February 2014 Guidance

This month at every grade level we are learning about kindness.  Why is it important?  What does it look like?  What does it sound like?  What happens when we are consistantly kind to others?  How does that change our life?  How does that change our school?  What does being kind look like when we get angry?  What does kindness look like when someone is bugging us?  Can we still choose kindness?  What would happen if whenever we received a kindness we passed it on to 3 other people?  Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Week is Feb. 10-16, 2014.  We will see what happens that week when we go out of our way to be kind to others.  I'll be reading the story "One Smile" by Cindy McKinley.  We'll also watch a short video clip from Life Vest Inside.  Be sure and ask your children what they have learned.

December Guidance

In Kindergarten at both schools we have been learning and practicing strategies to calm down from strong feelings. 

In First Grade at both schools we are learning about bullying.  We are gaining understanding in how bullies get more power and how to safely take it away.  We are also learning 6 strategies to help students handle bullying effectively. 

In Second Grade at both schools we are reading the book, "Simon's Hook: A Story About Teases and Put-downs"  Ask your child about going to "Fish School".  The book demonstrates 5 ways to handle teasing.

In Third Grade we are continuing our study of managing anger effectively.  Each student will identify a specific plan to handle their anger by the time we are done with our study.

November Classroom Guidance

In Kindergarten this month we will learn ways to tell if something happened by accident or on purpose. We will practice reading social situations and role-play what to do if you hurt someone by accident. We’ll also begin to learn effective ways to manage frustration and calm down from strong feelings.

In First, Second, and Third grades we will be learning more ways to calm down, and we will be practicing some problem solving strategies together. I will be teaching various lessons that include strategies that have been proven effective in helping students calm down from strong feelings.

Students will learn to recognize when they get angry,
what makes them angry, and what to do to calm down
and stay in control

October Guidance

This Month in Guidance we are learning so many things that can help us be better prepared to learn academically!


In Kindergarten at both schools we have been talking about feelings and why they are important. We have been practicing "reading" other people’s feelings. Research shows if children can "read" other childrens emotions in various social situations they are more likely to make good social choices, and be successful at making friends. At Jefferson this month we will begin to learn how to tell if something was an accident, or if it was something done on purpose. We will learn and practice how to say I'm sorry in a meaningful and appropriate way. We will learn and practice other ways to show people we care as well. We already know if you don't show people you care many people think you don't care.....and those people don't have as many friends.

In First Grade at Jefferson we have been learning about feelings. We have focused on how what we say and do make other people feel certain ways. We have learned every day you make yourself look friendly or mean by what you say and do. This month we are learning how to predict the feelings of others. We are learning what to do when you and your friend are playing and their feelings change to be different than yours. How can you be a good friend and keep your friends? How do you make new friends? What can you do when someone rejects you?
At York in first grade we have talked about bullying. What is it... and where do bullies get their power from? We also learned ways we can work together to take power away from bullies. This month we will focus on calming down from strong feelings and staying in control when we get upset. Students will learn and practice techniques that can help them is they use them.

In Second Grade at both schools we will be learning about staying in control when our feelings get really strong. We will learn strategies that students can use to calm down, and how important our attitude is.

In Third Grade at both schools we will learn about bulling. We will learn where bullies get their power from, how to safely take power away from bullies, strategies to use with bullies, and when to get help. Students will also make a commitment to do their best to help make our school bully free.

Classroom Guidance August / September 2013

It is great to be back! We will start the year by learning what to do when someone starts bugging you. We will talk about how to handle conflict and other problems in a way that helps you keep your friends.

In Grades 1, 2 and 3 we will be learning how to stay in control and react appropriately when someone is bugging us. We will talk about about how using the 5 steps of ignore, walk away, talk friendly, talk firmly, and get help keep us in control. We will learn how and why each step works so well and talk about the real value of not giving the other person power over your own emotions. We will also learn about times when you do need to get help right away.

Also in Grade 1 at Jefferson we will be learning how to identify how other people are feeling. We will practice ways to recognize certain key feelings in other people and how to respond to various feelings. This empathy training builds a foundation that enables children to understand each other better and helps them become more sucessful at making and keeping friends.

In Kindergarten at both schools: We will learn why listening is important. It shows other people you care about them. If you do that you will have more friends. Listening also helps you learn a lot more! We are also learning that a counselor is a person you can talk to who will help you find ways to make problems smaller.

We will read the books "Hands are Not for Hitting" and "Words are Not for Hurting". Each class will sign a promise paper which will be posted as a reminder to not use our hands or words to hurt each other.

We will also begin empathy training using the Second Step Curriculum. This will help children learn how to understand and manage their feelings. Research shows if children can "read" the emotions of other children in various social situations they are more likely to make good choices and be successful at making friends.

May 2013 Guidance

JES and York Kindergarten: We are reviewing some of what we learned and watching how our self-talk decides whether we cool down and stay in contro,l or stay angry and act out of control. We are also learning that we are in control of our self-talk.  Together we practiced ways to change our self-talk.

JES First grade: We are learning about the importance of telling the truth.

York first grade: We learned and watched how our self-talk decides whether we cool down and stay in control, or stay angry and act out of control. We are also learning that we are in control of our self-talk, and how we can change it.

JES Second Grade: We are playing a game that helps us review all that we have learned this year.

York Second Grade: We are learning about playground conflict and how to manage it.

JES Third grade: We are learning about the value of staying in school and taking a virtual tour of several colleges.

York Third Grade: We are learning about the importance of telling the truth.

April Classroom Guidance

York Kindergarten will be learning about Fair ways to play.  Sharing, trading, and taking turns will help you make and keep your friends.  We will also learn about when we can solve our own problems and when we need help from a teacher.  We will see why tattletales don't have many friends.  Students will also learn to differentiate between good and bad touches. Students will learn that he or she can say “NO” to bad touches, and to talk to a trusted adult in case he or she has this problem.

Jefferson Kindergarten will be learning more friendship skills, how to join in to a group in a friendly way, and we will begin to talk about problem solving.  Students will also learn to differentiate between good and bad touches. Students will learn that he or she can say “NO” to bad touches, and to talk to a trusted adult in case he or she has this problem.

York First Grade will learn about being considerate.  We will talk about how our choices make us who we are and how each day we get to choose to be helpful or hurtful to others. 

Jefferson First Grade will finish playing a game called make your plan.  Students will make a plan that will help them exercise self control when they get angry and upset. 

York and Jefferson Second Grade will revisit how bullies get their power and learn how to take power away effectively.  Students will learn about the power of bystanders to stop bullying. They will learn how bystanders can safely take power away from bullies. We will also read the books One by Kathryn Otoshi and Say Something by Peggy Moss.

Jefferson and York Third Grade will talk about anxiety and how to handle it in light of going to Heritage Intermediate School next year.  Students will get to see a video 4th grade students made on how to get ready for their new school. 

Third grade at Jefferson will also learn to differentiate between good and bad touches. Your child will learn that he or she can say “NO” to bad touches, and to talk to a trusted adult in case he or she has this problem.  We will watch a video called Yes, You Can Say No .