Leader In Me Part 2

Leader In Me Part 2

In my previous blog post (https://spotlightclassrooms.blogspot.com/2019/09/leader-in-me.html), I introduced the Leader In Me program and the 7 habits of happy kids that my school adopted last year. I explained the 3 stages students go through during the program: Independence, interdependence, and developing the whole person. I explained the independence stage and the first 3 habits: Habit #1-Be proactive; Habit #2-Begin with the end in mind; and Habit #3-Put first things first. After these 3 habits have been taught and students apply them in their everyday life, they then learn about the next stage. The interdependence stage and its 3 habits: Habit #4-Think win-win; Habit #5-Seek first to understand, then to be understood; and Habit #6-Synergize. These habits are key in helping students learn how to work together, listen to each other, respect each other, and to solve problems where everyone can be successful.

Students can work together

              Many of our students have not learned how to communicate well with others and are still stuck in the ego-centric stage. At home, they are taught to stand up for themselves, to fight for what is theirs, and to only listen to their parents. They only think about themselves and how to win every fight. On the other hand, some are ignored and are told to be quiet. They learn to go along with what is happening around them. They don’t know how to form a thought or a complete sentence because they never had to. As teachers, it has become our responsibility to teach students how to communicate and how to work well with others. An essential skill I teach my kindergarteners on Day One is to, “Use your words.” When I tell them to use their words, I tap my chin so that my EL students have a visual for what I am asking them to do. If they cannot find the words, I guide them to what they are trying to say. The students are taught to use phrases such as, “Don’t touch me, I don’t like that,” “Please give me back my toy,” and “I don’t like that.” When students give me one-word responses, I ask them, “Did you make a complete sentence?” as I touch my chin with my hand and extend it out to a straight arm. This signal shows them that they need to use more words in their sentences. Communication skills are vital for collaboration with peers.

 

Habits #4-6

Habit # 4: Think Win-Win is showing students that there doesn’t have to be a winner or a loser in everyday life. Our society has taught them winners are successful and losers are not. Stephen Covey thoroughly explains that this is not how life should be, but that everyone can win in some aspect. When a student takes a toy or object away from another student, that student is thinking “win-lose.” If a student gives up something for someone else and has nothing in the end, they are thinking “lose-win.” When students share and/or take turns, they are thinking “win-win.” My kindergarteners are taught “win-win” when they are working together. When they encounter a problem, I ask them, “How can you solve your problem?” The students come up with solutions and I ask them, “Was that think win-lose? lose-win, or win-win?” The students then discuss which one it is. If it’s not win-win, they have to explain how to make it win-win. After a couple of tries, they can quickly identify win-lose, lose-win, and win-win situations. They identify them in small groups, centers, outside playtime, and read alouds.

              Habit # 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood is all about developing listening skills. Stephen Covey explains, “Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” This is 100% true! If you do not agree with this statement, please try to practice this the next time you are collaborating with your team or listening to someone venting to you. Just listen to the other person speak and not respond at all when they are speaking. Then ask yourself, did you listen with your eyes? Your mind? Your heart? Kindergarteners are ego-centric at this age and do not understand or know how important it is to listen to others. I use the Kagan Structure, “Think-Pair-Share,” to introduce this habit. We call it, “Peanut Butter/ Jelly Time!” I teach the strategy first, I model it with a student, then we do it in pairs. I stress the importance of listening to our partners and we are not allowed to speak when they are talking. Once the students master this strategy, I will hear students state, “They did not talk,” or “They weren’t listening with their eyes.”

Habit # 6: Synergize is how to work together as a team. Stephen Covey states, “Synergy is better than my way, or your way. It’s our way.” Students have a hard time learning how to work together. They just want to solve a problem their way and not listen to others’ solutions. To begin to teach them how to solve problems together, I model our routines and procedures. I then “pretend” I don’t know how to do something. I ask the students to help me “solve my problem”. When most of the students have the same response, I tell them they are “synergizing.” To put this habit into practice, I give them activities such as puzzles to build their problem-solving skills. At first, they argue on how to put the puzzles together, but once I remind them to solve their problem and to synergize, they work together. Over time,  students will develop problem-solving skills and identify them within themselves and their peers.

Sincerely,

Maricella Mesa