October 2015

September quickly flew by and my students continue to learn about expected and unexpected behaviors, hidden rules across different environments, different size thoughts that we give others, and flexible vs. rigid thinking.

Here are how these terms are defined:

• Expected behaviors are a range of behaviors that are either hidden or explicit for the specific environment that you are in.
• Unexpected behaviors are behaviors that are atypical or inappropriate for the situation or environment. Not following the explicit or hidden rules in a given environment. 
• Hidden Rules are rules that are not explicitly taught, but we are expected to know them and follow them. 
• Small thoughts are the size thoughts people will have when you do something expected (e.g., when a student raises his hand to answer a question) that does not draw attention to oneself and gives them good thoughts about you.
• Medium thoughts are the size thoughts people will have when you do something unexpected which draws attention to yourself and may cause them to have "no-so-good" or "weird thoughts" about you. However, this could also apply to an expected behavior which will give others "good thoughts" about you.
• Large thoughts are thoughts that people have when you repeatedly engage in an unexpected behavior (e.g., blurting out answers in class) that violates the rules.
• Flexible thinking refers to having "mental flexibility" to interpret verbal and nonverbal information. A person who uses flexible thinking is able to see things in shades of gray. 
• Rigid thinking refers to thinking in only one way; one way is the right way and there is no other way that "this" will work. A person who uses rigid thinking uses a strict set of rules or has difficulty in one's ability to interpret subtly different meanings in language, expressions, play and intention.

They are able to explain what expected and unexpected behaviors are in any given environment, as well as explain the different size-thoughts that people will have when they observe expected and unexpected behaviors. For example, peers will have small thoughts about you when you raise your hand to answer a question. When you  blurt out answers or go off topic, your peers will have medium thoughts. If a student continually blurts out answers or frequently veers of topic, then others will have large thoughts.

Topics have also included safely using social networks (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, etc.). The students made lists of what you should post and what you should not post. Basically it came down to the following question, "would I want my parents/grandparents/teachers/school administrators/college admission boards/employers or future employers to see this post or picture?"