Mindful Movement in Guidance!

Many classes this week have been practicing mindful movement in guidance by using a YouTube called Cosmic Yoga.  It is super fun!  You can do it at home, too!  Just pull up Cosmic Yoga and get ready to relax and have fun with your family! Or follow this link:  www.cosmickids.com/

Mrs. Hughes' class does tree pose.

The kids in Mrs. Kelly's class are bendy!

Leading up to Winter Break...

As we approach winter break, I want to let you know what the different grades having been learning in guidance.

Second grade students have just finished a unit on COOPERATION.  We read Stone Soup and discussed the importance of being a "thinking of others" kid when working together. We spent time talking about when you think about making others' happy it gives you happiness, too (connection to bucket filling).  Students took part in several different activities over a few weeks that allowed them to practice the skills needed to work as a team successfully.  They were very engaged and really enjoyed it!  After winter break we will start talking about bullying, what it is and is not, and how to handle bullying situations.

First grade classes have just finished up their unit on bullying.
Bullying is:

• Saying or doing mean or hurtful things to another person
• Repeated over time
• On purpose
• With someone not having equal power

We talked about how some of Kelso's Choices could be used, as well as, standing up for yourself and being a helpful bystander. It is important to talk to an adult to get some help in stopping the bullying behavior if it is happening.

In kindergarten we continue to think about how to calm down when feeling upset or excited so that good choices can be made.  We are practicing how to solve common problems of kindergarteners.

Our steps are:

• Think about how you feel.
• Ask yourself "what is the problem?"
• Think about what you can do that is fair.

We just spent time practicing how to accept "no" even when it isn't the answer they want to hear.  They put on some great puppet shows!  I hope they practice it at home with you!

What We've Been Up To.....

In Kindergarten, we have been learning (with the help of Puppy and Snail) about strong feelings and how to calm down when we have those strong feelings.  Students have learned about:

• belly breathing 
• counting  
• using your self-talk to "calm down"

We have also talked about using our bodies, regularly burning off energy, as a way to handle strong feelings.  Quiet activities such as drawing, building with legos or looking at books is a good way to calm down as well (changing the channel in our minds).

Talking with an adult that you trust is also an important way of dealing with strong feelings.  

We will soon move on to ways to solve problems using the Kelso's Choices curriculum.  First grade classrooms are currently reviewing this from last year.  For more information on Kelso's Choices please continue to read.

Students in the First Grade are starting the guidance unit in problem solving! Kindergarten students will be starting it soon! When we discuss problems we look at them as either being a small problem or a big problem.

A BIG problem is defined as either dangerous or scary.  If a student has a big problem he/she can tell an adult right away.  We don't want students trying to solve big problems on their own.

If it is not a big problem then we consider it to be a small  problem.  Students are smart enough and strong enough to solve small problems on their own using one or more of Kelso's Choices.  Students are expected to try two different solutions before getting help from an adult.

Kelso's Choices are:

• Go to Another Game
• Talk It Out
• Share and Take Turns
• Ignore
• Walk Away
• Tell Them to Stop
• Apologize
• Make a Deal
• Wait and Cool Off

Ask your child to show you the gestures we practice that go along with Kelso's Choices.  It is a fun way to help our brains learn the 9 ways to solve small problems.

In Second Grade we have been delving into our many feelings and making connections to how and where we feel the emotions in our bodies.  Using a program called The Zones of Regulation we group the emotions into color zones, 

There is a blue zone (sad, low energy, bored), green zone (good to go, ready to learn, calm), yellow zone (happy, frustrated, worried, a bit too much energy), and the red zone (out of control, terrified, enraged).  

We go through different zones for lots of different reasons. The green zone is where we expect kids to be most of the time at school.  If a student gets stuck in a particular zone there are tools in their tool boxes to help them move back to the green zone.  We are currently learning strategies to move to the green zone.

 

September in the Guidance Office

              



Kindergarten, first grade and second grade are all learning, or reviewing, the Social Thinking curriculum that we use at Union Memorial School.  This curriculum helps kids to understand what is expected when they are with others.  If you are unfamiliar with Social Thinking please refer to the above page entitled "Social Thinking at UMS".  And of course, feel free to call me at any time to discuss it further.

I hope everyone is off to a great start this school year!

Whole Body Listening is Expected

MBS Ambassadors visit UMS

Three third grade students from Malletts Bay School visited UMS to talk to second graders about MBS.    They talked about what's the same and what's different between the two schools.  UMS students were great listeners and the talk was very helpful!

Next Friday, May 30, we will be going to MBS for a step-up day.  Students will tour the school, meet their new teacher and classmates and end the visit with a fun activity that brings UMS and PPS together for the first time!

Wellness Water Challenge

Last week was our first week for the water challenge at UMS.  Students were very enthusiastic.  Maybe too enthusiastic with how much water they drank the first day!  The goal of the challenge is to bring an awareness of increasing water intake for health and learning benefits.  That certainly has happened.  As with any behavioral change, it takes time and practice for it to stick so please remind your child to bring a water bottle every day.

According to our water fountain that keeps track of "water bottles saved" we saved over 100 plastic bottles from needing to be recycled or going into a landfill!

Mrs Anderson's class keeps track with daily tallies.

Mrs Mulcahy's class made guesses about how much water they drank the first week of the challenge.

Mrs Marshall's class is ready to hydrate!

Kids take a stand against bullying - all on their own!

After reading the book The Bully Blockers Club some students in Ms. Barnett's class took it upon themselves to make bully free zones.  During free choice, one student made a bully free zone signup and other students signed their names.  This inspired other students to make signups too!

Examples of the spontaneous support for Bully Free Zones in Ms. Barnett's class by her students.