Connecting to the Illinois K-12 SEL Goals and Standards

What do you do when you become frustrated or angry when trying to learn something new, like juggling? 

(Reflecting on our Juggling Journey, IL SEL Goal 1A. 2b.)

• “I try hard, sometimes I just quit and don’t try anymore but juggling helped me and changed that. And sometimes I get mad then I cool down and try again. Sometimes it’s not that easy though.”
• “I keep saying to myself I can do this, I am determined to now juggle four bean bags.”

(Student Juggling Journal)

• “I think it’s fun juggling with my 3rd-grade buddy, but sometimes it can be hard to be patient.”

Teacher perspective:

• “I saw several students diagnosed as BD focused on the task. “
• “I saw ADHD students working together cooperatively with each other.”
• "I saw a student that was off-task most of the time, focused and deeply involved in the activity. Juggling consumed his every thought and action for that block of time."

(Student Juggling Journal Entries)

• “We got a chance to partner up and get feedback about how we were doing. My partner helped me and told me I had my hands too high so that’s why the ball went too (sic) high. I also got a chance to see if my partner was doing it correctly.”
• “Yesterday I thought I really improved with throwing three balls. The only problem was that I can’t keep it going so I think I’m going to ask another 6th grader about his counting idea to see if that will help.”

(Student Juggling Journal Entries)

• “I know the first step towards juggling: start with one ball. Last week I started with two balls. Now I can learn the system. I just have to have Patience. Practice. Concentration.”
• “When I hit 10 times with 3 balls I will move on to 3-columns or 4 balls. The practice has really helped me in achieving goals. Juggling has also taught me how to set good goals for myself and that will help me in life.”

What advice would you give to someone learning something new?

(Reflecting on our Juggling Journey, IL SEL Goal 1C. 2a.)

• “Keep with it, do not give up. It is good when you drop a ball.”
• “The advice I would give them is not to give up even when it’s getting tough and you think you can’t do something. I would also say it’s ok to be the only one who still doesn’t get it. It takes time for something like juggling to become easy.”

(Student Juggling Journal Entries)

• “It’s fun to teach the third graders how to juggle because they were so excited about it and they never give up.”
• “When I was teaching my buddy to juggle I felt like she was nervous at first but then when I said she was doing great I felt like she wasn’t as nervous anymore.”

(Student Juggling Journal)

• “I enjoy this project. My buddy is so sweet. She treats me and (another 6th grader) equal and did not just listen to her because they are both Mexican.”

Teacher perspective:

• “Juggling gives you the opportunity to see who keeps trying and trying and the ones who quickly gave up.”
• “I saw an obese child, crippled by fear and intimidation, develop into a hard-working, active juggler that was able to work within a group and develop communication skills.”

(Student Juggling Journal Entries)

• “When I went to see my buddy juggle yesterday I asked her to show me and she could juggle two! She said she has been practicing so we went on to three. I was so impressed, I didn’t know what to say.”
• “Whenever me or (3rd grader) drop a ball we say Try Again. Somehow it seems to make him juggle better after I say it.”

Teacher Perspective:

• I saw a boy who never spoke in school, communicating with his sixth-grade buddy and sharing his needs. They were able to adjust their strategies and work toward a shared goal.
• I saw a child with very limited English abilities, working carefully to communicate with his buddy. Both students worked around the language barrier and found a way to move forward with their goals and effectively communicate their strategies.

(Student Juggling Journal Entries)

• “Well we were going down to meet the third graders. I think that if I can learn how to juggle myself I can teach a third grader too but there’s going to be some problems. We went down and it was fun but the bad thing that happened was my partner said “I didn’t want to come.”
• "Yesterday was the last day I got to juggle with my buddy and we had a great time. My buddy is learning how to juggle 3 scarves. I am learning to cooperate with my buddy better.”

Teacher Perspective:

• Students would go out of their way to help each other--picking up dropped balls or showing a technique that might work.

(Student Juggling Journal)

• “I was having a lot of fun. I forgot we were in school. There were so many balls flying around it was like we were at a circus.”

Teacher perspective:

• Student started asking for juggling breaks when he started feeling he was having a hard time sitting still . . . I allowed him to step out in the hall to juggle for a few minutes. He would come back in when finished. He found juggling a way to keep himself out of trouble.

(Student Juggling Journal)

• “As the school year is ending and I look back and think of all the accomplishments I’ve achieved, the one I’m most proud of is juggling. Not everyone can say they know how to juggle. But because I can, it makes me think of how hard it was at first.”

Teacher Perspective

• Some students who didn’t want to learn to juggle in the beginning loved the opportunity to help others learn to juggle.
• Apologizing for walking in the way or ball hitting someone by accident -- helped to create a greater awareness of other . . . especially the “me generation”. These students don’t even know how to hold the door for someone . . . they were doing that by the end of the year.
• I observed the power of the buddy relationship; consistency over time yielded sincere hugs and affection by the end of the school year.