Smoothing Out the Rough Edges: The Gradual Process of Change
My students need a double-barreled rock tumbler, tumbling grit and filler, and tumbling rocks to fully understand and appreciate the process of change.
FULLY FUNDED! Dr. Taylor's classroom raised $482
This project is fully funded
My Students
Samuel Johnson wrote: "Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." In our fast-paced world, however, perseverance often gives way to disappointment and defeat. I want to help my students understand that the process of real change takes time and is worth the effort it requires.
I am the school counselor at a K-5 elementary school in Tennessee.
Our 850+ students are a diverse group culturally, ethnically, and economically.
I work most closely with at-risk students in individual and small-group counseling. In this realm I work with students to develop healthy, positive skills that will allow them to be more successful academically, behaviorally, and personally. Among the skills addressed are how to express difficult emotions appropriately, how to make and maintain positive relationships, and how to cope with family changes such as divorce or death. Making such significant changes is difficult for anyone, and that is certainly the case for children who are often doing so for the very first time in their lives and who may not live in an environment that supports such changes.
Children who visit my office typically leave with a rock or a special pencil. I want these items to serve as tangible reminders of what we talked about during our visits together.
My Project
My students already carry their rocks in a pocket to use as a literal and figurative touchstone in challenging situations. Through this project I hope to expand upon the usefulness of these rocks. I am requesting a rock tumbler, tumbling rocks, and rock tumbling supplies to use as a powerful metaphor for the change process that can occur within my counseling groups over the course of six weeks.
Real change takes time; but it is difficult for children to persevere through this process. Without this perseverance, however, new skills will not be habituated and thus change will not be long lasting. At the initial group session, each group member will pick out a rough rock which will be added to the tumbler. Over the course of 4 to 6 weeks, groups members will be able to see their rocks change gradually. We will use these rocks to discuss the "rough edges" each member needs to smooth out, that lasting change occurs over time, and that continued work and practice yields striking results.
The world around us moves at lightening speed.
While technological advances have impacted our lives in positive ways, we can be left with the illusion that all solutions can be arrived at quickly and easily. To be long-lasting and meaningful, the process of healthy human change requires practice and takes time. Through this project I hope to demonstrate to my students that perseverance can gradually smooth their rough edges and difficult situations and can ultimately yield life-changing success.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Dr. Taylor and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
