Forest Glen School Counseling
Helping students manage emotions and make good choices
Life Skills classes during Library Special
All students grades K-4 will participate in Life Skills Classes periodically during their Library Special. See below to learn the skills the kids are learning about!
Spring Lifeskills
Kindergarten and 1st grade
Kinder and 1st graders learned about making healthy choices in Life Skills class. With the help of Froggy we learned that a drug is anything you put in your body, that is not food, that changes the way your body works. There are drugs that can help you, like medicines, and drugs that can hurt children like cigarettes and alcohol. But any drug that can help you can hurt you if you take too much or the wrong kind. Ask your child to recite the following chant: We should never, ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER - take any medicine without the grown up who is in charge of us giving it to us. Students are reminded that the parents and caring adults in their life are the ones they should talk with if they have any questions about being healthy.
2nd-4th Grade
Students continued learning about feelings (all feelings are okay!) and focused on the emotion of worry. We watched a video explaining the function of worry(see below) and played a card game that had us identify strategies to help with worry. For more information on ways you can support your child if they experience mild anxiety check out the GoZen parent blog.
Fight Flight Freeze - A Guide to Anxiety for Kids
Kindergarten
Students in Kindergarten continued to practice using a "Bug and A Wish" to communicate with others if someone is mistreating them or being mean. They had a visit from "Squeakers" the mouse who talked about using his words to help him solve a problem when someone took his cheese. This strategy promotes Habit 1 (Be proactive) of the Leader in Me. When we listen to others and respond with respect we are also demonstrating Habit 5 (Seek first to understand) and Habit 4 (Think win-win).
1st grade
First Graders continued working on learning about being a flexible thinker. During some special lessons in the classroom they were introduced to "Superflex" - a boy who turns into a superhero to defeat behaviors that can cause problems. By using super flexible strategies students can follow expectations in social situations and defeat the "unthinkables".
2nd - 4th Grade
2nd through 4th graders continued learning about feelings. We focused on learning about stress and practiced strategies to help manage these uncomfortable (but normal) feelings. Students went through stations which included physical activity, music, gratitude, yoga, positive thinking and support people to turn to when things feeling overwhelming.
Managing Stress - Brainsmart - BBC
Heart2Heart Kid Talks Stress
Winter, 2022
Students in grades K and 1 spent time learning about assertive ways to stand up for themselves. 2nd-4th graders continued learning about ways to manage difficult feelings and identify coping skills. See the details below!
Kindergarten
When someone is being mean I can use A Bug and a Wish: "It bugs me when ________ and I wish _________."
1st Grade
First graders learned how to use their "Big Voice." The Big Voice is a calm and firm voice that sounds like this: "I don't like it when ________ and I want ________".
2nd - 4th grade
Students in these grade levels continued to learn about managing feelings. They were reminded of the following important statements:
*ALL feelings are okay!
*Feelings come and feelings go.
*Learning about your feelings and TALKING about them with trusted adults can help us manage the big uncomfortable emotions.
They watched the following video about feelings.
Size of Feelings - SEL Sketches
Fall, 2021
Emotional Regulation
Self regulation is our ability to have the right amount of energy (mental and physical) at the right time. The "Zones of Regulation" help students understand how to manage their thoughts, feelings and actions. Four different zones are indicated with the colors of blue, green, yellow and red.
Students heard a story from "Munco" explaining the "Zones" and how he learned about self regulation.
K-1 students viewed the Sesame Street Video "Name That Emotion" and identified which zone each character might be in and what feeling they could be feeling.
Sesame Street: Name That Emotion with Murray!
2nd - 4th graders explored strategies to help them regulate at school. Check out all the different ideas!
Fall, 2021
Managing Uncomfortable Emotions
All feelings are okay! Feelings come and go - like waves on the ocean. When you are feeling an uncomfortable feeling.......
1. Take a deep breath
2. Think "My body is telling me I'm feeling _________."
3. Breathe and ride the wave.
4. Think "I'm feeling ______. I can handle this."
This feeling is like a wave and will not last. Like waves, feelings come and go.