Friendship Part 1 & 2

Friendship is a term that kids use rather loosely.  Especially for the younger ones, anyone and everyone can be their friend.  However, when these kiddos get older, they need to be a bit more selective of those that earn the honor of being considered a true friend.

After watching +Alex Rigsby's video, we had a classroom discussion regarding what friendship means to us.  You will see some of the kiddos' work in the link below as they created Google Slide shows to express their feelings about friendship...which is our part 1 of our 3 part Friendship Fiesta! 

Here is one example (the link below takes you to the class folder)

Friendship According to Georgia

Friendship According to Room 21 Rockstars!

Over the next few days I had a couple of girls get into some pretty serious trouble out on the playground.  Now these girls are typically super sweet and kind, however when they get together outside of the classroom, they tend to have a somewhat negative influence on one another.  The girls came in at lunch and we talked about how friends help each other make good decisions.  We asked the age old question, "Would I want to be friends with me?" They decided that maybe it would be best if they took a little hiatus from their friendship and see what happens.  Well, as you know how 5th grade girls are, that hiatus lasted about 3.11 seconds.  Choices were made once again and this time it led to parents being contacted and consequences.  They both determined that even though they got along, that they really weren't helping one another make the best of choices.  They know that it's not because they don't like one another, but they aren't "good" together...right now.  I've peeked on the playground and I've seen them hanging out with people I've not seen them with before.  They're having fun and they're not getting into trouble! 

We then launched into our 2nd little project for the month.  Our lunch is only with 5th, 6th, and kindergarten.  So their interaction with other kiddos is limited.  I decided to take it upon myself and email some of the 1st-4th grade teachers and see if they had any students who have had challenges making and/or keeping friends.  

I immediately got responses and asked for some more specifics and then paired them up with one of my kiddos.  

My kids visited their new friends in class to introduce themselves, took them for a little walk around campus to "get to know one another", one even took her new friend a birthday pencil on her special day.

 Just last week in our staff meeting, one of the teachers celebrated my students by saying, "Ya' know, when the 5th graders walked in my kids thought they were in trouble.  But after they came back from their walk, they were all smiles! And these two NEVER SMILE!"

 I knew we hit the jackpot.  We are going to continue this project and my kids are going to go have lunch and go out to recess with their new friends.(photos to come)

I am so proud of my kids who are now role models and helping some other kiddos come out of their shells.  I specifically chose my shyest and quietest kids to take part in this project because I know how hard it is for them to open up. 

 But I see a little more swagger in their step and much more confidence in class.  They're raising their hands more, talking more, and just smiling.  I have a feeling they will SHINE in our next month's theme of Leadership!  Oh how exciting!

Part 3 will be up in a couple of weeks as it is bigger undertaking and had to coordinate with schoolwide testing schedules and such!  It's pretty awesome and my kids are BEYOND jazzed to tell you all about it!