Community Meetings and "I feel statements"

We finally started our weekly classroom community meetings. Our classroom meeting takes place on Tuesday mornings from 8:45am-9:25am. We gather around in a circle, give each other specific compliments, discuss our problems, talk about ways to "cool down" when we are angry, and share our feelings.

Every classroom full of 22 fourth graders is bound to have problems! It is important for us to bring any issues we are having to the community and brainstorm solutions. So far, students have started to use "I feel" statements in the classroom and calming methods when they get upset. It is important for students to be heard when they use an "I feel statement." So, the person they express their feeling to needs to respond by saying, "What I heard you say was that you feel_______when I _______." and "Ok. I will stop."

Yesterday, we listened to a song about loneliness and emotions. The main idea of the song is to find healthy solutions when you feel angry such as telling someone how you are feeling, writing your feelings down in a letter or in a journal, drawing your emotions through art, or dancing your emotions through movement.

In April, our class will be responsible for the assembly. Our topic is "empathy." The song we learned yesterday and the skills we are using at the classroom meeting will help us present this idea to the entire elementary school at the end of April. Empathy means sharing and understanding another person's feelings.

Here are some questions to think about:

1) Have you ever tried to put yourself in another person's shoes when they are sad or lonely and imagined feeling what they are feeling? Were you able to understand them better after listening to their story?

2) What are healthy ways you deal with strong emotions such as: loneliness, anger, sadness, frustration, and fear?

3) Have "I feel statements" and the classroom calming methods helped you recently? Please comment!