Looking (A) (B)it (C)loser at the ABC Books

 
By GiGi G., Parent of Snowboarding Snow Leopard Zoe and Smart Sushi Roll Ben
 
The Project Cornerstone Asset Building Champions (ABC) program focuses on social emotional learning and developmental assets such as: self-management, social awareness, responsible decision making and relationship skills. Each month, parent volunteers from each class read a specially selected ABC book, usually during their workshift in that class. They will also lead discussions and share activities to help all kids feel valued, respected and that they belong at this school.

The way this is done is by building developmental assets. Developmental assets are the positive experiences, values, behaviors, and relationships that enable young people to thrive. Young people with high asset levels are most likely to make healthy choices, while those with lower asset levels are more likely to get involved with negative or risky behaviors like violence, trouble in school, drug and alcohol use and more. Project Cornerstone has identified 41 Developmental Assets that are critical to our youth. The 41 Developmental Assets are grouped under the eight major categories of support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity.

The best way of really getting to know the 41 developmental assets is by completing the Project Cornerstone classes offered at Village by our Parent Education Team. If you need a refresher or can’t make the class anytime soon, you can find more information online.

The Project Cornerstone ABC program builds these developmental assets and each book has its own message and lesson plan. Here is a closer look at the books for this year:
 

September: Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lowell

In this book, the main character is empowered by a caring adult, her grandmother. As her grandmother fills her bucket, Molly Lou gains self-confidence, which empowers her to stand up to bullying behaviors. Molly Lou models positive self-talk to the other students in the class and shows how positive energy can change negative behavior.

This book builds developmental assets from 7 of the 8 categories:

1. Support — #3 Other Adult Relationships
2. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power and #38 Self Esteem
3. Boundaries and Expectations — #14 Adult Role Models, #15 Positive Peer Influence
4. Empowerment — #10 Safety
5. Commitment to Learning — #24 Bonding to School
6. Positive Values — #28 Integrity, #30 Responsibility
7. Social Competencies — #33 Interpersonal Competence

 
The goals for this lesson are:

• Students will identify and be empowered by caring adults in their lives.
• Students will gain a sense of control over things that happen to them by using positive thinking.

October: My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig

This book addresses relational bullying. Relational bullying refers to “acts of emotional bullying among tightly knit networks of peers.” Instead of using their fists to hit or feet to kick, relational bullying includes under the radar actions like spreading rumors, intimidating and humiliating, excluding and ignoring, as well as manipulating a victim.

This book builds developmental assets from 7 of the 8 categories:

1. Support — #1 Family Support, #2 Positive Family Communication and #5 Caring School Climate
2. Social Competencies — #33 Interpersonal Competence and #36 Peaceful Conflict Resolution
3. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power
4. Empowerment — #10 Safety
5. Boundaries and Expectations — #12 School Boundaries and #14 Adult Role Models
6. Commitment to Learning — #24 Bonding to School
7. Positive Values — #26 Caring and #30 Responsibility

 
The lesson’s goals are to:

• Identify the caring adults and family members who provide support and positive communication for young people.
  Empower students to discuss problems with supportive family members and caring adults.
• Use positive self-talk to boost personal power in interpersonal relationships.
• Understand and identify friendship boosters and busters.
• Apply ABC tools learned in previous lessons to handle bullying behaviors: face to face and in the digital world.

 
November: Don’t Laugh At Me by Steve Seskin

This book provides opportunities for conversations around caring, compassion and cooperation. Teaching social responsibility is at the core of this lesson. Students will discuss tolerance and acceptance of others, conflict resolution, and the importance of creating a school where all kids share a sense of belonging and safety

This book builds developmental assets in 7 of the 8 categories:

1. Boundaries and Expectations — #15 Positive Peer Influence
2. Positive Values — #26 Caring, #27 Equality and Social Justice
3. Social Competencies – #33 Interpersonal Competence, #34 Cultural Competence, #36 Peaceful
4. Conflict Resolution
5. Support — #5 Caring School Climate
6. Positive Identity — #41 Positive Cultural Identity
7. Empowerment — #9 Service to Others
8. Commitment to Learning — #24 Bonding to School

 
The goals for this lesson are that:

• Students will express tolerance for others.
• Students will perform intentional acts of caring and peaceful conflict resolution, in order to create a school where every student feels accepted, valued and safe.

January: The Blue Day Book for Kids by Bradley Greive or Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis

This month, the ABC Readers can choose which book to read but the message and the developmental assets focus will be the same.

The main theme of The Blue Day Book for Kids is to show students that having a bad day happens to everyone, and with a little effort and creativity we can often make those days more positive. The main theme of Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day will teach students to identify emotions and to understand how another person feels.

These books build developmental assets from 5 of the 8 categories:

1. Positive Values — #30 Responsibility and #31 Healthy Lifestyles
2. Social Competencies — #33 Interpersonal Competence
3. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power
4. Boundaries and Expectations — #14 Adult Role Models and #15 Positive Peer Influence
5. Commitment to Learning — #24 Bonding to School 

The goals for the lesson are:

• Empower children to practice specific skills they can use to influence things that happen to them.

• View disappointment and sadness as temporary and fixable states.
• Act and switch directions so that the outcome of their day is changed.
• Name feelings and notice the feelings of others.
• Learn ways to accept and deal with feelings.

February: Long Shot by Chris Paul

The focus of this book is to inspire students to find their sparks, explore their world and learn about their passions. This lesson helps youth identify, observe and understand the steps to success that role models use to achieve their goals, whether they are famous or the everyday heroes in student’s lives.

This book builds developmental assets from 6 of the 8 categories:

1. Positive Identity — #39 Sense of Purpose and #40 Positive View of Personal Future
2. Support — #1 Family Support, #2 Positive Family Communication and #3 Caring Adults
3. Boundaries and Expectations — #14 Adult Role Models
4. Social Competencies — #32 Planning and Decision Making
5. Commitment to Learning — #22 School Engagement
6. Positive Values — #28 Integrity and #30 Responsibility

The lesson’s goals are to:

• Help students explore and discover their sparks (interests, dreams, passions, etc.)
• Identify their spark champions
• Set a GPS -short and long term goals, steps to get there, and shifting of gears to achieve their dreams.
• Identify their goal champions
• Reflect upon and identify the support students receive from their peers, family, and community.
• Empower students to provide support to their peers, family, and community.

March: René Has Two Last Names by René Colato Laínez

The focus of this book is to help students learn to respect different cultural customs and traditions, understand the importance of maintaining customs, and have an inclusive mindset.

This book builds assets from 6 of the 8 categories:

1. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power, #38 Self-Esteem, #41 Positive Cultural Identity
2. Social Competencies — #33 Interpersonal Competence, #34 Cultural Competence
3. Empowerment — #7 Community Values Youth, #8 Youth as Resources
4. Support — #1 Family Support, #2 Positive Family Communication, #5 Caring School Climate
5. Commitment to Learning — #22 School Engagement, #23 Homework
6. Positive Values — #28 Integrity, #30 Responsibility

 
The lesson’s goals are to:

• Understand and learn about different cultures and how diversity makes us stronger.
• Identify and celebrate individuals’ personal identities.
• Use positive personal power to stand up for traditions and beliefs.
• Be inclusive and accepting of differences.

April: Enemy Pie by Derek Munson

This book focuses on building interpersonal relationships. It also shows how caring adults can help create opportunities for friendships to bloom, even when misconceptions, prejudice and fear are obstacles.

This book builds assets from 7 of the 8 categories:

1. Support — #1 Family Support, #2 Positive Family Communication and #4 Caring Neighborhood
2. Boundaries and Expectations — #13 Neighborhood Boundaries, #14 Adult Role Models, #15 Positive Peer Influence
3. Positive Values — #26 Caring and #31 Healthy Lifestyles
4. Social Competencies — #32 Planning and Decision Making, #33 Interpersonal Competence and — #36 Peaceful Conflict Resolution
5. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power
6. Empowerment — #10 Safety
7. Constructive Use of Time — #18 Youth Programs, #20 Time at Home

 
The goals for this lesson are for students to:

• Understand that prejudice may cause one to have a perceived enemy.
• Learn not to judge others.
• Develop a growth mindset that embraces meeting new people and discovering new things about classmates and friends.
• Expand friendship making skills to include overcoming self-imposed obstacles, like prejudice and stereotyping.
• Be aware that friendships can bloom and wilt.

May: The OK Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld

This book focuses on resilience. Resilience is an ability to bounce back, recover from adversity or return to your original form. Resilience can be developed upon 7 building blocks: competence, confidence, support, positive values, contribution to others, coping strategies and personal power.

This book builds developmental assets from 7 out of the 8 categories:

1. Support — #1 Family Support and #5 Caring School Climate
2. Constructive Use of Time — #17 Creative Activities
3. Commitment to Learning — #22 School Engagement
4. Positive Values — #31 Healthy Lifestyles
5. Social Competencies — #32 Planning and Decision Making,
6. Positive Identity — # 37 Personal Power, #38 Self-Esteem, #39 Sense of Purpose, and #40 Positive View of Personal Future.
7. Boundaries and Expectations — #14 Adult Role Models, and #15 Positive Peer Influence

 
The goals for this lesson are for students to:

• Develop a growth mindset that embraces trying new things; being “OK” with enjoying, while pursuing mastery.
• Find joy in discovering new sparks and interests.
• Learn from mistakes to develop resiliency.
• Turn I can’t (reactive) attitudes into I can (proactive) attitudes.
   

June: Who Moved My Cheese? For Kids by Spencer Johnson, M.D. and Christian Johnson

(only for 5th graders) 
This book is read only to the 5th grade as a last ABC book before going on to middle school. Told as a parable, the 4 characters live in a maze and look for cheese to make them happy. Each character represents a different way to manage the changes and challenges they discover in the maze. How they find and eat the cheese defines their resiliency to change. This book will help children view change as a good thing that leads to new opportunities.

This book builds developmental assets from 7 of the 8 categories:

1. Social Competencies — #32 Planning and Decision Making and #33 Interpersonal Competence
2. Positive Identity — #37 Personal Power, #38 Self Esteem and #40 Positive View of Personal Future
3. Support — #4 Caring Neighborhood and #5 Caring School Climate
4. Empowerment — #10 Safety
5. Boundaries and Expectations — #15 Positive Peer Influence and #16 High Expectations
6. Commitment to Learning — #21 Achievement Motivation
7. Positive Values — #30 Responsibility

 
The lesson goals are to:

• Help students learn that change happens to everyone.
• Help students understand that people handle change in different ways
• Teach students different ways to deal with change and become more resilient.
• Discuss the student’s’ upcoming change- what will be different, what will be the same, how they feel about the change.
• Teach students that they have control over how they react to change.