This Week in Guidance

This month is National Safety Awareness month. Guidance lessons this week will focus on cyber safety. I will be showing students a YouTube video about the dangers of revealing too much personal information online. Since more and more children at a younger age are spending time on digital media devices such as iPads, laptops, and smart phones I believe this is a very important topic to address. I will also be sending home a "Tips for Parents" to better inform parents about this topic.

Tips for the First Day "Jitters"

Preschoolers are very curious about their world. They are learning to play with others and have reached the age when they are becoming more independent. This can be both a difficult and exciting time for parents. Attending preschool helps children learn the social and academic skills necessary to begin a successful school career. However, some parents and children may have anxiety about this new experience for a number of reasons. There are several things parents can do to help make this important transition a success. Like adults, when students know what to expect, they are less anxious. Reading a story about the first day of school helps the child learn what to expect and gives them the opportunity to express their concerns with their parents. It also gives parents a chance to express confidence in their child's ability to have a great experience. If parents are overly anxious about the first day of school their children will pick up on this and may develop fear and anxiety about the separation. Be sure to talk about school in a positive manner and reassure your child that he/she will be safe and that the teacher is there to help. If parents remain calm and confident on the first day of school, their children will be more calm and confident. Visit the school website so that you and your child can become familiar with the staff and school environment. The website also keeps parents informed of current events and valuable information. If you are concerned that your child may have extreme anxiety, please let me know. Your child may need a transition object such as a family photo, blanket, or small stuffed animal for a few days to help them feel safe and comfortable. Establishing a consistent daily routine for awaking, meal times, going to school, homework, playing and sleeping is very helpful. I am confident that within a few days and with continued regular attendance you and your child will successfully adjust. I look forward to working with you and your child!

This Week in Guidance

Last week we read the story Try and Stick With It by Cheri J. Meiners and discussed the importance of not giving up, especially when we are learning something new. We talked about the fact that when students go to kindergarten next school year, things may seem difficult at first. However, if they stick with it and don't give up they will continue to learn new things just as they did in Pre-K. This Week students will be learning about Stranger Danger. The concept of "stranger" is a difficult one for young children. What I have found helpful is to define a stranger as a person that the child does not know--they do not come over to the child's house and visit with their parents; the child does not know their name, etc. Most young children believe that strangers are only people who are "bad" or who look scary or mean. As I review this concept I let children know that there are "good" and "bad" strangers and we cannot tell by looking at the person whether or not they are a "good" or "bad". Therefore, we treat all strangers the same: We don't ever talk to, go with, or take anything from a stranger. The children are always surprised when I explain to them that if I went to the school down the street and asked a child to go with me or talk to me, I would be a stranger. I explain that while I would never hurt a child, I am a stranger to that child because they do not know me. Since children will be spending a lot of time outdoors now that the weather is warming up, it's a good idea to go over these points. This is also a topic that needs to be reinforced constantly. One way you could do this is whenever you are in a public place such as Wal-Mart, you could ask you child "Is that person a stranger?" and again reinforce that if they cannot tell you their name and that person has never been over to your house while you are home, they are a stranger. I have listed a couple of books about strnagers under the resource tab and I am sure their are many more out there. Another helpful website that covers a number of important topics that students seem to enjoy is http://www.wedolisten.org. The website has many animated books, lessons, posters and games about a character named Howard B. Wigglebottom. Each animated book is followed by a song. This would be a fun activity that you and your child could enjoy over the summer. The lesson about strangers is called: Howard B. Wigglebottom on Yes or No: a Fable about Trust. This is the lesson I am discussing this week.

This Week in Guidance

This week I will be visiting classrooms in the Blue Hall. We will be reading the book Share and Take Turns by Cheri J. Meiners. The story is about a little girl who learns different ways of sharing such as dividing things, using things together (such as a ball), trading toys with a friend, and taking turns. Students learn that they can share things they know and share their time. They learn that it's not always easy to share and sometimes they may not be ready to share such as when they have a special gift from someone. They learn that when they are not ready to share they can choose to share later or share something else.

This Week in Guidance

This Week students will be learning about Stranger Danger. The concept of "stranger" is a difficult one for young children. What I have found helpful is to define a stranger as a person that the child does not know--they do not come over to the child's house and visit with their parents; the child does not know their name, etc. Most young children believe that strangers are only people who are "bad" or who look scary or mean. As I review this concept I let children know that there are "good" and "bad" strangers and we cannot tell by looking at the person whether or not they are a "good" or "bad". Therefore, we treat all strangers the same: We don't ever talk to, go with, or take anything from a stranger. The children are always surprised when I explain to them that if I went to the school down the street and asked a child to go with me or talk to me, I would be a stranger. I explain that while I would never hurt a child, I am a stranger to that child because they do not know me. Since children will be spending a lot of time outdoors now that the weather is warming up, it's a good idea to go over these points. This is also a topic that needs to be reinforced constantly. One way you could do this is whenever you are in a public place such as Wal-Mart, you could ask you child "Is that person a stranger?" and again reinforce that if they cannot tell you their name and that person has never been over to your house while you are home, they are a stranger. I have listed a couple of books about strnagers under the resource tab and I am sure their are many more out there. Another helpful website that covers a number of important topics that students seem to enjoy is http://www.wedolisten.org. The website has many animated books, lessons, posters and games about a character named Howard B. Wigglebottom. Each animated book is followed by a song. This would be a fun activity that you and your child could enjoy over the summer. The lesson about strangers is called: Howard B. Wigglebottom on Yes or No: a Fable about Trust. This is the lesson I am discussing this week.

This Week in Guidance

I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break and students are excited to return to school! This week I will be reading the story "Join in and Play" by Cheri Meiners. The story is about a little girl who is learning how to play with others. She learns that she can walk up, smile and say "hello", tell something about herself or ask a question about what the other person is doing; she can ask someone "May I play?" If the person or others say "No" she can ask again later or find someone or something else to do; she can ask for help from a grown-up; she can invite someone to play with her and share ideas about what to play; she learns that it's okay to have more than one friend and that she can use her Magic Triad to express her feelings and concerns. She learns the importance of playing fairly, following the rules, listening, speaking kindly, sharing, and waiting for her turn.

This Week in Guidance

This week we will be reading the book Share and Take Turns by Cheri J. Meiners. The story is about a little girl who learns different ways of sharing such as dividing things, using things together (such as a ball), trading toys with a friend, and taking turns. Students learn that they can share things they know and share their time. They learn that it's not always easy to share and sometimes they may not be ready to share such as when they have a special gift from someone. They learn that when they are not ready to share they can choose to share later or share something else.