Are you looking for ways to promote a growth mindset in your classroom that will support behavior, promote positive peer relationships, and foster open communication between you and your students? Maybe you need a simple go between for you and your school counselor? Then maybe Trash Your Troubles is for you!
What is Trash Your Troubles?
Creating
a safe environment for kids is so important for todays classroom. We have
fabulous school counselors to turn to that do a phenomenal job supporting
teachers and kids daily!
What if we also helped in our own classrooms as well?
I saw
this little trashcan at the Dollar Tree and the idea just hit me.
I am sure you
have heard of “burn” therapy. You write down your worries etc and
then burn the paper essentially releasing it from you. Now I have personally
never done that, but this idea is along those same lines.
If a kid is having something
that is
troubling
them
they
can write it down, wad it up and throw it away in this little trashcan!
Now this does not
at all take
the place of a kid seeing the counselor
if
needed.
It would just be an easy way to sort of give them a therapeutic way to deal
other than keeping it bottled up. Some troubles may be as small as “_____ took
my pencil.” or as big as a true bullying issue that maybe the child is not
confident speaking up out loud yet. This also does not take the place of the teacher being
an active observer of your kids and open
communication.
The kids can write
their name if they want to so then the teacher can see who might need to talk
or it can be just a quick jot from a child to release their thoughts. The
teacher can check
the trashcan
a few times a week or as often as they want or need to.
Establishing a solid
and trusting relationship with your kids is also very helpful and important
with this as well. So the kids feel comfortable writing their name so you could
help with any problems they may have or need to refer to the counselor.
You would also need to set expectations for when they can use this: not
during teaching time, etc. As the teacher you could decide what works for you
and your classroom. I would also recommend putting it somewhere they can access
it easily but also somewhat private.
Just
copy the template onto colored paper, cut and set near the trashcan!
The
thought is truly to open communication within your classroom and include an
extra option of having kids share their thoughts, worries, struggles in a safe manner.
It might also be beneficial in that first step between you and the counselor if
needed!
Sound like something that might be useful to you? Go grab the template HERE:
Have a BLESSED week!
"Jesus never asks us to go where he hasn't been."
