Counselor’s Corner

“Managing Our Feelings”

In Guidance Classes, we are currently learning how to manage our feelings (through the Second Step program). The point is to notice how you feel throughout the day. At any one time, are you feeling happy, nervous, tired, angry, excited, confused??

         If you notice you feel uncomfortable, try to figure out how you are feeling. Try to name the feeling. Say it out loud or in your head. For example, “I feel nervous.”

         Next, do something to calm down so you can feel better. Three things we learn and practice in class are do a belly breath, count, or say some positive self-talk to yourself like “I can do this!” or “It’s okay”.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann O’Hearn

Summer seems so far away, but once again it is time to think of sunny weather, long days and the LISTEN Summer Camp Scholarships. We can help your children receive a free week of summer camp through LISTEN Community Services if your child receives free or reduced school lunch! Campers need to be age 6-14 years old. Camps include, but are not limited to, Ava Art Gallery, the Montshire Museum, CCBA, Open Acres in Fairlee, VINS and many more!

To Apply:

1.  Step 1: Contact Ann O'Hearn, School Counselor, to be added to the referral list: aohearn@rivendellschool.org, or by phone 802-333-9755, 802-333-4668. Call now! Space is limited in this program.

DEADLINE:  February 14!!

2. Step 2: You are not guaranteed a scholarship until you Call LISTEN Community Services at 1-603-448-4553 any time after February 14^th to set up an appointment to select a camp.

Any questions? Contact Ann O'Hearn, School Counselor, at either RISD elementary school.

Second Step

Managing Emotions - Stop and Name Your Feeling

This January, we start learning all about managing strong emotions in all the elementary grades during Guidance Class. Children learn that we feel feelings in our bodies! When we are upset or worries, we may feel a tummy ache; when we are really angry, we may feel tense in our muscles and our hearts may beat faster/breathe faster; when we are anxious, we may feel sweaty. 

In addition to our bodies, our brains undergo a change too. Students learn that when we feel strong emotions, our brain "flips it's lid", and the thinking-part of our brain (frontal cortex) "goes offline". We learn a hand motion to show this transformation. 

Second Step provides music videos to teach students what to do when they have a strong emotion called the Calm-It-Down dance. The main thing to do when we recognize we feel uncomfortable is to stop and name your feeling, for example, "I feel angry!" (fill in the blank). The act of naming your feeling, either out loud or in your head, starts to get your thinking brain back online, and helps you regain control of your strong emotion and feel more in control.

In 5^th grade Guidance Class today, we learned about compassion. Compassionate acts are things you say or do to help someone else who is hurt or in some sort of pain. It works like this: First, you see someone who is upset, hurt, etc., and you feel empathy for them (“understanding how others think or feel”), and then second, you think of a kind thing to say or do to help them.  Compassion is empathy in action!

In class, we learn from Second Step Videos/Discussion. Then, we practice building compassionate skills by listening to different scenarios, and then naming things a person could say or do to help. Examples:

Situation	Say	Do
A student makes a mistake in front of the class	“It’s ok, everyone makes mistakes.”	Help them with their work
A student falls down and gets hurt at recess	“Are you okay?”	Get some adult help
A student is reprimanded by a teacher for something they did not do	“It’s too bad that happened, buddy.”	Go talk to the teacher and explain what really happened

         Our students learn at school how to have empathy for others and be compassionate.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann O’Hearn, School Counselor

Operation Santa Claus

2019

Operation Santa Claus is a holiday program that gives free holiday gifts to families. This program serves Orford, Fairlee, West Fairlee and Vershire families. If you would like to apply for this program and receive help, we have the application forms here at school. If you would like an application, please contact Mrs. Ann O’Hearn, Guidance Counselor, at aohearn@rivendellschool.org, or call  802-333-4668 (Westshire) or 802-333-9755 (Samuel Morey) to request an application. Applications can also be picked up in either school’s front office.  After you get an application, it is the family’s responsibility to mail the form to the address indicated on the form. APPLICATION DEADLINE:  MUST BE POSTMARKED BY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16.

Counselor’s Corner

     This week in guidance class in the lower elementary grades we learned about feelings. This is part of the Empathy Unit. All the time, we look at people and try to figure out how they feel. We see clues on their faces and bodies that let us know how they feel.  Knowing how other people are feeling helps us get along with others better.

Counselor’s Corner

        In Guidance classes this week, I used the STRESS-FREE KID’s CURRICULUM. This month, the students learned about and experienced affirmations. Affirmations are compliments you give yourself, like “I like myself”, or “I learn easily”, or “I can do this”.

        During class, students were allowed to sit or lay down on the floor with their eyes open or closed and listen to a book on tape. The lights in the classroom are dimmed. In the story, the characters face a problem, and use simple affirmations to feel better. After the story finishes, quiet, beautiful music plays for 10 minutes. Students were given the choice to stay relaxing or color at their tables.

        We do this about once a month in all classes, and it is another way students learn strategies to calm themselves, increase their self-esteem, better focus in class, and feel good.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ann O’Hearn