In the 5th/6th grades, our focus is on communication. We talked about how the words we use take up only a small percentage of what we communicate, that we also communicate with our tone, volume and pitch (verbal) and through gestures, body language, posture and facial expressions (non-verbal). We learned about the four styles of communication and how each relates to personal power:
In kindergarten, we are using books from the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems to explore friendship topics, such as:
In the 3rd/4th grades, we are learning how to cope with annoying behaviors. We began by reviewing how problems can be grouped based on their "size" and how we respond should match the problem size (i.e., small problem, small reaction):
Then we explored how to solve small problems using strategies from the Kelso's Choice curriculum. Of these, we identified several ways to deal with annoyance:
Summer is coming and summer activities and camps provide kids with opportunities to socialize and meet new friends, develop new skills, get outdoor exercise and have some fun. It's an experience that most kids enjoy and with such a wide variety of camps, it's easy to find one that suits your child's interests. Unfortunately, it can be challenging for parents to send their kids to these programs due to the high costs involved.
The MRV Summer FUNd is here to help ensure that any child in The Valley who wants to participate can. This is a collaborative effort between the Mad River Valley Interfaith Council, the Mad River Valley Community Fund and Hannah's House. Organizers have created a google form that parents can complete in confidence. Members of the group's board will review each request and work together to fund as many as possible. Here is a link to the form: Summer FUNd Application. All inquiries are welcome. Full and partial scholarships are available. Requests will be managed in strict confidence. Camps fill up quickly, and every effort will be made to process requests within one week. Contact Patty Giometti at [email protected] with any questions. For a partial list of summer camps in the area, use this link: Summer Camps. Tomorrow is SEL Day! SEL stands for social-emotional learning. Examples of social-emotional topics include identifying feelings and managing emotions, making friends and keeping the friends we have, solving the problems we face and setting goals. On SEL Day, school communities across the globe come together to celebrate the importance of social-emotional learning.
At Moretown School, we are celebrating with a whole-school read and discussion of the book Swimmy by Leo Lionni. You can check it out here: Swimmy (Mr. Paulson Reads) and here: Swimmy (VHS Tapes). Each student will decorate their own Swimmy fish. These fish will be combined to create a mural of a large fish, akin to what happens in the book and representing our commitment to fostering a supportive, caring community. We are also celebrating our school community by wearing RED. In addition, a quick SEL activity will be posted on the classroom Seesaws and Google Classrooms. Complete the activity with your child and learn a little about the SEL work they are doing in wellness classes. Given what is going on in Ukraine, I wanted to share some resources on how to talk with your kids about what they are likely seeing and hearing:
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Jason StevensonSchool Counselor - Avid Hiker - Reader - Lego Enthusiast Archives
January 2024
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