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Kindergarten Belly Breathing

3/13/2019

Dear Kindergarten Parents and Guardians,

This week, we are working on calming down strong feelings. The last time we met, students practiced saying the words "Stop. I feel ______." to name their feeling. They used it to target a range of emotions, including angry, scared, frustrated, and sad. This week, we discussed a special way of breathing called belly breathing. When someone uses belly breathing, they put their hands just above their belly button. Students then breath slowly in through their nose and out through their mouth. Combining these strategies can be effective at helping us to calm down strong feelings.

If you have a moment, please review these strategies with your children. You can even encourage them to try them at home.

Sincerely,

David Starr

School Counselor, Armstrong Elementary School
PH: (508) 836-7760 Email: starrd@westboroughk12.org

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First Grade Dangerous and Destructive Versus Safe Behaviors

3/13/2019

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Dear Kindergarten and First Grade Parents and Guardians,

This week, we are finishing our unit on problem solving in first grade classes. The last time we met, students learned and practiced saying I feel statements to resolve conflicts with peers. As a reminder, I feel statements look like this:

I feel _______ when you _______.

While talking is a great strategy, it is not fair to expect all problems to be resolved by students themselves. For this lesson, we spent time discussing different unexpected things that might happen at school and decided if they are dangerous (someone could get hurt), destructive (something could get broken or ruined), or safe. For problems that are upsetting, but safe, we decided that students can try to solve these problems themselves, perhaps with an I feel statement. In the case of a dangerous or destructive situation, we considered the different adults who might help to solve the problem.

You can support this lesson at home. When your child comes to you for help and the problem is not dangerous or destructive, encourage them to try to solve it on their own first. You can even help them brainstorm ways to solve the problem. Also, consider reviewing dangerous or destructive events that might happen at home, and reinforce that in these situations, it is important for them to find a safe adult to help.

Sincerely,

David Starr
School Counselor, Armstrong Elementary School
PH: (508) 836-7760 Email: starrd@westboroughk12.org

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2nd, 3rd Grade Problem Solving Continued

3/5/2019

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Dear Second and Third Grade Parents and Guardians,

This week, students are continuing their work on problem solving. The last time we met, we learned about and reviewed “I feel” and, in third grade, “you feel” statements. They look like this:

I feel __________ when you ________. I would like you to __________.

You feel _________ when I _________. You would like me to _________.

For this lesson, students continued to work with this problem solving strategy. They brainstormed different I feel and you feel statements they might use to resolve different conflict situations.

Please continue to encourage your children to try this strategy at home. Practice is important for many things, including (and perhaps especially) problem solving.

Sincerely,

David Starr
School Counselor, Armstrong Elementary School
PH: (508) 836-7760 Email: starrd@westboroughk12.org

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Kindergarten Belly Breathing

First Grade Dangerous and Destructive Versus Safe Behaviors

2nd, 3rd Grade Problem Solving Continued

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