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signewhitson
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Posts by signewhitson
Teaching Growth Mindset with Wooden Blocks
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This month, I am working with my 5th grade students on developing a Growth Mindset. They are learning the value of working through problems, persisting through mistakes, learning from failures, and demonstrating an open-mindedness toward lifelong learning and continuous improvement.
Today, we did a fun activity where the kids were challenged to build a tower with wooden blocks–using only chopsticks (no hands!). The task was intentionally difficult, but using teamwork and a growth mindset, the kids were challenged to persist until they completed the task. Initial failures happened, goals were ultimately achieved, hilarity ensued and a good time was had by all.
Teaching Mindfulness to Students
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This month, I am working with students in grades PK, K and 1 to learn and practice basic mindfulness strategies. In our first lesson, we talked about mindfulness as a special way of paying attention–both to the things happening around us and also to the way we feel on the inside.
In our first few lessons, we’ve been really paying attention to our breathing. Using pinwheels, feathers, and “belly buddies,” we’ve been learning how slow, deep breathing can help us feel more calm. Here we are practicing some of our mindfulness skills:
The kids are loving it! Here’s what one of the parents had to say after our first lesson:
I love that this is happening…the students I teach benefit from learning coping skills like this (when they use them 🙂 [My daughter] told me about her feather and actually asked for it a few times already when she was getting upset!
LSCI Training Uses Problems Situations as Opportunities to Connect
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
In the year 2000, as a young clinical social worker just two years out of graduate school and trying to find ways to effectively connect with tweens and teens in a residential treatment center, I lucked into attending an LSCI Certification training. To say that the advanced skills of LSCI changed my life would be an understatement. 18 years later, I can honestly say that I use LSCI skills every. single. day. in my work as the Director of Counseling at an Independent School, as a Mama of two daughters, and as a colleague.
It is the most practical set of skills I have ever learned, but more importantly, it is a way of thinking about young 
people. LSCI taught me to always LOOK BEYOND BEHAVIOR and to focus my attention on discovering the beliefs, thoughts, and feelings that underlie a young person’s challenging behaviors.
LSCI keeps foremost in my mind that every person has a story and that my most valuable role can be in connecting with that young person so that I can help them put that emotional story into words–rather than expressing themselves through self-destructive behaviors.
That’s LSCI in a nutshell–though the 4-day certification course offers so, so much more in terms of practical, step-by-step skills to reach and teach young people with patterns of self-defeating behaviors. I’m always happy to tell you more about what LSCI offers. Please feel free to email me at signewhitson@lsci.org or check out LSCI’s website at www.lsci.org
In the meantime, today I’m thrilled to say that LSCI is thriving not just in the U.S., but throughout Canada, Europe, and beyond! Check out these images of LSCI training in Flanders, Belgium last week:
School-Based Bullying Prevention Programs
07 years
by signewhitson
in bullying
What a wonderful day I spent at Immaculate Conception Cathedral School in Lake Charles, LA. yesterday! Here’s a few shots from our 5th/6th grade workshop, where the kids and I looked at key differences between rude, mean, and bullying behavior, then brainstormed helpful ways to respond to each.
Thanks also to the dedicated faculty and wonderful parents with whom I also got to share practical strategies for bringing an end to bullying.
To book your school-based event, click here. Now booking for Spring and Summer 2018.
Speak Your Kind
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
We’re participating in the Great Kindness Challenge this week at my school. Here’s an example of an act of kindness and generosity from one of our families…Absolutely love my new Speak Your Kind mug!
Join the Great Kindness Challenge: Jan 22-26th
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Wanted to share with you how we are celebrating Kindness at my school this week:
(To learn more about the Great Kindness Challenge and how to get your students or your family involved, click here.)
Dear Families,
As many of you may have heard from your children, I have been working with students on turning kindness and compassion into verbs over the last two months.This coming week, I’d love for all Swain students and families to join together to take part in the 2018 Great Kindness Challenge, a national campaign to create cultures of kindness in schools and communities.Beginning tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 22), all students will receive a GKC 2018 Checklist, filled with no-cost ways to show kindness to others. The students will be challenged to carry out as many of the acts of kindness as possible. Teachers will be checking in with students throughout the week to talk about how their acts of kindness impact others and how showing kindness makes them feel about themselves.We would love to involve you as well! Attached, please find the Great Kindness Challenge Family Edition checklist that you can use to carry out acts of kindness with your children. Please engage them in conversation about how small acts of kindness can make a big difference for others. I hope you will enjoy this as a family challenge!Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for your help in making this school-wide Kindness Campaign work!!Signe WhitsonDirector of School Counseling
The Thing Your Students Need Most
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Today was one of those days where this was so very true! To make someone feel genuinely heard, understood & accepted…to meet a young person where they are without any judgment…to show compassion…a better gift than any possible lesson plan objective!
5 Key Skills for an Effective School-Based Bullying Prevention Program
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Most schools have policies that guide their practices around bullying. While these policies are vital to have in place, a truth that most professionals, parents, and kids can verify is that policies don’t change people; people change people.
Young people who struggle with social interactions don’t develop new skills because a policy told them to and kids who like to dominate and control others don’t give up these behaviors because they read a rule on a poster.
Check out my recent post on Psychology Today to learn what I consider the five essential social emotional skills that must be part of any school’s comprehensive bullying prevention program.
For more information and workshop inquiries, please email me at signe@signewhitson.com
How to Respond to a Young Person’s Anger
07 years
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive from teachers and parents is, How should I respond when a 
young person is upset or emotionally overwhelmed?” Since self-regulation is the core of emotional well-being (not to mention a pre-requisite for academic progress), I am not just willing…but completely eager…to share practical strategies for helping kids manage intense feelings and develop self-regulation skills.
Check out my recent post from Psychology Today to find seven practical strategies for responding well to angry kiddos…and please share it with professionals, parents, and others in your network who may also find it helpful.
8 Things Kids Can Say & Do to Stop Bullying
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
My students tell me that one of the most frequently applied skills I teach them is the use of Bully Bans. Bully bans are short, to-the-point statements meant to interrupt an incident of bullying in its tracks without escalating the conflict. These practiced responses take into account that during stressful moments, kids’ brains rarely come up with “helpful” things to say. Rather, the heat-of-the-moment usually sparks emotionally-charged, conflict-fueling words and actions. Bully bans help turn this around. Find out more from my recent Psychology Today post, here:
Specific lesson plans for teaching Bully Bans to kids are featured in Friendship & Other Weapons: Group Activities to Teach Young Girls to Cope with Bullying.
