New Year's Resolutions - January 10

We are meeting today with our group to talk about New Year's Resolutions.  Goal setting is so hard with kids, especially early teens.  I thought this video was funny! I wonder what the kids will think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zV3MUpN8vA0

A Resolution Is:

a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something;

the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc;

the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute; firmness of purpose.

This description suggests three actions. These include:
-naming what you are going to do or change,
-deciding how you are going to make this change, and
-developing a mental state of being determined to achieve this goal.

Mean Stinks

Came across this site - http://www.secret.com/WHATSNEW/?tag=/Mean-Stinks, we have been using some of the daily ideas, such as "what would you do Wednesday? and the "share a smile" ideas.  Check out the website and "friend" on Facebook to get daily ideas, videos and more . . .

https://www.facebook.com/#!/meanstinks   

https://www.facebook.com/#!/meanstinks?sk=videos

Advisory December 23

We are meeting today for a final time before the holiday break.  The kids decided to decorate cookies and set their New Year's Resolutions.  Here are some ideas for New Year's Resolutions for kids.  http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/new-years-day/printables/  

Here are some ideas for setting healthy eating resolutions as well.http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/parenting/tips-for-setting-new-years-resolutions-for-kids-and-family/

Happy New Year! 

12/5 Learning Styles

Today we talked about our "learning styles"  It is amazing to me how much kids really know about themselves but are often reluctant to share with adults.  We really need to work with them to encourage self advocacy - certainly a skill needed as an adult.  Look to these resources to help identify learning styles - http://www.businessballs.com/howardgardnermultipleintelligences.htm   
http://www.kidzmet.com/pages/multiple-intelligences?gclid=CKDx6c-A5qwCFcbd4AodcE9RNw

• Linguistic intelligence ("word smart")
• Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")
• Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")
• Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")
• Musical intelligence ("music smart")
• Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")
• Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")
• Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

For self advocacy information,  while most resources deal with assisting students with disabilities, there is useful information for all students and families - http://www.ldonline.org/article/7757/  A good article from the Association of Middle Level Education (AMLE) http://www.amle.org/portals/0/pdf/publications/On_Target/advisory/advisory_3.pdf  

Advisory 11/4

Today we talked about the recent weather events in our area of the Northeast and the impact the early Halloween snowstorm had on our families - snow, loss of electricity for days, falling braches on houses, cars, closing of school, etc.  Many families were impacted and students shared their adventures. 

I will be presenting the work that we have done with the implementation of our Advisory program at the annual cconference for the  Association of Middle Level Education this week in Louisville, KY.  I am anxious to share with others the wonderful things that we have done with our adolescents. 

Advisory 10/26

Today's Advisory is an Academic Session

Using PowerSchool (our student management system grades Quick Lookup), individually review advisory students’ grades. Advisors will conference individually with each student to review quarterly grades and goals. 

            NOTE:  Next session is a student selected activity.  Prompt students to develop their activity

October 7

It is all about goal setting.  Love this "ladder" graphic.  Take a look . . .
Goal Setting
Continue activities and discussions from last meeting.  Some helpful worksheets can be found at:
    http://www.kidsgoals.com/goal-worksheet.pdf    and
    http://www.kidsgoals.com/goal-ladder.pdf