Hello!
My name is Steve Reifman, and I am a National Board Certified elementary school teacher, author, and speaker in Santa Monica, CA.
SteveReifman.com is a resource for elementary school teachers and parents. My mission is to teach the whole child—empowering students to succeed academically, build strong character, learn valuable work habits and social skills, and take charge of their health and wellness.
Blog
Discover over 100 posts filled with teaching tips, links to YouTube videos, and other useful ideas and strategies for teaching the whole child.
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Teaching Resources
Explore these print books, e-books, courses, and other resources that offer effective, proven ideas and strategies that improve student learning.
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Chase Manning Mystery Series
Each book in this award-winning mystery series for kids 8-12 features a single-day, real-time thriller that takes place on an elementary school campus.
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Workshops
Looking for a presenter for your next conference or workshop? Check out these engaging, innovative sessions that address a wide variety of topics.
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During my career I have worked hard to incorporate education into my standards-based instruction. Without a doubt, one of the most effective ways that I have found to accomplish this task has been our “Quote of the Day†discussions. Two or three mornings per week, I put a quote on the board for students to consider. These quotes target 13 “Habits of Character,†a list that includes Cooperation, Courage, Fairness, Honesty, Kindness, Patience, Perseverance, Positive Attitude, Pride, Respect, Responsibility, Self-discipline, and Service. In addition, the quotes touch on other significant ideas, such as quality, success, and health & wellness.
After a volunteer reads a quote aloud, I give everyone a few moments to interpret its meaning or think of examples of how the quote may apply to our present and future lives. The kids then do a brief pair-share. Finally, a handful of students offer to share their interpretations with the class. Though the conversations take only a few minutes, the exercise is a valuable one because it encourages kids to think deeply, because there’s a high tone to the dialogue that appeals to the best in people, and because it allows our classroom to start the day on a positive note.
Further payoffs to consistent use of this activity include better student behavior, stronger work habits and social skills, improved attitudes towards school, greater enthusiasm for and increased dedication to learning, more connections made between school and students’ present and future lives, and enhanced vocabulary development.
I am thrilled that after years of conducting these discussions with my students, 121 of these quotes, along with a set of talking points that teachers and parents can use when discussing the quotes with kids, will soon be available in my newest book, Changing Kids’ Lives One Quote at a Time: 121 Inspirational Sayings to Build Character in Children.
The book should be available sometime in September, and I will definitely keep you posted. Character education is a critical topic, and I think you will find that this new book can play an important role in helping children develop strong character.
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