Student Contributor: C. Betts
The positive affirmations grouping tool is a tool to help disengage negative behaviors and thought patterns once the students have begun learning. We all know people and children who get overwhelmed easily and don’t know what to do but shut down, this is what that tool is for.
This tool is to be used for those students that you see getting frustrated or pulling people off task because they think the material is too difficult for them to learn. When you have one or more students beginning to give up on the learning because it’s too daunting for them, it’s time to pull positive affirmation groups. To do this get a bunch of your favorite positive affirmations and have small strips of paper with one written on each. Have students then go find the other students with the same positive affirmation, have them discuss how applying this could help them achieve, and let them continue working in their new found groups. I would suggest groups around 3 or 4 students each to ensure all students have a chance to connect to the positive affirmation.
This tool relates closest to the collaborative theory of influence as the teacher is the one guiding groups with the positive affirmation strips, influencing each student to think positive in whatever aspect you think to be appropriate. However this is also tagged as student-centered because it really does come down to the students to interact with and absorb these positive affirmations to help them achieve milestones they thought to be impossible.
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Tool Source: G. Nollmeyer
5th Grade, 26 Students, Suburban
I was instantly drawn to this tool as a new student teacher. This is a very obtainable tool as you only need scrap pieces of paper, or I used sticky notes. I did have to make slight changes with this tool based on my situation, so instead of students finding each other, I personally wrote each student a positive affirmation sticky note. None were the same, but all very similar. I used this tool to strengthen my relationship with my students. I have noticed some students keep their sticky notes- either in their cubby or on their binder. I will hear some students talk about the sticky notes, wondering if they are getting another one that day (I would give them each time I was in the classroom-2x a week). Overall, this is a very positive and powerful tool that can be used in many ways. I would highly recommend using it in many different styles.