On November 8th, performers from Puppets in Education will be visiting MES to teach our students about anxiety, what it is and how to manage it. Lessons will occur during health classes: grades K-4 will watch an interactive puppet show, grades 5-6 will participate in a workshop. For more information, check out the links below. Thank you Vermont Agency of Education for fully funding this important learning experience for our students.
Students learn and practice mindfulness in wellness classes. One practice we use most often is referred to as "core practice." It begins with a chime. We focus on the sound until we can hear it no longer. From there we focus on our breathing, taking deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. The chime sounds again to end the practice. I have found that after these mindful moments students are more focused and engaged in their learning. I will be sharing mindful resources in future posts, including practices you can do with your child at home.
In wellness we are exploring the issue of climate change. This began with a share, what would you be willing to give up if it would reduce global warming? I was impressed by their responses, which ranged from drying clothes outside instead of in a dryer to eating less meat. In the next two classes we will use the KWL model - what we Know, what we Want to know and what we Learned - to delve further into the topic.
Interested in talking with your child about climate change? If so, check out these resources: In wellness, 3rd and 4th graders are building bristlebots using toothbrushes and micro vibrating motors. They operate similar to the popular Hexbug nano toys. Next, students will work in pairs to design and construct a maze for their bristlebots from found materials (i.e., cardboard). They will share their work with other students to try out and seek their feedback. This is a fun way for students to work collaboratively on a shared task. For more information, check out:
I am incorporating restorative practices into wellness classes, so I wanted to take a moment to explain what that means. The primary focus of restorative practices is on building relationships, student-student and student-teacher, and repairing harm. Circles are an integral part of restorative practices. In a restorative circle, there is a sense of equality, shared responsibility, ownership, safety, trust and connections. In wellness, our circles will consist of the following:
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:
3rd and 4th graders have been working on goal setting. We began with the book Salt in His Shoes, about NBA all-star Michael Jordan. From there we explored our interests, or sparks, and our strengths. Students learned about long-term and short-term goals and how identifying smaller goals can help them reach the larger ones. Next, we will identify our challenges, or areas for growth, and how we can use this as another starting point for goal setting.
In wellness we explored one of the core transferable skills, citizenship. We defined community and used picture books to explore what it means to be a good citizen, including:
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Jason StevensonSchool Counselor - Avid Hiker - Reader - Lego Enthusiast Archives
January 2024
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