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We are so excited to have Mrs Easton, 6th grade class, join us today to share the important habits that they believe can help all kids successfully move from elementary to middle school.
So habit one is being proactive.
Yes.
And can you tell me a little bit about why you guys chose being proactive to share with younger students?
So we chose being proactive to share with younger students because it's a amazing skill for just everyone to learn and you definitely need it in life because it's just choosing how hard you try and like that just decides on what grades you get in school and just it's helpful.
Yeah, it also is like the key point of being proactive is getting up during the day and doing what you need to do, instead of just sitting in bed and scrolling on your phone.
You can get up, do things, talk to people, go get breakfast, go exercise, you know, do what you need to do instead of just sitting in bed and doing nothing.
Yes.
And getting things just like you say setting things up so that you're interacting with other people and you're getting things ready for the different stages of your day.
It's a great habit.
Group two, can you guys tell us what your habit means to you as a group in your own words?
We chose goal setting because goal setting is a really important way to kind of get through your year if you don't have like an end game or something to finish with.
Goal setting is kind of like pushing yourself to like something that you want to achieve.
And it's an easier way to get through middle school.
Yeah, I think it helps you organize what you want to do, when you want to do it and how you're going to get there, versus having all that chaos if you don't have a goal or goals set in place.
Goal setting is like a finish line for the end of sixth grade.
So you're not just kind of focusing on like everything at once and you're not like just pushing through the year.
You have this end goal and then you have something to work for.
And it's a good way to organize the chaos.
Yes.
And you can enjoy, I think, the end of the year more.
When you have your goals organized, it doesn't become drudgery or you don't have that anxiety.
You can just move smoothly to the finish line and cross it.
Okay, group three, we are ready for you.
Our habit was first habit three, put first things first.
And we chose this habit because we thought like it's very important for it to help you get done with things like schoolwork and things that are due.
Yeah.
And so one example is like.
I was in math and I had a lot of Mathia to do and I wanted to play games instead, but I chose to put first things first and finish my Mathia.
And that's really smart, too, because you know that you've made the better choice.
One example of where I use first things first is I use my agenda, and that way I can see which assignment is due first, so I can do that one, so I can hand them in on time.
How you kids are all growing up.
Learning how to use a planner or an agenda is such a huge skill as you grow into the upper grades.
What we're doing that day and then when things are due.
And it's nice because too, you wake up and if you look at your agenda and you look at what should be first, it helps you feel confident as you go through your day.
So for group four, for your habit, was it hard to start using the habit?
And if it was, what made it easier over time?
I feel like what made it easier over time is like.
For most people it can be like you can practice most, like conversations, or like if you're arguing with someone and like you don't want to think that you're better than them, you want to find a solution.
So instead of like arguing with someone, you can come even and like, for example, if you're saying dogs or cats are better, you can find a solution that they're both equally as good.
I agree with you.
It's kind of like agreeing to disagree.
And your solution is understanding that you can each have your own opinions.
Thank you.
You're very welcome.
Hello.
Hi.
So group five, what is your habit?
Our habit is seek first to understand, then to be understood.
And why do you think this habit is important for younger kids, younger than you in sixth grade to learn?
Personally, I think this habit is really important for younger kids to learn, because this habit helps kids empathize with one another and helps them really connect and want to be friends with each other.
Because in order to be friends with someone, you need to learn how to understand them first, with empathy too and it's really an important part of your child's like growth over time, and it really helps kids in the future, since they can understand other people when they're adults too.
The younger you learn it, the more they can keep it in their brain.
Yeah, and we're not mind readers, so it saves us a lot of time trying to figure things out versus seeking to understand and asking for that extra help.
Yeah, I agree.
Yeah, me too.
That's a great choice too, guys.
Well, if you don't ever teach a kid how to like understand other people, then they're probably.
They might only think about themselves in the future, and only helping yourself will probably bring them down.
And if you help yourself, then you're eventually going to run out of stuff.
No one else is going to want to help you.
Okay, group six, you have the habit of synergize.
How do you remind yourself to keep practicing the habit of synergize each day?
You have to do it every day, from like getting up and working with your parents, like going to school.
Those are like little reminders of having to synergize and cooperation and creativity in your environment and getting up and like
I personally remind myself to synergize every day by getting up and working with my siblings on making breakfast or walking to school, or figuring out what we have to do today.
And I'm sure you guys found in your research to make anything a new habit.
You have to do that habit a minimum of 21 consecutive days to make it a real habit.
Group 7, what is your habit, guys?
Our habit is sharpen the saw.
Aha.
So have you guys share what sharpening the saw means?
It's balancing everything so that you can do everything better.
And what is something that you've noticed that has changed for you since you've started sharpening your saw?
Well, I've started having more energy, being able to do schoolwork better, really being able to do everything better, as soon as you find the right balance.
And you guys today you know, versus when Mrs Easton and I were growing up, I think have so much more to balance than we did.
And when you're balancing it, when your saw is really sharpened, how do you feel?
I feel good about myself.
Self-care is really, really important, especially as you go into middle school.
Eat breakfast.
That is non-negotiable.
I can't agree with you more.
When I was teaching it was obvious Many times kids that hadn't had anything to eat since the night before.
I think we kind of go through a phase where we think we don't need breakfast, but we really do.
Right now to people in elementary school it may seem like an easy thing to eat breakfast, but it gets a lot harder when you hit middle school because everything is so hurried.
They feel the need to drop something and they feel that breakfast is the most convenient thing to drop.
You've raised a good point there.
You know, it's when you're sharpening your saw, you also have to recognize time management.
Yes, we're going to take those two minutes to put some cereal in a bowl and add some milk to it, or whatever it might be that you're eating.
Make sure to get enough sleep, you guys.
It's really important.
If you stay up doing homework till like 10 one night, you're going to have another few hours of work because you're tired and can't focus in class.
Right.
Yes.
And sleep is huge in self-care. taking care of yourself in terms of rest and nutrition.
Also, remember to exercise even just a little bit.
It helps so much.
It wakes up your brain.
When we all sit so much, you know, working on the computers, or you're right, you kind of have that low.
And the minute you get up and just walk across the room, you feel better.
In the midst of all this, be sure to manage your social life as best you can.
It helps so much when you have friends to support you.
It does in all aspects of your life.
Yes.
And people who will treat you the way you treat them.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Your schoolwork is so important.
The thing about schoolwork is you can really effectively get it all done if you really just buckle down and think hard.
And use your time wisely and not waste it.
Yes, this intertwines a little bit with first things first honestly, because to balance everything you need to do everything in the right order.
If you haven't done all your schoolwork, and played games all during class.
Well, now you have a bunch of homework, and that's not very fun for you, is it?
No, especially if you had plans after school to do something fun.
But you know that you're going to have to save that for another time to get done the things that have to be due the next day.
You'll have such a good time if you balanced your time.
If we flash back to like first and second quarter, I was like staying up to nine some nights on homework.
There's like an hour of fun before bed, but I had to sacrifice that in order to do my homework.
But it just gets acquired throughout the year, halfway through the year, or you've joined some special club and you start to see that oh, i really need to buckle down and do this now there's.
There's not really time later, unless we sacrifice something else for it.
Right, right.
And you're right when you say that it takes, like you said, halfway through the year.
It takes time to develop the habits.
And the more you pay attention to knowing that you have to do that, you will.
This is Habit 8, and we're Find Your Voice.
It's important to find your voice, because it can make your life better and easier if you're able to like find your voice.
Finding your voice.
It can if you're like a shy person.
It can help you speak up your opinion to people and it can definitely help you get your ideas out.
And it's just, oh, it's easier to communicate.
And it helps you become more confident the more you use your voice.
Yeah, it's helpful for like get your ideas out there.
Really speak to what you believe.
Can you give me an example of when you have used your voice to advocate for something you believe in or stand up for something that you believe in?
There have been times in my family where my siblings don't agree with me or something and I have to speak up and make them understand that I believe something else.
Yes.
And then also here at Pueblo.
We also did a collection for books when California had their wildfires.
And that just reminds me of speaking up and finding your voice to support what's right, because people in California needed help.
So we kind of stepped up and helped them.
That's an excellent example.
And it shows how empathetic you guys are too.
I want to say thank you for taking the time.
You're going to help so many listeners with great habits to keep in there to start working on, if they don't already use them in their lives now or definitely when school starts in the fall.
Yes.
All your great little leaders.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks so much for taking the time.
Today we have great picture books to follow along with Mrs Easton's class about developing good habits in life and school.
Our first picture book spotlight is The Creature of Habit Story, written by Jennifer E Smith and illustrated by Leo Espinoza.
We hope you love it as much as we do.
A very big creature with big teeth, big eyes, and very big feet lives on the island of Habit.
Every day, the creature happily does the exact same things in the exact same order.
That is, until a small boat carrying a very small creature with small teeth, small eyes and very, very small feet arrives on the island.
The big creature is excited to share his routine, but the small creature has ideas of his own.
The little creature does something different every day.
It's madness to the big creature.
A delightful picture book about a creature of habit whose routine suddenly gets disrupted by the unexpected arrival of a new friend.
Can these two creatures learn to understand each other?
Is the island big enough for both of them?
Colorful and captivating, this is a story about learning with and from your friends.
Our next picture book spotlight is The Day My Clock Broke, written by Vix Brown and illustrated by Mok Fajur Shabaru.
Do you find yourself repeating, we are running out of time?
Let's go.
This book is perfect for teaching little kids the concept of real life time management.
Discover the concept of time in a way they understand.
Follow the adventure of a boy who learns valuable lessons about time management when his clock breaks, and teach this basic concept of time and balance between structure and fun with this engaging story.
The Little Leaders Podcast is written, edited, and produced by me, Tina Shepardson.
Thank you to Mitch and Claire, our little co-hosts, for today's picture book recommendations.
Our podcast artwork was created by Tara Hannon.
Music is from Pond5.
And podcast hosting is by Libsyn.
Take care, everyone.
Keep reading and keep leading.
