Focus Attention on Uncool Negative Consequences
One teacher posts a Proud Lion bulletin board with a sign up sheet for kids to join his promise to be proud of practicing good conduct.
Hi and welcome back to Attentionology for K – 5 Teachers!
In the world of sports and other arenas, news may sometimes convey a message that’s difficult for teachers and parents to counter…
the message?
It’s cool to break rules if you can get away with your actions.
Many athletes do get away with what many of us might call questionable behavior.
It’s tough to tamp down the awe that some kids feel for amazing athletic prowess, especially when world-famous players of all variety of sports score huge payoffs in “the big leagues.”
I’ve taught many children, particularly boys in grades 3 – 5, who aspire to be professional athletes (they write about it with me)…not just for a love of a sport, but because of the fancy clothes and cars and rings and things that accompany fame and are part of fortune…publicized in a menu of media outlets.
How then do we teach that uncool often has negative consequences?
One answer…
Post a Proud Lion Bulletin Board – Focus attention on uncool negative consequences by posting a Proud Lion (or other school mascot) bulletin board in your classroom.
Host a class discussion about how uncool actions can have negative consequences.
Offer examples, such as a poor test score that results from not paying attention at lesson time and/or not doing homework.
Make the connection between good test scores and successes that can follow from them.
Invite students to name uncool negative consequences and what causes them.
Add the class list to the Proud Lion bulletin board.
How else can you focus attention on uncool negative consequences? (more…)
Barbara Cleary has been serving as a resource to hundreds of educators for more than 25 years.
An award-winning writer, producer, teacher, and trainer, Barbara’s focus is on offering easy, fun tools and tricks that support K-5 curricula and assist teachers with classroom management.
