INNER STRENGTH â—½ YOU
How does one turn a bad mood into a time of having fun? I’m a mom, but I’m also a teacher, so I thought this month I’d share a learning experience I had in the classroom.
​
If I’m in a bad mood, it can cause the kids to be in a bad mood as well. At least, it can make it hard for them to have fun and learn. How can we, as moms, balance out all the moods, without letting the kids’ behavior “get out of control,” as we say?
​
I think what works best is to give them an agenda and a to-do list with fun included, to help provide structure. This makes it easier for them to transition to non-preferred activities.
One example of this is when I use sticky notes. I love sticky notes! These little squares aren’t so intimidating when it comes to writing, which is often a struggle for special education kiddos. So recently, we brainstormed and came up with an activity for the first step of the writing process.
​
Through the use of Play-Doh, I asked the kids to give me a word that described the dough. Then I wrote each word to Keynote, and I had them write some of the words, as well. I think it’s so important for the kids to take ownership of their work, and by having the kids describe the Play-Doh, we were also having fun.
​
Once the words were written on sticky notes, the kids then came up to the front of the room to the dry erase board and put the sticky notes there, in order to make a sentence. Some kids did not put them in order, according to what we say. That’s where I guided and helped enable them to move the words around. This took a normally super-challenging activity and turned it into something for success!
​
I’m excited to share that the students made silly sentences, and this activity brought out the personality of one of my autistic students who rarely speaks. Seeing him laugh and make the other kids laugh…it was a contagious moment! Now, getting back to work after all that laughter was difficult, but I’ll take it!
​
Not every day is perfect, nor is it at home with my own boys. But little moments, like those with the sticky notes, sometime gives me the strength to handle those bad mood days at home, in the classroom, and with myself.
​
We were a team with the sticky notes. The kids got to get up and move around, and still process the learning. They interacted with each other, and this was refreshing for me!
​
Being a team at work and being a team at home gives me inner strength to carry with me from place to place.
​
If I can do it, so can you!