Feelings, Coping, and Kindergarten

We are just finishing up a two part lesson about feelings and strategies to deal with tough feelings at school.  In kindergarten we read the book, Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban.  Mouse tries several strategies to get out his mad feelings.  He does not have a lot of success until he makes himself stand very still and focuses on taking some nice, deep breaths.  

In our second feelings class, I set up four centers in the room for students to try out four different coping strategies.  Students were asked to try each strategy as modeled for them and access whether the strategy would work for them if they were having a difficult feeling or tough day.  Students were asked to report back to their parents and share the strategies that they felt would work best for them.

Problem Solving with Kelso

Recently guidance classes have been focused on problem solving and conflict resolution.  I have been making use of some resources from the program Kelso's Choice, which is a conflict management program for students in grades K-5.  We have been differentiating between small and big problems, and empowering students to make thoughtful choices to solve their own small problems.  Students will continue to hear the message that it is always okay to go to adults for support, especially when a student feels unsafe or the problem is ongoing.   You may want to encourage your child to use these strategies at home, as well!

Excerpt from the Kelso's Choice Program:

Kelso has nine choices to solve “small problems.” These are illustrated in the Kelso’s Choice Wheel. They include:

• Go to another game
• Talk it out
• Share and take turns
• Ignore it
• Walk away
• Tell them to stop
• Apologize
• Make a deal
• Wait and cool off

When a child comes to you to solve their “small problem,” tell them to try one to two of Kelso’s Choices first. If that doesn’t work, then an adult can intervene. Make sure your kids know to ask an adult for help in the event of a “BIG problem.” 

Cotton Ball Words in Kindergarten

In this last round of kindergarten guidance classes we used a box filled with cotton balls and a box filled with sandpaper to talk about the power of our words.  We can choose to use words that are soft and friendly or we can choose words that are hard and rough.  Everyone agreed that we should be trying to use cotton ball words whenever possible at school.

We then handed out puppets and partnered up to practice our best cotton ball words.  Students had their puppets greeting each other warmly, giving compliments, and inviting each other to play.

We ended our class with the book, Words Are Not For Hurting.  Students proved their knowledge of cotton ball and sandpaper words by pointing out which was which as we read.  We also talked about how the characters may have been feeling and how we want our friends at school to feel.

Encourage your student to practice their cotton ball words at home too!

I Can Be a Buddy!

After reading the book The Invisible Boy, Kindergarten students drew and wrote about how they could include a classmate that was looking for someone to play with.  Check these out!  

The Pond Cove Buddy Bench Movie!

I teamed up with Mrs. Tweedie's 4th grade class to make a movie about the Pond Cove Buddy Bench.  We are currently in the process of showing the movie to every classroom during Guidance.  Blogger wouldn't let me put the entire movie on my blog but I was able to put segments of the movie below for you to enjoy.  Thanks again to the Pond Cove Parents Association and last year's 4th grade class for this generous gift.  The Buddy Bench will be moved to our playground as soon as I finish up this round of guidance classes.  I can't wait!!!

A few of our students had Buddy Benches in their former schools.  They have been a huge help to me, as we work to train our school on how to use this awesome friendship tool.  Here is one of our resident Buddy Bench experts explaining more about how the bench works.  

In this skit a student who is new to Pond Cove is feeling overwhelmed on the playground.  She connects with classmates looking for more people to play tag.  

In this skit a student doesn't have anyone to play with because her friends are in chorus on Tuesdays.  The bench helps her connect with a new crew!  

In this skit a student doesn't feel like playing cards with the friends that he usually plays with.  He uses the Buddy Bench to connect with someone who is also looking for someone to play ball with.  

In this skit two classmates notice a classmate sitting on the Buddy Bench.  They decide to sit and join her for a chat!  

Introducing..... Mrs. School Counselor Potato Head!

Guidance is a part of the Allied Arts schedule in kindergarten this year, which means the action started right away.  After today, I have been in every K class!  I am so enjoying getting to know our youngest Pond Cove students.  Such an awesome group!

We had two goals during our first guidance class.  I wanted to get to know students and I wanted them to get to know me and my role as Pond Cove's School Counselor.  Mrs. School Counselor Potato Head was kind enough to come to classes to help me explain my role.  She started out as just a plain potato but, with the help of each student, she was given all of her parts and tools.  Each part/item helped students learn a little more about my job at Pond Cove.  

Meet Your School Counselor

Boots- You will see Mrs. G out on the playground helping kids to make safe and friendly choices.

Regular arm- Mrs. G is always ready to extend a helping hand!

Long stretchy arm- Mrs. G talks to parents and teachers to help students be the best learner and friend that they can be.

Ears- Mrs. G is always ready to lend a listening ear.

Big eyes- Mrs. G keeps a lookout for all students.  She is always looking for ways to help students feel ready to learn.

Heart eyes- Mrs. G cares about all the students at Pond Cove School.  Mrs. G knows that everyone makes mistakes.  She is on your side, no matter what!

Closed lips mouth- When you talk to Mrs. G and a problem or your feelings she keeps it private and confidential unless you are in danger or being hurt.

Open mouth- Mrs. G is always ready with words of support and encouragement.

Book- Mrs. G comes to your classroom for guidance.  We learn together about friendship, solving problems, and our feelings.

Bag- Mrs. G has a bag of tricks!  She has many strategies to help students solve problems at school.

Clementine- Mrs. G often has snack and lunch groups with students.  Mrs. G’s groups are a great way to get to know classmates better and practice being a good friend.

Party hat- Mrs. G loves to have fun with kids!  She loves to laugh!

Party favor- Mrs. G likes to celebrate students successes.  When you reach a goal or try something new she would love to hear about it.  

Nose- Mrs. G has a nose for trouble!  She can usually sense when there is a problem or someone is feeling sad.  When it seems like something is wrong she checks in with students.  

Baseball cap- Mrs, G loves to play games with kids.  She has a lot of board games in her room that she uses during small groups.  She also loves to bring teambuilding games to guidance class!  

Transition Time- Getting Ready for Step-Up Day & Moving On Up!

Hard to believe but this current round of guidance classes is the last of the school year!  It's amazing to see all the growth, maturity, connections, and learning that have taken place since September.  Now is the time to look back on our accomplishments and to recognize all the choices and work that got us to this point.  Now is also the time to look ahead.

Scaredy soaks in the positive self talk  

I have had special guests with me during this round of classes.  Scaredy Squirrel, Kelsey the Frog, and Mark the Monkey have been coming to classes to talk after finding out their placement for next school year.  To say that they are not happy would be an understatement.  Scaredy Squirrel doesn't want the current school year to end and is terrified that he will be lost and confused in the next grade.  Kelsey the frog was not placed in a class with her closest friends.  She is convinced she will be lonely and friendless all year.  Mark the Monkey was feeling good about his next year's teacher until he heard a rumor from a neighbor that his teacher is mean. 

 Mark now knows not to listen to rumors.  

Kelsey is going to take this as an opportunity to build new friendships!

Fortunately for my fuzzy friends,  Pond Cove students are masters at positive self-talk and had wonderful suggestions about how all three of my puppet friends could change their thinking.  They are also now prepared to enter the new school year with a positive mindset that will set them up for success!  

What we are going to tell ourselves!  

Perspective Taking- Using Voices in the Park

We have been using the awesome book, Voices in the Park, to identify different points of view and to start to work on perspective taking.  

Students then worked in small groups to make smart guesses about the perspectives of the children in the pictures below.

In the next round of classes we will begin to look for point of view within our own situations and conflicts. 

You Can Grow and Stretch Your Brain

I have been having so much fun sharing the book, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain, with students in grades K-2.  We have also been looking at our growth over the last several years.  Looking at how far we have come and how many skills and abilities we have developed, it is amazing to think of the growth we will continue to make!  Students were challenged to look for and take new opportunities to grow and stretch their elastic brains.  We will be sharing these experiences in upcoming guidance classes!

Kindergarten Problem Solvers in Action!

Mrs. Cornell's class reviewed the strategies that kids can use to solve small problems here at school (and home too).  We then put our knowledge to the test!  In small groups students studied pictures and identified the problem.  Students then discussed which strategies may help to solve the identified problem.

 Students talk about what they see in the picture.  Do you see a problem here?

This group decided that the girl who is feeling left out should try to talk it out with the other children.  If that doesn't work, they thought that she should walk away and find another game to play.  

Problem Solving with Kelso!

The current round of guidance classes is focused on problem solving and conflict resolution.  I will be making use of some resources from the program Kelso's Choice, which is a conflict management program for students in grades K-5.  We will be differentiating between small and big problems, and empowering students to make thoughtful choices to solve their own small problems.  Students will continue to hear that message that it is always okay to go to adults for support, especially when a student feels unsafe or the problem is ongoing.   The next 2-4 classroom guidance lessons will be focused on practicing the strategies listed below.  You may want to encourage your child to use these strategies at home, as well!

Excerpt from the Kelso's Choice Program:

Kelso has nine choices to solve “small problems.” These are illustrated in the Kelso’s Choice Wheel. They include:

• Go to another game
• Talk it out
• Share and take turns
• Ignore it
• Walk away
• Tell them to stop
• Apologize
• Make a deal
• Wait and cool off

When a child comes to you to solve their “small problem,” tell them to try one to two of Kelso’s Choices first. If that doesn’t work, then an adult can intervene. Make sure your kids know to ask an adult for help in the event of a “BIG problem.” 

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Skills addressed from the Guidance Roadmap:

Kindergarten:

Strong Community Member 2.When faced with a disagreement with a peer, I can suggest a compromise. I understand that problems come in different sizes and my reactions should match.  
Caring Classmate 4.If someone hurts my feelings or body I have at least one helpful strategy to get them to stop and keep myself calm.

1st Grade:

Strong Community Member 2. When faced with a disagreement with a peer, I can suggest a compromise. I am able to respond to small problems with a friendly tone of voice.  I am able to  verbalize what I need.
Caring Classmate 4.If someone hurts my feelings or body I have multiple helpful strategies to get them to stop and keep myself calm. I also know where to go for help.  

2nd Grade:

Strong Community Member 2. When faced with a disagreement with a peer, I can suggest a compromise. I am able to respond to small problems with a friendly tone of voice.  I am able to  verbalize what I need.
Caring Classmate 4.I f someone hurts my feelings or body I am able to follow steps to solve the conflict using a script or seeking support.

Coping Strategies in Action!

 Curl up with a book that connects with how you are feeling!

 Imagine yourself in your favorite happy place.
These friends are drawing themselves at school, a place that makes them feel safe and happy!

 Make a feelings monster!  This is an angry monster before he was smushed! 

 Clear your mind and take a deep breath!  

Feelings & Working Through Them!

We are just finishing up a two part lesson about feelings and strategies to deal with tough feelings at school.  In kindergarten and first grade we read the book, Mouse Was Mad by Linda Urban.  Mouse tries several strategies to get out his mad feelings.  He does not have a lot of success until he makes himself stand very still and focuses on taking some nice, deep breaths.  

In our second feelings class, I set up four centers in the room for students to try out four different coping strategies.  Students were asked to try each strategy as modeled for them and access whether the strategy would work for them if they were having a difficult feeling or tough day.  Students were asked to report back to their parents and share the strategies that they felt would work best for them.

Coping With Tough Feelings- K & 1st

Lesson Outline

Skills addressed from the Guidance Roadmap:
Kindergarten:

Hardworking Student 1. I know many feelings words.  When asked , I am able to verbalize how I am feeling. With adult support I am able to use strategies to calm down.

1st:
Hardworking Student 1. I am able to identify how I feel in most situations.  When I get upset,  know how to ask for space.  I have strategies to calm myself down and can use problem solving strategies to make the problem better.

Review last lesson about responding to hurtful actions at school. Ask: When we get upset at school how can we make sure that we don't make a hurtful choice?

Knowing how you feel is an important step in figuring out how to help yourself when you are upset. As a class, make a list of feeling words.

Read the book- Mouse Was Mad

• What do you think mouse was mad about?
• Is it okay to get mad?
• What did he do about his angry feelings?
• What helped him to calm down?

Turn and talk- How do you express your angry feelings?  What helps you to calm down?

Practice strategies to cope with angry feelings.

When I get mad (snap, snap), 

When I get mad (snap, snap) -

Here's what I do, to get me through, 

when I get mad (snap, snap).

I practice my square breathing, 

I slowly count from one to ten.

I talk it out or exercise, 

'til I am glad again!

Responding to Bullying/Peer Agression, Dragon Style!

Lesson Outline

Skills addressed from the Guidance Roadmap:
Kindergarten:

Caring Classmate 4.If someone hurts my feelings or body I have at least one helpful strategy to get them to stop and keep myself calm.

Caring Classmate 6.  If I see someone being hurt at school, I know who to go to for help.  

1st:

Caring Classmate 4.If someone hurts my feelings or body I have multiple helpful strategies to get them to stop and keep myself calm. I also know where to go for help.  

Caring Classmate 6. If I see someone being hurt at school, I know who to go to for help.  I also know how to show support to the person being hurt.
Ask Question: What is bullying? Discuss. Why is it important to feel safe at school? Discuss

Read the book- The Tale of Sir Dragon

• What were some of the hurtful choices that were made in the book?
• How did they make others feel?
• What did the main character do to get the bullying to stop?

Review the 3 things you can do if you or someone else is being mistreated:

1. Find a friend/Be a friend
2. Speak up
3. Tell an adult

Practice each of these strategies using role plays.

Practicing Friendly Choices With Puppets

Kindergarten and 1st graders have been using puppets in guidance to practice making friendly choices with their classmates.  Students used their puppets to role-play greeting a friend at school, inviting a friend to play, and making a plan together.  

Positive Peer Interactions, Scaredy Squirrel, and Many Random Puppets! Oh My!

Making new friends can feel scary, just ask Scaredy Squirrel.  We will be using this story to talk about the importance of having positive peer connections at school and how to build healthy friendships.  

Lesson Outline

Skills addressed from the Guidance Roadmap:

Caring Classmate 1. I can initiate positive peer interactions through play with a peer.  

Read the book- Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend

• Discuss how Scaredy Squirrel was feeling about making new friends
• How did Scaredy Squirrel make friends with the dog?
• What can we do to make and build strong friendships at school?  Make a list.

Pass out puppets and review puppet expectations

Using puppets, practice skills that make and build friendships.  Giving compliments, greeting others, introducing yourself, inviting others to join an activity, asking a question that shows interest, non-verbals- smiling and waving.  

Paxton the Panda Asks For Help

Students in Kindergarten and 1st grade have been helping my puppet friend, Paxton the Panda, ask for help.  From not being able to open his thermos, to getting hurt on the playground, to feeling uncomfortable on the bus, students were able to use our simple script to guide Paxton in asking an appropriate adult for help and support.  Ask your child and try out a role-play at home (with or without puppets)!

Format for Guidance Lessons in Kindergarten and 1st Grade

The goal of classroom guidance is to teach and build skills that will help students to have a positive school experience.  In order to ensure that the skills that are taught are utilized beyond the lesson, I plan to be more consistent with my format this year.   Classes will begin with a story, video, or a short puppet skit that will introduce a topic and skill.  Following a brief discussion, students will have an opportunity to show that they understand the skill either by writing or drawing about what was taught or sharing ideas with a classmate.  The last part of the lesson will allow students to use and practice the skill using puppets and role plays.   At times lessons will take more than one session to complete.  

Here is the plan for my first lesson:

1. Paxton the Panda talks to the class about a problem.
2. Students turn and talk with each other and share ideas about what Panda might do next. As a class we create a script that we can use when we need adult help at school (works for home too).
3. Students get into groups of two and are each given a puppet. A variety of situations are given as examples and students need to use the puppets to practice asking for support/help.

Skills Addressed on the Guidance Roadmap:

Kindergarten:

Hardworking Student  #2-  I can identify adults at home and at school that I can seek support from.  I can verbalize if something is bothering me and can tell a caring adult.  

1st Grade:

Hardworking Student Skill #2- I have multiple adults at school that I can go to for help with a problem.  I know how to ask for help and tell the adult what I have already used for strategies. I can politely decline and accept help when offered.

Meet My New Puppet Friends!

I'm so excited to introduce my new office-mates, Monkey and Porcupine!  Just like everyone, they have a couple of things they need to work on to be the best learners they can be.

Porcupine is nervous that she will not fit in.  She is convinced that her classmates will not like her.  So instead of trying to make friends, she is being rude to everyone that tries to be nice to her.  Do you think we can help Porcupine change her prickly ways?  Will we be able to help her build friendships at school?

Monkey is always friendly to his classmates.  He wears a big smile and is eager to play but when it comes to listening to directions, working on some writing, or finishing a math problem, he has a hard time keeping his body calm and keeping his brain focused.  How can we help Monkey balance having fun with his friends at school while also doing his best learning?

Watch for Monkey and Porcupine in future guidance classes and be ready to help!


PS- I'm looking for name suggestions for our new friends.  We can call them Monkey and Porcupine for now but we definitely need to come up with something more creative.  Do you have suggestions?  Comment below!