Lessons From The Cookie Jar

Here it is....the cookie jar.  This is the best (and worst thing) in our classroom because you never know who will be chosen to be our helper.  (The only exception is when there is one name remaining.)  This cookie jar holds the names of our students and one is randomly selected each morning to be our helper.  You can also see our "Cookies Who Had a Turn" jar.   It is a rather sad looking little canister, but it has the most important job of all.  It safely keeps that cookies of friends who have been drawn and when everyone has a had a turn, they are all returned together to start over in the "cookie jar." Periodically we have to review the names in this jar just to make sure that everyone remembers that they had a turn.  It really isn't as complicated as it sounds, but it helps children learn patience and to know that some days are better than others.  Surprises are awesome so we start our day with drawing our helper.  We practice how to feel happy for that friend and hope that tomorrow might be our day.  I have always randomly selected our class helper and don't know if it is better to have an assigned list.  I believe in my heart that children learn to celebrate success for other children and this is an easy way to practice this in a safe and loving environment.  Not to say that there have been some very unhappy children when their name is not chosen, but classmates have surrounded them with love and support.  We truly are a little family.  We help each other, lift each other, console each other and cheer for each other.  This is what we practice in our classroom - one cookie at a time.