Responsibility

This month we'll be learning about the value of responsibility. This value is considered to be the outmost objective of education because when someone acts responsibly, he is also telling others and himself about his level of maturity, and acquisition of character. Knowing how to make good desicions and facing the consequences of those desicions is a core life skill. Liberty and responsibility form a binomial concept; they go together, hand in hand. No wonder it has been said that beside the statue of liberty there should be a statue of responsibility.

Middle School students, need solid anchors or limits and the security that they will grow into wonderful, talented,independent adults. this is the time to think about values and observe those of parents, or people they admire. Mistakes are natural, mostly in this phase of life; just think that every day is brand new start!

Life is full of choices and young adolescents have to learn how to be in control of their choices. this is a big challenge, but it can be achieved by setting specific and reasonable goals and persist until they are attained.

Here are two questions for students:

Do you apologize when wrong?
Do you keep your commitments?

Understanding Adolescence

This coming week the Lions-Quest course will continue to focus on the changes that kids go through in adolescence. The important thing is to make them understand that the physical, social and emotional, and intellectual and academic changes they face, are normal. Also, we want them to know that they can have the time of their lives!

Also, our school is helping locally to save the hungry by making bowls which will be sold on Empty Bowl's night. Kids are supporting this activity by making bowls and buying t-shirts.

Exploring the Changes of Early Adolescence

This week we'll start taking a look at some of the changes and challenges of the early years in adolescence. Adolescence is a unique period of time in our lives that takes place before adulthood. sixth grade students are in the middle of their early adolescence, which includes approximately the ages of 10 to 14.

Kids can expect changes in their physical, intellectual, social, and emotional areas, as they develop. feeling surprised, embarrassed, excited, or confused about these changes is absolutelly normal.

The purpose of the lesson is to make kids understand these changes they're going through, in order for them to be able to use this information to help them in school, with friends, and at home. Another maing goal of the lesson is to help kids clarify doubts and concerns they might have about this important phase of life.

This is the time for parents to be more vigilant of their children and "be there" for them. Here's a video that illustrates this idea.

Building a classroom community

This past week we have been working with students in creating a classroom community that is nice to be in because it's a place to learn. One of the things that we covered is the fact that sometimes students tear each other down instead of building each other up. Words and actions may hurt people, and students need to have more build-ups and fewer put-downs in their lives to become all they can be.

Friendship week ended with a general assembly for Middle School students, where sixth graders presented skits related to the topic, a seventh grader sang "I"ll be there for you", and we also had a speaker refer to the topic. Besides, students exchanged friendship bands.



Next week, students will continue building a classroom learning community by getting to know each other better and deepening their relationships. They will explore what things they have in common, and also they'll identify their interests,and differences in the hope that they their friendships improve.