Counselor’s Corner 3/19/2020
Dear GMRSD Families,
We on the Counseling Team at Gill-Montague Regional School District have been thinking about you and your well-being during this unique time. In an effort to communicate our support with you and provide you some social-emotional guidance during our school closure, the following resources have been compiled. Some resources are sites that we also use to educate your children and some will hopefully provide you some home learning opportunities. Please remember to reach out to us if you are in need of other advice or a listening ear (best via email).
Teaching Tolerance:
Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators—teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners—who work with children from kindergarten through high school. These resources include classroom lessons, webinars, grants, podcasts, policy guides and much more.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS – Coronavirus Edition By Northampton’s own Josh Levy
A LOOONG List of Ideas!!
Draw every day with JJK! Spend time with Meltdown co-founder and author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka learning to draw. Check out Jarrett's YouTube channel where he hosts a live drawing lesson every day at 2pm.
Junkbox Wars:
Science and challenge projects—most of which can be accomplished with materials around the house. Sheffield School 5th graders will recognize some of these projects from Mr. White’s Look Beyond lessons! While we usually do these in small groups, they can be done individually or with siblings and/or adults, too!! E-mail Mr. White photos of your projects at kwhite@gmrsd.org
https://sciencespot.net/Pages/junkboxprojects.html
GAMES & Activities:
CHARADES – Kids learn to understand others through non-verbal cues
https://www.centervention.com/charades-kids-feelings-empathy/
WRITE DOWN & RIP UP – Kids learn to understand, express & release tough emotions
Have your kids write down on individual pieces of paper what their fears, insecurities, and stresses are. Have them be specific. Then have them rip up the paper and throw them away.
This exercise is designed to help them understand and express their feelings. But it also helps them understand that they are the one truly in control of their emotions.
MEDITATION – Kids learn to self-regulate themselves
It’s really never too early to teach kids to meditate. Yes, at certain ages you may get pushback or kids who won’t take it seriously. But, the ability to focus our mind, become more present to the people and surroundings we’re close to is a vital skill!
Our world can be chaotic. It can overwhelm the senses. Technology, designed to make our lives easier, can easily make us more distracted. Life’s stresses and distractions can overwhelm even the most grounded adults, so how do you think our kids handle it?
To teach meditation to kids, you don’t want to do it for long periods. 3 to 5 minutes is perfect. Have them in a crisscross seated position and simply ask them to close their eyes and focus on their breathing. Most Sheffield School students are familiar with “The Meditating Frog” from their Keeping Kids Safe lessons!
A VARIATION ON RED LIGHT/GREEN LIGHT – Kids learn to curb impulse control
SHOUT OUT WALL – Kids learn to value themselves and others
Have your kids use post-it notes in a certain area. On them, they should write one or more things they have accomplished that they feel good about. But for every post-it, they write they also need to write one for someone else.
This simple technique helps kids identify their own accomplishments. But it also helps them recognize and feel gratitude for other’s accomplishments. This has the net effect of reducing jealousy between siblings or peers. It also helps foster appreciation for one other and also improves their own feelings of self-worth.
HAPPY & SAD DINNER SHARING – Kids learn to understand their own feelings and feel empathy towards others
At the dinner table each day, start by sharing 1 thing that made you happy that day. Then share 1 thing that made you sad and/or angry. Then go around the table and have everyone share 1 item from each category.
This exercise will help kids better understand their own feelings. But it also helps foster understanding and empathy towards others.
MAGIC WAND – Kids identify what they would change if they could and then begin to realize steps they can take to do just that
Ask your kids to say 1 thing they would change if they had a magic wand. Have them be:
1. Realistic (no trips to Mars or wishing they could levitate)
2. Specific about themselves (I wish I could play the piano)
3. Positive (no wishing you could beat someone up, etc.)
Then once everyone has had a turn, ask them what would it take to achieve that. Have them write down 3 to 5 steps needed to get to their stated goal. Them ask them what is preventing them from starting on those baby steps.
This helps them realize that most goals are achievable if they just break down the goal into baby steps and just take it one step at a time. Kids learn patience, goal setting and an understanding that they can do whatever they set their mind to. We are not victims!
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO…GMRSD’s COMFORT DOG “MONTAGUE MACK”!
https://animoto.com/play/Sr2ysTo3DaFgGXcQYR963g
Cited Resources:
https://newmiddleclassdad.com/social-emotional-learning-games/
Sincerely and with Peace and Well-being,
Kevin White kwhite@gmrsd.org
Kathryn Provost Kathryn.provost@gmrsd.org
Your school counselors!