Lieck Elementary Counselor Corner

September 14th through September 25th

It has been so exciting to be able to meet with the students for our weekly counselor time. We can't believe how much the kids have grown since we last saw them in the Spring. We hope that all our students and families are doing well.

Over the next several weeks during counselor guidance time we will be exploring feelings, identifying "want to have" versus "hard to have" feelings, and learning about the zones of regulation and strategies for managing "big" feelings. Below are some of the stories we will be reading together.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. CASEL 2017.

A successful SEL program includes the following five competencies: Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making.

In this edition of Counselor Corner we will focus on the first compentency, self-awareness.

What is Self-Awareness?

Self-awareness is the ability to accurately recognize one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values, and how they influence behavior. It is the ability to accurately assess one’s strengths and limitations, with a well-grounded sense of confidence, optimism, and a “growth mindset.” In short, self-awareness is the ability to understand one’s self.

Self-awareness doesn’t develop all at once. It happens over time. The process begins when kids start being able to recognize and name their emotions, strengths and challenges, and likes and dislikes.

What Skills are Associated with Self-Awareness?
In order to be self-aware, one must be able to do the following:

• Identify emotions – It is important that students be able to recognize and identify emotions. In order to be aware of their own emotions and participate in activities that address those emotions, they must first be able to label them.

• Have an accurate self-perception – Because self-awareness is based on an awareness of the “self,” it is necessary for one’s perception of self to match reality. In order to have accurate self-awareness, it is important for students to be reflective and open to feedback in order to develop a true sense of self. A realistic understanding of themselves will allow students to better manage their behavior.

• Recognize strengths – We each have unique strengths, and it is vital that we each recognize and build on them. An important piece of social emotional health is a focus on positive attributes.

• Possess self-confidence – When students are able to recognize their strengths, their self-confidence grows. Again, self-confidence is an integral piece of a healthy social emotional state.

• Demonstrate self-efficacy – Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their ability to achieve a goal. Recent research suggests that by believing you are capable of something, you help yourself on the path to achieving it.

When kids have strong self-awareness skills, they also:

• Recognize their strenghts and challenges

• Can figure out what they need to do to complete a task

• Notice mistakes in schoolwork and make edits or changes

• Can understand and talk about feelings

• Recognize other people’s needs and feelings

• See how their behavior affects others

• Have a growth mindset

• Are resilient and willing to learn from their mistakes

In NISD we build these skills and strategies with our students in many ways such as guidance lessons, morning meetings, buddy class activities, class meetings, maintaining midfulness or calming centers, and many other school events and activities.

Through our Counselor Corner newsletter and upcoming virtual Parent University presentations, our goal is to share information with you with regards to fostering a child's social and emotional development. In our next edition of Counselor Corner we will explore the second SEL compenetency, self-management.

Sources: CASEL and Pathway2Success

https://www.thepathway2success.com/teaching-kids-to-be-self-aware-2/

Watch this video with your child and then work with them to make a list of 10 things that are awesome about themselves and a list of 10 things that are awesome about you. Post your lists somewhere where you can see it as a reminder of how amazing you all are!

Mindfulness helps kids in the following ways:

• Teaches children to focus on the present moment
• Equips kids with skills to regulate their emotions
• Improves concentration
• Increases compassion and kindness
• Teaches kids how to manage stress and life challenges
• Enhances relationships

In the real world, this translates to better performance on tests and in sports, enhanced relationships, better decision making, and more compassion.

We have the opportunity to teach our kids healthy ways to manage stress and ensure they have a healthy balance not just right now, but for the rest of their lives.

Try some of these mindful activities together as a family.

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Here are some websites you might find helpful. They include resources for discipline, student safety, school success, kid's health, and other materials you might find useful. Please call or email anytime you or your child need help.