Thanks to those of you who were able to join us for yesterday’s ES Parent Engage! It was a great opportunity for parents to connect with each other as well as Ms. Farah Thaxton and I.
The focus of the session was on the exciting work of authors Tom Rath and Don Clifton who wrote “How Full is Your Bucket”. The general concept of “bucket filling” for children and adults is that each of us has an invisible bucket. While using a simple metaphor of a bucket and a dipper, authors illustrate that when we choose to be kind, we not only fill the buckets of those around us, but also fill our OWN bucket. Conversely, when we choose to say or do mean things, we are dipping into buckets. All day long, we are either filling up or dipping into each other’s buckets by what we say and what we do.
We shared that once students understand the bucket filling concept, we introduce the idea of the “lid”. We “use our lid” to protect and keep the happiness inside our bucket. The Buckets, Dippers, and Lids concrete concept helps children (and adults) of all ages grow in understanding, kindness, self-control, resilience, empathy, and forgiveness.
Feel free to check out these slides from the session which include a link to one of the videos that we discussed. If interested in adding to your child’s library, consider these books: https://bucketfillers101.com/publications/
Your partner in education,
Michael Allen