In DWS classrooms, teachers use Dr. Marshall’s four-leveled Hierarchy chart to introduce young people to empowering information about internal motivation.  Students of all ages learn that to be motivated internally (as opposed to being pressured or coaxed externally,) is the highest level of personal and social development.  In order for students to take full advantage of the Hierarchy, Dr. Marshall also suggests introducing young people to an understanding of “Choice-Response Thinking.”

Sound too complicated for little kids?  Actually the concept of choice-response thinking is pretty simple:

As human beings, we always have a choice in how we respond to other people, events, situations––and even to our own impulses.

In his book, Discipline without Stress, Punishments or Rewards, Dr. Marshall explains:

Because we have the freedom to choose our responses, we are responsible for our own choices (behaviors).  By teaching young people that they choose their own behaviors, they begin to become conscious of the fact that no one else chooses their behaviors for them.  Choice-response thinking encourages self-control and responsibility.  In addition, having young people become aware of choice-response thinking can have a liberating effect, especially with those who feel they are helpless or victims.

Recently I found a wonderful picture book that could be used to introduce the concept of choice-response thinking to very young students, PreK-Grade 2.

“Pete the Cat,” is written by Eric Litwin, illustrated by James Dean.

Cover Illustration

Pete is a happy-go-lucky cat who seems to innately understand the wisdom of choice-response thinking!  Pete really gets it!  He understands that by choosing his responses to seemingly negative situations, he can also choose to live a happy life!  You know the type––Pete’s the guy who makes lemonade when handed a bunch of lemons!

The story begins with Pete proudly walking down the street in his flashy new white shoes.  By the enthusiastic song that he sings, it’s obvious to the reader that Pete LOVES his new white shoes.  What happens next? (and again? and again? and again?)  Pete absent-mindedly and repeatedly manages to step in big MESSES!

To a less conscious cat than Pete, this might spell disaster––new white shoes unexpectedly stained red!  (then blue… then brown… you get the picture!) But Pete never skips a beat in his response to negativity!  He calmly deals with each situation as it occurs.  Every time he encounters a “problem,” he simply decides to change his perception of the situation.  After each “disaster,” we know that Pete has made a decision to remain in a happy state, because immediately he starts singing a new song. “I love my red shoes! I love my brown shoes!” belts out Pete.

By the end of the book, it’s obvious (even to very young people,) that CHOOSING a positive response to a negative situation has a great benefit;  Pete retains control over his own happiness.  A “victimhood thinker,” he is not!  What a great role-model for us all!

Watch the author, Eric Litwin, present Pete the Cat to an audience of enthusiastic youngsters.  (The publisher, Harper Collins offers a free download of the song and video soundtrack on its website.)

In addition to using this book to support the introduction of DWS, here are some other lesson possibilities for Pete the Cat:

  • It’s a perfect story to introduce/reinforce the literary concept of a “circular journey.”  The book begins with Pete in white shoes––and then as you might guess––by the end of the story, Pete’s shoes are white once again!  Here is a link to a lesson plan for teaching the concept of a “circle story,” and another link to an example of a graphic organizer that could be used with students as a follow-up activity.
  • Another obvious opportunity is to read this book as part of a study of colors or color words.
  • Many primary teachers like to take advantage of books with repetitive story lines because they create starting points for students to make take-off pages of their own.  Scroll down on this link from the publisher’s website to a couple of blackline masters of Pete and his shoe.  Although these sheets are intended to be used as part of a game, they could easily be adapted to suit the purpose of creating a class take-off book too.
  • A youtube video of Pete driving the school bus, singing “Wheels on the Bus!“
  • This website has a large number of printable activities, emergent readers and games based on the story of Pete the Cat.

Have fun with this book!  Perhaps, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself robustly singing “I love my white shoes!” at odd moments of the day!

Click for some related postings:

I’m hoping to find a list of picture books to introduce the four DWS levels.

What is the correct way to introduce the Hierarchy?

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Posted In: Connections to Literature
posted On: July 28, 2010: 5:24 pm: By Kerry Weisner
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