Leader in Art

Tanner's elementary school has been incorporating Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" into their curriculum.  Throughout the year, they've worked on projects surrounding the seven habits, and have implemented them into assignments, recess, and daily activities.

A "Leadership Day" & assembly was held to honor those who have exhibited these habits and various students were asked to share with an invited audience just how neat the program has been.

Tanner was chosen to share in not one, but TWO areas!  Six students were asked to share a talent.  There were jump ropers, dancers, musicians, and Tanner was our LEADER IN ART.

He stood on stage and said the following:

My name is Tanner Poulsen, and I'm in the first grade.  This is my boot in outer space.  First I traced my boot in pencil, then traced over that in crayon.  Then I used water colors to paint around the crayon.  The crayon made it so the water colors didn't run together.  And then he bowed, about three times.  :)

We are so proud of our budding artist!  Not only does he doodle at school, but is constantly crafting, folding, creating, drawing, and painting at home.  If he's not making something with Legos, he's drawing an ocean scene, or coloring up a storm!

After the talents were shared, there were 20-ish students who were chosen to share their Leadership Binders.  Each student has a Leadership Binder in which they track their attendance, test scores, assignments, and behavior.  Tanner was one of those students!  He chose to show and share his binder with his dad and I.

I've had the opportunity to help in Tanner's classroom with some testing, and it's fun to see the kids chart their progress in reading.  It's also interesting to see how some of the binders are falling apart, papers are shoved in pockets, and sometimes, neither me OR the student can find the right paper for them to mark off their scores. We are so proud of Tanner for keeping such a nice and neat binder.  He's very detail oriented, and likes things to be in order and organized.

We also had to opportunity to 'tour' two classrooms and watch these Seven Habits in action through teaching activities.  It was fun to see Tanner interacting with his classmates and how these habits have been incorporated.

As I reflect on my own childhood and have observed Ryan in the years I've known him, it's evident that Tanner is our child! (not that we didn't think he was!)  He probably spends way too much time organizing his desk, dresser drawers, and bedroom...just like his parents.

Way to go, little man!