that phrase "stick and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." That's not true. Words can hurt. Words have hurt me before.
Hey grown ups...have you ever read the book Wonder? It's coming out as a movie in November so you still have time to read it. Go read it if you have not yet. And reread it if you have already read it. In the book, one of the characters says, "Jack, sometimes you don't have to be mean to hurt someone." That makes me think of that phrase about sticks and stones. You don't have to use sticks and stones to hurt someone. Grown ups need to remember that their words can hurt.
One of the best quotes from Wonder says that we need to be "kinder than is necessary. Because it's not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed."
So what do you say grown ups? You can go back to teaching me about how to be a better kid so that eventually I will grow up to be a better grown up. But first, maybe stop and think about how you can be kinder than is necessary with your words. Go lift someone else up with your words. Use your words to inspire. Me and all the other kids are watching and learning from you.
Signed,
A Kid (who is really a grown up who is really just a kid at heart!)
Currently reading:
I have not had much time to read lately, but I still try to sneak in some reading minutes here and there. I am almost done with Word of Mouse by James Patterson. The chapters are short and really quick reads. Love the vocabulary he mixes into the story!
I am also enjoying laughing out loud while reading I Heart My Little A-Holes. This book was written by a woman who originally just started blogging and sharing funny stories about being a parent. She put all the posts together and made it into this book. A principal friend of mine from Illinois surprised me by sending me this book. It has definitely helped put a smile on my face when I needed it!
Monday - Happy Memorial Day! No school
Tuesday - Kindergarten Screening all day at Prescott gym
Wednesday - Kindergarten screening all day at Prescott gym, Bubbleology Enrichment program for 1st grade in the afternoon, 3rd grade chorus @ 2:25, 4th graders reciting pledge at School Committee meeting 7:00 @ the HS
Thursday - 4th grade library trip
Friday - Liz and Dianna at SLT in the am, 4th grade library trip, new superintendent visits FloRo 12:30-1:30, FloRo Family Movie Night @ 6:30!
Great things I noticed last week:
- Avery, one of our 4th graders, was the lucky winner of the All are Welcome contest. She won a pizza party for her class and they all got to watch a movie while munching on pizza!
- I am still smiling about the awesome assembly last Thursday! I love how excited students and teachers were during and after the assembly! I can't wait to see how we crush the challenge of completing 5,000 acts of kindness over the last 15 days of school.
Check it out:
A kindness video for teachers: http://www.teachonomy.com/two-minute-timeout-for-teachers-be-kind/
I shared this video in Mrs. Roundtree's class last week when we had a discussion about how words can hurt. It was created by a 4th grader which makes it even cooler to share with kids!
This awesome principal and author of Kids Deserve It happened to post a similar post to mine so I wanted to share it with all of you: http://www.toddnesloney.com/class-blog
I loved this blog! Your inspiration on MAP has prompted me to get the Kindness Ninja to come to my school next fall! Have set the date!
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear of anything you have done to inspire at your elementary school!
Thank Debbie! I will reach out to you through Voxer to tell you more about what we have been doing to finish out the year.
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