Bucket Filler Linky Party... please come share!

What an appropriate linky party for today. My favorite Marygrove College is hosting a bucket filler linky party and I hope you'll head over and join.

I say it's appropriate for today because when I checked my mail today, I had a package from Amazon. Now I order from there all the time, but my summer ordering finally all got delivered on Monday. I was racking my brain to think of what I might have been missing from previous orders but when I opened the package, I got a huge bucket filler from Lynne who sent me Enemy Pie from my Amazon Wishlist along with a very nice note thanking me for sharing! Thanks for filling my bucket!

THEN I saw that the wonderful bloggers over at Marygrove's MAT blog started this linky party and I knew that, after having my bucket so filled today, I had to join! The best part is that when the linky party expires, they are going to compile everyone's ideas into an "all-in-one" resource for teachers!

Please check out the linky party and add your best bucket filling ideas!

Here are mine...
One thing I struggled with in the beginning was how to keep the excitement of bucket filling continue after the initial "newness" and excitement wears off.

I find that one of the biggest ways to keep my kids interested in bucket filling is to make sure that I put a card in a few students' buckets each week. I also will say sometimes, "Wow, John, when you held the door for me without me even having to ask- that really filled my bucket. Thanks for staying back to help me instead of rushing out to recess". When they hear me recognizing another student and "explaining" to them how my bucket got filled, it helps remind them about bucket filling and also provides an example to them about how to 1.) fill a bucket and 2.) how to recognize when someone has filled theirs.

I have also been asked before what I do when a student's bucket does not get filled during the week. I usually try to watch and see that everyone has something in their bucket, but on the occasion that I don't have time or it doesn't happen, I try to use that as a learning experience for that student. I ask them what specific actions they did for others or if they made sure to write anyone else a bucket filler.

Bucket filling has definitely been a positive addition to my classroom community. I can't wait to see everyone else's tips and tricks on how to make it successful! I hope you'll head over and link up!