The Best Offense is a Good Defense – August 4, 2019

Most sports-minded enthusiasts hold the opinion that “the best offense is good defense.” The same statement can be made throughout our homes, our classrooms, and our schools – particularly this time of year as our children and our teachers head back into the classroom.

We all start that first week of school with our best foot forward, but too often, our good intentions fade as we fall victim to chaotic schedules, homework, and disruptions to our sleep routines. What can we do to maintain that same optimism and positive energy from day one?

As parents, we can promote preparedness, healthy diets, and a good night of sleep. As educators, we can teach classroom rules and expectations. However, what is the single most important, game-changing tactic that we should all be using on a daily basis? Kindness! Kindness (or bucket filling) toward others will always be your best defense at keeping your bucket full. And when your bucket is full, you will be better equipped to fill the buckets of those people around you.

A bucketfilling, kind, positive school culture doesn’t happen by accident. It will come from mindful adults who model empathy, resiliency, and kindness and hold their students to those same expectations. Here are some resources to help you start the new school year right:

Twelve Easy Ways to Create a Bucketfilling Classroom
There is no better time than the first days of school to create a bucketfilling classroom.

Simply positive & positively simple
Our team likes to teach others to keep bucket filling simple and keep it positive

Positive Labels Only
Positive labels inspire us and create within us a desire to live up to them.

– Sandy

Here’s a link to a PDF printable version of this newsletter.