Do you teach your students about LOVE?
February is funny time in classrooms. So often students get embarrassed when we talk about love. Like it’s this mushy gushy, ooey, gooey, thing that makes us blush and feel all weird inside. Lol….
I just love to teach my students about LOVE. You can tackle it in so many different ways.
My favorite way, is to explore and discover what makes our students feel loved.
If you haven’t read The 5 Love Languages, by Gary Chapman, you are missing out! Grab your copy here. This idea of understanding how others feel loved is something we all need to learn to identify and understand.
But what is even more beautiful is understanding how to reach your students when you know what makes them feel loved or cared for. Gary Chapman also wrote The 5 Love Languages of Children, which is a must read for every parent, grandparent, and educator.
Educators…there is even a curriculum written by Chapman and Freed that you can check out by clicking here.
How I use this in my classroom…
Talk about how you feel loved.
I share with my class that I feel loved when I am hugged. However, my good friend Lisa, does not want to be hugged. In fact, she doesn’t want other to touch her at all, so hugging doesn’t speak love to Lisa. So when I see Lisa and I give her a big hug, she doesn’t feel loved the way I had hoped. We talk about all the ways to show love and how we often give love they way we hope to receive love.
Allow students to reflect.
I spread out paper hearts that have phrases on them that parents may say to their kids. We read through most of them and then I let the kids come over and choose a heart that says something on it that they like to hear their parents say.
Discuss the 5 Love Languages
I put the kids into categories based on the heart phrase that they chose. We discuss how each phrase fits into one of the 5 Love Languages: Physical Touch, Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, and Gifts.
This helps us to learn about each other. It also helps us to know who wants to be hugged and who doesn’t…LOL! We talk about how we can show love in many different ways in order to learn how to speak all 5 Love Languages.
Student Love Language Survey
What “Would you Rather” hear your parents say?
Simply have your students color the phrases that they like the most and send the paper home! This is a great way to provide families with information about how their child’s love language.
You can grab your own copy by clicking here.
Write About It!!!
I feel loved when______________.
This is one of my very favorite writing prompts of the year. It’s also a nice one to send home so that families can see what makes their child feel loved
- Whip Around Pass– this is fun way to get student ready for writing. You sit them in a circle and give the prompt: I feel loved when_____________. You tell the students to think about something specific that makes them feel loved. The students have to state the prompt and finish the sentence. You start and you take turns moving around the circle until each student gets a turn.
- Model the Writing – Show them exactly what is expected. You may chose a cute paper or have them draw a picture first. Whatever your process is, model it first.
- Have your students complete their writing assignment.
You can identify a child’s love language just by reading this one sentence!!!
I feel loved when _______________.
Now I know there is more to it than one sentence. I fact, our students will most likely speak more than one love language. That is why I created the quick and easy handout that can be sent home for their parents to see. You can also have your students take this survey found on The 5 Love Languages Website…it’s fun for them and you can forward the results on to your students family.
I hope you are able to use The 5 Love Languages as a teaching tool, but also to help fill your students’ love tanks as you teach and encourage them throughout the school year.
Enjoy Being Their Difference!
