Counseling Corner

SOAR lessons are based on the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) competencies. From November to March, we will highlight a different competency in our newsletter. Responsible Decision-Making is the next CASEL Competency

Responsible Decision-Making requires someone to make appropriate choices that affect their personal and social lives in consideration of what is safe and ethical in each situation.

These capacities could include (cited from CASEL's website)

• Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
• Learning how to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, and facts
• Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
• Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions
• Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside and outside of school
• Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being
• Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts

Source: What is the CASEL Framework? Interactive CASEL Wheel

• We will continue to review the Zones of Regulation and focus on Blue, Yellow, and Red Zones.
• We will discuss strategies to calm down when we are feeling uncomfortable feelings.
• We will finish the month by beginning to discuss the difference between Flexible and Stuck feelings.

• We will begin to talk about Friendship and what it means to be a caring and kind friend and classmate
• We will discuss what it means to disagree, compromise, and apologize when there is a problem with a friend and what to do about these situations.

• We will finish learning about expected and unexpected reactions to problems and uncomfortable feelings.
• We will then explore how different people might feel and react differently to a situation than we might.
• We will introduce Helpful versus Hurtful choices when decision making.

• We will discuss the definition of bullying and the 4 things that must exist for something to be considered bullying.
• We will also discuss the different roles individuals take on during a bullying situation.
• Additionally, we will discuss what you can do as a witness to bullying and/or ways to support the target.

• We will continue to talk about Conflict Resolution and how to navigate tricky social situations
• We will end the month by talking about Empathy and Perspective Taking

• We will discuss how our feelings are linked to our brain. We will explore how different parts of our brain are responsible for different things, such as feeling and reacting, and introduce the concept of Downstairs versus Upstairs brain
• We will explore how our Downstairs brain plays a role in both feelings of anger and anxiety and discuss strategies for responding to each feeling.

Kindergarten

• “When I Feel Sad” by Cornelia Maude
• “Ruby Finds a Worry” by Tom Percival
• “Roaring Mad Riley” by Allison Szczecinski

1st grade:

• “I Walk with Vanessa” by Kerascoët
• "We Can Compromise" (based on the Fly 5 curriculum)

2nd grade:

• "Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" by Kevin Henkes
• "The Sandwich Swap" by Kelly DiPucchio and Queen Rania Al Abdulla
• "Little Red Fort" by Brenda Mair

3rd grade:

• "Say Something" by Peggy Moss

4th grade:

• Friends and Foes book (Strangers Poem) by Douglas Florian

5th grade:

• Upstairs Brain Downstairs Brain (Youtube)
• Anger Iceberg Activity (Youtube)
• Brain Basics: Anxiety for Kids (Youtube)

Mrs. Tori Dore (grades K, 1, and 4)

Email: vwintersdore@walpole.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-660-7374, ext. 5615

Mrs. Jessica Simpson (grades 2, 3, and 5)

Email: jsimpson@walpole.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-660-7374, ext. 5615