
Royal Moments
By Gardner Dickinson's Social-Emotional Committee (Issue 4)
Social-Emotional Learning Committee Participates in Book Study!
This year our Social-Emotional Learning Committee has been reading the book Better Than Carrots or Sticks. This book explores the foundations and benefits of implementing restorative practices in the classroom. Traditionally classroom management has been based on rewards and consequences. A restorative approach focuses on building a strong sense of community within the classroom and strengthening a positive school climate. As the school year progresses we will be working our way through the book, reflecting on each chapter and sharing the strategies for increasing our sense of community within our school and classrooms.
Morning Meeting with Mrs. Wallace
Every morning Mrs. Wallace's class starts their day with a morning meeting! The students and teachers sit in a circle on the rug and take turns answering the question of the day. A talking piece is used to designate whose turn it is to speak. through this practice, children are building respect for each other and learning to appreciate all the members of their classroom community. This contributes to our overall sense of community in the school and the classroom!
Royal Moments Nominations: And the Winner Is... Mrs. Jamie O'Brien
In the last issue of ROYAL MOMENTS, the nomination form garnered several responses about faculty, staff, and others who go "above and beyond" for students. Here's what was said about kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Jamie O'Brien:
"In addition to generally being such a kind and helpful resource to students, this year Mrs O’Brien went out of her way to take on organizing the talent show which allowed the children such a wonderful opportunity to shine. The night was a much needed light hearted event for all who attended!"
Congratulations, Jamie! -With Gratitude from the Social-Emotional Learning Committee.
Who will be Nominated Next??
Fill out the form below to nominate someone from your school community, who goes "above and beyond" to meet the social-emotional needs of students at Wynantskill UFSD.
Second Step Program & Home Connections
In the elementary grades, we are using the Second Step curriculum to support our social-emotional learning goals. Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Bond visit classrooms regularly with lessons from the Second Step program. The four areas of focus are Skills for Learning, Empathy, Emotion Management, and Problem-Solving. At this point in the year, most classes are working on the lessons that teach strategies to recognize and manage strong emotions. Occasionally a worksheet may come home to help children discuss what they are learning at school with parents. We have completed the unit on Empathy, but will continue to focus on understanding how others may be feeling as we continue with the next set of lessons. Below you'll find a poster created by Second Step that accompanies Second Step Lessons on Empathy.
Contact Us
To connect with the Wynantskill Social-Emotional Learning Committee, email Mrs. Murphy: amurphy@wynantskillufsd.org
Other contact information can be found below.
Email: royalmoments@wynantskillufsd.org
Website: wynantskillufsd.org/
Location: 25 East Avenue, Troy, NY, USA
Phone: 518-283-4600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gardner-Dickinson-School/144505668937592