Coronavirus: Coping in these stressful times

Children will have important questions for you if they don’t already, and we have to honor their feelings as world events are changing rapidly. The following are some basic guidelines: 

• First, we can’t ignore the crisis and keep our kids in the dark. We can't pretend that children don’t have some fears about their safety and those they love. Parents have to take this on. The crisis is no longer just in China; it has come to every home.
• Be very careful how much media your children consume. The news can be as scary to them as any other program on the screen.
• Calmly approach every conversation with your children, even if you’re not feeling very calm. Children will take your cue and mirror the level of anxiety that you are showing.
• You can begin the conversation asking your kids what questions they have. You are there to answer their questions in a developmentally appropriate way but understand that this may be just the beginning of a rolling conversation. Stay available for future discussions.

Yoga4Classrooms daily mindfulness ideas

"Outside In" Activity: From the Yoga for Children-Yoga Cards: 50+ Yoga and Mindfulness Activities for Kids, by Lisa Flynn: https://bit.ly/YogaforChildrenActivityCards
Social Tags: @yoga4classrooms #yoga4classrooms @childlighteducationcompany #childlighteducationcompany #yogaforchildren

Time for some chair stretches!

'At Your Desk' Activity Cards: From the Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, by Lisa Flynn: http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

Social Tags: @yoga4classrooms #yoga4classrooms

Need to alleviate anxiety? Try Gratitude Relaxation.

Gratitude Relaxation Activity Card: From the Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, by Lisa Flynn: http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Need some extra energy? Try the power breath!

Power Breath Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, by Lisa Flynn: http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Happy Monday! It's time to take a stretch break and try the tree pose!

Tree Pose Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, by Lisa Flynn: http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Happy Friday! Try this to release tension.  

Magic Massage Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Today's yoga move is the warrior.

Warrior Series Activity Cards: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Hi everyone, don't forget to breathe :)

Balloon Breath Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Enjoy a new mindful break!

Special Place Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards, http://bit.ly/Y4Ccards

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Here is today's daily yoga break, enjoy!

Washing Machine Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards

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Hi everyone! Here is your daily break for today. Have fun making a mandala :)
Photos used with permission: ChildLight Education Company
Social Tags: @yoga4classrooms #yoga4classrooms
Mandala Movement Meditation Card: Yoga for Children-Yoga Cards

Good morning! Enjoy this yoga stretch as a brain break today!

Video: https://youtu.be/NuJyXxOoj7Q

Mountain Activity Card: Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Cards
Social Tags: @yoga4classrooms #yoga4classrooms

Size of the problem

The next unit the students and I will be discussing is the “Size of the Problem''.  This is a term coined by the Social Thinking curriculum, socialthinking.com, and it emphasizes that all problems are not created equal. Children face commonplace problems such as a paper cut or problems as complicated as having to cope with a family tragedy. When working with kids we talk about problems in three sizes: small problems, medium problems, and big problems. Regardless of scale, the hidden rule in problem solving with preschool and elementary school age children is that we are expected to react to problems in a manner that matches (or is smaller than) the size of the problem. This is where social problem solving can get tricky. A problem that is perceived by one person as being small could cause a big reaction. Not only does this mismatch create more anxiety in the individual, it can also limit the effectiveness of solving the current problem while at the same time creating a new problem.

Figuring out the size of the problem is the first step in being able to match our emotional reaction accordingly. Small Problems are defined as those that can be pretty easily solved on our own, despite us possibly feeling a little sad, annoyed, or worried. For instance: having to sharpen a pencil point that broke, doing homework even when we don’t want to, or not getting called on by the teacher.

Medium problems require someone’s help, often an adult, to solve. That said, it is expected that kids help solve medium problems. Some examples include figuring out a math problem, a friend not wanting to play with them at recess, or forgetting their lunch at home. Medium problems often make us feel some degree of mad, sad, confused, frustrated, or worried.

A big problem makes us feel really scared, hurt, worried, or upset. Big problems are solved by an adult. For instance: being bullied, getting very sick or injured, or dealing with unfortunate events outside of our direct control. Even adults usually need help solving big problems!

Helping our students learn to recognize the size of their problem and examining the related size of their emotional reaction is an important part of teaching social problem solving.

Yoga in the classroom parent letter

Dear families,

The students are about to embark on a yoga unit during my lesson time in their classrooms. Yoga helps children in a multitude of ways. It gives students the opportunity to have a beneficial motor break that eases anxiety/tension and enhances focus/concentration.  Yoga wakes up our minds and enhances our creativity while improving our mind/body connection. 

Students feel a sense of fun and accomplishment when they master a yoga pose.  At an early age they aren’t yet aware of the benefits of yoga which include;       

•  Improved motor skills and balance.
•  Increased confidence and self-esteem.
•  Added respect for oneself and others.
•  A fit and healthy lifestyle.
•  An overall sense of well-being.
•  Improved listening skills.
•  An opportunity for reflection, which reduces impulsivity.
•  Enhanced organizational and communication skills.

 A child who learns yoga, mindfulness and relaxation will be developing essential skills for a lifetime of health and wellness in mind, body and spirit. Take a minute to ask what yoga pose your child enjoys the most. I’m looking forward to working with the students in order to introduce them to these important building blocks.

Mindfulness Parent letter

Dear Families,

For my classroom lessons the students are currently involved in learning what it means to be mindful.  Mindfulness simply stated by Psychology Today is, “a state of active, open attention to the present.” Thus far we have focused on learning how to take a mindful breath (ie. inhaling and allowing our belly to expand and exhaling allowing the belly to deflate like a balloon) and how to mindfully treat others (ie. being aware of the power of our words/actions and their impact on others).  Further lessons will focus on being mindful of how we feel, move, and eat as well as focusing on our senses. Overall, students are learning to be present in the moment instead of being reactive or overwhelmed by all the noise that is going on around them.  

Mindfulness is not another thing that we have to add to our plate.  Already when we teach our children to be more aware of their emotions, surroundings and decisions we help them become more purposeful in their responses and actions. Research, according to Mindful Schools, has shown that mindfulness helps students with attention, emotional regulation, compassion and calming.  We already have the capacity to be present and aware of what we are doing in the moment. The students are learning to listen and pay attention to those innate qualities that they have with mindfulness exercises.

There are many simple ways to practice mindfulness.  The following are just a few options that you may want to try at home with your child:  Paying attention and experiencing our environment with all of our senses, finding joy in the moment, assessing our mood and putting strategies in place, noticing and naming how we are feeling/what we are thinking (eg. I am feeling worried right now, I need to take a deep breath), eating a mindful snack together (eating slowly and being aware of how the food tastes), taking a mindful nature walk, and focusing on our breathing to calm down in order to help us navigate through tough/negative moments.  

As always if you have any questions feel free to reach out.

Sincerely,

Jackie Kleiner

HMS School Counselor

jkleiner@sau66.org

Zones of Regulation classroom lessons

Dear Families,

The students are just completing the Zones of Regulation unit during my classroom lessons. We have worked on identifying the four Zones, having a working knowledge of them as well as coming up with tools to help aid in self-regulation. Self-regulation is something that everyone continually works on throughout their lives.  We all face situations in which our limits are tested. The Zones language and tools give students the ability to more easily name their feelings and manage them.   

The Zones offer a system to categorize our feelings into one of four colored zones.  This framework provides strategies to teach students to become more aware of and independent in controlling their emotions and improving their ability to problem solve conflicts. 

The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heighted and intense emotions.  These may include: anger, rage, terror and elation. 

The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions, however students have more control when they are in the yellow zone.  Emotions in the yellow zone include: frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, nervousness and annoyance.

The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state that is optimal for learning.  Emotions in the green zone include: happy, focused, ready to learn, calm and content.  

The Blue Zone is used to describe low and slow feelings. Emotions in the blue zone include: sad, sick, tired, and bored. 

All of the Zones are natural to experience, but the lessons focus on teaching students how to recognize and manage their Zones feelings based on the environment that they are in.  The students are expected to be in the yellow zone, with heightened emotions, when they are on the playground. However, when expectations change and they are back in the classroom that same heightened emotion would not be conducive to a learning environment.  

Students have also explored the tools that would be beneficial to them in each zone.  We discuss many calming options that are choices for the students. These include: Breathing, exercise, stretching, talking to someone, taking a break, going for a walk, coloring, thinking happy thoughts, and fidget tools.  The students then think about which tool would be beneficial for them in each zone. This self-awareness helps students remember these tools when they are needed to help manage their emotions. 

For more information you can visit Zonesofregulation.com and if you have any questions please feel free to email me.

Thanks,

Jackie Kleiner

2018-19 Parent letter

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the new school year!  I am very excited to continue my journey as school counselor at HMS.  My goal is to help all children feel better about themselves so that they are then better able to, and more eager to, learn in the classroom.  During the school day I am involved in many different roles.  The following is a snapshot of some of the activities I am involved in. 

I am in all of the K-3 classrooms on a daily basis teaching lessons. This year my classroom lessons will occur first thing in the morning and will focus on relaxation and calming strategies.  I will utilize portions of the Zones of Regulation curriculum, the Calm Classroom curriculum as well as the Yoga 4 Classrooms program.

The Zones of Regulation curriculum, www.zonesofregulation.com, teaches students self-regulation skills. The Zones language helps students realize when they are becoming less regulated and gives them tools to help them manage their feelings.  The Zones are broken down into the following four categories to help students more easily express their feelings. 

The Red Zone is used to describe extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions.  A person may be elated or experiencing anger, rage, explosive behavior, devastation, or terror when in the Red Zone. 

The Yellow Zone is also used to describe a heightened state of alertness and elevated emotions, however one has more control when they are in the Yellow Zone.  A person may be experiencing stress, frustration, anxiety, excitement, silliness, the wiggles, or nervousness when in the Yellow Zone.

The Green Zone is used to describe a calm state of alertness. A person may be described as happy, focused, content, or ready to learn when in the Green Zone.  This is the zone where optimal learning occurs.

The Blue Zone is used to describe low states of alertness and down feelings such as when one feels sad, tired, sick, or bored. 

The Calm Classroom curriculum, calmclassroom.com, helps students/adults learn the skills needed to promote a calm learning environment.  Its three areas of focus are self-awareness, mental focus, and emotional resilience.  Self-awareness helps us to better understand how our thoughts and emotions influence our behavior so that we can make more conscious decisions. Mental Focus helps us navigate through a world filled with distractions and helps us cultivate the skill of focused attention. Emotional Resilience allows students to utilize an effective emotional management strategy, which helps them self-regulate, and achieve a state of calm. 

Yoga 4 Classrooms, www.yoga4classrooms.com, allows for the creation of peaceful, productive, learning-ready classrooms in which students will learn to use yoga and mindfulness to improve their focus while developing a lifelong awareness of the importance of their physical and emotional health.

In combining aspects of all of these programs into my classroom lessons I hope to instill strategies for students and teachers to use throughout their day. 

Another aspect of my job is talking with students on a day-to-day basis about any issues that may arise in their lives.  I meet with students throughout the school day as needed, anything from a periodic check in to a weekly visit. All students, throughout the school year, are given the chance to have lunch with their peers in my office.  This allows the students to have a chance to become comfortable in my office, which makes them feel connected and comfortable in my space should they need to visit in the future. 

I am always available to talk with parents and teachers to provide ideas when a student/family is working through any difficult situation.  If I don’t have the answer hopefully I will be able to find a resource that will be helpful.  Please let me know if you have any questions about my role here at HMS.

I look forward to meeting all of you throughout the school year!