Bucket Filling and Bucket Dipping is a theory that enables students to have the language and a visual representation to help them manage their mental and emotional self and their relationships with others. The students will be introduced to the Bucket Filling and Bucket Dipping and explore the concept through the use of literature and various other prompts. As the students become familiar with the concept it will enable them to have a language to name their emotions and interact with others.
The bucket represents your mental and emotional self.
When your bucket is full, you feel more confident, secure, calm, patient, and friendly. Your thoughts are positive and you expect positive results. When your bucket is overflowing, you experience an intense happiness that can spread to those around you.
When your bucket is empty, it contains few, if any, positive thoughts or feelings. When your bucket is empty you can easily become sad, negative, insecure, nervous, angry, depressed, stressed, worried, afraid, or physically ill. When you experience any of these feelings, it's easy to believe that life is too challenging and that nothing you attempt will be successful.
Negative life events and the careless or even cruel words and behaviour of others can also affect the level of happiness in your bucket. Your own self-talk and thoughts can dramatically reduce or raise the level of happiness in your bucket. It's important to know that you are responsible for what you choose to think and when your thoughts are positive and healthy, your bucket levels will reflect it.
Actions or words that show that you care about someone, saying or doing something kind, giving someone a heartfelt smile, using names with respect, helping without being asked, giving sincere compliments, showing respect to others. The language of bucket filling has become synonymous with being kind and thoughtful. Your bucket will be filled when, at the close of each day, you reflect on the ways in which you have filled buckets.
Making fun of someone, saying or doing unkind things, refusing to help, failing to show respect or being intentionally disrespectful. This is a partial list of ways in which it's possible to dip into another's bucket.
‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’
Maya Angelou
Tom Atyeo
Visible Wellbeing Coordinator