It's all about PERSPECTIVE:

I have been teaching Guidance Classes for 6 years now, but this year has been such an "AH HA!" year in several ways!  First, I think I have finally gotten a handle on why there is so much girl drama!!!  Okay, maybe a don't have a complete handle on it, but I do feel like I'm in a little more in control of how to deal with it.  As I have taught Habit 5 for several years now, I have addressed it from a very general standpoint, and can honestly say this is the habit that has stumped me.  However, this year, out of the blue, I discovered a way that I can better teach it to my students.   I begin by showing my students several pictures that can be seen from two different perspectives.  As we discuss these pictures, I am able to show kids that no one is wrong, but that we have to search for a way to find out how another person is seeing things in a respectful way.  I tell students that we are sometimes so quick to get people to see our perspective that we don't stop and listen to theirs.  Oftentimes, we might listen, but don't regard it as important, and skip past what they have said to tell our side.  This all sounds really good right? WRONG!  This isn't at all enough though!  I have gone deeper this year and am trying to help kids explore another point of view based on real world scenarios.  I found this great resource on teachers pay teachers that was truly worth the investment.  It offers scenarios and forces students to think about the other person in the scenerio and describe their feelings.  I have taken it a step further, and have had them resolve the conflict by demonstrating Habit 5 concepts.  These concepts include

• restating what they have said in their own words
• reflecting the feeling that person has shown
• giving the person a positive before addressing negative
• avoid accusatory phrases

I feel like this has helped students see that they have the power to change someone in an assertive non threatening way, without all the drama that often follows.