Mrs. Gittemeier's Counseling Corner
October Edition :)
Fall is (almost!) here!
Start with Hello week was a HIT thanks to your support! Your encouragement and participation in student spirit days brightened our whole building. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.
Last month, we kicked off counseling lessons by focusing on emotion identification (K), problem size/reaction size (1-2), and regulation (3-5). This month, we will continue exploring feelings by focusing solely on emotion regulation strategies for all grade levels. I refer to these with your students as coping skills. Coping skills can be used to calm our minds and bodies when difficult situations, evoking tough emotions, arise. As adults, we know that adversity is inevitable. When students can utilize health coping skills, they are better equipped to tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations. It is my goal to help students develop strategies needed to deal with a variety of strong emotions and respond to challenging situations that may occur as they continue to navigate the ever-changing world we live in. The more coping skills we have in our “tool kits," the more likely we are to maintain a healthier lifestyle and overall better mental well being.
This month, I encourage you to discuss healthy coping strategies at home with your child to reinforce our learning. I hope you find the resources included helpful in this journey. :) As always, I deeply appreciate your continued support for ths social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development of your students.
Warmly,
Cari Gittemeier
Counseling Lesson Donations
October Lesson Themes
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Emotion Regulation Books
At Home Discussion, Practice, & Helpful Links
What is a coping skill?
What types of things make you feel better when you are feeling down?
What’s something that made you feel happy today?
Make a list of things you are grateful for.
Practice It!
Practice these mindfulness strategies with your child that can be used to cope with stress and anxiety!
Learn About It!
•How to Teach Kids About Their Feelings
•Why and How to Talk to Kids About Emotion
•How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation? *NEW!*
•Emotion Regulation in Kids: A Complete Guide *NEW!*
•Resources for Teaching Emotion Regulation *NEW!*
•Emotion Regulation Tips for Parents *NEW!*
•Stronger Together *NEW!*
Rainy
Examples - You and your friend aren't getting along, you're nervous for your first dance competition, you need help getting better grades, someone is bugging you, etc.
Stormy
Examples - You're feeling very worried about something, you've been feeling sad for a long time, you think you're in big trouble for something, you're parents are fighting, someone is being mean to you often, etc.
Tornado
Examples - Someone is hurting your body, someone is in danger or you feel unsafe, someone you loved very much died, you are having thoughts about wanting to hurt yourself, etc.
Small Group & Individual Counseling
Small Group and Individual Counseling services are available for students to support their social, emotional, behavioral, and academic development here at Graden.
Small group and individual counseling are arranged upon teacher, administration, student and/or parent referral. Data from our evidence-based screeeners and Panorama surveys help guide small group and individualized ntervention. School counseling is not intended to take the place of therapy, or outside counseling. It is short term, 4-8 weeks, and uses a solution-focused strategy.
Goals are developed in collaboration with parents, students, and teachers to support student's resilience.
Individual and small group counseling is led by Mrs. Gittemeier - School Counselor (small group & individual), Mrs. Dawson - School Social Worker, (small group & individual), Mrs. Witherby - Recovery Room Interventionist (small group), and Deputy Blacklock - School Resource Officer (informal, middle school preparation).
Also, if a student, needs to check in with me to discuss a problem or feeling they are experiencing, I am available for that as well. Students can request to see me by asking their teacher or using the online/paper referral process outlined above and taught to them during introduction counseling lessons. If you are concerned that you're student needs individual and small group support, please let me know. Feel free to reach out to me via phone or email; information is below.
Virtual Relaxation Room
In addition, Graden is continuing to implement physical calming corners in every classroom this year to help promote a safe, comfortable environment. Calming corners are a place in a classroom/room that provides students with soothing “tools” to help them regulate their emotions when upset. Students received a brief review on expectations of the calming corner from their classroom teachers at the start of the school year.
When we are upset, something significant happens in our brains. We cannot think clearly, and are quick to react. The myth that calming corners are a place for students to play with toys, and get out of a bad choice they have made, is simply not the purpose of calming corners. The purpose of calming corners are for students to get out of the fight, flight ( run away), or freeze part of their brain and engage the thinking part. Once the thinking part of their brain is in control, we can process with students and teach them why their behavior was not the expectation. Calming corners are not meant to be punitive, but a place to soothe. It is a proactive support to prevent a negative/unexpected behavior from happening.
If your student struggles with managing their emotions at home, creating a calming corner with them in your home could be beneficial. To learn more about creating a calming corner at home, read this article: "Setting up a Calming Corner at Home."
Parent Referral Form
Is your student struggling in the social, emotional, or behavioral realm(s)? Interested in inquiring about getting them counseling support? Scan the code above!
Amazon Wishlist
Interested in donating to our Graden Counseling classroom? If circumstances allow, consider purchasing something from the below wishlist to support social/emotional learning through books, regulation and sensory tools, as well as student organization items.
Confidential Resource Checklist
The Confidential Resource Checklist provides a myriad of resources we have available for our families in the Park Hill School District. If you believe you could benefit from any of these services, please complete the form and myself or the school social worker will be in touch with you to gather more information.
Cari Gittemeier
Email: gittemeierc@parkhill.k12.mo.us
Phone: 816-359-5647