"Respectful Listening" Skills



I recently began facilitating weekly classroom lessons with 6th grade students. I am planning to cover a myriad of topics with students throughout the remainder of the year. Some of the topics I am working on currently include bullying, conflict resolution, and respect.

For the lesson I facilitated today, I used No Kidding About Bullying by Naomi Drew.  I taught students about "Respectful Listening," through a role play described in the book.  The students identified ways  I was being a respectful listener, including making eye contact, paying attention, asking questions about the topic, and not interrupting.  I recorded their answers on my white board. After the role play, I instructed students to complete a brief checklist from No Kidding About Bullying to assess how well they feel they listen to others.

To get students up and moving while reinforcing "respectful listening" skills, I used an activity from Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities That Refresh and Refocus, K-6 called "Walkie-Talkies." Students walk to find a partner, talk to the partner, and walk back to their seat at the conclusion of the activity. I explained to students that during the activity their job was to focus on being a "respectful listener." We came up with a list of topics together to set students up for success in starting conversations. Students were able to refer to our list of characteristics of a "respectful listener" on the white board during the activity. I used my chime to signal when it was time for students to return to their seats.

The students really enjoyed the "Walkie-Talkies" activity. They were excited to share the new things they learned about their classmates and what they had in common that they did not know about previously. I did a whip-share, in which each student shares a brief answer, about how it felt to have a "respectful listener" listening to them.  Some of the ways that respectful listening made students feel included "heard," "important," and "special." We discussed how "respectful listening" can help make a classroom more peaceful. When students are respectful listeners it makes everyone feel heard, respected, and included.

Finally, I had students complete a worksheet from No Kidding About Bullying about a great listener in his or her life.  Students then reflected on something they wanted to work on to be a better and more respectful listener.

For more information and excerpts from No Kidding About Bullying visit Free Spirit Publishing.

How do you teach students about "respectful listening" skills? Comment below, email me, tweet, or share on the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page!

Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources.  Contact Danielle via email, follow her on twitter, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.



Popular posts from this blog

Fabulous Find Friday: Pool Noodle (Funnoodle®)

Image
This week's Fabulous Find is a Pool Noodle or Funnoodle®. For this week's Fabulous Find, I created a video of how to Create a Stress Reliever Using a Pool Noodle or Funnoodle® . Students will love these fun stress relievers and they are super cheap to make! I was able to make 58 - 1 inch stress relievers using the Funnoodle® for $2. Pool Noodles and Funnoodles® also come in different shapes too, such as flowers.   Watch the my video and create your own stress relievers today ! Do you have a Fabulous Find that you Fancy? If you have a suggestion for a Fabulous Find, comment below or email me  and I will try it out! Your Fabulous Find may be Featured on a Future Friday, Friends! ;) Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at  School Counselor Blog , a place where school counselors share innovative ideas,  creative lesson plans,  and quality resources.  Contact Danielle via  email , follow her on  twitter , and become
Read more

Start With Hello Week Themes and Planning #StartwithHello

Image
Start with Hello Week is September 23rd through September 27th. We are planning a variety of events at our school including a  Mix it Up Day Start with Hello Week is a way to promote community and inclusiveness at your school. If you are not familiar with  Start with Hello Week  is run through the  Sandy Hook Promise , a national non-profit organization founded and lead by several family members whose loved ones were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Visit the  Start with Hello Week  page to sign up for free resources including a planning guide. Below are the events and activities we are planning for Start with Hello Week next week. Start with Hello Week Daily Theme Days and Activities Monday (9/23): Promise 2 Start with Hello  School Spirit Day - Wear school colors!  Student Council Service Committee will be writing chalk messages on the sidewalks in front of the building and by the bus entrance.  Mix it Up @ Lunch - Building New Relationship
Read more

Take What You Need, Give What You Can Sticky Note Board

Image
Last year, I saw a lot of "Take What You Need, Give What You Can" Bulletin Boards popping up everywhere. I decided to fuel my new found love of printing on sticky notes and make a sticky note version. The idea behind the "Take What You Need, Give What You Can" board is that you take a positive message that you "need" to hear or "give" (write) a positive or uplifting message for someone else to take. I displayed the "Take What You Need, Give What You Can" sticky note board on a window near the school counseling office. A traditional bulletin board could also be used to display this sticky note board.  I created 18 different positve messages to print on sticky notes for the "Take What You Need" side of the board. To make this "Take What You Need, Give What You Can" sticky note board, you will need the following items: A printer Printer paper to print the sticky
Read more