Kindness Day #1-November 1

What is something that makes people happy?  Food!  Food is fuel, but can also be comfort.  At the end of the day, sometimes it is great to just have a treat to celebrate the end of the day.  At our staff meeting, I shared 2 buckets of Halloween candy.  One bucket of chocolate, one of non-chocolate.

Day #1 Shared Halloween candy

November Kindness Project

Quite a while ago, I read the book, WONDER by RJ Palacio.  This was one of the best books that I had read in a very long time.  One of those "so good that you cry" books.  It's a favorite for adults and students alike.  I could hardly contain my excitement when I learned that there was a movie that was coming out.  As a bonus, the main actor is Owen Wilson and actress, Julia Roberts!!  If you don't know the story WONDER, you need to.  I will write more about that later.

You may have seen some pictures or clipart of something like this:

Being kind is a major theme that runs through the book.  Ironically, November is also Kindness month.  Let's face it, we all need a little more kindness in the world, right?!  We had a staff meeting yesterday where I presented to the staff a challenge.  I copied a blank calendar of the month of November and challenged each staff to perform one random act of kindness for each day of the month and jot it down...accountability to themselves. 

At home, I created a video with my own girls about a kindness challenge to the students.  Students are also to perform acts of kindness each week and post it up on our bulletin board by the elementary office.  My hope is that the board will be bursting with all kinds of kindness but also create some change so that practicing kindness becomes a habit without thinking.

Check back here to see all the good that is happening.  Of course, tweet it out if you can #BeKind.

What's the Deal With These Fidget Spinners?

You may have noticed a new trend.  Fidget Spinners. They are very popular with students across America right now, but some adults are starting to buy into the fascination with them as well.  You may be aware that "fidgets" are tools designed to help some students focus or concentrate better while sitting in class, listening to a presentation, or just chilling out.  For some it creates a sense of relaxation or calmness.

Fidget Spinner's are all the craze right now.
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There is some science behind fidgeting or tapping your foot, messing with jewelry or your hair while you listen or concentrate on a task.  It's called self-regulation.  Most of us have a little quirk that helps us focus, some are just more noticeable than others.  

I admit, I have caved to the fidget spinner craze by purchasing 2 for my daughters this past summer.  They were wildly popular for a period of time but now I just see them sitting by their beds.  Once in a while, they will pick them up and spin them around and around but the hype has disappeared.  Perhaps part of it is that I would not allow them to take them to school, church, or while visiting friends.  They were to be used at home or in the car only.  

A friend of mine explains fidget spinners best, they are fun if you are using them, but to watch others using them, they are super annoying.  She is right.  I cringe when I see kids playing around with them, but spinning it around for a few minutes myself is kind of fun.  

I don't see fidget spinner around school very much right now.  It seems that last spring and over the summer they were all over the place.  They have very much just been a phase which makes me wonder what the next "gadget" will be...