For Middle Gate Elementary School’s first Community Circle all-school assembly of the 2013-14 school year, fourth grade teacher Linda Baron’s class has something special prepared: A rap.

First grade teacher Melissa DiPaola welcomed all in attendance for the Community Circle, held on October 25, and explained, “The fourth graders have worked hard to teach us something today.”

Ms DiPaola said the students had heard Language Arts Consultant Mary Blair explain the meeting of “assertive” over the loudspeaker at the start of the week. Being assertive, Ms DiPaola explained means using grown up words and clearly expressing a bother to the person causing that feeling.

“It might involve being brave,” said Ms DiPaola.

Ms Baron’s fourth grade students then gave a skit to further demonstrate being assertive, as opposed to being passive or being aggressive. The students also gave a speech about learning what each of the three words mean, before sharing a rap written by the class about being assertive.

Middle Gate’s Assertive Rap

Passive is a word that is easy to say,

It’s a word you’ll remember in a very quiet way.

Passive means you let someone take over, be in charge,

Someone loud and bossy,

Who may not be very large.

It’s passive (stomp, stomp)

Oh, passive.

Now aggressive on the other hand is rude, loud, and mean,

A person who is bossy and thinks she is queen (or king).

Aggressors think of power or getting his or her own way,

Not thinking of others feelings,

That others have that day.

That’s aggressive (stomp, stomp).

Aggressive (stomp, stomp).

Not a good way to be.

Now assertive cares what’s fair,

And does not like what’s not.

Assertive’s calm and focused,

And giving it your best shot.

That’s assertive (stomp, stomp).

Assertive (stomp, stomp).

That best way we all should be.

(All students joined in the for the final part)

Assertive is smart.

Assertive is respect.

Assertive gets the results.

You really want to get.

Be assertive, be assertive, be assertive.