"Just Be Positive!" A positively good choice! Watch this video to begin exploring this chapter. We'll start by going over the "Rockin' Reason" and "Rockin' Requirements" for the chapter, consider some chapter related questions, and review the four easy "Inspection & Reflection" steps.

Feel free to review the chapter introduction PDF pages found here.

Before you begin reading the chapter with a colleague, with a group, or with ÉTIENNE in the uncut audio version found in the video below, use the "Inspection & Reflection" PDF tool found here and make notes in section #2 as you read along. Consider all quotes, points, and thoughts related to you, your students, and your subject area. We will be revisiting section #2 of this tool later in the "Creation & Innovation" stage of this chapter.

OPTION: Feel free to read along with ÉTIENNE in this uncut audio reading of this chapter.

Now that you have read the chapter and made your own notes on the "Inspection & Reflection" PDF tool section #2, answer the chapter questions found on this PDF tool section #3.

Are you currently teaching online or hybrid teaching? Did you know that the ROCK YOUR CLASS book came out in April 2020 and still to this day is consistently #1 or in the top 10 in the Open and Distance Learning category? There are so many to harvest, but here are just some specific insights and tips for using the Rock Your Class strategies found with this chapter that you can do with your students learning online.

• Work together with your class to create short, positive messages to send to members of other classes
• Practice organization skills. Encourage students to take ten minutes to clean out their class online folders. Delete things no longer needed. Get ready for future tasks.
• Celebrate the personal triumphs of your students with online acknowledgments: piano recitals, sports games, competitions, spelling bees, etc.
• Have your students write positive emails to members of your government. They can be communications of encouragement or those offering ideas for positive change.
• Make notes during online group chats and make notes of students' interests. If students are involved with house league or travel sports, chances are they played games on the weekend. Ask them how their games went. Set the example and you will see students do the same.
• Ask your students to build a positive song playlist for tunes that you can play in between online group tasks or during online activities to keep them positively pumped up. Pre-listen to all songs, of course.
• Work with your class to create, plan, and execute random acts of kindness across the school and/or local community. Like planning to send e-cards or notes of "Thank you" to others. Don't forget your administration, custodians, administrative assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, etc.
• Have a class online group chat and discuss with your class the attributes of a superhero. What makes a hero? How can we be heroes?
• At random times, pick one student and send a private message telling them that you're proud of them. Be sure to take the time to explain why.
• At random times, make good news communication reports to parents. These help build a positive, trilateral relationship between teacher, parents/guardians and student.
• Display student work in an online accessible folder or set up an online folder that can be visited and have students participate in a virtual gallery walk, leaving a positive comment about the work of others.
• Make a run to the dollar store and purchase little items related to your course of study to show online when you are teaching.
• Recognize students with digital certificates.
• At the end of a semester or school year, have students record a positive video message for next year's group. Graduates can do the same for newcomers.

Lesson Summary

ÉTIENNE emphasizes the importance of staying positive in the classroom and offers strategies for creating a positive atmosphere:

• Get to know students' interests and learning styles.
• Use this information to tailor teaching strategies.
• Engage students in the activity called "My Top Three" where they share their interests, learning styles, and desired grades.
• Encourage self-reflection using a checklist tool.
• Use positive songs to boost morale.
• Involve students in spreading positivity through random acts of kindness and small gestures.
• Build positive relationships with students, parents, and colleagues.

ÉTIENNE suggests various ways to spread positivity in the classroom:

• Display student work and participate in gallery walks.
• Involve students in school teams and events.
• Purchase decorations and stickers related to the course of study.
• Recognize students with certificates.
• Have a library of positive literature.
• Record positive video messages and involve students in creating positive messages for morning announcements.
• Involve the local media and government in celebrating positive moments.
• Clean up the schoolyard and celebrate students' personal triumphs.

ÉTIENNE mentions a failed attempt at using science to create a positive situation but concludes that spreading positivity is important and is both an action and a state of being.

For online or hybrid teaching, the text suggests the following strategies:

• Create positive messages for other classes.
• Practice organization skills.
• Celebrate personal triumphs.
• Write positive emails to the government.

Feel free to add comments or questions in the comment section or in the Rock Your Class Facebook group. Once you have completed all the "Inspection & Reflection" stages of this chapter, get ready to roll up your sleeves and head over to the "Creation & Innovation" section.