New program to spread good vibes
“Have you filled a bucket today?” That’s the question students at Roosevelt Elementary School were recently asked. Carol McCloud’s book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? introduces the idea that everyone carries around an invisible bucket that holds all of their good feelings and good thoughts about themselves.
Each of us has the power to fill up another person’s bucket through kind actions and the use of kind words. When we fill someone’s bucket it fills our bucket, too. It feels good to be kind and caring to others. School social worker, Dr. Carole Brown, and school psychologist, Tracy Vieweg, were invited into each classroom to read the story to the students.
The students then engaged in a discussion about what it means to be a “bucket filler.” These discussions generated many ideas about what they could each do in their daily life to be a “bucket filler” for their friends, families and school community.
When a teacher or staff member notices a bucket filling moment, the student receives a note to take home congratulating his or her efforts. The student‘s name is then added to the “Have You Filled a Bucket Today” bulletin board located in the main hallway of the school.
Sharing the story with the students and recognizing kind actions words for all to see is an important Positive Behavior Support program that teaches and reinforces pro-social behavior. “Bucket Fillers” is an exciting way to show students how rewarding it is to express daily kindness and appreciation.
