Ducky, Rudy the Redhawk, and YOU

| By: Committee for Children

Having a class mascot can help increase the positive culture and integrate social-emotional skills into your day. What is a class mascot, you say? Usually, it's a stuffed animal. Many times it has something to do with the teacher, such as a teddy bear the teacher was given from a teacher of hers, a stuffed animal from a favorite book (like Curious George or Pete the Cat), or a stuffed animal from the college the teacher attended.

For years, in my classroom I had “Ducky.” I chose Ducky because I graduated from the University of Oregon. (Yes, I am an Oregon Duck. Go ducks!) Ducky became more than a duck Beanie Baby and ended up being part of our class. I am sure this was an idea I begged, borrowed, or stole from a great teacher in my early days. I can't remember where I learned of it, but it changed the way my classroom ran. Most important, it changed the way my class felt. My students were introduced to Ducky in the beginning of the year – sometimes the first day. Introducing Ducky was a great way to tell the class a little about myself, where I grew up and went to college, and afterward the students passed Ducky around. When they received Ducky, students would say their names and tell the class how they were feeling and a little bit about themselves. This was very helpful in those first days of becoming a learning community together.

From the beginning, the class mascot modeled emotions students were having. Ducky would whisper in my ear that he was feeling excited about the first day, but also a little shy and nervous. We talked from the beginning about how all those emotions are okay to have, and I would tell the class about my emotions. It set the tone for a classroom based on social-emotional learning. The students, teacher, and class mascot were learning how to recognize their emotions, label and talk about them, and then regulate and show them in appropriate ways.

Ducky continued to whisper in my ear as the year went on. He told me how impressed he was with certain kids' behavior and the whole class's behavior. He helped me put marbles in the classroom marble jar, and he helped support kids who were having a hard time. Ducky also was a great home connection tool. Ducky loved going home with the students. The students who took Ducky home would write in a journal, take and draw pictures about their experiences, and then come back to school to show the class. Our end-of-the-day activity concluded with a quick story about Ducky's adventures, and then a new child would get to take Ducky home. Never was Ducky lost, hurt, or forgotten. We treated him with the same respect with which we treated others in our classroom. We took care of him like we took care of each other.

It is not too late in the school year to introduce a class mascot. Usually it's a great beginning-of-the-year starter, but even introducing the mascot mid-year works to pull the kids back to learning. My daughter's teacher introduced “Listening Lovey Puppy” just in January as a way to recognize students who were doing a great job of listening.

Recently I have been working with a first year teacher. For many first year teachers, classroom management is a challenge. We have been working on several strategies, but then I remembered Ducky! “Oh,” I said, “I have an idea!” Since she graduated from the same college where I am currently getting my doctorate, I ran down to the university bookstore during a class break one Saturday to look for a stuffed animal. Sure enough, I found “Rudy” the Redhawk.

Rudy the Redhawk's favorite word is “respect.” While in the first grade classroom of the first year teacher I'm working with, he watches for respectful behavior first- and for students who are showing respect to their teacher, each other, and to themselves by listening and working hard. Every week I check in with Rudy (in front of the class) on how it has been going. I read the journal entries and see what fun they have been having with their new friend. For this class, the fun has brought social-emotional skills back into the classroom. After all, if we aren't being respectful and kind and making good choices, it is very hard to have fun. Rudy reminded the students of this important element, and when we integrate those important social-emotional skills into the classroom, the learning and fun follows! Who will be your class mascot?