How Full is Your Bucket?

Developing Student Leaders Through Character and Academic Excellence

Maple Grove Elementary 2012-13

What is bucket filling?The idea of bucket filling came from the concepts in the book How Full Is Your Bucket written by psychologists Donald Clifton and Tom Rath.The concepts were translated into child friendly language by Carol McCloud in her books Have You Filled A Bucket Today? and Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness

Developing Student Leaders Through Character and Academic ExcellenceMaple Grove Elementary 2012-13

Everyone has an invisible bucket Our bucket’s purpose is to hold good thoughts

and feelings Our bucket is constantly being filled or

emptied, depending on what others say or do to us

When our bucket is full, we fill great and happyWhen our bucket is empty, we feel lonely or

sad

Bucket Fillosophy

You need other people to fill your bucket and other people need you to fill their buckets.

You fill a bucket when you say something nice to someone, do something kind, and even when you smile. This is called being a “bucket filler”.

You can also “dip” into a bucket and take out someone’s good feelings by doing and saying mean, hurtful, things. This is called being a “bucket dipper”.

You can never fill your own bucket by dipping into someone else’s.

How to Fill a Bucket

Invite someone to play with you Smile at someone/sharing high fives/giving

hugs Thank someone Listen when others are talking Helping someone who is hurt Saying “hello” Sharing with others Making others feel welcome Giving compliments Asking another about their interests

Ideas for Bucket Filling

“Being fair when you play a game”“Being honest when you are asked a question”

“Taking someone to the nurse when you can see that they are hurt, so they can get a band aid to

make them feel better”Fixing something when you make a mistake”

“ “I play with kids when they look sad or lonely”“Including everybody”

“Giving something and not expecting anything back”

“Treat others the way you want to be treated”

Real Student Examples of What it Means to Fill a Bucket

Promoting and reinforcing bucket filling ideas and language is very important. Along with these concepts character traits and words should also be taught and emphasized. This should be done regularly through modeling, embedding character education in classroom lessons, daily announcements, as well as other methods.

Is Bucket Filling Enough?

ResponsibilityRespect

Generosity/CompassionTolerance/Diversity

Kindness/CaringHonesty/Trustworthiness

FairnessEffort/Perseverance

Attitude

Character Traits

ROAR WITH PRIDENorthwest District Character Education

R-RespectO-OthersA-Act R-ResponsiblywithP-PerseveranceR-RespectI-IntegrityD-DedicationE-Excellence

We are starting a new school year and a need for many buckets to be filled.

How many buckets will you fill during the 2012-2013 school year? That is up to you!

ARE YOU READY?

Challenge for This School Year

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.Watch your words, for they become actions.Watch your actions, for they become habits.Watch your habits, for they become character.Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

bucketfillers101.com

Online Resources

www.teachingheart.net/bucket.html