I had a great time officially meeting kindergarteners for the first time today! This lesson was a time for students to learn about my role as a school counselor and a chance for me to get to know more about them.  I used a short PowerPoint presentation to help students understand my role as a helper in the school.  Students learned that a school counselor's job is all about helping. I help boys and girls when they have unpleasant feelings.  They also learned that I visit classes and work with groups of students to help boys and girls learn to be good students, good friends, and other things that help us be successful at school. 

Standards:

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: B-SS 3. Positive relationships with adults to support success

This lesson focused on feelings, and we will continue to learn about emotions throughout the year. Using feelings visuals and Emotional ABCs, we started to explore feelings! Students learned that we have all have different feelings, our feelings change, and that a feeling is a response to what happens to us. We practiced being feelings detectives by noticing faces and body language. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.SE.1.2 Identify ways of controlling emotional states, feelings, and moods. 

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

During this lesson students learned about personal space. We focused on what personal space is and how to show it, practiced what it might look like in different areas (carpet, hallway, etc), and also learned and role played words to use when we feel uncomfortable because someone is in our personal space. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control 

Students learned about the importance of listening. We practiced listening during an activity with the book Listen Buddy, a funny story about a bunny who can't seem to listen.  He constantly confuses directions, such as bringing a slice of bed instead of the slice of bread his parents ask him to bring. Buddy learns the importance of being a good listener after following the wrong directions.  

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control 

This week, we continued our focus on school skills with a lesson about listening and following directions. We learned steps to follow directions- listen, think about it in my head, and follow the directions. Students practiced these steps in several activities.

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards:: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility 

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

We focused on bullying prevention during this lesson. I used the lesson time to make sure that students know what bullying is and how to report if there is a problem. Then, the majority of our lesson focused on ways to be an upstander by helping and being kind to others. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.C.1.1 Identify problems that you have encountered or are likely to encounter; RED.C.2.1 Identify situations from your daily like in terms of problems and solution strategies; RED.C.2.2 Recognize situations in which peer pressure is influencing decisions.

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them; B-SS 8. Advocacy skills for self and others and ability to assert self, when necessary

During this week's lesson we read Julia Cook's book My Mouth is a Volcano.  The main character, Louis, has a lot of important thoughts.  His words are so important that they begin to wiggle, next they do the jiggle, and then the words erupt from his mouth causing him to interrupt others.  Louis learns that it bothers others when he interrupts, and he learns how to control his eruptions and wait for an appropriate time.

While we read the book, I encouraged students to notice their own volcanoes and try to not interrupt. Students learned strategies to use instead of erupting. We practiced listening and not interrupting with a listening activity.

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards:: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility 

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control 

Today we learned about kind words vs. hurtful words. We used a story and activity to help students understand the difference.  Then, students role played situations with helpful words. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.C.1.1 Identify problems that you have encountered or are likely to encounter; RED.C.2.1 Identify situations from your daily like in terms of problems and solution strategies;  RED.SE.2.2 Understand how to support positive relationship building

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills; B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them 

During this lessons, we practiced stating needs. We reviewed feelings that can come up we need something and feel upset. Then, we role played with different scenarios to practice this skill. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control; B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

Today we used the book Charlie the Caterpillar to focus on friendly behaviors. In the lesson, we learned about including others and using nice words. Students were introduced to an I Message, and we will continue to learn about I Messages and other problem solving strategies in our next lesson. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.C.1.1 Identify problems that you have encountered or are likely to encounter; RED.C.2.1 Identify situations from your daily like in terms of problems and solution strategies;  RED.SE.2.2 Understand how to support positive relationship building

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills; B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them. 

In this lesson we learned about specific strategies that can be used to solve problems with others. I always emphasize that we should be in charge of ourselves and be respectful and kind to others. At the same time, we want students to know strategies that can help them to peacefully solve problems when a conflict comes up. Students learned that having problems with others is okay. We all deal with this. But, when we have problems, it is important that we solve them as a peace maker and not a peace breaker.  We will continue to build on these problem solving tools/strategies as students continue into first grade next year. 

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.C.1.1 Identify problems that you have encountered or are likely to encounter; RED.C.2.1 Identify situations from your daily like in terms of problems and solution strategies;  RED.SE.2.2 Understand how to support positive relationship building

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills; B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them. 

This lesson focused on being flexible with changes and mistakes. We listened to the book The Creature of Habit. The lesson focused on helping students understand these ideas: 

• I won't always get what I want

• I can try new things

• I can be okay with mistakes

• I can be okay with changes

Standards:

NC Guidance Essential Standards: RED.SE.1.1 Understand the importance of self-control and responsibility

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control; B-SMS 10. Ability to manage transitionsand adapt to change