If it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow, get scared, and retreat back into its burrow. The winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

Check out more in my Groundhog’s Day Power Point Lesson

Of course Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on Feb. 2 in the United States and Canada. So yesterday I was thinking about the silly groundhog and I was thinking about some of my students and their fears.  Fear of failure.  Fear of rejection. Fear of being wrong. Fear of critiscism.  I’m sure there are others!  Many times they are just like the Groundhog.  It’s just a shadow. Smoke and mirrors! Ignore it and take a chance! I talk often about the hockey player on a poster in my classroom.  The caption says, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”  Every year we pick two students from each class to be in Student council.  In third grade I pick the two people.  In fourth, any student who is interested writes a paragraph about why they might be good at student council and reads it to the class.  Then we vote. This year one of the students who would have been phenomenal at it wrote the paragraph, went up in front of the class, and then froze, changed her mind, and sat down.  I was flabbergasted! I had no idea what to do. The question is, how as educators and parents do we get students past this? A safe environment? Lead by example? Reassurance?  Do we force them? What are your thoughts on this?  Write me a comment!

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