Literally!

Well, a first grade teacher had a funny story for me today. She has an impulsive little boy in her class who has been known to have problems getting along with people on more than one occasion. This child came to her early this morning saying that a peer had done something to bother him. Wisely, the teacher said, "Well, why don't you use an I-Message to let him know how you feel?" A moment later, the little boy returned, saying, "It didn't work. He PUSHED me!" In an effort to help, the teacher went to the pusher and asked what happened. With a confused expression, he said to the teacher, "Well Teacher, he came up to me, got close to my face, and stared at me with mean eyes. I didn't know what he was doing, so I just pushed him away." As it turns out, the first boy, by giving an evil-eyed stare, had given the perpetrator an EYE-message instead of an I-message!

As part of the guidance curriculum, I teach children to use I-Messages, which are peacemaking sentences that help keep the peace when we're upset. We're supposed to use a calm face and voice and start with the word "I", not "You". For example, I don't like for you to talk to me when I'm doing my work. Please stop." 


I have two things to say about this. First, this just proves that little kids are LITERAL! And second, I think a little re-teaching might be in order for this child! Thanks, Misty, for sharing!