Warm Fuzzies

 It's official!  I've had my first chess lesson!  The 7th grade students are excitedly (and patiently) teaching me to play!  I am really enjoying this time with the students and the opportunity to get to know them better.  I have the best job in the world!

Today and tomorrow I will wrap up self-esteem lessons with the 7th and 8th graders through wellness classes.  We have begun each session with anonymous written compliments.

This activity is followed by each student's compliments being read aloud by another student and a discussion regarding their reactions to complimenting each other.  The students often say that although it was a little weird, especially hearing their compliments read aloud, it was also pretty cool.  They appreciate having the opportunity to think about their peers in a positive light, as well as the opportunity to tell them something they might not otherwise say.  The students are able to keep their written compliments and I have heard comments about hanging them up in their lockers, as well as putting them in their rooms at home.  After the compliments, I turn the discussion to defining self-esteem.  We talk about how our self-esteem can be influenced by what others think about us, but ultimately it comes from what we think about ourselves.  Students are invited to take a short self-assessment to think about how well they understand their identity and at what level they accept and appreciate themselves.  I shared with the students that their identity is changing and is sometimes in question throughout middle school, high school and even early adulthood, so they can expect that sometimes their feelings of self-confidence may waiver as well.  I want students to know that struggling with self-esteem can be pretty normal and is not permanent. 

As we are nearing the end of 1st semester, our advisory groups are wrapping up their focus on Compassion.  This week each advisory watched this video and then worked to create their own photo that showed "humanity as it could be."  Here are some of their photos, enjoy!