Have a Peaceful School Year
Whether you are a teacher or a parent/ caregiver, we all want to set our children up for a peaceful school year. Making class rules or house rules together helps everyone know what the expectations are. And when we include our children in the making of rules, this gives them a feeling of empowerment and a greater sense of buy-in.
In Responsive Classroom trainings, I learned a great way to include children in rule-making. After collecting rule suggestions from children, encourage them to make positive rules about what we want to see, instead of rules about what we do not want. (ie, instead of saying "no screaming," say, "use inside voices.") Then rules can be sorted into three buckets: our things, each other, and ourselves. Use the language your children use to make these rules. For example, the rules in one class were, "Use lovely treatment with our things. Use lovely treatment with each other. Use lovely treatment with yourself." What was the one overarching rule? "Use lovely treatment."
In my original song, "Be Peaceful," the rules are, "Be peaceful with our things. Be peaceful with each other. Be peaceful with yourselves." What is the one, overarching rule? "Be peaceful."
Wishing you a peaceful and productive year!
Keep singing,
Risa
Author
Risa Beth Cohen, M.S.Ed.
Author
Risa Beth Cohen, M.S.Ed. is an educator, singer/songwriter, and storyteller. She works with people of all ages and abilities, leading music circles and storytelling workshops. As the Founder and Creative Director of Sing into Reading, Risa is passionate about teaching literacy through music and movement. Risa holds a B.F.A. in acting from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and an M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education from Bank Street College. In 2014, she was the Featured Teller at “Tellebration” in Toledo, Ohio. Students of all ages and abilities enjoy her music circles and storytelling workshops. In addition to teaching children, Risa is a sought-after speaker at edu-events of all sorts. Risa is an approved CKC (Core Knowledge & Competencies) Instructor, and Sing into Reading is an approved training organization recognized by the Ohio Professional Registry of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA). She has two OCCRRA-approved workshops, “Teaching Literacy Through Music and Movement,” and “Songs for a Peaceful Learning Environment.” She has taught educators and families at schools, and has spoken at conferences in many countries, including Egypt, Australia, England, and South Korea. Risa and her program, Sing into Reading, have been featured on WTOL Channel 11, NBC channel 24, 13abc, and the Toledo Blade. Risa has been called a literacy teacher “in disguise.” Her students think they just make music and have fun – and they do!
