December is here and the holidays are upon us. Our Pyle Panthers are working hard and having fun doing it.
This past month, we gave classroom presentations on the topic of Mindfulness and Gratitude. Lots of students enjoyed the practice of mindfullness meditations. Here is one that we used in our lessons that could easily be used at home with students before bed or when they are trying to wind down from the day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qpxWpGH11Q.
We were also able to commemorate Native American Heritage Month this month. The commemoration of the month provides a platform for Native Americans to share traditions, music, crafts, and dance with others, and for us to learn from them! If you or anyone you know is actively involved in a local tribe and would like to present to the school next year in November, we would love to have you share your traditions with our students here at Ernie Pyle. Please contact carmelanevarez@busd.k12.ca.us if you are interested.
In the month of November, our counselors....
- performed 3 restorative circles/conflict mediations,
- held 20 small social-emotional learning group sessions,
- held 26 individual counseling sessions,
- performed 37 check-ins with or observations ofstudents,
- performed 17 consultations with teachers on how to best support students in class,
- presented classroom lessons to 5 classrooms,
- and offered 3 lunch bunch activities during the students' lunch recess times.
Social Emotional Learning Topic of the Month
Our theme for this month's social emotional learning topic is Growth Mindset. Having a Growth Mindset means believing that a person's abilities aren't innate but can be improved through effort, learning, and persistence. A Growth Mindset is all about the attitude with which a person faces challenges, how they process failures, and how they adapt and evolve as a result.
Here are some articles to help you understand the benefits of incorporating Growth Mindset practices into your home and routines:
In December, we are focusing onBeing Proactive. Some examples of what this looks like is arriving on time to school, using the restroom responsibly, using an "I" message to help solve problems, and being ready to learn.
PBIS can also be a handy tool to use for correcting behaviors at home. Here is a guide that we created to help support your students at home. It provides examples of routines and structures to promote positive behavior and that can be implemented at home. Here they are in English and Spanish for your use:
