Hi everyone! I’m Kathleen Turner and I am Claxton Elementary's Student Wellbeing Specialist! For the past five years, teaching 4th grade has ignited my passion for student well-being. Witnessing the power of positive classrooms firsthand, I'm thrilled to now support all Claxton students in this new position. My goal is to leverage my experience to create a program fostering belonging, self-compassion, and connection throughout the school day. Outside of the classroom, I love cooking, birdwatching, traveling with my wife, Taylor, and hanging with our little dog, Pony. Looking forward to a fantastic 24-25 school year!
Spring of 2025 Updates:
Each grade level is working on a thematic unit to match developmental social and emotional needs.
K: We are building knowledge in a
literacy-integrated unit about
“understanding other people’s feelings”.
1: By looking at diverse families
represented in picture books, students
are answering the essential question
“What makes a family?”
2: We are exploring mindfulness by
taking a closer look at our 5 senses. How
can engaging our senses make us a
better student, friend, and community
member?
3: Students have selected “sit spots” on
campus and are watching spring unfold
and documenting observations and
changes in nature journals.
4: By looking at several scientific
studies, student are exploring friendship
as a biological imperative and
discussing strategies for making friends,
keeping friends, and handling conflict
respectfully.
5: Students are deepening
understanding of personal/ community
identities through art journaling
Fall of 2024 Updates:
So far this year in Circle, we have learned more about each other, built community, named our hopes and dreams for the year, and built upon our regulation strategies through guided imagery practice.
Community Building Games
Guided Imagery
Our Hopes and Dreams Video 2024-2025
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Drawing Our Hopes and Dreams
Dance Break!
Conga Line!
Student Work Showcase
Students envisioned a calm place using their five senses, then they used watercolors to create a scene of a place that provides calm and comfort.Please reach out if your family needs social and emotional resources as you cope with the impact of the the storm.
I use restorative practices to build community and address harm that may occur in the classroom. Restorative practices is a system of formal and informal processes that build and sustain a culture of kindness, respect, responsibility and justice. This is achieved through emphasizing the importance of trusting relationships as central to building community and repairing relationships when harm has occurred. The fundamental premise of restorative practices is that people are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes when those in positions of authority do things with them, rather than to them or for them.