Counseling Lessons

What Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum does Birch teach in the classroom?

Second Step is a program rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) that helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to encourage children to thrive. More than just a classroom curriculum, Second Step’s holistic approach helps create a more empathetic society by providing education professionals, families, and the larger community with tools to enable them to take an active role in the social-emotional growth and safety of today’s children. It’s a difference you can feel the moment you step through the doors to a Second Step school: a sense of safety and respect grounded in the social-emotional health and well-being of the entire school community (www.secondstep.org).

How often are lessons taught?

Second step lessons will be taught once a week every week in your student's classroom by Ms. Kerr.

What is taught during the lessons?

Themes discussed during these lessons are:

• Skills for learning
• Empathy
• Emotion Management
• Problem Solving

I will upload a Home Link that goes over what we learned during the week and how you can practice the skills we are learning at home with your students. You can find these links for each grade under the Counseling Lessons tab above. Please note - not all lessons have a home link for every grade.

Do you teach bullying prevention?

Yes! For the 2020-2021 school year all elementary counselors in BVSD will be teaching 5 lessons to students K-5 starting in late September. Themes for these lessons include:

• Cyber bullying
• Types of Conflict - Rude, Mean, or Bullying?
• Ineffective vs. Effective Ways to Use Your Words
• Up-standers
• Empathy