To teach children various social skills, you can make up a story and place the child into the story showing him/her making the right choices. You can also have members of the class evaluate how they are responding to the teacher’s invitations to various learning opportunities during the day. This is a good way to review the day with the entire class. Have classmembers say what their responses are and ask them which train from the book “The Little Engine that Could” they were like today. The responses from the trains are below.

Shiny New Engine – Indeed Not. “No.”

Little Blue Engine – I Think I can. “OK! I will.”

Big Strong Engine – You’re not important enough. “No Way.”

Rusty Old Engine- I’m Tired. “I cannot .”

– Gene Bedley