Madison Park
In our SEL class time, students are continuing to practice their skills for learning: Being a learner is being focused, being a listener, using self talk to avoid distractions, and being assertive. Students at MP are also continuing to earn tickets in their class buckets for our Bucket Filling Contest. The Quarter 3 winners will be announced on Monday, 3/21. We will be planning an indoor fun activity to celebrate being bucket fillers. For the remainder of the year, students in SEL will be working on Self-Control. We are learning all about Self-Control and Self-Regulation. The students have learned about their upstairs brains and their downstairs brain. They have learned about their Survival Brain, Emotional Brain, and Thinking Brain. We have practiced a hand motion to help us calm down and capture our "Big Box" feeling so we can put it into a "Smaller Box". The students have also been learning the "Calm Down Song" as well as belly breathing, counting, and taking time out to be able to walk to their upstairs brain. We have been working hard to use these skills in interpersonal activities, games, and social stories all about getting along with others.
Middle School
This past Quarter, we spent a great deal of time in February celebrating Black History Month during our Advisories! The Middle School engaged in a door decorating contest! The objective was to decorate our classroom doors in honor of the amazing African Americans that have paved the way for us. Our Advisories competed against one another to decorate the most creative and original door! We also engaged our families at the end of the month by inviting them to vote on the doors! The entire contest was a huge success. Our winner from each grade celebrated with pizza parties and hot breakfast! Go TMMS!
Westbrooke Village
My students after recess work in their SEL Folders 5-10 minutes. They start with using the Zones of Regulation to color in a little icon for the month. Next, they work on their activities. March's theme is gratitude, so they are working on activities that relate to being grateful. After their activity, the students then work on a calming coloring page matching the theme! On their folder pocket, they also have finger breathing techniques too! -Amber Lapsins 4th Grade
Estefany Morneault (HS)
Leading by example is always a great way to teach. Our students do a lot of what they see at a young age. Since they spend so much of their time in a school setting, being surrounded by a positive, self-regulating teacher will help them develop life long skills. If we display self-controls and regulate our feelings and reactions our students will start too also do the same.
Jennifer Grimes (WBV)
If I am able to regulate my emotions then I am better able to help model and help my students. By learning different strategies to help calm myself down, and prevent myself from getting upset/stressed, I am prepared to help my students with their social and emotional state. When I, the teacher/adult in the situation is calm, and able to speak in a calm voice I can speak to the student in the same tone. I should be able to provide a space where the student can calm down and gather their thoughts and emotions. That space can be in a calming place, another teachers room, a place with headphones and a calming activity.
Melissa Keeton (ELC)
I've learned how to help students self-regulate with the breathing techniques that CD provides (star, pretzel, drain, etc). I've learned how to stop, breath and notice my own triggers before I approach a student to help them with their self-regulation. I've learned that establishing a caring and loving relationship with students helps greatly with discipline. Students are more likely to listen, express how they feel, sort out their feelings and self-regulate with my help.
