Sometimes what kids need is not on the lesson plan

5/1/2019 0 Comments

Sometimes what students need is not on the lesson plan.

Stressed Out Students Are The Ones Who Act Out

How are you supposed to slow down, stay calm, and be empathetic when kidsare acting out? Because, you know, the kids who are acting out are the ones in need. They’re the ones who:

realize it’s Wednesday. “The day I switch from mom’s house to dad’s house. But dad won’t answer the phone when mom calls to remind him, so sometimes he forgets me at school. I’m worried I’ll be forgotten again.”
just saw Suzy’s post on Instagram. “She took a picture when I fell down at lunch, and everyone is commenting LOL. The whole school is laughing at me!”
are worn out and exhausted. “I didn’t get to bed until 10 last night because I had soccer, a band concert, my violin lesson, and a boy scout meeting. I’m so tired.”
are lost in class and in the lessons. “I miss a lot of school. It’s only third grade. What’s so important in third grade that I have to go to school every day?”
who are afraid to speak up. “I’m too nervous to ask for help. What if no one will help me, or I get in trouble for asking?”

How You Can Help Kids With Stress

What these kids are feeling is stress. Sometimes they know the exact cause of their stress and they can verbalize what the problem is and what they need.

But sometimes they need help.

They need help finding the words.
They need someone to ask the right questions.
They need space for someone to be there and listen.
They need to slow down and relax, and maybe share a giggle.

In your daily plans it’s nearly impossible to find extra time to provide all those ancillary things that “are not on the lesson plan.” And at the end of the day you still have to get that lesson plan done.

Watching Rocketoons Helps Kids Talk About Their Stress

When kids watch a four-minute episode of Rocketoons, they relax. They can often relate to what the characters in the cartoon are feeling. They can talk easily about what the charactersmust be feeling, but what they’re really telling us is what THEY are feeling. They can see how bad behaviorcauses problems, and they learn how their own behavior is affecting others.

Rocketoons cartoons are only four minutes long and come with ready-made lesson plans called a CARTOONVERSATION™ CARD. This useful guide provides five discussion starting questions, five factoids about the subject matter, and five additional online resources for instructorswho want to go deeper into the subject. We’ve seen Rocketoons affect positive change when used with an entire class, in small groups, in pairs, even one-on-one with student and teacher.
Watch Rocketoons now at Rocketoons.com – they’re always free and always available.

Watch Rocketoons now

Can You Find 10 Minutes?

If you can find 10 minutes to watch a cartoon with your class and engage them in a few deep thinking questions, you will help your students deal with the stress that is causing them to be disruptive.

4 minutes - watch cartoon.
5 minutes - ask the questions on the Cartoonversation Card and listen to the answers.

< 10 minutes and you will successfully engage your students in discussions that allow you to understand which of them are stressed out and why.

If you are dealing with students whose needs go above and beyond what’s on the lesson plan, give Rocketoons a try.
Download our FREE getting started guide and visit Rocketoons.com to start watching.