Overview:
An important part of building your teamwork skills is to be reflective. When you have successes or failures, always make time to reflect on what you did well and what you could do better or differently as a team. Thinking about the skills you need to build as a team will help strengthen your team and give individuals opportunities to grow their own teamwork skills.

Character Education Objectives:

Students will:

• work as a team to complete a task.
• reflect on the performance of their team.
• practice adapting and modifying a plan for success as a team.

Materials: 

• Rope or yarn in a large circle tied together (large enough for all students to be able to stand and hold a piece of it)
• Bandanas or fabric
• Large open space

Lesson:

Large Group

1. Place the rope/yarn in a circle on the ground and have students find a spot around it. Have students place their blindfolds on themselves and then pick up their piece of the yarn.
2. Students will now need to work together to turn this circle into a square. They can do anything to make the square except take off their blindfolds. 
3. Give the students five minutes to complete the task. When five minutes is up, ask students to drop the rope/yarn and step back to see how close they were to making a square.
4. Ask students to reflect on the activity with a “Praise and Polish” conversation. Instruct students to think about this reflection through the lens of teamwork.
5. First, talk about things they did well as a team. Guide the conversation by asking questions about their communication and collaboration. Then, ask students to reflect on what they could better or differently next time. This conversation may need assistance, as they may start talking strategy. Keep them on track by encouraging them to make a plan around how they will work as a team.
6. Put the rope/yarn back in the circle on the ground. Have the students find a space and put their blindfolds on. 
7. Students will have the same instructions as the first time, but this time encourage them to think about their praise and polish as they work together. 
8. Give the students five minutes to complete the task. When five minutes is up, ask students to drop the rope/yarn and step back to see how close they were to making a square.

Journal/Discussion

Encourage students to journal or discuss the following prompts:

1. Was there a difference between the first time and the second time you made the square? What were some of those differences?
2. Think about the things your team chose as things they could do better or differently for the second time. Did those changes help you be successful?
3. Praise and polish your team’s second attempt at the square.

Talent matters. Talented athletes are likely to win more games. Talented students are likely to achieve higher test scores. Talented musicians and artists are likely to receive recognition for their work. Talent impacts results. Although our society puts a lot of emphasis on talent, talent is just the minimum that we can achieve. To advance from talent to skill and then to achievement, we rely on our character skills like strong work ethic, leadership, perseverance, integrity, etc.

60-Second Character Reflection

1. What character skill could you improve to better maximize your talent?
2. Think of someone you teach, coach, parent, or lead. What character skill(s) could you help that person develop to help them maximize their talent?

Overview: Goal setting is an important skill every student needs to develop to become a more productive citizen. However, students do not always understand the difference between goal setting and goal achievement, nor do they grasp the steps it requires to achieve their goals. So, this lesson will walk students through the steps and supports needed to set and attain their goals.

Character Education Objectives:

Students will:

• discuss the difference in goal setting and achievement. 
• share a desired goal they have to become a more productive member of society.
• create a map to help them navigate the journey to reach their objective. 

Duration:

• Creating the map may take more than one day depending on students. 

Materials:

• Achievement Map 

Lesson Plan

Journal (5 mins) 

• What is an objective you aspire to attain in 5 years?
• What is a goal you have for the remainder of this school year?

Small Group (10 mins) 

• What is the difference between goal setting and goal achievement?
• How does a citizen who strives to achive their goals support our society?

Whole Group Discussion (10 mins)

• Why is it important to have goals? 
• What is challenging about achieving your goals?
• How do citizens who strive to achieve their goals support society? 
• Today you are going to create a map to help you achieve the objective you stated in your journal you have for the remainder of the school year. 

Individual (15 mins)

• Suggestion: go through each step with the students 
  • Start at Desired Goal
    • Example: I want to run a 5K (2.
  • Then write where you are right now (Starting Point)
    • Example: I can run a mile without stopping
  • What are the steps in between the goal achievement (end goal) and the goal setting (baseline)?
    • Example: Increase to 1.5 miles a week (2 weeks)
    • Example: Increase to 2 miles a week (2 weeks)
    • Example: Increase to 2.5 miles a week (2 weeks)
    • Example: Increase to 3 miles a week (2 weeks)
    • Example: Increase to 3.5 miles a week (1 week)
  • Who will you have to hold you accountable?
    • Example: My running partners
  • Why is an accountability partner so important?
  • What are the measurements or times when you will assess how you are doing?
    • Example:
      • Each day we will graph our time and distance 
      • Once a week we will test ourselves on how long it takes to run/walk 3.5 miles and chart it

Exit Ticket: (5 mins)

• Share this plan with your accountability partner 
  • Snap or scan a picture of the completed map and send it via text or email. 

Learn more about character education.

Character Education Objective:

• Students will collaborate with a partner to create and execute a plan for a challenge.

Content Goal:

•  Students will reflect on a created plan to improve the outcome.

Language Goal:

• Students will craft language around how to give feedback.

Purpose: Setting goals and creating a plan is only part of the equation of success. Reflection and assessment give students the opportunity to learn from experiences. This lesson is designed to give students a chance to create a plan, execute it and then reflect on their experience to improve results for the future.

Lesson:

Activity – Blindfold obstacle course (20 minutes)

Before the activity, you will want to create a very simple obstacle course outside or in a large motor space. A few simple lines of cones or something for students to weave in and out of is ideal.

1. Break the students up in pairs. Explain that you will be doing a challenge where one student will have a blindfold on and the other will be guiding them with their voice only. Then they will switch roles and try again. Before sending them to do the challenge, ask them to create a plan of how they will succeed. Ask them to think about what could make them successful. Will they use code words or sounds to separate their voice from the other team? Will they keep speaking to give constant direction or only use a few words to avoid confusion? Who will go first? Ask them to write down their plan with their partner.
2. Take the partners to the obstacle course. You likely will not have enough lines of cones for all the partner groups, so ask students to wait in a line behind the sets of cones and share the course. Get your first group of pairs ready by having one student be blindfolded. 
3. Explain that the goal is to get to the other side of the cones by weaving in and out without hitting the cones. Students are only able to use words to assist one another. Once the team reaches the other side they will switch blindfolds and the speaker will now become the walker and the walker will now be the speaker. Remind students it is a game of accuracy, not speed, and to use the plans they had created. 

Allow each pair of partners to go down and back. Bring the students back to the classroom.

Reflection (10 minutes):

Creating a plan is only half the battle to being successful. The students created a plan and executed the plan, but now it is time to reflect. Ask the pairs to think about the plan they created and how well they followed it in the challenge. Specifically ask them to think about and discuss these three things with their partner:

1. What did we do well from our plan?
2. What did we not do well from our plan?
3. What could we do better or differently next time?

As a group discuss the following questions:

Why is it important to talk about the good things after you did something?

Is it sometimes hard to talk about the things that did not go well with someone? Why?

What could you learn from those things that did not go well?Plan a time you can take the students back to the obstacle course to try again to test out their self-assessment and reflection. See if they improved on the challenge after reflecting. After, ask them to continue the reflection and think about – did it go better this time? Why or why not? 

Family Connection: 
Encourage families to think about a goal they want to complete together. It could be a project in the home, a service project or something they would like to achieve like playing more games together. Ask the families to plan how they will complete the goal and the responsibilities of each member. Once they have established the plan of how to execute their goal, encourage families to discuss a plan for reflection and assessment of that goal. That reflection plan will answer these three questions:

1. When will we reflect? 
   • Will it be after the goal is completed or throughout?
   • Be specific with the time.
2. How will we reflect?
   • How will we give each other feedback?
   • Talk about what went well and what did not.
3. How will we modify?
   • What could we do better or differently?
   • Look forward and see if you need to make changes to your current plan or for the next time.

Learn more about character education.

Learn more about character education.

From our guest contributor, Michele Borba.

Here are nine tips I shared with parents on Martha Stewart Living to make homework time more successful this year for your child and you.

1. Know teacher’s expectations

Be clear as to each teacher’s homework policy so you are all on the same page from the get-go. Find out how long should take on the average per night. That answer will help your determine if your child has too much work, is a procrastinator, has a learning disability or lacks study skills. Then talk with your child so he knows you are not only aware of the teachers’ expectations but  also support them.

2. Praise effort and not the “end product“

Kids needs to learn the importance of hard work and effort. Homework also provides a great opportunity for you to reinforce your child’s perseverance.

You might start a family motto such as “Never Give Up!” or “Don’t quit until you succeed” or “In this family, we finish what we start,”

Perhaps the most important trait that doing homework instills in our children is perseverance. And the only way they’ll learn to value effort is by our steady emphasis of “it’s not good enough just to start; you have to finish.”

• Research at Columbia University by Carol Dweck found that when you emphasize Effort “You’re working so hard” over Smarts “You’re so smart, you can do it!” you actually will increase your child’s persistence.

3. Be a guider not doer

Insist homework be your child’s responsibility not yours. Resist the temptation of always sitting next to her and offer your help only when it’s really needed. If your child is having difficulties, help her understand the work by making up similar problems and showing her step by step how to do it. Then watch her try to do one on her own. That way you won’t be doing all the work for her.

Asking her to show you her completed work at the end of each row or section is another way to ensure she’s following the directions correctly but not relying on you for every detail.

You can start “weaning” a child from having you sit right next to her by saying: “You do the first one. We’ll do the next together.” Then the next week: “You do the first row. I’ll check the next row.” The next week: “You do the first half. I’ll come back and check the second half.”

You’re using the baby step model and slowing weaning your child from you always doing and being there. Your goal is to merely check completed work. If you always do it with your child you’ll never be able to help the child do the task alone at school. Right?

4. Make homework be required…not a choice

From the beginning of the school year maintain a firm, serious attitude about homework. Your kid needs to know that homework is not an option. Enforce the “work before play” rule.

5. Develop a weekly homework reminder

Teach your child to create a simple reminder of daily or weekly assignments as well as a long-term projects and reports. A white board or chalkboard is preferable because it is reusable. Just be sure to hang it in a central place.

List the days of the week, and then help the child jot down regular daily or weekly assignments. For instance: Monday: Sharing; Wednesday: Library; Friday: Spelling Test.

Use photographs or icons for nonreaders (for example a picture of a book for library day). The ultimate goal is for your child to track of his own daily assignments without your reminders, but you know that will take some time.

6. Create a special homework spot

Involve your child in the selection of a specific place to do homework and stock it with necessary school supplies. The general rule is the younger the child, the closer that spot will be near you. Put the computer in a place where you can carefully view what your child is doing online.

7. Set a homework routine

Select a time that works best for your kid to do his—after school, before dinner, after dinner—then stick to it. Ask your child for his input and do try to accommodate his schedule. A set and predictable schedule helps defray the battles and gets your kid on a routine.

You may want to even post your agreement in a visible place and then sign it.

Many kids need a break after school, while others like to delve right in.

Find your child’s best time work time and consistently reinforce it. Drawing a clock face that shows the set homework time is helpful for younger children.

8. Teach study skills

A common reason for homework battles is that the child hasn’t learned essential study skills. Here are a few such skills to help your child:

• Make a ‘To Do’ list first: Help your child make a list of what needs to be done in order of priority, and then cross each off as completed. A young child can draw a different task on paper strips  put them in the order he plans to complete each homework, and then tear off a strip as each task is finished until no more remain.
• Chunk tasks: Tell your child to do  “one chunk at a time” to seem less overwhelming then gradually increase the size of the “work chunks” as your child’s confidence and ability increases.
• Do the hardest first: Encourage your child to do the hardest assignment first since it takes more concentration and longer to do.
• Play “beat the clock: To help with time management, give your child an oven-timer or stopwatch. Tell him to set the time for a specified amount (that he can do.. like five minutes) and encourage him to work by himself until the time runs out. Gradually stretch the time as your child’s attention span increases.
• Put finished tasks away, ASAP: Set a routine that the finished task is immediately put into a folder, placed in the backpack and set by the door ready for next morning.

9. Consider a getting a tutor

If you do find homework battles increasing, you are doing most of your child’s work or your child is having a difficult time mastering the subject despite your help, consider hiring a tutor. Ask your teacher or other parents for recommendations including even a high school student. The goal of homework should always be to enhance your child’s learning abilities and confidence while at the same time preserving the relationship with your child.

Dr. Michele Borba is an educational psychologist, parenting expert, TODAY show contributor and author of 22 books including The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries and UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World.

Check out: micheleborba.com or follow her on Twitter @micheleborba.

Learn more about character education.

Learn more about character education.

Learn more about character education.