Mrs. Miller's Monthly Memo
January 2016
Back to the routine!
It can be difficult getting the children back to the school routine after a break. Consistency, brief reassurance and a quick goodbye is key. Resist the urge to engage the conversation that is happening and try to stay away from promises you can't keep. It's hard to send them if they are starting to cry or wanting to stay home. Develop a script to remind your children that they are going to school to learn and you'll see them at __ o'clock when you pick them up/get them off the bus/get to the babysitters.
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn is a great book to read and reinforce by getting heart stickers to give them for a while. You can also remind them that they have stories to share with their teacher and/or friends about what happened over break. We can't wait to see them come back - they all seem to grow an inch or two from eating holiday goodies.
January Lessons - Learning to Turtle!
Students will learn the story of Little Turtle from the PATHS curriculum. Little Turtle gets angry and frustrated and has a hard time calming down. A wise turtle helps him to go inside his shell and calm down. The children will practice the steps to turtle with motions and will do an activity to order the steps to check for understanding:
1. Stop
2. Take a deep breath
3. Talk about the problem
This is a skill that is continued to be taught in the primary grades by school counselors at each of the home schools. Emotional regulation is the key to getting help from peers and adults in an appropriate way. Look for the turtle paper to come home with your child during the month of January.
Maternity Leave in March
I am expecting my second child and will be on maternity leave for 8 weeks in March. I plan to return around May 16th. More information about the substitute counselor will be communicated when made available.