SNEAK PEEK!!

I will write about what we are doing this week and right after break when we come back but the kids are so stinking cute I can't help but give you a sneak peek! Here are some photos from the past couple of days to hold you over until the New Year!

Mrs. Lampe's Sunflowers

Ms. Weber's Cuties

Ms. Chostner's Class Hard at Work

Mrs. Swopes Kiddos

Kindness is like a boomerang! Have you ever thought about that? That is what we have been talking about in Counselor this week. The kids and I have been having WONDERFUL conversations about acts of kindness and how important it is to think of others and what they might be needing or wanting. We talked about how when you do something kind for another person, many times that kindness comes back around and is shown to you. We talked about the motivation to do kind things for others and how hopefully we are motivated by wanting to help where help is needed or wanting others to feel good when we feel good or have someone to talk to when they might not be feeling so great. We discussed that when we do a kind deed hoping for something in return we miss the point a little bit. The kids watched the clip below to illustrate how kindness comes back around like a boomerang.

Kindness Boomerang

We also read the book The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein and talked about how at first glance/read we might think the little boy in the story is quite selfish, always taking from the tree and never giving anything in return. When we talked about it a little more though, we realized the tree never expected anything in return and if we looked really closely, the only time the tree was sad was when the boy wasn't around. He always came back and therefore he gave her his friendship, his loyalty, his time (not all of it) and his love. Some of the best things we can give might not be seen at first glance but hopefully they will be felt. The kids made apples with a kind deed they could do  that wouldn't cost any money between now and January 6 when we come back from break. We added the apples to the Giving Tree bulletin board outside my office.

When everyone finished they had a chance to practice throwing our "kindness boomerang" to illustrate the concept of our kindness being thrown out into the world and coming back to us. Fun was had by all:)

I hope everyone has a safe and fun winter break! See you in 2014!

Time is really flying by and I am having trouble keeping up with the blog! The schedule gets really hectic around school this time of year and with only three weeks between Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break, we are all feeling the craziness! This will be a post to fill you in on what you have missed and what we have coming.

Since the last post the kids and I have started talking about safety. We learned that at school we prepare for all kinds of situations so that we always know how to be safe. We practice for bad weather, fire, intruders etc. We talked about how we hope these things never happen, and they don't happen very often but when they do we can feel more comfortable because we have practiced and know just what we should be doing. In 3rd grade we watched a game show type video where the kids played along on white boards answering safety questions and keeping score. In 4th grade we watched a video called If You Feel Danger and the kids completed a handout in which they had to think about a time when they made unsafe choices and then identify what they should have done instead. In 5th grade students watched the Out of the Danger Zone video Mrs. Lenz's class watched a couple of months ago.

This year I have implemented a Positive Behavior Incentive program the kids refer to as the "Happy Cup/ Sad Cup." Ask them about it, they can tell you what it is all about. All of my current 3-5th grade classes earned their first positive behaviors reward at the same time so we celebrated last week by watching a "non-counselor movie" as they put it;) They were all thrilled and encouraged to start earning positive behavior points toward their next incentive.

This week we are having our Abuse Prevention lessons much like we had for K-2 earlier in the year. Parents should have received a pink note from me after they viewed the material and we had our discussion. Please contact me if you have any questions. There is one class left to watch the video and have the lesson (Miss Tedrow's 4th grade) and they will have it tomorrow.

After we finish up Abuse Prevention we are  moving into Kindness and Self-Esteem.

I will try to add some photos of our busy times here at school but I know that lately I have been so busy I forget to take pictures during class! I think I have a few though:)

Happy Holidays!

3rd grade playing along

3rd grade game show

4th grade safety activity

 4th grade safety activity



 

I Got behind! Parent Teacher conferences were last week and that is usually about the time I start getting behind! I apologize for the delay in blog posts! I have now switched to working with 3rd through 5th graders and we began by talking about Friendship last week. In third grade we took a Friendship Voyage on the smart board learning important lessons about making and keeping friends. In fourth we learned How to Lose All Your Friends and discussed the qualities we look for in friends and what qualities we should posess as friends. The kids had fun with a friendship word find competition as well! In Ms. Stewart's fifth grade class we talked about how sometimes we might be friends with people who make us uncomfortable. We read the book Sorry! and learned the difference between sincere and insincere apologies. We discussed the difficulties that come along with wanting to feel "cool" and making good choices. I only took 1 picture that week! Here, Ms. Tedrow's class works on thier friendship word find.

This week we have moved on to talking about feelings. In 3rd grade we are discussing worries and how we can sometimes make them worse when we dwell on them. We are reading Is a Worry Worrying You and the kids are designing their worry monsters and thinking of creative ways to get rid of their worries. In 4th grade we talked about how most of the time when we are worried about something it is because of a problem. We discussed how some problems are "Rock Problems" and some problems are "Clay" problems. Things like not getting your homework done, or having a poor attitude or fighting with a friend are clay problems. You are in control of them, you have the power to change them etc. One's parents getting a divorce or what teacher you have or where you live are examples of rock problems. No matter how much we think about them, worry about them or wish they were different we do not have the power to change or control those problems. Instead we must find ways of coping with them and leave our worries behind. We read Wilma Jean the Worry Machine and learned how to take control of our worries. In fifth grade we talked about anger. We read the book Soda Pop Head and learned that anger is usually a secondary emotion and underneath it often is a fear or a worry. We learned some ways we can keep our cool and not blow our tops when we get angry. The children wrote about taking a "mental vacation" and thinking about a relaxing environment/ daydream to get them through angry moments.

Great books to use for worry and anger!

 

3rd graders drawing what their "worry monsters" would look like and how they would get rid of them

 

5th graders making a list of "mental vacation spots" and drawing their favorite one

 

Last week flew by because we did not have school Friday. I headed to the Missouri School Counselor Association's fall conference in Tan-Tara over the weekend and returned to school today and knew I needed to catch up on our Counseling Corner! This year I was asked to present at the conference so that was a bit different than my typical experience. While I was not presenting,  I enjoyed learning about many important issues school counselors and students face and have returned feeling a renewed energy and passion for our Midway eaglets:)

Here's what happened last week!

All grades were working on Problem Solving and learned the Stop Think and Choose model. Each class had separate activites including coloring their own reminder sheets for Stop Think and Choose.

 

Here is a picture from Kindergarten

 

Here is one from first grade with my Practicum Student explaining the steps to Problem Solving.

I didn't get a photo from second grade or Ms. Lenz's fifth grade class this week.  Shame on me. 5th Graders had actually earned a celebration for good behavior so they watched a video and will learn about problem solving this week. On Monday, November 11, I will be switching to grades 3-5 and will have Ms. Stewart's 5th grade class (Lenz's will switch to Media Center). I will include a photo of the staff after the fall parties on Thursday last week. Hope you all have been appreciating the Autumn beauty lately!

Have a great week!

 







This week we finished up our abuse prevention lessons and moved on in to talking about Diversity. In Kindergarten we read the book, The Crayon Box that Talked and talked about ways that we are the same and different in our class. We explored how our differences are what make us unique and we all decided that life would be pretty boring if we were all the same! The children then drew self-portraits on crayons, decorated their crayons and we put them all in a big crayon box and marveled at how beautifully different each crayon was and how that made our project more interesting! My practicum student helped out and showed the children a clip from Sesame Street in which Elmo and Whoopie notice differences in their skin, fur and hair.

 

 

In first grade we read the book The Skin You Live In, and we noticed all the beautiful shades of skin we could see in the classroom. The book compares skin colors to different types of foods so for our activity the children selected a food that reminded them of their skin and drew self portraits incorporating the food in some way. They also explained why the food they chose reminded them of their skin.

 

In second grade we talked about what it means to be or feel different. We wondered if it was a good or bad thing. We read the book Odd Velvet and decided that it can be a wonderful thing to be different and different does not always mean weird! The children had fun writing two little known facts about themselves on a piece of paper and then sitting in a circle and guessing which fact belonged to which person. We learned a lot about one another!

In Ms. Lenz's fifth grade we again discussed how we are the same and how we are different. We explored what it means to feel different and how we can help someone who might feel bad about their differences. We read the book The Boy Who Grew Flowers and the kids had fun working in pairs learning how they were similar and different from their peers.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

Although I won't have my usual post this week for Abuse Prevention, I decided you might like to see the materials we use in the district. Remember you are always welcome to view the materials at the parent preview nights we put on each year. This year I don't think any Midway parents attended! If you cannot make it you can also make arrangements with me.

Kindergarten

In Kindergarten we also listen to a song by the Hip Hop Mob called "I Said No" and the kids LOVE it! Here is a clip of Ms. Windmiller's class rockin' out! Please forgive the poor quality. I had to convert the file type for it to upload on the blog and we lost some picture quality in the process:(

1st Grade

2nd Grade

5th

If you have questions about any of the materials, please don't hesitate to contact me. I am always happy to set up appointments to chat with families or answer questions over the phone or via email. Whatever is easiest for you!

 

 



It has been another busy week! In Kindergarten we learned the difference between good surprises and bad secrets. We read a book called Do You Have a Secret? and played a game where students decided if secrets were good or bad. The students used one of my Kimochi friends, Cloud, to tell me if secrets were good or bad. If they were good Cloud was happy but if they were bad, Cloud turned into a storm cloud because he was upset or uncomfortable. Good secrets make everyone feel happy but bad secrets make you feel sad, bad, worried, uncomfortable etc. The only way to get rid of a bad secret is to tell a trusted adult. Students identified the trusted adults in their lives and completed an activity sheet in which they drew an X over pictures of bad secrets and colored the pictures of good secrets.

In first grade we talked about personal safety and watched a video with Safety Sam the Fire Man and his dog Rescue. We learned 10 super safety rules and the children colored their own Rescue Dogs and brought home a handout with all of the safety rules we learned.

In second grade we learned that rules have a reason when we watched a video on safety. We learned there are safety rules at home, at school, on the bus and in the car, and really just about anywhere you go. We learned that we not only have to respect the rules and know that they are there for our safety but we also have to respect those who's job it is to enforce the rules. The children worked on an activity sheet in which they identified rules that they have at home, school, in the car and other areas as well as completing a safety word find.

 

In Mrs. Lenz's fifth grade class the students watched a portion of the movie Bully. We watched some scenes with a boy named Alex. He was 13 and being bullied at school. The children journaled about what they would do if they saw bullying like this happening or what they could do if they were being bullied. I have been impressed with many of the responses so far!

 

 

Beginning tomorrow, we start talking about Abuse Prevention. The students cover this topic every year as a district wide program. We talk about abuse in terms of comfortable and uncomfortable touches. The chilren identify examples of each kind of touch and we teach the kids the Rule of 3 so that if someone ever touches them in a way that makes them uncomfortable they know what to do.

 

Rule of 3: 1. Say No!

2. Get Away!

3. Tell a Trusted Adult!

 

Kindergarten students read a book called Uncle Will's Tickles while students 1-5 watch developmentally appropriate videos. A pink handout is sent home the day your child watches the video discussing what was covered in class. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks so much and I will update the blog again after abuse prevention lessons are finished!

We have been busy learning the difference between tattling and reporting in K-2. Kindergarten classes read the book Don't Squeal Unless it's a Big Deal and learned that some problems are kid sized problems and can be handled by talking it out, listening to one another and brainstorming solutions, whereas other problems are adult size problems and you need to report them to an adult and ask for help. When you tell a grown-up about a kid-size problem it is called tattling and you are usually just trying to get someone in trouble. If there is danger involved then a problem becomes adult sized and you must report it immediately. If someone or something (like property) is getting hurt, it is ok to tell, or report. We played a game to help understand the difference between kid size problems and adult size problems in which the kids listended to scenarios and had to choose "kid size" or "adult size" and then explain what they should do. The kids finished up by coloring a take home sheet with tattle rules explained.

In first grade the children watched a video called When Telling Isn't Tattling. We discussed the difference between kid size and adult size problems as described above and played a scenario game in which they determined appropriate action for each problem.

In 2nd grade we again discussed kid-size and adult-size problems and we read A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue. The children always really enjoy this book. We learned the Tattle Rules and practiced descerning between tattling and reporting with an activity sheet. Have your child explain the tattle rules stated below!

Mrs. Lenz's 5th grade class  discussed the difference between tattling and reporting and we watched a video and played along with the actors as they played a game called Out of the Danger Zone. The children were introduced to the Rule of 3 which we will discuss further in coming weeks as we move into Abuse Prevention.

Next week we begin talking about personal safety and identifying trusted adults in our lives.

 

 

It has been a big week for not having school on Monday! We have accomplished so much! This week the children learned about bullying in counselor. In Kindergarten and First Grade we talked about Bullies, Targets & Bystanders and what they can do if they are being bullied, see someone else being bullied or what they should do if they have been a bully themselves! We linked it back to self-esteem and talked about how bullies try to hurt yourself esteem. The kids watched an episode of sesame street in which Big Bird was invited to join a "good birds club" that didn't end up being so good after all! We talked about how bullies are like Angry Birds and they try to knock you down (or lower your self-esteem) and we made funny little angry birds that said "Don't be an Angry Bully Bird". The kids loved it and they did such a wonderful job!

In second grade we also learned about bullying and we learned about the two different types of teasing. We made a craft (tease monsters) and enjoyed a snack while learning about the two types of tease bites you might get from a tease monster. The first is a good tease bite and might be done by a family member or close friend and it adds to you life by adding humor and helping you get through tough times. The second is a bad tease bite and it is usually done by someone who doesn't care about you and it takes away from your life and makes you feel bad. The kids identified different positive tease monsters in their lives. We have a lot of ornery Grandpas it seems!

In Mrs. Lenz's fifth grade class we watched a video on bullying and completed a worksheet with strategies for what to do in bullying situations.

ALSO THIS WEEK...

Ozzie had his first day of school! This Friday he met about half of the classes and was loved on by approximately 140 students! He went to 7 classes today! He was a hit. Of course we talked about school rules before hand and took a bath so he would be all fluffy and soft. He was tuckered out. If your kiddos didn't get a chance to meet him today they will soon.

all clean after his bath

all dressed up for his first day in his bow tie

meeting Ms. Weber's 3rd grade class

TGIF!

Thanks for stopping by my school counseling blog! You can keep up to date with what is going on in Guidance at Midway here. I will try to update with pictures of kiddos working on projects in counselor here on the home page but don't forget to check out the other tabs as well!

Let me fill you in on what has been going on so far this year!

Kindergarten:
In Kindergarten this year I not only get to work with kids in their classroom for "Counselor" but I also divided them up into smaller groups (with the help of their teachers) to work on positive school behaviors and making and keeping friends. We call these our Star Student Groups and so far the kids are having a blast!

In the classroom in K we have learned about what school counselors do, how to make and keep friends, identifying feelings, and self-esteem. This past week we read I Want Your Moo about a Turkey with low self-esteem. The wise owl helped her to like herself again so we made owls to remind us to love ourselves for who we are!

In first grade we have covered the same topics and last week we made self-esteem quilts!

In Second Grade we read A Bad Case of Stripes and made "I am a gift" boxes in Mrs. Roop's class (and decided they took WAY TOO LONG) so we made a self-esteem quilt in Mrs. Cunningham's class;)

In Mrs. Lenz's fifth grade class we watched a video called There is No One Quite Like You or Me and discovered we are all unique. The children then wrote poems about themselves. The first and last name has been blocked for privacy purposes:)

This week we are moving on to talking about Bullying!