This lesson revolves around the target area of ‘getting along with others’ focusing on the classroom.
To get along with others in the classroom students need to engage in the following skills: sharing, cooperating, taking turns when listening and speaking or using classroom equipment, using kind and respectful language, respecting personal space and collaborating.
● Create many opportunities for your students to share by making materials limited. For example, during a cut and paste activity, put out one less glue stick than number of children at the table. Support children in their efforts to share. Do not just tell them to “share” but rather lead them towards figuring out that they will need to share and how to do it.
● Provide creative opportunities for your students to cooperate. Give students classroom jobs that require 2 people (or make the job require 2 people even if it is not necessary), instead of every student having their own job. For example, one student picks up the markers, the other holds the bin. Could picking up markers be done by 1 person…SURE, but let’s turn it into an activity to practise cooperation (not to mention teamwork and negotiation).
● Reinforce turn taking by highlighting it whenever you can. For example, when asking a question and calling on children who are raising their hands, tell them who you will call on for the next two or three turns, i.e. “I will call on Sue, Eddie, then Jessie.” The students will know that they are expected to wait but will get a turn soon. This helps children practice waiting while decreasing anxiety.
Give them the kind and respectful words! Have a word wall with great compliment words and other positive words. Increase student vocabulary with awesome words like; adventurous, courageous, diligent, reliable, sincere, witty…You could even assign points to words…1 point words (nice, fun, cool), 2-point words (thoughtful, generous, curious), 3 point words (courageous, diligent, powerful).
● Have table groups or sit spots. Use masking tape to mark each student’s space by placing tape lengthwise down the center of the table then going across to make a box for each child’s personal space. Have students try to keep their belongings in their space. You can also do a similar thing with spots on the rug. Using masking tape, create shapes for children to sit in. Make them big enough for children to be comfortable and an appropriate distance apart from each other. Giving students their own space will give them fewer opportunities to have disagreements.
