Counselor Connection
New Connections will be posted every couple of days so keep checking back!
PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU NEED SUPPORT
aryals@slcusd.org Phone: 805-369-1261 (Call or Text) COUNSELOR Referral Forms: STUDENT or PARENT/TEACHER
OPEN HOURS with Mrs. Ryals --- MONDAYS 2-3pm --- https://meet.google.com/jyb-upoz-qjq
WELCOME DOLPHINS!!
Keep checking back for updates and new activities!
PARENTS! Check out this great resource from ca.gov! STRESSBUSTING PLAYBOOK
Tell me how you are feeling by clicking above!
Thursday, April 1st
HAPPY SPRING BREAK!
Get outside and do something fun this Spring Break! The sun is shining, we are able to be move about a bit more, and there is lots to be happy and excited about.
Check out these three scavenger hunts that you could do on your own or with some family or friends that it is safe to be around.
Enjoy your Spring Break friends! And I'll see you in a week!
-Mrs. Ryals
Friday, March 26th
ACTIVITY
Check out the two pictures below and think about how YOU RESPOND to GREEN Light, YELLOW Light and RED Light problems? Do your reactions always MATCH the SIZE of the problem? Talk it over with someone in your family and see if they can help you remember what might be a GREEN light problem and what a GREEN light reaction might look like.
Also, do you sometimes have RED LIGHT reaction to GREEN or YELLOW light problems?
Something to work on!
What's the SIZE of your PROBLEM?
This is something I have been working with lots of kiddos on lately. When we have a problem, our REACTION to that problem should MATCH the SIZE of the problem.
Think of it like a traffic light. When we have a GREEN - or small problem - we should be have a small reaction to it. A small problem might be a broken pencil, you need a tissue or you need more ketchup for your fries. These are small problems that can be usually solved on our own without help or support. These problems happen often and are no big deal. SMALL PROBLEM...SMALL REACTION.
A MEDIUM problem is like a YELLOW LIGHT. A medium problem should have a medium reaction. A medium reaction might mean you have to ask for help, or that you might need to try again to solve it. A medium problem deserves a medium reaction like maybe getting a little annoyed or needing to stop and calm down a bit.
A RED PROBLEM - a BIG PROBLEM - like an emergency, or someone getting hurt might need a BIG or RED reaction. You might need to yell for help or to get someone's attention. You might be really frustrated or scared if there is a RED or BIG problem. When a problem is BIG a bigger reaction is expected.
Tuesday, March 16th
HELLO! We are still here!
It has been a busy couple of weeks getting things up and going around here with kiddos back at school, but my goal is to keep our Counselor Connection going through the end of the year at least! It's been a lot of fun posting activities and things for you to do as you have been learning from home, and now that many of you are back to campus, it is busier around here, but I know we all still need some extra attention given to our emotional and social needs right now.
So today we are going to do a little feelings game. Its extra cold and extra wintery feeling (as wintery as it gets in California!). So see if you can guess these feels on Mr. Snowman. Move the hat that says the correct feeling that represents the snowman's face.
How are you feeling today? Can you think of a time that you felt some of the feelings the snowman is having? Bored? Annoyed? Frustrated? Excited?
Monday, February 22nd
Parents
I am recycling some old stuff about stress and anxiety because I think it will be useful again as we get ready to return to school. This time might be a little stressful for kids, and they may be worrying about what it will look like and how things will be the same or different. As we prepare for this be sure to give your kiddos lots of opportunity to TALK IT OUT. Talking about worry and stress is so healthy for them. Not talking about it is when it sometimes turns to anxiety that then manifests in lots of different way.
Use the graphic here to talk to kiddos about where they are feeling worry and how they can know they are feeling worry. Just knowing you are worried about something, and being able to talk about it is half the challenge most of the time. Let them share their feelings about returning to school...excitement and worry. Check back this week as we will be highlighting different ways we can deal with worry.
This article will give you some useful tips you can use at home for some of the extra worry and stress happening. Know that this is expected and the more we allow children to talk about their feelings and normalize self care and strategies for handling the stress and worry, the better off our children will be as the grow in to young adults.
Kiddos
Lots of changes happening...both exciting and stressful. The picture above shows us some things that we might be feeling when we feel worry. The most important thing you can do is talk about your feelings and use your coping strategies like we talked about below. Tell your parents or a trusted adult about your worry and they can help you find a way to cope and hopefully feel better.
We all feel worry sometimes. It's totally normal and expected! especially when a lot of things are changing or are different. Remember that SELF CARE is about being a CHAMPION for your mental and emotional health, and taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do!
Tuesday, February 16th
NED ASSEMBLY!!
NEVER GIVE UP --- ENCOURAGE OTHERS --- DO YOUR BEST
A message from NED and some fun follow up ACTIVITIES!
Hello,
As you know we recently hosted an all school live stream event called NED’s Mindset Mission. We trust your student was encouraged by the show which taught about having a positive Mindset for learning and life!
Here are a couple of our favorite follow up home resources from the Mindset Mission website. You may want to use these with your child as they are designed to go hand in hand with the program.
If you'd like additional resources, they are available here.
If you’d like to purchase a NED messaged item for your child they are still available at school.
And don’t forget to ask your student what they learned in the show about having a growth mindset from YET the Yeti, Captain Kindly and during NED’s visit on the spaceship!
Educating together!
And a video for the YoYo-ers out there
Tuesday, February 8th
TEAMWORK
Working in a team can be really challenging sometimes. We like working with our friends, but sometimes our ideas aren't listened to. Remember, a TEAM means people are working together, listening to each others ideas and coming to a conclusion TOGETHER!
Look at this writing prompt and pull out your journal, or any old piece of paper, and think about what you might say if someone isn't listening to YOUR IDEAS in a team. What can you say to make your idea heard in a kind and caring way?
Remember YOU MATTER and your voice is important. There are kind ways to remind others to listening to all sides and viewpoints.
Friday, February 5th
I have been sharing with you all week about what a School Counselor does. And it has been so fun! But THE BEST part of being a School Counselor is when students show they are growing and learning from your work! Today we are highlighting some of the work from one of our SUPERIOR Dolphins who took KINDNESS WEEK and kept it going.
This week for her DAY 100 PROJECT in 2nd grade, our friend Opal, came up with
100 KIND THINGS TO SAY to someone!
Isn't that AMAZING! There is always something kind to say, and Opal is helping you out here! Check out her list below. Well done Opal! Thanks for reminding us that KINDNESS keeps spreading, even after the week is over! Opal, you are one of the MANY reasons being a SCHOOL COUNSELOR is the BEST JOB on EARTH!
Opal P. , Grade 2
Del Mar Elementary, Morro Bay, CA
Thursday, February 4th
Today I thought I would introduce myself to some of those who don't know me and encourage you to reach out if you or your family need support. That is what I am here for! To offer support, resources, guidance and love to the students of Del Mar. This is my third year as a counselor at Del Mar, and I feel so very lucky to work at this amazing school. I moved to the area from Southern California, where I lived for 15 years. Before that I went to Cal Poly, right here in SLO, and could not wait to get back to the area. I have worked in schools for almost 20 years doing lots of different things, including being a school counselor at the Elementary, Middle and High School levels. The job is important at all levels, but Elementary is my favorite, and that's why I was so happy to find Del Mar! I have a son who is in 5th grade and goes to school in Paso Robles where we live. I also live with my husband and our two dogs, Tahoe and Ellie, some of you might have met them on a Zoom meet here and there. We live on two acres and stay busy taking care of our property, raising lambs for 4-H and entertaining friends and family that come to visit (pre COVID!). I am a big fan of baseball and love the San Francisco Giants. I also am obsessed with Hamilton the musical, and I love to travel. I can't wait to go to baseball games and travel again soon. So there you have it a little about who I am!
WHAT DO I DO ALL DAY?!?!
I also want to share with you a little about what school counselors do. Many times when people think of school counselors they think of someone who only helps kids and families that have a need. But that's not always the case. My job, especially at the Elementary level is to be proactive in developing programs and interventions for students and families BEFORE they might need extra help or support. I work closely with teachers and the staff to assure that anyone at our school has access to my services and support. The number one role of school counselors is to make sure kids have happy, healthy access to their learning. Just because my title says counselor does not mean I am a therapist. There are people highly trained for that job, and it is not me. I am however, someone who can help guide you to those services, and help fill in the gaps in between. My role is to make Del Mar students feel safe and accepted at school and I do that through classroom lessons, small group session, short term one on one support for students and through school wide programming like Kindness Week, Start with Hello, College/Career Week, Ability Awareness Week and more! I take my job very seriously, and try to do my bes to follow the guidelines outline through our National School Counseling model, along with supporting the school the best ways that I can.
Wednesday, February 3rd
ACTIVITY
Part of the job of the School Counselor is to know our students and help them see all of the wonderful parts of them! Sometimes they might feel kind of tough and prickly on the outside (like a pineapple!) but inside they have lots of bright, wonderful, SWEET things to share (just like a pineapple does!)
Take this PINEAPPLE here and either copy the image or print it out and add TWO things that make YOU UNIQUE and two things I CAN TEACH YOU about.
Then please SHARE it with me! You can drop it off at school and the office will put it in my box, or have an adult take a picture with their phone and send it to me at my email aryals@slcusd.org ! I love getting fun email!
Remember a school counselor is here to help you however they can! The more they know you the better they can help!
Tuesday, February 2nd
National School Counseling Week!
This week we are celebrating and learning about school counseling. Did you know not all Elementary Schools have School Counselors?!?! We are so lucky in Morro Bay and San Luis Coastal Unified that School Counselors are recognized as an important part of all schools, including the Elementary Schools! As students, you will have a school counselor at every level of school, elementary, middle and high school. At each level the counselors will work with you on different things depending on what you need. In High School your school counselor will help you pick your classes and will make sure your grades are good and will give you support where you need it. In Middle School your school counselor will check on you to see how classes are going, to help with friend problems and will make sure you are feeling good about who you are becoming! In Elementary School the school counselor is here to teach you about your feelings and emotions, how to make good decisions and to help when things aren't going great for you. The best part of school counselors is no matter how old you are, there are HERE TO HELP YOU! That is the their number one job! Every school counselor might do that a little bit differently, but in the end, we are here for you! What a cool job right?!?!
Check out this cool little poster I found that pretty much sums up what school counselors can do for you. We are here to help, no matter the problem. We might not always be able to solve your problems, but we are here to lend a helping hand, a thoughtful ear, and support however we can.
Tomorrow I'll have a fun little activity up for you guys to check out about how school counselors can support you!
PARENTS!
Part of our job is to help you too! Here is a great article about helping your students handle their emotions during these challenging times.
The top of this page has contact information to reach out either by phone, email or by completing a google form. If you are concerned and need me to reach out to your student please connect with me! Otherwise check out the rest of this website which offers lots of great resources for you as a parent!
Monday, February 1st
KINDNESS WEEK SUCCESS!
PARENTS!
Thank so much for your support with The Great Kindness Challenge last week! If you want to check out more ways your family can spread kindness check out their page for Family Kindness Challenges!
What a fun week we had doing THE GREAT KINDNESS CHALLENGE last week! We had over 50 entries on our Del Mar Kindness Week FLIP GRID! (Go check it out if you haven't had a chance. It is below on the Friday entry.)
Thank you to the 60+ of you who completed the Kindness Week Google Form. From what I can tell we had 4 students do all of the KIND ACTS lists, 10 student do 20 or more, and 45 students do at least 5 kind acts last week! That kindness will continue to spread and make the world a better place.
You'll see the Counselor Connection header now sports the Great Kindness Challenge 2021 SEAL and here is our official certificate making us a KINDNESS CERTIFIED SCHOOL!
I am so proud of the kindness I saw and felt last week and I hope we can keep this going throughout our school and our community. Remember, spreading kindness doesn't end, it just multiplies!
Sending hugs Dolphins! Tune in tomorrow as we celebrate National School Counselors Week. I am going to teach you all a bit about what my job is and how I can help you!
Mrs. Ryals
Friday, January 29th
SMILE IT OUT! - Smile Challenge Friday
The simple act of smiling can really spread KINDNESS in the best of ways! Today we are challenging you to smile! Easiest one yet! Show someone your smile today, make yourself smile today, stop and think and feel how just a smile makes your day better, and can make the day of someone else better as well! Try to do all of the part of the smile challenge today, and spread some kindness through smiling!
NEW Smile Challenge.mp4
Let us know what you thought of this years Kindness Week! And don't forget to track your KIND ACTS! We might just have a little suprise for those that tracked the most!
Thank you for participating in our AWESOME Kindness Week this year!
DM KINDNESS CHALLENGE 2021 FLIPGRID
Here is our QR code and DIRECT LINK that goes to our Great Kindness Challenge Flipgrid. Load your photos on to it so we can see your CHALLENGES!
Thursday, January 28th
KINDNESS MATTERS!
Check out today's Kindness Week video! Today we are sharing notes of kindness and encouragement with others! Send an email, a text, make a quick note for someone you want to spread some kindness to. Maybe it's your teacher, your buddy from school you haven't seen for awhile or a family member in or out of your house that might need a little kindness shared with them today! Remember, KINDNESS MATTERS to you and to others! Spread a little kindness goes a long way in making others and OURSELVES feel better!
Spread some KINDNESS today DOLPHINS!
Del Mar Dolphins - Counselor.webm
Wednesday, January 27th
KINDNESS UNITES!
Be a part of the Del Mar Kindness CHAIN! Make a link to our chain and post onto our FLIPGRID (Link above) so we can connect our chain and UNITE TOGETHER IN KINDNESS!
I'm watching all of those amazing posts and they are filling our world with just what it needs right now! Love and kindness!
Tuesday, January 26th
SHARE LOVE TODAY!
Look around and see where you can find some love today. Hearts surround us when we don't even know it. Maybe there is a rock in the shape of a heart on your driveway, maybe the clouds are heart shaped today. You can also make hearts out of pretty much anything! Share with us your heart shaped things today and spread love all around our community!
ABOVE is our Kindness Week Flipgrid.
Post your heart photos THERE!
Monday, January 25th
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
Today is your day to start the RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS CHECKLIST (Click here for the Checklist on a Google Doc). Screenshot or print this list and get moving! We can't wait to see how many you can accomplish this week!
On Friday we will be posting a google form to see who had the MOST random acts of Kindness this week.
Remember, we are doing these activities with safety in mind. Always keep our distance and wear a mask if you are out in public. We want to keep YOU and our COMMUNITY safe!
**This is a great chance to learn how to SMILE with your eyes since those masks are covering our pearly whites!**
Thursday, January 21st
The Great Kindness Challenge is coming NEXT WEEK
Keep checking back for all of your GKC information and materials.
DAILY CHALLENGE POSTED BELOW
Tuesday, January 11th
Parents,
There is no doubt a lot going on in the world right now. This article from the Child Mind Institute addresses some tips on how to address this with your child at home, by age.
The most important thing you can do is be open and available to talk to your children should they have questions or need to express worry.
Remind children that there are a lot of good people in our world, and the good people are always here to help them. Remind them that kindness and understanding is always how we handle disagreements.
Remind students they have the opportunity to make the world a better place through thier own small actions and kindness!
And please reach out if there are additional concerns you'd like some support with.
-Mrs. Ryals
Let's talk about how we are feeling!
Here is a more complete feelings chart. See if you can use bigger and more specific feeling words. Start in the middle and work your way out to help be really sure what feeling you might be having.
KIDDOS!
Feelings check:
Lets check in on how we are feeling right now. Here are a couple of charts to help you come up with the words you need.
Answer these questions and share your them with a trsuted adult in your life, or you can email Mrs. Ryals (aryals@slcusd.org) and tell me how you are feeling.
How am I feeling today?
Why do I think I am feeling that way?
What am I feeling about school right now?
Why do I think I'm feeling that way?
Am I worried about something?
What is it and why?
Am I feeling excited about something?
What is it and why?
Am I feeling nervous about something?
What is it and why?
What other questions can you ask yourself about your feelings?
Tuesday, January 5th
New Year! New Goals!
We talk a lot about having a growth mindset and using mindfulness to help when you are going through something.
Having goals is a great way to develop mindful goals that can keep you focused and positive in this new year! We are all still dealing with life being different than it "used" to be, but setting some new goals for 2021 could help you see past some of the different and be excited and positive about the NEW!
Check out these two worksheets to help you think about goals for 2021, both for yourself and your family!
Friday, December 18th
Parents
As we get ready to go out on Winter Break I wanted to share with you a wonderful resource to help your children with any anxiety or worry they me dealing with as we move through this season. It is completely and totally understandable for children to be feeling stress, worry, anxiety and overall big feelings right now. We ALL are. And kids are not exempt from that. Allow them to feel their feelings, recognize they are going through a lot during these challenging times.
This article will give you some useful tips you can use at home for some of the extra worry and stress happening. Know that this is expected and the more we allow children to talk about their feelings and normalize self care and strategies for handling the stress and worry, the better off our children will be as the grow in to young adults.
Kiddos
If you are feeling kind of off and not yourself, you might be feeling WORRY. The picture above shows us some things that we might be feeling when we feel worry. The most important thing you can do is talk about your feelings and use your coping strategies like we talked about below. Tell your parents or a trusted adult about your worry and they can help you find a way to cope and hopefully feel better.
We all feel worry sometimes. It's totally normal and expected! especially when a lot of things are changing or are different. Remember that SELF CARE is about being a CHAMPION for your mental and emotional health, and taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do!
Wednesday, December 16th
Coping Skills
At Del Mar, our Dolphins know a lot of coping skills! Coping skills are what we do when we are feeling BIG FEELINGS! Like frustrated, mad, sad, or even overly excited. Coping skills help us get BACK TO GREEN and GOOD TO GO!
Let's list some of the coping skills Del Mar Dolphins have:
Breathing
Take a Break
Movement
Fidget Tools
Calm Corner
Mindfulness
Laughing
Talking with a trusted adult
And that is just a few! Check out this coloring activity with some great coping skills like using a stress ball, breathing and listening to calming music. Print out this coloring sheet or copy it into a coloring program and think about your coping skills.
When things are overwhelming or changing, we have lots of skills to keep us in green and help us talk about and feel our emotions.
Try it out friends!
Parents:
I know, I haven't given you much attention lately. It's been a crazy time for everyone and taking time for extra curricular reading is on nobody's to do list right now! But here is a great article that was passed on to me and I want to pass on to you! With possible changes happening to classrooms, home life, holiday traditions and more, anxiety and worry will be at an all time high with your kiddos. Please reach out if you need additional support.
Monday, December 14th
Click on the image and you will be directed to a new screen and asked to MAKE A COPY of this slideshow. Click "Make a Copy" and then you have your own activity to play around with!
Circles of Control
We've got a lot of changes going on around here! Some of you might be changing schools, teachers, maybe you are moving, or doing things a little different than normal this time of year. Changes are HARD! That the truth!
The thing about change is usually we don't have a lot of control over it. BUT! We do have control over a lot of other things! Like how we feel, who we talk to, our attitude about these changes, and how we treat people!
In a time when things are sometimes out of control, do this activity to help realize what you CAN CONTROL and what you CANNOT CONTROL!
Check back this week as we continue to talk about CHANGES and how we can cope. Hang in there Dolphins! Together we are ROCK SOLID and DOLPHIN STRONG!
Monday, December 7th
Growth Mindset Activity
Hi friends! Happy Monday!
Today I have put together a little GROWTH MINDSET activity for you to do. When you click on the image to the left you will be sent to a COPY of the Google Slides I have created.
Make a copy of the slides and then you can move your way through the short activity.
Having a growth mindset just might be the key to making yourself accomplish your goals this week!
Monday, November 30th
Positive Self Talk Activity
We are all working on being kind. Well being kind to ourselves is just as important as being kind to those around you. You are strong! You are brave! You are amazing! Remember that you can tell yourself these words when maybe you are having a bad day or a hard time.
Use this fun coloring activity to think about times that you have been kind to yourself. And all of the good things you can do for yourself. Have you overcome challenges? Did you have a great idea? Are you brave? Do you have awesome people in your life that love you?
These are all great reminders to be kind to ourselves! Have fun doing this activity!
Wednesday, November 19th
Parents
This one's for you!
Check out this session about PARENTING through the HOLIDAYS! In a pandemic!
Click the LINK below or HERE.
I'll be back with more fun activities for kiddos after the break! Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Del Mar community!
We are so THANKFUL FOR YOU!
Thursday, November 12th
GRATITUDE
We are focusing on Gratitude this week and I am so grateful for each of you! I hope you had some time to review the mindfulness on gratitude with our friend the Thankful Turtle. He was really great at reminding us we have so much to be thankful for, even when things are hard sometimes.
I am going to challenge you to complete the Gratitude Tree posted to the right. You can either print it yourself, or draw your own tree! I posted a sample of my gratitude tree as well.
So many things to be grateful for!
Tuesday, November 10th
Parents
Check out this great mindfulness article with some great activities around gratitude at home.
Student Activity
Mrs. Ryals is going to lead you through a mindfulness activity about gratitude right now! It is the perfect time of year to think about what you are grateful for and how you can remind yourself of all the wonderful people and things in your life! Enjoy!
Thankful Turtle.mp4Thursday, November 5th
Check out this fun activity for EMPATHY. Make your OWN PAIR of EMPATHY GLASSES below!
Disclaimer.docxTuesday, November 3rd
How can I show Empathy?
Empathy is an important thing to understand and practice. We usually say empathy is about seeing things through someone else's eyes. Trying to understand another person's feelings.
So how can we show empathy? We can practice showing empathy by seeing opportunities every day to understand how someone might be feeling. The worksheet here gives you some scenarios that you can go over with a family member or older sibling. The scenarios here are things we see happen on our Del Mar campus all of the time. And are good practice for when we are all back together again.
Considering how someone is feeling and then deciding how to respond showing empathy is something we all want to be good at!
You can also think about times you were feeling a certain way and you wish someone had shown you empathy. If you can work on showing empathy to others, they can learn what it looks and feelings like from you!
Tuesday, October 26th
Healthy and Safe Choices
This week is Red Ribbon Week! And while we aren't on campus to have some fun activites to practice safe and healthy choices, we can do so here on COUNSELOR CONNECTION! Right now is a great time to be practicing safe and healthy choices as we keep our families and ourselves safe by keeping our distance and wearing masks.
Sometimes making HEALTHY CHOICES can be hard! And sometimes it means we miss out on fun things. I know many families are making HARD and HEALTHY choices about how to celebrate Halloween this year. We don't all feel great about these choices, but we know they are necessary to stay SAFE and HEALTHY!
Here is a fun little game you can play to help have a little fun this Halloween Week. Play charades with emotions! This pumkin emotions card will give you some good pointers on what your face should look like! Can someone guess which emotion you are doing!?!?
Check out my pictures below to see what feelings I am having!
Another great idea is to use this page to help paint or carve a pumpkin this week. What emotion is your pumkin feeling?!?!
Lastly, use this page to talk to a trusted adult about how you're feeling this week? Are you feeling frightened because sometimes Halloween brings out uncertain things? Are you feeling goofy because you can't wait to dress up this weekend? Or maybe you're feeling mad because being safe and healthy at your house means a different Halloween this year. All of our feelings are okay, and the most important thing we can do is talk about them!
Keep yourself SAFE and HEALTHY this week!
Thursday, October 22nd
Parents
Check out this article that explains the difference between teasing and bullying. Our goal in defining the two is to ensure that all negative behaviors are not assumed to be bullying, but that bullying be understood and stopped immediately. We cannot stop all negative behaviors from happening to kids, but when they escalate to the level of bullying, adults need to step in and stop it.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is sometimes hard to define. We want to be sure we are calling behavior what it is, and not defining everything as bullying. When we define any negative behavior as bullying, we take away from the importance of stopping real bullying when it happens. Sometimes people are mean, or rude or impulsive. That is not necessarily bullying behavior but it can be behavior that leads to bullying. We are always going to have situations that are not nice, hard to deal with or feel not great. These are important things to learn how to deal with in our lives. When things become bullying then we need to get adults involved and stop it immediately. That is really the difference, and we don't want anyone to be confused by what is mean, rude or impulsive and what is something harmful that could hurt someone.
4 easy things to remember when defining bullying behavior:
1)Bullying happens several times. It is behavior that is repeated. Not just a one time incident.
2)Bullying is one sided. It involved one person hurting another person. The person doing the bullying behavior has some sort of power over the other. For example, they are bigger, more popular, smarter, etc.
3.) Bullying is mean – it is harmful. The target of the bullying is hurt in some way – whether it is physical, emotional, etc.
4.) Bullying is purposeful. For something to be bullying, it must be intentional, not an accident.
These 4 criteria lead to the picture you see here --STOMP.
When we know what bullying behavior looks like then we can step in a stop it.
Last week we talked about what you can do to STAND UP to bullying behavior. Next week we are going to talk about what you do when you are being bullied by someone.
Tuesday, October 20th
Bullying Online...
can be a real problem. Especially since so many of us are online right now. This short video gives you some quick tips one what to do if you are having problems with someone you are gaming with.
The best bet is always to leave the game and tell a trusted adult you were having some problems. If the problem persists and you don't know the person bothering you, you can always report them to the gaming program.
Remember that what you say online, in a game, or through Social Media has consequences. Sometimes it is easier to say mean things because you don't see the person in front of you, but they are still real, and their feelings are still real. It's important you use the same kindness online as you would playing a game with someone on the blacktop.
If you are being bullied, or even bothered online, tell a trusted adult at home and at school. Adults can help you come up with a plan to make the situation better.
After you check out the video check out this website which has great facts for kids about bullying.
Remember someone might be mean or tease you and it is not okay. It doesn't mean they are bullying you. Bullying is something that happen over and over intentionally. If you aren't sure always tell an adult.
Thursday, October 15th
Stand Up to Bullying
Click on the link to the left and MAKE A COPY of the Google SLIDES that comes up.
Then YOU can manipulate the document by adding text boxes and such to complete the form.
How are you standing up to bullying?!?! This activity is supposed to be with partners. Find someone at home you can do this with, or maybe connect with a friend online or through Meets to complete the activity together!
Tuesday, October 13th
October is Bully Prevention Month
This week we will be exploring some ways YOU can stand up to Bullying at school or in your neighborhood!
Bullying is when one person purposely hurts another person with their words, actions or body repeatedly over time. We know that bullying is NOT allowed at our school, but sometimes it still happens anyways. An important character trait for standing up to bullying is COURAGE.
What is COURAGE???
Courage means you do what is right, are willing to stand alone, know the truth, stand up for those who need it and get help when you are afraid.
Sometimes it takes a of courage to stand up to a bully because they can be intimidating!
What are some ways you can stand up to a bully?
Sometimes standing up directly to a bully is the best way to tell someone that you will not tolerate bullying! And sometimes letting an adult know is the best way to put a stop to the bullying, especially if you do not feel safe.
Here are some great suggestions on things you can say to stand up to bullying!
Check back this week and next for more bully prevention posts!
PARENTS
Bullying can be a huge problem for many kids. It can be not only traumatizing, but can cause students to act out or shut down from school or homelife. Being able to recognize bullying and how you can help your child stop it is important for all parents. It is also important for parents to know the difference between being mean, rude and bullying someone. This article gives a great definition of the difference.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bullying_b_2188819
Wednesday, October 7th
ACTIVITY
TWO OPTIONS for today's activity.
1) You can choose to PRINT this picture and color it.
2) You can copy and paste it into a Google Doc or SLIDE! Then use your editing tools within Google Docs/Slides to color it in, add a background, add emojis! Get creative!
CHALLENGE
Hang this up near in your room or on your refrigerator to remind yourself to always TREAT OTHER HOW YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.
PARENTS:
Remember, the kiddos are always watching. Treating each other with kindness and respect is how children learn. They see our actions and hear our words. Try and talk to them about what it might feel like to be talked to in a negative way, whether you see it on TV or hear it in the grocery store. Remind them that their words have meaning and can hurt or help. Being kind costs nothing and is worth everything. They will look to you are their models. Take care of yourself today and spread a little kindness in this world. Your kids will notice!
Kindness...
It goes a long way!
Here is a reminder that we can always be kind. We always want to treat others as we want to be treated. So if you are feeling frustrated or angry and maybe might say or do something unkind...try our STOP, THINK and CHOOSE technique.
STOP - Stop your body, your mind and your actions. If you don't STOP first, you might do something you don't want to, without thinking about it first.
THINK - Think about what your options are. You could make a good choice and share kindness, or you could make a not so good choice and maybe hurt someone's feelings by your words or actions.
CHOOSE - Now that you have stopped and thought about your choice, CHOOSE which actions or words are best for the moment. I hope you will CHOOSE KINDNESS always!
STOP-THINK-CHOOSE
Even when we are having a hard day or feeling really angry, we always have a chance to stop, think and choose how we respond.
CHOOSE KINDNESS TODAY!
Monday, October 5th
MINDFUL MONDAY
Watch this mindfulness video with Mrs. Ryals and then use the Gratitude Tree here, or draw your own gratitude tree to list all of the things you are grateful for!
Wednesday, September 30th
Journaling Topics
Today's activity is all about how to help handle discouragement and disappointment. Lots of things might be happening that are disappointing right now. Maybe you had to skip a birthday party this year, or you didn't go on a trip you had planned.
The important thing is to understand that feeling discouraged is normal. We all feel that way. It is how we handle those feelings that is important.
Today write, draw or document in some way how you would handle DISCOURAGEMENT when it comes your way. And how are going going to keep going?
Some ideas might be:
Write about it
Talk to someone about why you are discouraged
Make a list of all the things that are going well today
Do something that makes you happy
Get outside and be active
Draw a pictures of what is discouraging you and then think about what might might make you feel better.
Call a friend and laugh! Laughing makes negative feelings feel more doable.
Write Mrs. Ryals and tell her how you are feeling! aryals@slcusd.org
Monday, September 28th
PARENTS
Your self care is important too! We are all giving more of ourselves than we have right now. And refilling our own tank is ESSENTIAL if we are going to be able to help our children. Remember Self Care for yourself has to be a priority in these trying times. Take two minutes today to RECHARGE!
SELF CARE - High Five
Give yourself a HIGH FIVE today! It is Monday and a great day to do some self care for yourself! Taking care of yourself means that you are doing things for you that help your body and mind work to its best ability. And that you are doing thing to help yourself stay calm and push out the Worry Monsters.
What are 5 things you are going to do this week to take care of yourself?
Here are some ideas to get you going:
Exercise everyday!
Eat less sugar this week.
Take a mindful minute before I start school each day.
Organize my learning space so I am less ready to learn.
Listen to some music to relax after I am done with school.
Do something that makes me happy.
Close my eyes and imagine a happy place.
Give/get a hug from someone at home.
Talk to someone I trust about how I'm feeling
Remind myself how hard I am working and how proud I am of myself!
TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF IS IMPORTANT!
Parents you can read more about the importance of self care for kids below!
(Click on the graphic)
Thursday, September 22nd
SWH Step 1.mp4SWH Steps 2 and 3.mp4Step 1- See Someone Alone
Check out this 10 minute video about how to notice when someone is feeling lonely or isolated on the playground. You can watch it and think about how you might be able to help someone alone when we are back on our playground at Del Mar. Or maybe how you can notice a friend right now that might need you to reach out and help them.
Step 2 - Reach Out
Step 3 - Start with Hello!
Check out the second part of our Recess on the Moon video where they cover Steps 2 and 3! Remember we can practice this for when we return in person with family in our home, or we can practice with friends through our online meets and small groups.
Tuesday, September 21st
Connecting with Others Challenge!
Today's Start with Hello Week activity is going to be about Connecting With Others! WE know that Start with Hello is about seeing someone who is alone or feeling left out and including them. Well, we can do that from home too! Maybe you have a friend you haven't connected with since we've been away from school, or maybe you've noticed a friend looks bummed out or sad on your meets with your class. Today you are challenge to REACH OUT and CONNECT with them!
There are lots of way to connect right now! Here are just a few I can thinking of:
- Send an email
- Set up a Google Meet
- Ask someone to join you for Games Day with Mrs. Stephens at Lunch (Link to Games Day).
- See if your parents will let you talk on the phone with each other
- Send a note of thank you or kindness (you can use the clip art below!)
- Your parents can try and connect you on a KID SAFE app (if your parents approve first!) like Kids Messenger.
- Leave a HELLO Gram on someone's porch or car as a surprise for them.
- Can you think of more???! I am sure you can!
Use the fun clip art message below (you can copy and paste them in to a Google Slide show and them use text boxes to fill them in) or make or draw one yourself!
Today's CHALLENGE is to CONNECT WITH SOMEONE!
It will make you, and them have a brighter day!
Monday, September 20th
Start with HELLO Week!
This week we are celebrating START WITH HELLO here at the COUNSELOR CONNECTION!
Continue to check back this week for videos and information on how you can START WITH HELLO and help out someone who is lonely or feeling isolated. This is a hard time to think about starting with HELLO, since we can't see each other in person, but it also a great time to challenge ourselves by thinking about ways we can include people who are maybe feeling lonely and disconnected at home!
Watch this 8 minute video from me about the three steps of starting with hello! Including some tips on how we can be creative about using these steps while we are away from one another right now. And great things to think about and practice for when we are together again!
Enjoy the video! Maybe watch with a friend or a family member so you can talk about what it means to you.
Check back tomorrow for more START WITH HELLO activities!
Introductory Presentation | Sandy Hook Promise Training Center.webm
Friday, September 18th
Kiddos,
Lets start this weekend off right! Being positive and sharing positivity is the BEST way to show love and kindnesss. Especially in hard times.
Today I am sharing with you a couple of positive messages that I think are true about each of you! You are working so hard, and perservering each day that you log in and learn!
Now its time to spread that love!
Take one of these images (you can right click copy image or you can SNIP the image using a snipping tool) and pass it on! Send it to your teacher, your parents, your favorite adult or a friend! Or even just TELL THEM to their face or over the phone.
Spreading kindness and positivity is what we need more of right now! And it fills our buckets and makes us feel better too! I can't wait to see how you spread some positiivty this weekend!
Be sure to check back next week because we've got some fun things going with START WITH HELLO WEEK!
Happy sharing!
Mrs. Ryals
Parents
Here is your positive message for the weekend. YOU'VE TOTALLY GOT THIS. I believe in you! Believe in yourself!
We apprecaite all of your hard work, patience and dedication to your children's learning right now. Together we CAN! And we WILL!
Lots of positivity going your way this weekend as you renew and rejuvinate!
Tuesday, September 15th
Journal Activity
Today's activity is a writing or journaling activity. There are lots of ways to do this activity other than writing, if that's not your thing. You could make a video journal, or you could find photos that answer this question and put them in to a google slideshow.
This questions is about frustration, something we are all probably feeling right now! I know things are hard and between school being online, and having to stay home and stay safe, we might be feeling frustrated a lot. But we can't give up just because we feel frustrated. We have to find a way to try again. Tell me about a time you had to work hard to keep going even though you were feeling frustrated. Trying again helps you have a GROWTH mindset! It helps you understand that you might not understand something YET, or you might not be good at something YET, but with time and practice you will have a better understanding.
You can email me (aryals@slcusd.org) your journal or photo story or slides OR you can keep them to yourselves. Just remember that we can always TURN IT AROUND when we feel frustrated! Use our tools, get back to green and find a way to keep trying.
Parents
Sharing your own stories of feeling frustrated and persevering are great ways to get your child to start talking about these things. Don't be afraid to share your struggles and maybe even your failures with your kiddos. This is how they learn to keep going, and try again, even when things are hard. This is called having a GROWTH mindset! Knowing that maybe you aren't good at something YET but that you can get there. When our kids see we have a GROWTH MINDSET they are more likely to have one themselves. Studies show that students with a growth mindset thrive in school and in life. So start helping them see failures or struggles as First Attempt In Learning (FAIL)!
Here is a great article on building growth mindset in your children:
Wednesday, September 9th
ACTIVITY
Today's activity is all about control. We are all feeling a little out of control right now. Its important we remember that there are some things we have NO CONTROL over! Kind of like what we are going through right now. What we have control over right now is how we help people, how well we listen to our helpers right now, and how we react in uncertain times. Use this activity to remember the things you do have control over, and can make a really positive part of your day TODAY!
Parents you can print this entire activity out or you can bring it up and discuss and make your own activity out of it! Click on the activity and it will open in a new tab for you.
controlcircle.pdfParents
Helping your kids with Control
5 Guidelines for Giving Kids Choice
The above article talks about the importance of giving children choice. By giving children choice you are allowing them some control of the world they are living in. It is no secret that there is little control for kids right now. The things they knew and loved are all changing and any control they did have over their daily lives has been taken over by the constraints of this pandemic. When children feel they don't have any control they begin to act out in various ways. Much of this behavior you may be noticing is an attempt to feel or gain control over anything they can. Through this article you will see that giving kids choice in small things will give them opportunity to feel some sense of control and may limit some of the unintended behavior you may be seeing.
Try and do the above "Circles of Control" activity with your kiddos if you have some time. It doesn't need to be long or difficult. Even just a dinner discussion about what you can and can't control. Share with your kids the things in your own life that you can and cannot control, and how you struggle and cope with these same things they do.
Remember that feeling in control of what is happening can bring children peace and certainty. Even if things are often out of our control right now, highlight the things that can be controlled like kindness, how hard we work, and how well we take care of ourselves.
Thursday, September 2nd
Worry Warrior Social Story.docxACTIVITY
Today's activity is about worry. Read this social story and talk with your parents about worry and where you feel worry.
Hey Kiddos!
You have been doing great with your school work and in your online meetings the past few weeks.
I'll be be popping in to classroom next week to talk to you about your FIDGETS that you all got in your bags before school started! I hope you are keeping them close and using them if you are feeling frustrated, overwhelmed or need some extra help focusing. Remember these are TOOLS not TOYS and we should be using them to help us with our learning.
I can't wait to see your smiling faces next week in classes!
Also, are some of you feeling a little worried or anxious? Check out our Social Story over there <<<<<------- with your families. It talks about worry and how those feelings make you sometimes feel in the BLUE, YELLOW or RED zones. It's okay to worry sometimes. We all do! Make sure we talk about it with someone we love and remember what we can do to help us feel better.
Have a great wekend Dolphins!
Mrs. Ryals
FOR PARENTS
Anxiety is growing in lots of kiddos. The world is a weird and sometimes scary place right now. The Child Mind Institute came out with a great article for parents to combat some of the anxiety and worry we are seeing in kids right now. This article discusses some aspects of returning to PHYSICAL school, which we all will be doing hopefully come January, but these are peices for home that are really great. I hope you check it out!
Tuesday, September 1st
ACTIVITY - Self Care Plan
During these different times it is important to take care of ourselves. We call this SELF CARE. Below is a sheet you can print or copy and paste in to a Word Doc. Then you can add your own TEXT BOXES to fill in the different areas. It is so important that you keep these things in mind as we are apart right now. After you complete this...ask your parents...what are they doing to help take care of THEMSELVES? Maybe you can help!
Wednesday, August 26th
Check out this funny little clip about these tough times!
PARENTS
Self-care at this time is REALLY important for YOU! Take the time you need to be present and ready for this challenging task each day. Take a walk, enjoy time outside time alone, have a safe space you can go with no children distracting you. You can only be the best for your kiddos if you are the best for you. Here is a little article with some great pointers. Whatever you do, know this is hard. We are in this ride together and we appreciate your hard effort and commitment to your child's learning.
https://parents-together.org/self-care-for-parents-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/
Great way to say HELLO from afar or through your Digital Class Meetings!
Monday, August 24th
WELCOME BACK Dolphins! So super excited to be back here with you! Even if we don't get to see each other in person quite yet, we are going to make the very best of it until we can.
I know you all had a wonderful morning seeing your teachers and classmates. Seeing smiling faces or friends and caring adults is the best way to start the day!
Another great way to start the day is with a routine! I want each of you to have a morning routine that you do daily in order to log on ready to go! I am going to challenge each of you to spend some time today or tomorrow drawing out pictures of your morning routine. I am doing the same things with my son. He's in 5th grade so he made his on his chromebook (Check it OUT -->) but you can make yours using pictures or even get creative and cut up a magazine or newspaper. Send your teachers a picture of your before school routine so they know you have a PLAN!
Keep checking back here for more fun activities we can all share in together!
Mrs. Ryals Morning Routine
ACTIVITY
Make a visual of your morning routine. Here is mine and my son's. (above)
PARENTS
Routines are so important for kids and for adults! GEt your students started off on the right foot by having a routine in place each morning they can follow BEFORE logging in to their classrooms. This way they are awake and ready to start their day!
Andrew's Moring Routine - In SLIDES
Wednesday, May 20th
Taking Turns.pdfDisclaimer.docxStopping Strategies.pdfTAKING TURNS
This week we are looking at Self Control! And part of self control is taking turns!
ACTIVITY
Play a game with someone in your house and try using the "Taking Turns" strategies. The STOPPING strategies poster gives you great ideas on how to STOP and wait for your turn. See if a game can be more fun if everyone can take thier turn!
PARENTS
to hel pyour child deal with disappointment
Monday, May 18th
Self Control STC Upload.pdfCOLORING PAGES
Here are some great coloring pages that can be used to help remind you how to control your bodies and your emotions. We will be going back to these pages throughout the week. There is a BOY version and GIRL version so you can CHOOSE which one you want to color.
OPEN THIS BOX BELOW
Coloring Pages.pdfDisclaimer.docxSurfing to Self Control
This week we will be doing some self control activities. I know this is somsething we practice A LOT at school, but doing it at home is important also. Just like at school when we feel frustrated or out of control we need to do three main things...
STOP.
THINK...
CHOOSE!
*STOP what you are doing and get your body and your mind calm for a second.
*THINK about what your options are. There is always more than one choice in a situation.
*CHOOSE to do the thing that you know will be good for you and others.
Lets this think this out...
I am playing with my legos and my little brother comes over and grabs one from me.
First I need to STOP and not react immediately. STOP my body, STOP my mind.
Then I can THINK about what my options are. My options are to:
1) Calmly ask for the lego back
2) See if my brother wants to play with me
3) Scream at my brother and grab the lego back in a mean way.
Which of these options keeps me playing legos, not losing my cool, and keeps everyone in the house happy and safe? This is where I CHOOSE what to do next.
When we can STOP, THINK and CHOOSE we are showing control of our emotions and body and making better choices for ourself and our families.
Parents
Wednesday, May 13th
ZONES OF REGULATION
Many of you have learned about Zones of Regulation. Some of you might be new to it!
Zones is a way to identify your feelings. Once you know yourfeeling you can determine which zone you are in.
Knowing your ZONE you can help regulate yourself and GET BACK TO GREEN!
Check out the chart below. Do you have feelings that fall into a certain ZONE?
Different Zones mean we have different control over our bodies. Once you understand the colored ZONES, complete the chart on the right.
We ALL feel ALL the ZONES! Think about when you might be in different zones. Talk to someone at home about which zone you are feeling in and why.
Reproducible E.pdfZONES OF REGULATION
All Zones of Regulation activities have been purchased for use with Del Mar Elementary students ONLY. PLease do not reproduce for any other reason.
Reproducible H.pdfMonday, May 11th
Thank you to everyone that participate in our KINDNESS WEEK! I hope you will continue to find KIND WAYS to spread love and hope during our time at home.
Check our FLIPGRID above to see the activities added.
Have a great weekend Dolphins!
3 - Joy Roll and Respond - Counselor Keri.pdfFINDING JOY!
Let's spend some time today focusing on JOY! Joy is a GREEN ZONE feeling that keeps us all calm, and in a good thinking and learning brain.
Take some time to play this game with a person at home with you. If you do not have DICE then you can write down numbers 1-6 on papers and then draw from a bowl or a hat.
This would be a fun thing to do at dinner tonight with everyone in your family!
Then follow up with "How are you helping others feel JOY right now?"
PARENTS
Feeling as though things are getting more challenging during virtual learning? Now might be a good time to look back and take note on some of the best practices for home learning. Maybe a few of these have slipped through the cracks the past few weeks. Today is a great day to tighten up the schedule and expectations of home learning as we move into the last 3 weeks of the year. Tell children that we are all here to support them and encourage them to stay engaged until the end. Don't forget to reach out if you need more support.
Friday, May 8
Thank you to everyone that participate in our KINDNESS WEEK! I hope you will continue to find KIND WAYS to spread love and hope during our time at home.
Check our FLIPGRID above to see the activities added.
Have a great weekend Dolphins!
PARENTS
Some great visual resources as we continue to struggle through this time.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are in need of anything.
Mrs. Ryals
Family Kindness Activities!
Copy of Week 4: Connect (Family Engagement)
Thursday, May 7
Color by Positive Self Talk - Counselor Keri.pdfMindful Meditation
BE KIND to OURSELVES
Today we are being kind to ourselves and keeping our thoughts positive! Complete this fun positive self talk activity and be kind to yourself today!
Other ways to be kind to yourself today:
-Go for a walk and breathe the fresh air!
-Use a breathing technique to stay calm and regulated!
-Do some meditation or mindful thinking (see other activity!)
-Call or online chat with a friend or family member that makes you feel good!
-Draw a picture of your favorite place
-Think about where you want to go SOMETIME SOON and add it to a SOMETIME SOON JAR or WALL
-Listen to music and DANCE!
-Take a break all to yourself and clear your mind
Wednesday, May 6
Kindness Week Update.movLinks of Love
Check out this link to join in the LINKS of LOVE campaign put on by the GREAT KINDNESS CHALLENGE! Make some chain links for our kindness chain today!!
Tuesday, May 5
KINDNESS WEEK ACTIVITIES
Today we are making cards for HERO's. There are so many in our lives right now! Here are some ideas of who to make a card for!
Teachers
Health Care Workers
Parents
Grocery Store Workers
Lunch Workers
Police Officers
Farm Workers
Delivery Drivers
Fire Fighters
And so many more that our keep our world moving as we stay home together!
HERE ARE SOME COLORING SHEETS TO PRINT AND COLOR for KINDNESS WEEK
<<<<--------------------------
Check out this AWESOME Link with MORE ideas to SPREAD KINDNESS @ HOME!
Friday, May 1
NEXT WEEK IS...
KINDNESS WEEK
We are very excited to do our first ever VIRTUAL Kindness Week with you all! Activities will be posted EVERYDAY here for you to stay busy and BE KIND next week. Youll find our Kindness Week FLIPGRID here, so you can upload videos and pictures of you BEING KIND!
Lets all get excited about being Kind from HOME! Have fun, do something creative, get outside and move!
Visit back here often so we can keep on sharing KINDNESS together!!
Kindness Week 2020.pdfPOST YOUR KINDNESS ACTIVITIES ON OUR
FLIPGRID
CODE: DMKINDNESS2020
USE THIS QR CODE to get to the FLIPGRID
Wednesday, April 29th
IMG_3100.movMessage and Activity from Mrs. Stephens!
Check out this beautiful activity from Mrs. Stephens today. Don't we all miss her?!?! I know I do! Enjoy!
PARENTS
A Message from Mrs. Ryals
Many of us (me included) are struggling with children who are pretty over this whole experience. We may be seeing acting out behavior that is not typical for your child. They may be showing anger, tantrums, shouting or complete emotional shutdowns. Try and see that emotional dysregulation as a product of their experiences right now. Nothing is normal, nothing is how they wanted or planned. Just how we are feeling, they are feeling too. Fortunately for us, we have learned good coping techniques for this through the years. Our children are still learning and growing and developing their brains, and healthy or productive response to these feelings of frustration, anxiety, fear and uncertainty are not always available to them.
When you see this unbecoming behavior in your child try and reassure them that all is going to be okay. Give them some extra TLC, let them snuggle a few minutes longer before bedtime, or cut school off for the day (if this is causing the anxiety and stress). We need to be giving our kiddos what they need right now, and sometimes their behavior is screaming what they need in the most negative ways. Try not to resort to punishing, taking away, or limiting as a result of this behavior. Our kids are not in control right now, and taking or punishing only pushes them to feel more out of control.
These are unprecedented times, and they call for unprecedented responses. Try and remember this as you move forward with your response to negative behavior.
Ask yourself "What does my child need from me right now?"
Always reach out if you need anything. I am available for 1:1 chats or google meets with all kiddos and parents.
Cell # 805-369-1261
Much love to you all in these hard times,
Mrs. Ryals
Monday, April 27th
Feelings Tracker - Counselor Keri.pdfACTIVITY
Check out this activity which helps you get in touch with how you are feeling and helps you understand how you are feeling throughout the day. Print this activity out or keep open on your computer and fill in the bubble gum balls throughout the day. Knowing how you feel and talking about it with others is the best way you can take care of yourself right now.
Parents
The DM Staff is working on Self Care and we wanted to share some of our work with you. Below are some tips for family engagement activities around Self Care word of the week CALM. We hope some of these activities can give you guidance in how to build CALM around your home in this unprecedented times.
Copy of Week 2: Calm (Family Engagement)Friday, April 24th
Head outside and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend my friends! I will see you all on Monday with new activites and connections! Much love to you all! ~Mrs. Ryals
Wednesday, April 22nd
PARENTS
Check out this quick visual about how to help support your kiddos with technology, now that it seems to be the best way to stay social! Educate yourselves and your kids.
Scavenger Hunt!
We've been playing fun scavenger hunt games this week in Google Hangouts! Check this one out. Maybe you can do it with your family as a competition. Or put each person in charge of a color. Line your items up in rainbow order and snap a pic! I would love to see them. Email me at aryals@slcusd.org !
Monday, April 20th
This is my pup (he's actually pretty old if you can tell from the gray on his face) hanging out while we did some painting the other day. We used some random pavers we found sitting around our house and got creative. What can you find around your house to get creative with?
ACTIVITY
2027_001.pdfOpen this up and try to do these things today. It will help you feel calm, make you realize that things maybe aren't as bad as they seem, and help connect you to the world around you. Try it out Dolphins!
Message from Mrs. Stephens
I know I sure am missing her! I bet you are too!
IMG_2915.mov
Hellooooooo!
Hey Dolphins!
I've been missing you while we've all taken a bit of a break for couple of weeks. It felt nice to not have to think about school work for a bit, but I sure missed connecting with so many of you! This week we are back in full swing over here, so keep your eyes out for new activities and some fun videos.
Remember that if you are a part of small group with me, I will be sending our Google Meet links to your email. Also, if you are in 4th or 5thgrade and want to participate in our LUNCHTIME Google Hangouts, they are on Tuesday at noon. 2nd and 3rd graders, we are LUNCHTIME Google Hangout-ing on Thursdays at noon. Links are above!
We'll be doing some fun stuff the next 6 weeks of school over here at the Counselor Connection. We are planning KINDNESS WEEK for NEXT WEEK! Lots of fun activities and some cool ways to be kind while staying home right now. More to come soon.
Are you using your breathing techniques at home? I know my son and I have been using our Mind Jar a lot these days, just to settle our thoughts when things get overwhelming. Don't forget how important it is to use your mindfulness EVERYDAY to calm your thinking. There are a lot of things going on in the world right now but Dolphins know what to do when we have too much on our minds. Think about your favorite breathe and take a minute to do it. Is it Bubble Breath? Starfish? Or my favorite, Peaceful Tree? Teach one of your breathing techniques to someone who is home with your right now. They could probably use a quiet and peaceful moment too.
Check out our activity today, which is about grounding yourself. This is another really great mindfulness activity that helps us calm our bodies and minds.
Have a great week Dolphins, and keep checking back here for more updates and activites from myself and Mrs. Stephens. Take care!
Mrs. Ryals
Parents
Here is a link to a great actical about school closure for the year might be impacting our students and children. Take the time to read it if you can. I have pulled out the peice that I think can most pertain to parents right now.
https://starr.org/covid-19-school-cancellation-and-trauma/
How we can all help our children:
The most important thing a parent/adult can do is to remain calm themselves. Children will mirror the reactions of adults. So, pay attention to what you say and do! They will pick up on changes in your tone of voice and non-verbal body language.
Answer their questions (even if they are repetitive and don’t make sense to you). Answer in a way that is direct and calm.
Give children the facts in a developmentally appropriate way. If you do not, they will imagine something on their own that may be far worse as to what the crisis really is. Try not to engage in gossip or conversations sparked from social media panic.
During a pandemic, remember these responses:
“Yes, we do need to be careful about washing our hands and staying away from others who may be sick.”
“The likelihood of one of us getting the virus is not high – but if we do, doctors will take care of us.”
[Concerning COVID-19] “It seems scary, but it is very rare to die from this virus.”
“It is okay and normal to be worried, scared about this—of course you are. We all are, and that is why we are doing everything we can to keep you safe.”
Above all else, this is an opportunity for lots of quality time. Make new connections with your children or students (if possible). Play! Lighten up expectations (behavior, communication, academics, etc.) when children are worried or scared.
THURSDAY, April 2
Message from Mrs. Ryals
I am feeling all the emotions in all the zones these days! How about you? I brought my Zones friends home to hang out with me in my home office. Anger and fear seem to be the two I am feeling and hearing about others feeling the most. But remember to feel your sadness and find your JOY right now. We are all in this together. Talk to your parents or a friend through google chat about your feelings.
Meet My Worry Monster.docxACTIVITY
We are going to keep working on our Worry Monster lessons. Here we can write about what our Worry Monsters tell us! And talk about what we can do to QUIET our Worry Monster.
For PARENTS
Give yourself some grace right now parents! This is not easy for anyone and we are all learning and growing and adjusting to this way of life.
Please know you are doing everything you can for your little ones right now and keep reminding yourself your number one job is to keep you and your family safe and sane and healthy right now.
YES YOU CAN FEEL ALL THE THINGS RIGHT NOW! WE ALL ARE!
Hang there!
Tuesday, March 31st
March 30 2020.movHi Kiddos! Lots of new stuff happening over here! Listen in!
Where I feel Worry.docxWorry Activity
Follow up to our Worry Social Story from last week. Where do you feel worry? Print and complete the picture. Talk it over with an adult in your house? Are you feeling more worry that usual? We will keep working on worry this week.
Parents
Mental health and support resources through the CDC found here.
If you or someone in your family needs mental health support immediately dial 211
or call the SLO Hotline at 805-904-1417
Friday, March 27
SUPER HERO DRESS UP DAY!
Make a cape, find a cape, wear your super hero shirts or socks. Today we are all SUPERHEROS as we get through this TOGETHER!!
Meesage from Mrs. Stephens
IMG_8845.movToday's Counselor Connection Activities brought to you by Mrs. Stephens. She's encouraging you to get outside, get some fresh air, stay healthy and keep your distance while getting outside.
Check out the Savenger Hunt she found for you!
Parents
Here is a little note reminding you that you are doing okay! Take one day at a time, don't put too much pressure on yourself and your household. Being safe and healthy are the most important things you can do for your family right now!
Wednesday March 25th
Worry Warrior Social Story.docxACTIVITY
Today's activity is about worry. Read this social story and talk with your parents about worry and where you feel worry. The next few activities will be around this story, so be sure to read and share with family.
Hi Dolphins!
I hope you are having a good week so far. Don’t forget your teachers will be reaching out about school work and checking in how you are. If we don’t hear from you we are going to keep trying! So don’t forget to tell your parents to call us back.
Are you getting outside and playing enough?!?! I know it’s been kind of cold and rainy, but getting outside to run around in your yard is important to do every day. You’ve got to get some sun and you’ve got to move your body! Maybe make a hop scotch on your driveway, or a mini obstacle course in your backyard.
We can’t go to the parks right now, but we can be creative about how we get outside. Keep moving and getting that energy out!
Remember to stay safe and not to play with other friends in the neighborhood right now. We want everyone to stay healthy right now so we can get back to our regular schedules!\
I’ll be sending out some requests to student emails about google hangouts this week. We will do some by our small groups, some by grade level. Keep your eye on your email for these.
Take care!
Mrs. Ryals
FOR PARENTS
CREATE A ROUTINE
While you are home with your child a routine will be helpful for both your kids and you! We also need to know that every second of a routine doesn't need to happen every day. Remain flexible and be willing to allow teachable moments, moments of emotion, or moments of fun happen naturally. We are all having to be flexible right now, but some sense of routine and expectedness will help all members of the family.
Use schoolwork as the framework for your routine, and allow students to keep as much of a past routine as possible.
Dedicate time for play each day
Schedule easy indoor activities
Schedule time for recess and lunch recess
Make screen time part of the routine (not the norm or a reward)
Hi from Mrs. Ryals!
IMG_8729 2.MOVFriday, March 20
ACTIVITY
These activities have been purchased for the dispursement through Del Mar Elementary. They may not be shared.Color by Positive Self Talk - Counselor Keri.pdfFOR PARENTS
3/20/2020
Remeber that routine and structure are comfortable and calming for students. Try and complete your home learning schedule that was sent out last night by Ms. Gould. It will be helpful for everyone in the house to know what the plan is each day. And if you are working from home as well, set up the schedule so that kids are doing things that they can do independently during the times you might have conference calls or need quiet. Remember educational shows, building on MindCraft or doing a LEGO Challenge can all be part of home learning, and is something the kiddos will enjoy and hopefully will give you some quiet time.
Today check out this great article about coping with your own stress during this time. You have to be of a healthy mind to take care of your kiddos right now, so self care is so important.
https://store.samhsa.gov/system/files/sma14-4885.pdf
We know what a stressful time this is for all of you. We will do our best to give you materials and guidance through this time. If you are in need of some additional support or services please do not hesitate to reach out. Our entire staff is committed to keeping our school community safe and taken care of. You can reach me at aryals@slcusd.org .
Wednesday, March 18th
Hi Dolphins! Here I am working from home just like you! And I miss you all already! What a different and weird thing we are all going through. While I know it is really hard to not be at school and see your friends and teachers right now, it is so important you and your family stay healthy at this time. So instead of giving hugs and high fives on the playground, we will be connecting and working together for the next few weeks online and through fun games and activities.
Every couple of days I will be sending out a Counselor Connection. In that connection will be a message from me…HI!!!... an activity you might want to print out and do, or maybe something for you to do online, and some notes and things for your parents. We are all going through a lot of change right now, so we all have to find patience with each other.
Remember! You have so many tools you can use during times that you are feeling unsure. You can breathe (what is your favorite breath?), you can find a fidget to help keep your minds off of things, you can write or draw about how you are feeling in a journal or on the back of a piece of paper, you can TALK to your family and loved ones that live with you. Remember talking about how you are feeling and what you are thinking is the healthiest thing you can do for yourself!
I will also be available to talk to if you need me. My email is aryals@slcusd.org or you can complete a COUNSELOR Form and I will get in touch with you as soon as I can. Be looking for more information on Google Hangouts and fun online games we will be playing together.
This is really different, and nothing I have ever done before, so I understand how you are feeling. We are feeling it together. But as long as we stay positive, be kind and stay connected we will do just fine.
Sending dolphins hugs to you all!
Mrs. Ryals
ACTIVITY
Today's activity is all about control. We are all feeling a little out of control right now. Its important we remember that there are some things we have NO CONTROL over! Kind of like what we are going through right now. What we have control over right now is how we help people, how well we listen to our helpers right now, and how we react in uncertain times. Use this activity to remember the things you do have control over, and can make a really positive part of your day TODAY!
Parents you can print this entire activity out or you can bring it up and discuss and make your own activity out of it! Click on the activity and it will open in a new tab for you.
controlcircle.pdfFOR PARENTS
3/18/2020
We know what a stressful time this is for all of you. We will do our best to give you materials and guidance through this time. If you are in need of some additional support or services please do not hesitate to reach out. Our entire staff is committed to keeping our school community safe and taken care of. You can reach me at aryals@slcusd.org .
Today's FOR PARENTS is an article on how to talk to your children about COVID-19.
https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/