Internationally recognized author & educator for professionals, parents, and kids
Posts tagged SEL
Coffee with the Counselor Resource List
05 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
This school year, I’ll be offering monthly Coffee with the Counselor events at my school on the first Friday of each month. Coffee with the Counselor mornings will provide an informal opportunity for parents & caregivers to discuss issues related to child and adolescent development, mental health, social & emotional development, and general well-being. I’ll share interesting resources and recommend readings on selected topics, to inspire discussion within the group.
To kick of the 2019-2020 year, here are some of the articles I hope can help all of us work together to build a caring community for children. Don’t be put off by the prevalence of the word “fail” in the titles below: these resources make a compelling case for cultivating the skills kids need to tolerate frustration, persist through uncomfortable emotional states, and pick themselves up whenever they fall…or fail. Looking forward to talking about these in October!
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ONLINE ARTICLES
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BOOKS
The Gift of Failure by Jessica Lahey
The Blessing of a B-: Raising Self-Reliant Children by Wendy Mogel
How Children Succeed by Paul Tough
5 Key Skills for an Effective School-Based Bullying Prevention Program
06 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
Teaching Respect, as an Action Verb
07 years
by signewhitson
in Uncategorized
Over the course of the last month, I have been talking with my students about Respect and how we show respect to ourselves, to others, to property, to all living things, and to our Earth. We don’t just talk about the word ‘Respect’ as a vague virtue, but rather we apply ‘Respect’ as an action verb, consistently planning and practicing real-world ways that young people can show respect on a daily basis.
Yesterday, I challenged my third graders to think about something in their world for which they want to raise awareness and respect (saving animals, cleaning oceans, curing cancer, etc.) and to think of ways to take actions to support this cause. I reminded these amazing kiddos how their small acts can be powerful when it comes to making changes and helping the world around them.
Imagine how my heart overflowed when a parent sent me these three photos of her son and the lemonade stand he held right after school, complete with the poster he made in my class, to raise money to cure cancer. (Permission granted to share photos).
Kids are amazing change-makers!
