One of the life skills we work on all year is "What do I do when I am stuck or confused?" Ms. Leom pulls out her dramatic flare, and she demonstrates a round of stomping feet, with an "I can't!", a sob, and even, "I. Don't. Get. It!" There is more drama. The students watch in fascination. Adults, especially those in a school are not known for such theatrics, and for some, they might see a perspective of themselves. In the beginning, it captures students' attention, and then the real work begins.
We talk about what are some strategies when we don't know what to do or even what is the problem?
Then we begin building our classroom community culture. This includes recognizing, celebrating, and using teachable moments when students actively apply what we are talking about. We name the skills: persistence and determination. There are more traits too.
We are in school to learn. It is supposed to be challenging at times. Challenging often includes new ideas and learning. How we communicate and move forward matters. This is a valuable life skill, not only for third grade, but adulting too.
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