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 slides 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 a book, we started to explore feelings! Students learned that we have all have different feelings, our feelings change, and that pleasant and unpleasant feelings are normal. We practiced being feelings detectives by noticing faces and body language.
Standards:
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being
During these lessons students learned about personal space. We first focused on what personal space is. We used a book and scenarios to understand what it is and why it is important. Students did movement activities to practice personal space near others. We also learned words and a quiet sign to let others know when we need more space.
Standards:
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:
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors: B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions; B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control
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 an activity.
Standards:
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
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:
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:
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