A great way to connect with the family and get some good family "work" done is to have a family meeting or family meal.  Even children as young as 3 or 4 can be active participants.  With meetings, each family member has a say about the agenda, may participate in a non-judgmental brainstorming session and help in the problem solving process.  It is a chance for everyone to have a role and take on responsibility in the meeting (and in the family).  Decisions are made by consensus....

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Any teacher or parent can tell you that our emotions and relationships impact how and what we learn each day.   Here at the HOD, we use the Open Circle social-emotional curriculum to teach our children skills they need to develop healthy relationships and to be good learners.  This curriculum teaches children how to recognize and mange their emotions, learn to communicate effectively and teaches them how to solve problems using sound decision making skills.  By nurturing a...

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I run many groups throughout the year but a common thread in all of them is exploring self-esteem and embracing what makes us special.  We want our children to value themselves and understand that they make a difference.  Self-esteem is not about being happy all the time, bragging or being perfect, it is about viewing oneself in a realistic, positive way.  To foster self-esteem, we need to give our children encouragement to try new things, be proud of their achievements and understand...

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‘Tis the season’ and we all get excited about holiday festivities and receiving gifts! But this is also a wonderful time of year to instill the importance of giving in your children and to show them that even small contributions can make a difference.At the HOD, we have worked this fall to foster respect and the children have learned that smile and thank you are indeed simple acts of giving that can make a difference. The next step may be to encourage them to help around the house...

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Once again, our students rose to the occasion and did an amazing job with our Eyes and Hi’s program as well as our Character Counts RESPECT week!  For a school that was already friendly and welcoming, we have risen to an exemplary level! I was impressed by all the respectful acts I witnessed in the course of a week and realized that is simply what we expect at the HOD.  While visiting various classrooms throughout the week, I was pleased to hear students explaining the “Golden...

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Fall is a thrilling time of year, new shoes, new school supplies, a new teacher and a new classroom full of kids.   All things new can be incredibly exciting but also a bit daunting.  For many children, a new set of classmates or a large group of kids to play with at recess can make it challenging to navigate the social world.   But with a little support, our children can flourish and make new meaningful connections.   To help facilitate those connections, here are...

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Here in the Norfolk Public schools, the Bullying Prevention Curriculum we have chosen is the MARC (Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center) program out of Bridgewater State University.  Students in Kindergarten through 5th grade have been using this curriculum paired with the Open Circle social competency program all year.  An exciting part of the MARC program is paired lessons about bullying.  On May 18th our Kindergarteners had a wonderful time with their 5th grade mentors and...

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Each of us, in our own way, tries to make sense of death, particularly the death of a young person.  Children want to understand but are often unsure and awkward in expressing their concern.  The following normal childhood responses are taken from the work of the Good Grief Program’s description of psychological tasks for students when dealing with death.  Sandra Fox, past director for the Good Grief Program at the Judge Baker Children’s Center in Boston, developed this...

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A great way to connect with the family and get some good family "work" done is to have a family meeting or family meal.  Even children as young as 3 or 4 can be active participants.  With meetings, each family member has a say about the agenda, may participate in a non-judgmental brainstorming session and help in the problem solving process.  It is a chance for everyone to have a role and take on responsibility in the meeting (and in the family).  Decisions are made by consensus....

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With spring sports on the horizon, now is a great time to review and practice good sportsmanship skills! Though everybody wants to win, someone is always going to lose and some kids find it harder to lose than others. Learning to win and lose gracefully and the ability to be a good sport is key to social success for children.   It is disappointing to lose; we need to acknowledge how our children feel and teach, as well as model, what to do when you lose. I always remind children they...

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Studies show that anxiety disorder is one of the most common of all mental health conditions in children.  The rate of anxiety disorders is thought to be between 6 -10 percent nationally as written in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.   When I began working with young children, I was surprised to find anxiety and emotional regulation the most common concerns in my own work.  Over the years I have taught many relaxation strategies and techniques and run groups that specifically...

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The HOD school is ready to launch a whole school initiative called ”Eye and Hi’s”. The purpose of the program is reinforce the social skills of making eye contact and greeting adults and children in our school community.  It will begin on Wednesday, February 1 and end on Friday, February 17, 2012. Each classroom will earn a smiley face when most of the students initiate a greeting at the bus and car drop off. They can also earn a smiley face if they initiate a greeting to...

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My thoughts this month go to clarifying and defining bullying. Through both the Open Circle and MARC curriculums, we have been focusing on teaching our students how to identify and handle bullying should it occur in our schools.  Bullying is a word, action or other direct or electronic communication or behavior that: has INTENT to cause harm, causes a POWER IMBALANCE, is REPETITIVE and has IMPACT.  All four components MUST be present for an incident to be considered bullying.  Please...

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The students and staff of the H. Olive Day School have successfully used the Open Circle program to create a cooperative and caring community of learners. Would you like to learn more regarding what the Open Circle Curriculum is teaching your child about: Being cooperative and caring?   Improving communication skills? Problem solving? Developing self-control? Taking responsibility? Then the Open Circle Parent Program is for YOU! This program, which is facilitated by Mrs....

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Take time to smell the…cookies! The holidays have a way of getting out of control and taking on a life of their own. We feel pressure to buy the perfect gift or feel the need to take our kids on the newest holiday outing. Interestingly enough, when I work with the children, I find what they love the most are the simple things; helping to make hot cocoa and popcorn, snuggling up with a good holiday book, sharing space on the couch to watch a holiday TV show as a family, baking special cookies...

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The five-week Open Circle Parent Program begins this month. This program is designed for parents whose children are in Kindergarten, First and Second grade to: Familiarize you with the skills your children are learning and practicing in the classroom. Assist you in the use of these skills at home. Help you to adapt and extend these skills into techniques for more effective parenting. We will meet once a week for five weeks starting Tuesday, November 8th. Meetings will be held...

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