This year’s incoming sixth-grade students were introduced to the “Best Year Ever Challenge.” Given the challenge of creating the best year ever, students are learning how to create and maintain an ideal community at school. Students will be learning throughout the year how to implement Seven Habits of Highly Effective People into their individual lives with the intention of enhancing their own communities by investigating communities (groups of people) and what makes them desirable. During the unit of study, students are interviewing community members and are engaging with guest speakers and literature. Students have developed a lesson on teaching about one of the Seven Habits to a third-grade group of students.
There will be multiple opportunities for students to reflect on their own contributions to the greater community, provide feedback to others, and make revisions to their work and actions. Each student will purposefully share their growth in learning with their families during student-led conferences.
One of the lessons is Habit #7 – Sharpen the Saw explains how important it is to have balance in your life. Think of the scenario of a man sawing down a tree. He is not making much progress. A passerby offers him advice to stop and sharpen his saw. He explains that he is too busy sawing. Habit 7 reminds us that we are more productive when we are in balance – body, brain, heart and soul. We need to take the time to recharge so that we can be more productive and successful. A dull saw will not get as much accomplished as one that has taken the time to be sharpened. This habit is about taking the time to care for your body and mind. It is not something you can binge on, it must be built into your busy schedule.
The sixth-graders spent time discussing and taking part in sample sharpening activities; coloring, healthy food choices, one-minute fitness challenges, and riddles.
The FWSU Story 