Fill My Bucket...Ron Clark Style!


This year, my class is going to be going all out to become "Bucket Fillers".  I can not wait to build classroom community along with the self-confidence of each student by using this strategy. Kudos to whoever came up with the "Fill My Bucket" idea...it is GENIUS.

As I began to think about how I wanted my bucket system to work, and what types of behaviors/skills I wanted to encourage/teach/reinforce, one person came to mind...RON CLARK! If you haven't heard about Ron Clark or his academy located in good ol' Georgia...OH MY, OH MY, OH MY!!!! Last year, our entire faculty was privileged enough to be able to go to the Ron Clark Academy and visit, observe, stand in amazement at the remarkable things that they are doing to amp up the learning and make it BEYOND fun and meaningful! I am telling you what...if any one person can motivate teachers to make every moment with our kids count THIS is your man! I am not going to babble on about Mr. Clark because I could seriously go on for HOU---RS!!!! Instead, I am going to link you to his website so you can see for yourself: The Ron Clark Academy...prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor! See...already babbling! Oh...BUT one more thing...if you have not seen the Ron Clark Story (movie) it is a must for any teacher! So incredibly motivating and will definitely hit home (many times) for any teacher!


OK...MOVING ON...back to bucket fillers! So, this year I have decided to implement some of Ron Clark's Essential 55 into my classroom (side note: This books is FANTASTIC). Although I think "friendship skills" are of great importance, I also think it is so empowering to teach young children how to treat others both inside and outside of the classroom.  Many people say, "that's the parents job!" and although there are some crazy amazing parents out there (I love my classroom parents too!)...let's face it...this is not reality for every child. So, it becomes the teachers job and I am more than happy :) to incorporate such powerful lessons into my classroom. Since 55 "rules" (I call them principles) are hard to remember, I have created " The Top Ten Essentials" (every bucket filler should know). These are ten of Ron Clark's Essentials that I think would best enhance the classroom atmosphere that my students and I work to create each day! Each rule is taken from Ron Clark's Essential 55 and some are slightly modified to appeal to a younger audience :). Of COURSE I had to make them cute for the classroom!  I plan to hang these essentials up around our buckets as they are put into practice! I highly recommend introducing each "rule" at separate times. All at once = BRAIN OVERLOAD! Once they have an understanding of the rule, have had time to practice inside and outside the classroom, or simply as the occasion arises...introduce the next rule. I also recommend allowing students to share how they are applying these principles in their life. The stories are so adorable and motivating...even for youngsters!

Whew...that was a lot! Click on the picture below to download the "The Top Ten Essentials" posters.  









35 comments:

  1. I love these! Thanks for posting!

    Mrs. Shepherd
    mysecondgradejournal.blogspot.com

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  2. These are so cute. I love Ron Clark. I'm always inspired by the Academy's website. I can't image what an actual visit to the school would be like.

    ❤Jodi from...
    ★★The Clutter-Free Classroom★★
    Helping Teachers Get Organized

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  3. Thanks so much! Visiting the Academy is truly amazing and incredibly inspiring. Last year we went at the beginning of the year and I was amazed at the difference that it made in our school's enthusiasm and instruction. So, so, SO worth the visit!!!!! Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I absolutely love what you have done! My second year teaching I read Ron Clark's book and watched the movie. I was completely inspired and tried implementing some of the Essential 55 in my room. I really like how you have chosen 10 to focus on and your designs are really cute!
    Michelle
    http://thefabulousworldoffirstgrade.blogspot.com/

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  5. I love these! Thanks:)
    Anais

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  6. These are super cute! I am a new follower BTW. I do bucket filling in my classroom & have a ton of freebies on my blog. Come check it out.
    Peace, Mel D
    Oh the Places We’ll Go

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  7. I love, Love, LOVE these. They will become a focal point in my class this year - they are printing as I type this. Thank you for sharing!!!!

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  8. These are a wonderful resource! Thank you for inspiring and sharing.

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  9. Thank you so much for sharing these! I too have read Ron Clark's Essential 55, and agree that these will work wonderfully with the Bucket Filling Program. Thanks again!!

    http://teachingmaketheworld.blogspot.com/

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  10. These are so cute! Is there any way you can send these to me in Word Format? I teach Kinder and would love to simplify these a little.

    My email is heydani21@gmail.com

    Thank you!

    Danielle

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  11. I love these posters! They compliment the bucket filling idea so well. Thanks a bunch for sharing!

    http://mrsrobinsonsclassroomblog.blogspot.com/

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  12. These will be my class meeting topics...YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!!
    Reagan
    Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits

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  13. Hope, I was just wondering...how are you planning to implement the bucket filling in your class? Slips of paper, thanking the person for filling the bucket? Pom poms with no writing required? I have done bucket filling now for three years, I think, and I always love to hear how other people do it and stick with it all year! : )

    Thanks!

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  14. so cute! Thanks for posting and sharing. I am a new follower and fellow 2nd grade teacher blogger!
    Rachel

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  15. Love it! Love it! Love it! My two most favorite character building ideas rolled into one!! This will be perfect in my second grade room!! Thank you!!
    Curls and a Smile

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  16. These are great! I teach Kindergarten so I would need to modify somewhat. What program do you use to make them?

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  17. Thank you so much for sharing! I love this and will be incorporating it in my second grade classroom along with bucket fillers. Thank you! :)

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  18. I have never heard of him, but I want to read this book! Thank you so much for introducing him and his positive message! :)
    Cheryl

    Crayons and Curls

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  19. I love these. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  20. These are great!! I did bucket fillers but I really think these lessons will bring more meaning to it!
    Thank you for sharing!
    -Audrey
    The Sweet Life of Third Grade

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  21. OMG! These are great! We do the Essential 55 school-wide and I do Bucket Fillers in my class. What a great idea to marry the two! Thank you!

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  22. Hopefully you will see this - I know it is long after you originally posted this. Anyway - I am starting a Character/Ethics blog for the teachers at my school. Do you mind if I include a link to this post on my blog? I know other teachers at my school would love to use your Bucket Filler Essentials!

    Julie Simmons
    simmons@columbusacademy.org

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  23. LOVE this! As a mom, I find myself feeling frustrated that my kid don't automatically know these things. Thanks for the reminder that I have to teach them!

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  24. We recently completed a book study on The Essential 55...it is never antiquated! I shared this page with my attendees. Thanks for developing this 'condensed' version.

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  25. Hi Hope!!

    I just wanted to tell you how much I LOVE your essentials posters! I found them back before I started blogging and got them blown up and laminated to hang in the front of my classroom this year! I love them and the kids love them too! It is so nice to have just 10 of them to focus on instead of all 55, and you picked my favorites so it works out perfectly! I want to go visit the Ron Clark Academy sooooo bad!!! From everything I've read it sounds like an amazing, inspiring place to go! How fun that your whole faculty got to go together! I am waiting anxiously for him to write another book! Thanks again so much for sharing these fabulous posters!

    Molly
    Lessons with Laughter

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  26. Thank you! I love them. They will be featured in my room next year!
    ✰Becca
    Fun is Found in Fourth

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  27. Thanks so much!!! Love Ron Clark and felt so special the day I got to participate in Teacher Training at the Ron Clark Academy in ATL. I will be posting these in my classroom this coming year :)

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  28. I love these. I will be using them this year. Thanks for putting them on your blog for everyone to use.

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  29. Adorable! Thanks for sharing!
    Bea

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  30. I love this! Thanks for sharing. I implement both bucket fillers and Ron Clark but never thought of putting them together.

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  31. OH!!! How neat is this :-) LOVE Ron Clark too !!! Thank you sooo much :-)
    Karen

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  32. I would love to go to the Academy! I did the same thing with the "Rules" for my class! I took the top 20 (4th grade) and modified to fit nicely on 9 x 11 construction paper, laminated them, and introduced them one at a time until we had all 20 hung up. We discussed why the rule was important... in AND out of the classroom! Kudos to you! My kids loved it and were able to quickly see that our actions in the classroom typically spill out into the real world... or vice versa. Real life skills, lessons, and rules are so important!

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  33. I love these and the "I Rock" posters...is there anyway to get them in pink, lime green, and black? I would love to use them in my classroom but of course want them to match :)

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  34. I loved the book 55 Essentials and am so excited to use these. I did the bucket filling system last year and these will be perfect for my third graders to learn and practice. Thanks for sharing!

    Marlene
    I Heart Teaching Elementary

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