Notes from Faculty Workshop on January 17

1. 7 Habits Review
Which lessons were most successful

2. Question #1: Which lesson was most
successfule when introducing the habits?
We introduced each habit by reading the accompanying
story, followed by a classroom discussion.
Our most significant/successful lessons came when we
applied a habit to a particular situation that arose in
class. The teacher would identify a problem, and ask
the students how the given habit would be useful to
solve the problem.

3. continuation of question 1:
Example: A student randomly pointed out
a real life win-win situation: If the class
was quiet, they could get a drink right
away after PE, in the middle school
hallway - & - the middle schoolers could
continue working uninterrupted.

4. More from Question 1
• Watched and listened to a video from
•
Israel and posted on blog how it was
related to the habit (win-win)
Used in everyday language to do their
work ahead of time (proactive)

5. Question 1
Fifth Grade focused on Win/Win, working on a project
with Morah Liat. Each student was asked to come up
with a win/win scenario and share with the class. They
were able to see how it works outside school.

6. Question 1
In first grade introducing WIN-WIN was great. They read
the book Goodnight Rainbow Fish.
This a book about how rainbow fish wants to go to sleep
but has a million excuses why he can’t sleep. Mom gives
him win-win solutions for each excuse.
We then each made a rainbow fish and wrote an
example of a win-win on it.

7. Success stories from the
habits...
Students seem to be empowered. They have
come up to MS teachers using the language of
7 habits:
“ I am trying to be proactive, how can I
improve my grade.”
The common language like “Be Kind” from
Wonder, be Proactive, WIN-WIN seems to be
very helpful.

8. Success stories...
In Kindergarten we discussed WIN-WIN’s that
they could relate to.
You only need one jar of Peanut Butter but
it’s BOGO - you keep one and give one to
the food pantry.
You outgrew your coat and you get a new
one. You give the old one to someone who is
poor - WIN-WIN.

10. Question #2 Kindness examples
A student who was hungry (he had eaten
his lunch before lunchtime) and had
made it known, was spontaneously helped
by his classmates, who each donated a
little bit, so that he could buy his own
lunch and “pay” them back with
kindness.

11. Kindness examples
In Second grade, Rabbi Lubliner came in to be a mystery reader. One
student spoke up to remind the teachers that not everyone knew him.
She went on to introduce the new student and make her feel more
comfortable. This wonderful act was reported to Dr. Mitzmacher, and
then publicly acknowledge on social media.

12. Promoting kindness in the class
• “Mensch-o-meter” for students who are
consistently kind to one another
• Students helping each other throughout
•
•
class instead of always having the
teacher help
Sharing each other’s ideas and materials
Including one another in social settings

13. Promoting kindness
Kindergarten does a compliment circle. On Fridays they
all sit in a circle and they have to compliment the
person sitting next to them. It is a real “feel good”
experience. The compliment has to be meaningful!
In 1st grade there is a lot of emphasis on helping each
other if something is dropped or lost.
No one ever sits alone at lunch in Middle
School anymore.

14. Question #3: How are we
reinforcing the previous habits?
Students and teachers reference past
habits as applicable situations arise, so
that they are constantly being reinforced.

15. Habits are reviewed daily in 1st
grade.
In First grade, they use “Begin with the End in Mind” a
lot. It works especially well when you have to redirect
behavior. The students are used to hearing, “is this
behavior helping you get to purple (on the behavior
chart)?”

16. Reviewing habits
• Continuing to use language from previous
months
• Keeping activities from previous months
on the wall to review

17. Keep the language consistent
In First grade (and soon to be in Kindergarten) Shannon
created a wonderful flip chart of all of the habits so
that they can constantly review them.
In Middle School we constantly use the language. The
one habit that is referred to the most though, is BE
PROACTIVE. In Science they have previewed a
“coming” attraction - “Think to Understand and then to
be Understood.”

18. Question #4: School-wide ideas
Have students or a “team” of students be
on the lookout to find as many examples
of that month’s habit. They can point
them out and document how they alter
their choices using pictures and
explanations that can be made into a blog
post.

19. More ideas….
The Habits being posted around the school
make a huge impact. They could be uniform
with what the kids see in the book,
“personalizing” in the classroom. Posters
hung in the restrooms, middle school halls,
LUNCHROOM and put in Hebrew.

20. More skits and contests...
• To have skits every month for every
habit for the whole school
• To have small contests or something
similar to that every month
• Pair older kids with younger kids to teach
the habits

21. More ideas….
Spirit Days
Parent Education! Get our parents
involved!
Post good stuff on the school website.

22. Todah Robah everyone!
Thank you all for actively participating
today. You all shared some great
examples and future ideas. If anyone
wants to volunteer to help create some
posters (to laminate for permanent use)
and/or help to lead a parent session with
me...let me know :) Thanks again