Today didn’t quite go as planned. Isn’t that just the way? Well in a way I prepared myself for a little bit of a tough go at first, still shocking to this perfectionist though.
In an effort to muddle through, I decided to buy myself a new book. So, I bought this book today on Amazon:
You can literally Google search, “Bucket Filler,” and at least 100 million lesson plans for this book come up. This got me excited. I love, love, love this book and just knowing that it is sitting in a box on it’s way to my house made my day 100 times better.
The book describes an invisible bucket that contains our feelings. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When our bucket is empty, we feel sad. A bucket filler is someone who says or does nice things for other people. By doing this, they are filling other people’s buckets and filling their own bucket at the same time. On the other hand, a bucket dipper says or does things to cause other people to feel bad. A bucket dipper empties their bucket when they say and do mean things.
The book actually has it’s own website. The following document lays out exactly how to teach the lesson: Bucket Filler Lesson Plan.
Another brilliant blogger adapted ” The Top Ten Essentials” (every bucket filler should know) based on Ron Clark’s Essential 55. These are the best visuals I have seen in a long time!
I plan to place these outside my room on the wall after teaching the lesson. Then, students will have a chance to come by my room and fill out a “Bucket Filling Card” to be placed on the bulletin board. This way the students have a daily reminder about what is like to be a “Bucket Filler” in and out of the classroom each day. Here is the card I plan on using (or perhaps I will “boy” it up a bit . . . actually I know I will but I will use the same layout): Bucket Filler Card.
Also, reverting back to my old 1st grade teaching self, I have brought back my LOVE of teaching through chants and songs. So, while searching through those 100 million websites, I came across this precious chant: Bucket Filler Chant. The best thing about it is . . . it doesn’t go to any song and therefore I can make it up!!!!
Even after writing this post, I am feeling so much better and I’m ready to start my day tomorrow, ready to fill my own bucket while filling others’.
counseloretc. 