http://yardsticks4-14.com/2008/01/02/practical-life-and-mature-independence/ Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:55:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://yardsticks4-14.com/2008/01/02/practical-life-and-mature-independence/comment-page-1/#comment-183 chip wood Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:45:18 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=118#comment-183 Practical and empowering at any age or grade level! Thanks. Practical and empowering at any age or grade level! Thanks.

]]> http://yardsticks4-14.com/2008/01/02/practical-life-and-mature-independence/comment-page-1/#comment-182 chip wood Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:45:01 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=118#comment-182 Practical and empowering at any age or grade level! Thanks. Practical and empowering at any age or grade level! Thanks.

]]> http://yardsticks4-14.com/2008/01/02/practical-life-and-mature-independence/comment-page-1/#comment-181 Organized Chaos Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:21:25 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=118#comment-181 One of my favorite activities when is whenever I have to communicate with the front office for something fairly unimportant (Is today outdoor or indoor recess? What time are report cards due?) I ask a child to either write a letter to the office, or ask them to call on the phone. The class loves "practicing their telephone manners" when they call, introduce themselves, speak clearly, and remember to say please and thank you. When I have them write letters to the office (sometimes it is because the child has a complaint... the classroom is too cold & there is nothing I can do about it as the teacher) they have to be in a letter format with clear handwriting. The kids get to watch how taking the time to do ask someone to help them problem solve gets things taken care of. They also learn to become advocates for themselves. Great post! One of my favorite activities when is whenever I have to communicate with the front office for something fairly unimportant (Is today outdoor or indoor recess? What time are report cards due?) I ask a child to either write a letter to the office, or ask them to call on the phone. The class loves “practicing their telephone manners” when they call, introduce themselves, speak clearly, and remember to say please and thank you.
When I have them write letters to the office (sometimes it is because the child has a complaint… the classroom is too cold & there is nothing I can do about it as the teacher) they have to be in a letter format with clear handwriting. The kids get to watch how taking the time to do ask someone to help them problem solve gets things taken care of. They also learn to become advocates for themselves.
Great post!

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