The Connection Corner

Here are some ideas for teaching empathy at home and in the community:

• First, help your child identify and name their own feelings.
• "I feel sad when..."
• "I feel frustrated when..."
• I feel excited when..."
• Ask them, "How would you feel if...?"
• When a situation arises with a peer, family member, or neighbor; ask your child this question to help them see both sides.
• Talk about positive and negative behaviors around you.
• When watching a video, or observing others in public, ask your child, "What do you think about that behavior you see?" "Is it positive?" "Is it helpful?" "How do you think that person is feeling?"
• Set an example.
• Being empathetic towards others teaches your child how to act towards others.
• Consider volunteering together as a family to help your child see beyond their own needs and wants.

Emotional regulation for children is about how they control and manage their feelings. It’s like having tools to help them deal with emotions, whether they’re feeling super happy, really sad, or even angry.

When we talk about emotional regulation in children, it shows up differently. You might see a child taking deep breaths to calm down before speaking, or maybe they’ll choose to walk away from a situation that makes them upset. Sometimes, it’s about expressing feelings using words rather than actions, like saying, “I’m angry” instead of hitting.

Children and adults handle their emotions differently. While grown-ups usually have more experience and skills to manage their feelings, kids are still learning. Consider it like this: adults might have a big toolbox with many tools to manage their emotions, but children are still filling their toolbox. They’re at the beginning of learning how to use these tools, and that’s why teaching emotional regulation to children is so important.

Check out this article from the American Psychological Association that shares ideas and tips for how parents and caregivers can help support emotional regulation from a young age.

According to an annual report from the nonprofit Common Sense Media, screen use for children and adolescents ages 8 to 18 jumped 17 percent between 2019 and 2021—a steeper increase than in the four years prior to the pandemic. Screen use rose by nearly 50 minutes per day for those ages 8 to 12 (tweens) to five hours and 33 minutes per day, and by more than an hour and 15 minutes for teenagers, to eight hours and 39 minutes per day. And those increases do not include students’ screen time in class or for schoolwork.

Teachers say they see the effects of heightened digital exposure in the classroom. In a nationally representative survey by the EdWeek Research Center in February, 88 percent of educators reported that in their experience, students’ learning challenges rose along with their increased screen time. Moreover, 80 percent of educators said student behavior worsened with more screen time. Over a third said student behavior has gotten “much worse” due to rising screen time.

Tips for Parents/Caregivers:

• Set time limits on devices.
• Model a balanced approach to technology.
• Create screen-free zones in the house.
• Limit screens before bedtime.
  
• Go outside.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends these acceptable amount of screen time limits:

• No screen time for children under 2
• One hour per day for children 2 to 12
• Two hours per day for teens and adults

-Education Week Online, 2022

Please help us promote a safe and inclusive recess for all students.

Talk to your child about how to SOAR at recess:

SAFE

• Hands to self

• Line up when you hear the whistle

ACT RESPONSIBLY

• Use equipment appropriately

RESPECT

• Include others

On Friday, April 5th all middle school students participated in a special schedule to engage in learning around social media awareness. This includes watching the documentary ‘LIKE.’ This documentary explains why we find social media so irresistible and its impact on our lives. The film also provides students with tools to navigate social media in safer and more effective ways. It features Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including the co-creator of the ‘LIKE’ button, experts in brain science, and students.

Students in grades K-5 are enjoying SEL time every morning! Students learn important SEL skills using the Second Step Digital Program.

Units of study include:

• Unit 1: Growth Mindset & Goal-Setting- Students learn how to pay attention and manage distractions, develop a growth mindset, and apply goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives.

• Unit 2: Emotion Management- Students learn how to identify and label emotions and use emotion management strategies, including stress management for older students, to calm strong feelings.

• Unit 3: Empathy & Kindness- Students learn how to recognize kindness and act kindly, have empathy for others and take others’ perspectives, and recognize kind acts and empathy as important elements of building and maintaining relationships.

• Unit 4: Problem-Solving- Students learn how to identify and state a problem, recognize if a problem is an accident, and use the STEP problem-solving process. (S: Say the problem, T: Think of solutions, E: Explore the outcomes, P: Pick a solution).

In collaboration with consultants from SEL Integrations, the middle school advisory committee came together five times throughout the school-year to work on updating the Middle School Advisory Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum. The goal this school year was to refine our curriculum for Advisory so that all students have access to high-quality instruction that is aligned with our prioritized State of Illinois Social and Emotional Learning Standards. The committee analyzed survey results from students and staff, created a scope and sequence, and aligned the curriculum to better address the evolving needs of middle school students.

Social-emotional skills like social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and conflict resolution are taught during weekly lessons each Wednesday during Advisory.

You are invited to attend a special Family Action Network event hosted by Stevenson High School in the Stevenson Auditorium. This event is free and no registration is required. For more information about the Family Action Network, or to view previous events, check out their YouTube Channel.

• April 15, 2024
• 7:00 - 8:00 PM
• In-Person/Stevenson Performing Arts Center

Join Hilary Davis from Touchstone Therapy for our final "Lunch and Learn" of the year! Attendees will learn strategies for promoting inclusivity and diversity at home and in the community.

• April 18, 2024
• 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
• Virtual Link

Our students benefit from access to school social work services. Our social workers provide ongoing support in several ways. They collaborate regularly with grade-level teams to promote a positive school climate for all students, and help support staff in using instructional practices that support social-emotional learning across all subjects. Our social workers may also lead class lessons or work in small groups with students to provide more targeted support.

District Social Workers:

Meghan Frazier - Lincoln School - frazierm@hawthorn73.org

Rhonda Malina - Hawthorn School for Young Learners - malinar@hawthorn73.org

Shelby Behrens - Aspen, Dual Language - behrenss@hawthorn73.org

Andrew Meyers - Aspen -meyersa@hawthorn73.org

Julie Gange - Dual Language - gangej@hawthorn73.org

Kathleen Falotico - Townline - faloticok@hawthorn73.org

Paul Mazzetta - Elementary North - mazzettap@hawthorn73.org

Connie Travis - Elementary North - travisc@hawthorn73.org

Nesrin Unlu - Elementary South - unlun@hawthorn73.org

Brittany Langton - Elementary South - langtonb@hawthorn73.org

Lauren Brownstein - Middle School South - brownsteinl@hawthorn73.org

Amunn Jaffery - Middle School South - jafferya@hawthorn73.org

Jaime Medbery - Middle School South - medberyj@hawthorn73.org

Brian Van - Middle School North - vanb@hawthorn73.org

Kelli Cordes - Middle School North - cordesk@hawthorn73.org

Scarlett Davalos - Middle School North - davaloss@hawthorn73.org

Megan Goldman

Social, Emotional, Behavioral Coordinator

847-990-4269

goldmanm@hawthorn73.org

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @D73SOARS

Check out my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-L3MVWzHT7xxgWytCWmYA