RAHWAY, NJ — Grover Cleveland Elementary School celebrated National Social-Emotional Learning Day by engaging students in a heartwarming and impactful activity centered around Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer’s beloved children’s book, “How Full Is Your Bucket?”
National SEL Day, observed annually, emphasizes the importance of fostering social and emotional skills in students, crucial for their academic success and overall well-being. Grover Cleveland Elementary School embraced this mission by focusing on the themes of kindness, empathy and positive interactions, all beautifully illustrated in “How Full Is Your Bucket?”
The day began with teachers reading the engaging story aloud to their classes. The book, which uses the metaphor of an invisible bucket to represent emotional well-being, explains how filling others’ buckets with positive actions and words also fills our own. Students were captivated by the simple yet powerful message of the book, learning how their actions can significantly impact themselves and those around them.
Following the reading, students participated in a variety of interactive activities designed to reinforce the book’s core concepts. These activities included:
• “Bucket filling” role-playing: Students practiced scenarios where they could “fill” someone’s bucket with kind words, helping gestures or acts of appreciation;
• “Bucket filling” art projects: Students created visual representations of their own “buckets” and decorated them with positive affirmations and drawings of kind actions;
• Appreciation notes: Students wrote notes to their classmates, teachers and school staff, expressing gratitude and highlighting specific qualities they admired;
• Classroom discussions: Teachers facilitated discussions about the importance of empathy, understanding others’ feelings and the impact of positive interactions on the school community; and
• “Bucket Filler” pledges: Students individually or as a class, created pledges that stated how they would try to be a bucket filler in their daily lives.
“We believe that fostering a positive and supportive school environment is essential for our students’ success,” said Kyle McCormick, assistant principal of Grover Cleveland Elementary School. “By celebrating National SEL Day with ‘How Full Is Your Bucket?,’ we are empowering our students to understand the importance of kindness and empathy, and to actively contribute to a positive school culture.”
The activities not only provided students with practical tools to enhance their social-emotional skills, but also created a sense of unity and shared purpose within the school. Teachers observed increased engagement and a noticeable shift toward more positive interactions among students throughout the day.
Article by Dyan McMillen
Photos Courtesy of Susan Garretson