The Counselor's Corner with Mrs. Blakeway

Classroom Lessons

Information on monthly classroom counselor lessons

September

Topic: Meet your School Counselor & Learn about what a Counselor Does

The students learned that a school counselor is someone they can talk to if they have a problem or are working on learning a new skill. They also learned that a school counselor helps students learn and succeed in school.

October

Topic: Kelso's Choices

ALL of our students are learning about Kelso’s Choice, our school wide conflict resolution strategies. This is the poster that hangs around our school and is referenced by all of our teachers. We love Kelso’s Choices and encourage students to use them whenever they are dealing with small problems. These choices can also be used at home with siblings!

Kindergarten students will start by learning all about big and small problems. Big problems are problems that we need grown ups to help us solve. Small problems are things that we are strong enough and smart enough to solve all on our own.

First Grade students will learn about big vs. small problems and review all 9 of the choices.

Second Grade students will review big vs. small problems and all 9 of the choices for solving small problems.

November

Topic: Conflict Resolution

Kindergarten students will learn all of the 9 strategies from Kelso's Choices to solve small problems. This includes, making a deal, waiting and cooling off, going to another game, talking it out, sharing and taking turns, ignoring it, walking away, telling them to please stop, and apologizing.

1st Graders listened to a story called Joshua Uses I-Messages. We practiced identifying sayings that make situations better or worse. For example saying "You are mean!" might not solve the problem, but saying "I feel lonely when I can't play with you" helps the people involved work it out. We ended by practicing the 3 parts of using an I message with different scenarios. The 3 parts are... I feel... When you... Could you please...

2nd Graders learned more about talking it out (a Kelso's Choice). They learned about the 3 parts...
I feel. . . .
when you. . . .
Could you please. . . . ?

They also learned to be specific, speak in a clam and regular voice, and what to say in response.

December

Topic: Identifying Feelings/Emotions

All students brainstormed the different feelings and emotions they knew. We then discussed who has feelings/emotions, which is EVERYONE!

Kindergarten students then listened to the story The Way I Feel by Janan Cain and created a feelings jar.

First Grade students then listened to the story, The Feelings Train and identified the feelings based on an image of a face.

Second Grade students then listened to the story Pigs Big Feelings by Kelly Sourne and identified feelings and what might cause a person to feel that way.

January

Topic: Coping strategies for big feelings

Kindergarten students listened to Keeping it Cool by Melissa Boyd and identified good ways and not so good ways to cope with big feelings.

First Grade students listened to The Choices I Make by Michael Gordon and made a coping skills spinner.

Second Grade students learned what our brain does when we lose control of our feelings (flipping our lid). We then made a coping skills spinner to help us calm down our brain.

For more information about coping skills click on this link Introducing Coping Skills - Strong4Life Children's Healthcare Atlanta

February

Topic: Growth Mindset

Kindergarten students listened to a story about a Try-ceratops who learned about changing his perspective and helping his brain to grow. The students then drew about hard things they are still learning to do.

1st Graders listened to a story about Joshua's Strong Brain. The students learned that hard work and mistakes help their brain grown stronger and smarter.

2nd Graders watched a short video about growth mindset. We then did an activity where they read statements and decide if each of the statements were a fixed or growth mindset.

March

Topic: Empathy

Kindergarten students listened to a story about two friends who were learning something new and how they showed empathy. We then practiced identifying feelings and how we could show empathy.

1st Graders started our empathy lesson by brainstorming what they thought empathy means. We worked together to figure out what empathy is and what it is not. We ended the lesson by practicing identifying feelings and how we can show empathy to others.

2nd Graders started our empathy lesson by brainstorming what they thought empathy means. We ended the lesson by doing a scoot activity. Students had to define empathy, identify feelings, determine if an action is or is not empathy, and come up with ways to show empathy.

April

Topic: Friendship

Kindergarten students listened to a story about a pair of trapeze artists who are friends. They also got to decide which behaviors are good friendship behaviors and not-so-good friendship behaviors.

1st Graders listened to couple of stories about friends and then determined what are good friendship behaviors and not-so-good friendship behaviors. Students then drew a picture of them being a good friend.

2nd Graders played 4 corners with friendship based questions. We then listened to couple of stories about friends and determined what are good friendship behaviors and not-so-good friendship behaviors. Students then wrote about what they could do to be a good friend in certain situations (Ex. How can you be a friend when you are mad at your friend?).

May

Topic: Self Esteem - Celebrating everything that makes us unique & special!

Kindergarten students listened to a story about a little bee who shared the things she liked about herself. Students then colored their own unique bees and wrote one trait that makes them special.

1st Grade students made a paper ice cream cone with 5 different things that make them unique and special.

2nd Grade students made a "recipe of me" listing several characteristics that make them unique and special. These are currently hanging up in the hallway.

June

Topic: Summer Tips

All Students will be learning about ways to keep their bodies safe and their minds growing this summer. Below are a few of those tips.

Ways to keep your body safe:

Wearing your seat belt, lifejacket, and helmet
Not talking to strangers
Learning your parent’s phone number
If it makes you feel uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult (like your parents)

Ways to keep your mind growing:

Drink lots of water
Reading for fun
Getting sleep
Learn something new

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