Counselor Corner
Ms. Leven's monthly newsletter
March 2016
Optimism
As we at Carroll learn about optimism, we practice looking forward and recognizing how our efforts can improve our future. We also embrace the concept of learning from our mistakes and trying to avoid making the same error again. Finally, we build on our growth mindsets and remember that failure is a normal part of life, and that we should not let our failures prevent us from trying again!
What Does Character Lab Say About Optimism?
Being optimistic doesn't mean you don't get upset when bad things happen—it's normal to get upset! But the optimist recognizes that most bad things are temporary and looks for opportunities to change circumstances for the better through new efforts or strategies.
This isn’t your traditional “glass half full” optimism (which some might call blind positivity) because optimistic people seek to directly connect their own power and actions to the future they want. For example, after getting a bad grade on an exam, an optimistic student believes that studying harder or differently will earn her a better grade on the next one. Another critical part of optimism is not “catastrophizing” a situation. For example, when a friend doesn't want to play that day, the optimistic kid imagines that his friend is having a bad day, not that no one wants to be his friend.
Conversation Starters
- Model positive self talk.
- Debrief situations positively. When things go wrong, focus on what can be done next time to avoid a similar problem.
- Use characters in books to help model optimism. Did the character give up? How did they learn from his/her mistake?
- Challenge negative thinking with by being positive.
- Focus on the good things that happen each day, instead of the bad!
Books to Read
- Good News, Bad News, by Jeff Mack
- Stuck, By Oliver Jeffers
- Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses, by James Dean
- Today I will Fly, by Mo Williems
- Lady Bug Girl, by David Soman
- Wanda's Roses, By Pat Brisson
Managing Stress - Parent Workshop
Join us for a parent workshop on helping your students manage stress. For more information, click here.
Thursday, Mar 3, 2016, 08:30 AM
Carroll Elementary School, Throne Hall Drive, Frisco, TX, United States
STAAR Testing - 4th Grade Writing, 5th Grade Math
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2016, 07:30 AM
Carroll Elementary School, Throne Hall Drive, Frisco, TX, United States
STAAR Testing - 5th Grade Reading
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2016, 07:30 AM
Carroll Elementary School, Throne Hall Drive, Frisco, TX, United States
Contact Ms. Leven
Email: levena@friscoisd.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/friscoisd.org/carroll-counselor/
Phone: 469-633-3729