Many teachers and counselors in Georgia (and no doubt elsewhere across the country), are planning a return to school soon. Thoughts turn to developing a year long theme of lessons that incorporate many of the important character traits. My virtual friend and counselor extraordinaire, Barbara Gruener, has a book out just in the nick of time to help you get those plans in order. What's Under Your Cape? Superheroes of the Character Kind is a treasure chest of creative ideas, books to share and heartwarming stories. I can't recommend it enough for anyone looking for a comprehensive and easy to follow series of character lessons that will take you through the year and beyond.
Developing a superhero character is something that is a critical skill to learn as children grow. What I love about this book is that it uses the acronym, SUPERHERO to identify eleven important traits and then follows up with practical ideas for incorporating them into the everyday life of the school counselor. Here are the traits she explores:
All ages can learn to become superheros. When we as parents and educators teach and model these character traits, we can be assured that the thread will continue and ultimately come back to us.
Several of the Wyatt books also are great for teaching skills that you will want children to use all year long. For the new kindergarten student, Wyatt the Wonder Dog Goes to Kindergarten is a lesson all about doing new things that can be scary but are ultimately rewarding in the end.
For those interpersonal conflicts that are sure to come up between friends, check out, Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns about Good Manners. It includes important techniques for turning conflicts into cooperation.
Finally, Wyatt the Wonder Dog Learns About Being Organized is a great book for teaching children how to plan and schedule time.