Kelso's Choices--Conflict Resoloution

This month, students are learning how to use how they feel about a problem to help them determine if it is a small (kid-sized) problem that they can solve on their own, or if it's a big (adult-sized) problem that they need to tell an adult right away. Small problems cause us to feel irritated, frustrated, annoyed, angry, and sometimes sad. Big problems are often dangerous, someone could get hurt or is in trouble, or it is against the law. These problems cause us to feel worried, nervous, anxious, and scared.

Students can use Kelso's choices to solve small problems. Students learn that they should always try 2 of Kelso's choices before asking an adult to help them solve the problem if what they have tried doesn't work. See the wheel below for all of Kelso's choices.

I want to showcase 3rd grade, who used a video discussion on Schoology to show what they learned and apply Kelso's choices to problems. Each student was given a problem, and they were tasked with creating a video that explained why they thought the problem was a big or small problem (how they felt about it), and which Kelso's choices they could use to solve the problem. Then, they were aked to watch two other student's videos and use accountable talk to agree or disagree with the student. They really enjoyed this activity and their videos were adorable!

If your child has a problem at home with siblings or peers, I encourage you to remind them of big and small problems. Remember, they are smart enough and strong enough to solve small problems on their own!

Talking with Kids About Tragedy

Sometimes we find ourselves needing to talk with children about difficult things. Here is a guide that can assist you in having these important conversations.

Mindfulness Lessons

Recent counseling lessons were on Mindfulness. This is achieving a mental state where one is able to acknowledge their feelings and thoughts and control their reactions appropriately. Students learned about the stress reaction in the brain: the brain sends signals to the body which cause automatic reactions to situations that are threatening, experiences that are unexpected, or emotions that are unpleasant. We feel these reactions in our body in many ways including: shortness of breath, racing heart, rise in body temperature, and confusion. Mindfulness focuses on how to acknowledge these emotions and reactions before responding. That is, before allowing our body to react due to the automatic stress response, stop, take deep breaths, and then respond. This is a skill that must be first learned and then practiced!

from www.blissfulkids.com

For more information on calming and mindfulness techniques, visit https://www.calm.com/