Since
the end of January, K-6 students have participated in a piloted curriculum (The
Ophelia Project) surrounding friendships, peer problem solving, and
developing socio-emotional behavior. Students have been working in school
wide Group Discussions, K-2 and 3-6 groupings, and in classrooms to discuss
positive social skills. Students are enabled to co-create a positive
social environment at school, at home, and in the community that fosters kindness,
compassion, and responsibility.
With
these discussions comes a heightened awareness of one’s emotions and the
actions, behaviors, and emotions of others. This awareness allows
students to see and recognize both positive and negative behaviors. In
doing so, this can often create moments where students are found holding
themselves and peers accountable for their actions in social relationships.
At times, this can be challenging in times of growth and development. We
are committed in helping students through this process by providing students a
safe environment to get in touch with their own emotions and those of their
peers. We believe that this foundation we are creating will further build
positive relationships that will last a lifetime. Through these
discussions, your child may come home with questions and/ or concerns.
Please foster conversations around these topics in a positive way and
don’t hesitate to contact your child’s classroom teacher to learn more or
further these conversations at school. Willowwind continues to be focused
on developing the whole-child. The lessons from this piloted curriculum
and beyond will play an important role in our desire to focus on both academic
and social-emotional development.
Below
you will find information on how our age-specific groupings (K-2 and 3-6) have
been focusing on topics appropriate for their grade levels.
Kindergarten - Second Grade:
Kindergarten
through second grade students having been examining friendships by reviewing
and identifying our own personal strengths. Each student had the
opportunity to share their own internal and external strengths and recognize
positive behaviors in their peers. We talked about friendship and created
our own definition of the word friend. We also read a book, That’s
What A Friend Is by P.K. Hallinan, and created diagrams of some of our own
friendships. We will continue to brainstorm and develop methods that
utilize our internal and external strengths to help us maintain friendships in
the coming weeks, including the ABCs of Problem Solving.
Third - Sixth Grade:
Third
through sixth grade students have been exploring the difference between
classmates and friends and how classmates can become friends. We explored
the characteristics of friends, the actions and behaviors that encourage us to
become friends with others, and the actions that discourage us from wanting to
be closer to someone. Later, they categorized the different behaviors
that occur when friends hurt friends. They learned that the definition of
relational aggression is behavior that is intended to hurt someone by harming
his or her relationships with others. We then brainstormed positive
behaviors that create positive relationships with others.
To
learn more about our piloted social curriculum, please don’t hesitate to ask
your child or your child’s classroom teacher. In addition, K-6 groups
will showcase what they have been focusing on during this time by creating a
display in the Gathering Space. Be sure to stop by and take a look at our
work. Thank you for your support in continuing to help our children
become the very best versions of themselves.
Sincerely,
the
K-6 Faculty
