Grief Counseling Information

I thought I'd let followers know of this grief support service.  Me, Too is special because it offers support for people of all ages.  The entire family can work through their loss.

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/857755/1b149c20d2/1566530635/03fe8b4061/

Relational Aggression Training

     The 5th and 6th grade students culminated January/February Character Ed classes with "The Power Of One" anti-bullying program on Friday, February 11th.  The students have experienced the significance of "bystander" behavior in a bully situation.  Bystanders can be helpful or harmful.  Students (as bystanders) have learned and are encouraged to move physically nearer the individual being targeted.  In addition, the training requests "bystanders" to encourage the targeted individual to join the bystanders while also telling the bully to stop the wrongful acts.  The last step in supportive bystander behavior is to report the incident to a trusted adult as soon as possible. 
     It is helpful if the adult receiving the bully report intervenes immediately so the bystanders realize their efforts are being taken seriously.  It takes much courage to confront mean-spirited acts and report them.  Students need to see responsive adults in their presence.
     Bystanders who choose to remain silent, ignore the relational aggressive behavior and/or cheer bully's on are extremely harmful to situations.  This type of behavior can empower the bully.
     At Riverdale, relational aggression is not okay.  We are building a culture of respect.  This requires all of us to recognize mean-spirited behavior and confront it immediately.

5/6 Grade Character Class

      I hope attaching this link to the 5/6 homework pages will help publicize the school counselor's blog.  There have been requests to share information about character classes I facilitate in 5th and 6th grade.  I anticipate that more visibility will support communication to parents.

      For the most part, character class has been operating similar to class meetings.  In fourth grade, I spend significant amount of time teaching conflict resolution skills to students attending Riverdale.  Now in fifth grade and sixth grade I can encourage students to use these skills to effectively manage conflicts that occur in real life.  I am thrilled to give students this added supervised practice in the safe environment of class meetings.  In addition, using this class meeting format has allowed ample opportunity to support the acquisition of empathy skills.  My previous log dated Jan. 5th specifies detail regarding empathic development.  In my opinion, learning conflict resolution and empathy skills are critical in today's world.

     There has been some time to bring in hands-on learning activites that enhance the development of life skills, i.e. communication, decision-making, goal setting, and cooperation.  These activity ideas are primarily taken from Cooperative Learning, by Dr. Spencer Kagan; Tribes, by Jeanne Gibbs; and, Activities that Teach, by Tom Jackson.  However, other experiential learning sources have supported my efforts to conduct effective classes that build essential concepts and skills for lifelong success as well. 

     My intent for these weekly meetings is to build inclusion, to increase understanding of influence, and to promote positive growth as a community of learners.  I commit to updating this site on a regular basis.

Happy New Year

   In Character classes throughout the fall, the fifth and sixth grade students have had opportunities to discuss and review different reactions to emotional inducing stimuli.  The purpose is for the students to grasp that empathy is a skill, and it can be learned.  John Medina, author of Brain Rules, suggests kids with role models (parents, adults) who show empathic responses to intense situations is imperative for children to develop essential executive functioning skills.

   Medina uses four different types of reactions to demonstrate how people can potentially react to someone else's difficult situations.  A person can be dismissive by treating the event like "no big deal" which minimizes the other person's reaction.  The second type of reaction is identified as disapproving, i.e. saying "be a man" which suggests there is something wrong with the person for feeling sad, hurt or depressed.  The third ineffective reaction to dealing with someone else's difficulty is by using a neglectful response, i.e. ignoring the intense emotions.  The ideal response is a sustained empathy.  The response allows other people to communicate their feelings and express them without ridicule, minimization or disgust.

     The students in character classes have been learning to observe someone else's experience, identify their reaction, and make themselves available to listen with empathy.  All adults in children's lives can support the development of this essential skill.  Current brain research highlights the importance of this ability.  John Medina suggests it is the most important skill "that will help your child get into Harvard."

Updates Counselor during 2010 Fall Trimester

     This trimester I am focusing on school culture at the 5th and 6th grade level.  I am conducting weekly meetings with the classes and delivering character building activities.  As a matter of practice, the students are raising school culture possibilities/concerns that we work at implementing or eliminating whichever may be the case.  I hope you're hearing about the discussions and topics when the students return home.
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     I heard recently that one of the biggest predictors to academic success is the ability to regulate emotions.  I know you might think about socio-economic influence, family stability, or even intrinsic qualities with regards to motivation.  As I continue to serve the Riverdale community, I will support the acquisition of emotional regulation skills.  As parents, it seems important to encourage you to continue to effectively demonstrate in your child's presence your self-control, peaceful conflict resolution and compromising skills as difficult situations arise.

Welcome To Our New Campus

     The Riverdale Grade School is remarkable.  The students, on this opening day, have filled the yard honorably.  We are so excited to have the school community together again.

     I am wanting to introduce a Lewis & Clark practicum student to the Riverdale community.  Melinda Laus, a school psychology student in the Master's program, will be supporting us by working with me the entire school year.  She will spend approximately 10 hours per week at RGS.  Please welcome Melinda as your path's cross on campus.

     Melinda is the proud mother of two boys.  Jonathon is 9 years old and Brendan is 7.  Both boys attend school in Sherwood.  Melinda was a social worker in Clackamas County for serveral years.  She worked primarily with new parents, and she coordinated staff volunteers to provide support to families with children aged birth to five years old.  She has taught childbirth education classes with Legacy Health Services.  Melinda grew up in West Linn.  She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a bachelor's degree.  We are thrilled to be a part of Melinda's educational process, and we know we will benefit from her influence.  We are grateful!

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     This year I will have the opportunity to help support all the 5th and 6th grade students directly.  I will spend a class period per week with each homeroom supporting their emotional/social needs.  I sincerely hope this support will positively influence school culture.  I'll keep you posted on this log.

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     As for this log, it will visually improve as the year develops.  Please be patient as my skillset grows.