SEL for Parents

Many people do not know what they feel because they were not allowed to express their feelings as children. You cut off a large percentage of your intelligence when you suppress your feelings because much of your behavior is based on feelings that you aren't even aware of. When you acknowledge your feelings, allow them with dignity and respect, and find acceptable ways to express them, you have more self-acceptance and more control over your actions. When your child is experiencing strong emotions: acknowledge and allow acceptable solutions. 

Acknowledge anger: 

Sounds like you are really angry

Allow anger:

 Everyone has a right to feelings. I don't blame you. I have felt angry many times. 

Acceptable solutions: 

Would you like to punch a pillow?

Would you like to jump up and down?

Do you need to take some time to yourself?

This Week in Our Classroom...

IAR Testing this week- Please make sure your child arrives to school on time.  If they are late and we've already begun testing, they will have to retake the assessment at a later date.  Testing will take place each morning from 9-10:30 am.

Literacy:  Student will continue to read The Sign of the Beaver and analyze different perspectives in the test.  Some of the literacy block will also be used for Passion Project research and the neighborhood study.

Math: During math time, students will explore measuring angles with a protractor and naming angles.  

Social Studies:  Student will work on their neighborhood projects this week.  Today we will spend a little more time researching and tomorrow and the rest of the week, students will begin creating the final product.

Important Reminders: 

Return your Parent/Teacher Conference Time Preference sheet as soon as possible.  

No School Friday 4/5

Passion Project Presentations 4/12

Parent Teacher Conference Form

Parent-Teacher Conference forms were sent home today in your child's Friday Folder, return as soon as possible.  Please make sure to clean out your child's folder and go over graded work with your child.

Neighborhood Study Project

This weekend, part of your child's homework is to continue researching the neighborhood they are studying.  This research will eventually be used to create a brochure-like group project.  The project will be completed in school, but students may need to do some research at home.  Students are researching the location, culture, assets, transportation, history, government and landmarks in each neighborhood.  All research should be written in your child's Inquiry Notebook.

The very best type of research is actually experiencing the neighborhood.  If you have time, please visit the neighborhood your child is studying!  We would love to include photos and real artifacts from your child's neighborhood of study- they make the projects extremely personal and fun for the children.

If you are unable to take your child on a neighborhood tour, your child may visit the public library near you, as they have many books on Chicago neighborhoods.  Also, I've included a list of additional resources and websites that have a lot of information about the different neighborhoods.

Resources for Neighborhood Research:

The Grid: https://chicago.suntimes.com/section/the-grid/

Choose Chicago: https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/

Dreamtown Real Estate Guide: http://www.dreamtown.com/neighborhoods/chicago-neighborhoods.html

TimeOut Chicago: https://www.timeout.com/chicago/neighborhoods

City of Chicago (government): https://www.chicago.gov/city/en.html

SEL Strategies

Jane Nelson suggests some alternatives to consequences. Positive Discipline focuses on helping children learn for the future instead of paying for the past. 

1. Focus on the future instead of the past

 One clue that we are more interested in punishment is when the focus is on the past rather than the future. The focus is on making kids pay for what they have done instead of solutions that would help them learn for the future. 

2. Focus on solutions instead of consequences. 

Instead of imposing consequences, involve children in thinking of solutions. It is a mistake to think there must be a consequence for every behavior, or that consequences will solve every problem. 

3. Get kids involved in solutions

Kids are our greatest, untapped resource. They have a wealth of wisdom and talent for solving problems when we invite them to do so. The benefits are numerous. They have the opportunity to use and strengthen their skills; and they are more likely to keep agreements in which they have ownership. They develop self-confidence and healthy self-esteem when they are listened to, taken seriously and valued for their contribution. They experience belonging and significance. When they feel belonging and significance, they feel less inclined to misbehave and more willing to learn from their mistakes with optimism.

4. Help  children explore the consequences of their choices through curiosity questions 

Exploring is different from imposing. Curiosity questions help a child explore the consequences of his or her choices in a way that leads to solutions. What happened? What do you think caused it to happen? How do you feel about it? How can you use what you learned in the future?

5. Allow consequences instead of imposing consequences

If a child doesn't study, failing may be the obvious consequence. Allow the child to experience his or her feelings. Avoid rescuing. Show empathy. When the child is ready, use curiosity questions to help the child explore what the consequences mean to him or her. 

6. Allow suffering

Adults should never make children suffer, but allow them to suffer. Through the suffering, they can build their "disappointment muscles" and gain a sense of capability in the process. For example, if children don't get the toys they want, they may "suffer". This will not hurt them and may have great benefits. These great benefits come from validating feelings without rescuing, allowing a cooling off time and then involve children in solutions, in advance through family meetings, routine charts, wheels of choice,etc.

7. Decide what you will do. Inform in advance.

I will listen to you when you use a soft voice.

8. Follow through.

No words, just act with kindness and firmness.

9.As soon as_____ then_____

"As soon as you clean up, then you can go outside"

10. Take time for training

View misbehavior as an opportunity to teach skills. Your child will let you know what teaching they need!

This Week in Our Classroom

Below is a preview of what to expect this week in our classroom... 

Literacy:  Students are diving right into The Sign of the Beaver.  So far they've seemed to really enjoy the book.  As the class reads the book, students are studying the perspectives of the two main characters.  One main character, Attean, is a Native American boy from the Penobscot tribe.  The other character, Matt, is a settler moving into the area in the late 1700's.  Students will learn that perspectives can be very different due to background, culture, and personal experiences.  

In the writing block we are completing research for our Passion Projects.  Please send any materials your child has at home with your child for research purposes at school.  I also strongly encourage you and your child to visit the library for additional resources.  

Social Studies:  Today students chose a neighborhood to study.  We will base our study off of Kathleen Dragan's book, Rickshaw Reggie.  Students will explore a neighborhood to discover the culture, history, famous landmarks, location, assets, government, and more!  It would be really amazing if you were able to take your child to visit the neighborhood he/she chose for a mini-field trip!  They are working with a group of three on a group project during the next couple of weeks.  

Math:  We've begun to learn division strategies in the math block.  One new strategy that is taught in 3rd grade is called the "Partial Quotients" division strategy.  If you are unfamiliar with this strategy (it is NOT the way we learned division) please take a quick look at the following video: Partial Quotients Video.  We will continue to practice this during the week.  I am encouraging students that prefer "Long Division" to try this strategy and learn it as a back-up strategy.  

Other Important Dates: 

30 BT and Project due 3/29 (Friday)

IAR Testing next week 4/1-4/4

No School 4/5 End of Quarter (This means ALL missing work must be turned in and completed by this date.)

Author Visit

We were so lucky to have Kathleen Dragan, the author of Rickshaw Reggie, visit our classroom today and present her awesome book!  You can still get a copy of the book on her website if you're interested: https://rickshawreggie.com