Cole 8.5x11 forms handouts.pdf
Daily Assignment Checklist
Check the boxes for the tasks you have completed today. You should review this sheet at least 30 minutes before you leave school for the day. If any of these tasks are not yet complete, you should complete them before leaving school.
Turn in all assignments that were due today. (Check your calendar and daily assignment checklists to see what was due today.)
Check to make sure that new assignment sheets are placed in the right folders. For example, science sheets should be in the folder labeled Science.
Check to make sure that you have all of the books needed for tonight’s homework.
Book
| Assignment | Due |
|---|---|
| Book 1 | Assignment 1 |
| Book 2 | Assignment 2 |
| Book 3 | Assignment 3 |
| Book 4 | Assignment 4 |
| No book needed | Assignment Due |
If you are not sure whether you have homework in a particular class, ask a classmate or a teacher before you leave today.
Long-term projects that were assigned today
| Project | Class | Due |
|---|---|---|
Write down reminders for anything else you need to do tonight or this week:
| Class | Due |
|---|---|
Make a note on your school calendar for all new assignments.
Strength-Based Goal-Setting Exercise
The objective of this exercise is to help students recognize their personal and academic strengths and how these attributes can be applied to their current schoolwork. The exercise builds positive self-concepts, encourages students to continue striving to succeed, helps educators and students build rapport, and sets specific goals for how a struggling student can get back on track. It is recommended that this exercise be completed or at least reviewed by the student and educator together. You can modify this template to create a form that meets the needs of your specific class or age group.
Fill in the blanks below and review your answers with an adult.
Something I do well (Choose a talent or strength.)
How I can use this to succeed in school
My goal (To start, choose a short-term goal you know you can achieve.)
My reward (If you reach your goal, what might be better? How might you feel?)
Something I do well
My goal
(continued)
Strength-Based Goal-Setting Exercise (continued)
My reward
Something I do well
How I can use this to succeed in school?
My goal
My reward
Recognize and Respond to Emotional and Behavioral Issues in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide by Andrew Jonathan Cole, Psy.D., & Aaron M. Shupp, Psy.D. Copyright © 2012 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved.
Children Who Refuse School
Many families have children who refuse school at some point during their education. Although the problem is not uncommon, it can take on many different forms. The severity, duration, and underlying causes of these behaviors can vary greatly. School refusal can occur with children of all ages: from the beginning of formal schooling through the beginning of adulthood.
Is my child refusing school?
There are many ways that children may try to avoid going to school or participating in activities while there. Often, parents and educators notice a pattern in how problems arise to distract a child from attending school. For instance, a younger child may only develop a stomachache during particular classes, or an older child will be absent on test days. Some commonly seen avoidance behaviors include:
- Fussing, stalling, or pleading
- Clinging to a caregiver
- Tantrums or crying
- Physical complaints that occur before or during school (headaches or stomachaches)
- Leaving to spend time with friends or be alone during school hours
- Defiance or misbehavior that results in being removed from classes
Why doesn’t my child want to go to school?
There are also many different reasons why children avoid school. Some of these reasons can be serious and very important to the child. Others can be resolved more easily with reassurance or a change in daily routine. So, it is wise to carefully consider the possible causes and to talk with school staff about what they have observed before assuming the causes. Some frequent reasons for school refusal include:
- Worry and insecurity about being away from family and home
- Worry about interacting socially with peers
- Frustration and disappointment with academic performance (sometimes, children with learning difficulties will avoid classes or activities at which they have felt unable to succeed)
- Reinforcement received for not going to school (getting to spend extra time with family)
- Bullying or mistreatment
What should I do to help my child stay at school?
A good place to start is to talk with your child about what is bothering him or her. Have this conversation at a time when your child is calm (not just before school or when reprimanding your child for misbehavior). Sometimes, children will have difficulty explaining what is bothering them, but it is important to ask. Talk to educators or school administrators about your child’s behavior when at school. If there is a clear reason that your child may want to stay home, work out a plan to address that underlying issue. Work with school staff so that what you are doing at home and what teachers are doing in school to help your child is as similar as possible. Finally, consider contacting a child therapist if your child is showing significant distress, if the school avoidance has lasted more than a week or two, if you feel unsure how to help, or if you have other serious concerns. Many school districts have counselors, social workers, or psychologists on staff who can support you or provide a referral to a professional in the community.
School Stress
Some of the things we do in school can be pretty stressful.
Taking tests, presenting in front of a class, working with other students on projects, or meeting individually with teachers or principals can all make people feel nervous.
But there are tricks we can use to help keep our bodies and minds calm. Try some of these below:
Breathing: Spend a few moments just breathing. Sit comfortably. Let your belly expand as you take a slow breath in, and let the breath out just as slowly as you brought it in (but not so slowly that you make yourself dizzy). Notice a difference? Many people feel more calm after the first breath!
Remember your accomplishments: When we feel stressed out, we are usually focusing too much on bad things that could happen (such as failing a test or saying something embarrassing in front of the class). Make a list of successes and accomplishments that you have had. These can include seemingly small successes, such as doing a little better on a test than you expected or finishing a project you thought you’d never get through. Ask a parent, teacher, or friend to name a few more of your accomplishments that they have seen. Take out this list and look at it every once in a while when you are worrying a lot. It might help you feel more confident.
Get used to mistakes: Making mistakes is a normal, unavoidable part of life for everyone! Have you ever met a person who didn’t make mistakes? That’s because there aren’t any! Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Avoid eating or drinking too much of the following when you are stressed out:
- Sugar: candy, cookies, soda, etc.
- Caffeine: coffee, soda, tea
Sugar and caffeine can increase your body’s reactions to stress; such reactions might include shaky hands or butterflies in the stomach.
Exercise: Talk to your family and your doctor about what exercises would be best for you. Regular, moderate exercise can do a lot to help your body and mind de-stress.
Parent–Teacher Communication Sheet
Goals
To reduce (problem behaviors):
To increase (positive behaviors):
In school today
(name)
Problem behavior(s)
| Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Very often | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive behavior(s) | ||||
| Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Very often | |
| Rarely | Sometimes | Often | Very often |
Teacher comments:
What to focus on tomorrow:
Bullying: What You Should Know and What You Can Do About It
Bullying is deliberately causing harm to someone else through words or actions. It can include name calling, criticism, making fun of someone, excluding someone from activities, writing negative things online, or posting pictures of another person without his or her approval. Bullying can also include pushing, punching, spitting, or any other form of physically hurting someone or invading his or her personal space. Threatening to hurt or embarrass someone is also bullying.
Being bullied can make you feel scared, unsafe, embarrassed, ashamed, angry, demoralized, sad, or anxious.
If you have been bullied, you might
- Stop going places or stop talking to certain people to avoid situations in which you might be mistreated
- Experience changes in your sleeping, eating, mood, or attitude
- Act defensive or withdrawn, even around people who care about you
- Think there is nothing you can do to avoid being bullied again
What you can do if you have been bullied
- Do not just keep it to yourself! There are people who care and can help you. Talk privately with a family member, teacher, or trusted adult. Let your friends know how you are feeling.
- Keep your cool.
- Turn rude comments into a joke, or brush them off. Bullies often like to get a reaction and may stop if they do not.
- Spend your time around people who do not treat you this way. You do not deserve it.
What you can do if you see someone else get bullied
- Let the bullied peer know you think it is wrong that he or she was treated that way.
- Show your strength by never laughing or joining in hurting someone else.
- Change the subject to help get the attention off the peer being mistreated.
- Let adults know what is going on so that they can help.
- Be inclusive: Ask a classmate who is being isolated to sit with you.
Remember: Bullying can hurt a lot. But it does not have to be your problem alone. Talk to people you trust if you are being mistreated at school or elsewhere.
Personal Boundaries
Personal boundaries are related to how we manage our closeness to others: when and how we touch others physically, what we share about ourselves when talking, and when we tell others if we are uncomfortable with something they are doing or sharing. We all have personal boundaries, and we need boundaries because they help us to have more positive relationships. There are people with whom we are very close (certain family members or close friends), and we should share more with these people than with those we do not know as well. However, knowing how to set your own personal boundaries is a learning process. This worksheet will help you think about these topics as you learn what is best for you. You should complete this worksheet with a parent or other trusted adult who can help you.
Currently, when I am at school, I like to share these topics about myself with classmates:
In the future, these are some topics I should feel comfortable sharing with classmates:
In the future, these are topics I should not share with classmates while at school:
This is why:
When at school, I like to make physical contact with others (giving hugs, putting my hand on someone’s shoulder, leaning against someone, etc.) when:
These are the people I like to make this contact with:
In the future, these are appropriate times to make contact with others while at school:
Trying New Ways of Dealing with Feelings
Something in school that is difficult to deal with:
How this makes me feel:
What I do when I feel this way in school:
Something different I can do to deal with this next time:
In the next week, I will (new behavior) instead of (current behavior) when I feel .
To be filled out in 1 week
The situations in which I tried the new behavior:
How I felt after the new behavior:
Recognize and Respond to Emotional and Behavioral Issues in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide by Andrew Jonathan Cole, Psy.D., & Aaron M. Shupp, Psy.D. Copyright © 2012 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved.