Sphere of Control

by Lindsey Warner



I recently came across this article “Teach your Child this Crucial Life Lesson (Challenge #2: Sphere of Control)” that I found to be very interesting. This also reminded me of some of the conversations Kathy Bockhorst had during our parent book discussions with The Price of Privilege. One component of the book that we discussed with Memorial, Wheelock, and Dale parents is the idea of fostering a self of control within children, especially at a young age. This can idea can be confusing at times. While parents and teachers are also focused on encouraging things such as respect for authority and the ability to follow rules, knowing when to give children more choice can be a difficult task. Renee Jain echoes these same ideas of the importance of self-control in her article. She cites research from psychologist Martin Seligman that states, “When people believe they have no control over bad things that happen to them, they eventually stop trying to make their life and circumstances better - they give up.” The difficulty with this idea comes in knowing when to allow children to make their own decisions, and when something in a “non-negotiable”. Jain provides a great example of drawing two circles, one containing things you can control (such as attitude or how I dress) and the other containing things outside of your control (the weather or others’ attitudes). I think this is a great activity to do with children to explain the difference between the two spheres, and ensuring they feel a sense of control in their lives.


Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/teach-your-child-this-crucial-life-lesson-challenge_us_5898a6fde4b0985224db578e?section=us_parents

Fighting the Worry Bullies

by Kathy Bockhorst

Even for young children, learning to effectively manage, worries is an important challenge. I am in the process of visiting first grade classes, to teach strategies for managing worries, and have been delighted with how interested and responsive the students have been. A worry is identified as “a thought that makes us feel bad”. Many students have been able to make the connection between worry thoughts and somatic responses, such as headaches and stomachaches. They have also been able to recognize that though a headache due to a worry may hurt just as much as one due to germs, how we remedy it is very different. For worry headaches, we need to push out the worry thoughts and then get busy to keep the worry thoughts at bay.

To do this, I introduced the strategy of “Talking Back to the Worry Bully” based on curriculum from the “The Zones of Regulation” by Leah Kuypers and “What to Do When You Worry Too Much” by Dawn Huebner. We discussed how worry thoughts are like bullies, in that they repeatedly bother us with lies and/or exaggerations. The first graders have been very open sharing a variety of school worries they experience, such as getting on the wrong bus or not knowing how to do something. They have been able to draw their own worry bullies and practice talking back to ithem For example, the Worry Bully might tell a student that school will be awful because (s)he will miss his/her family too much, and the student Talk Backs saying that “Get lost Worry Bully - Lot’s of people at school care about me too!” Click the link below to access the presentation.

https://docs.google.com/a/mail.medfield.k12.ma.us/presentation/d/13U4c-HzakCDmVugymk-JnAcTfndGEn2WTqR-i3QTY_s/edit?usp=sharing

Elementary Parent/Guardian Book Discussion

by Lindsey Warner and Kathy Bockhorst

“The Price of Privilege”by Madeline Levine 

Early in March, parents and guardians met with us for two lively discussions of the book “The Price of Privilege”, by Madeline Levine. The book addressed the author’s findings that children from affluent families have increasing numbers of mental health concerns. Rather than affluence serving as a protective factor the research indicates instead it is connected with increased anxiety and depression in adolescents. Achievement Pressure and Parental Isolation were found to be two consistent risk factors while Parental Attunement and Connection were found to be among the protective factors.

The group discussions were varied and thought provoking. The challenges of parenting in relation to electronics and social media, the benefits and challenges posed by an intense engagement in athletics and possible ways to connect as a community of parents/guardians to support each other were all explored. Below is the link to the slide presentation that outlines key points in the book. We look forward to providing ongoing opportunities for parents/guardians to connect and engage on a variety of parenting topics.

Click here for the link to the presentation. 

National School Counseling Week

by Stephanie Worthley

February 6-10, 2017

National School Counseling Week is celebrated each February to focus attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for their future.

We are fortunate in Medfield to have Guidance Counselors from the elementary level through high school. As a district, we have established a comprehensive school counseling program addressing the academic, career, and personal/social development of students. The Guidance Counselors are in place to work directly with students to offer support to students at various times in their lives. Guidance Counselors work with students to resolve interpersonal problems, behavioral problems, improve organization skills and time management, and at the high school level, advise on career and college planning. In many cases, Guidance Counselors do not work with just students. Guidance Counselors often involve a student's teachers or parents in the counseling process. Guidance Counselors may also refer students to external agencies that are equipped to dealing with a student's concerns.

With that said, the role of the Guidance Counselor is ever-changing and depends on a variety of factors within the school. For example, while I am writing this blog post, Erik could be preparing for the ACT test administration; Anne could be writing a college letter of recommendation; Amanda could be meeting with a parent; Gennie could be working on schedule changes; Russ could be counseling a student; Matt could be teaching "Embracing Diversity"; Tracy could be working with her class on mindfulness strategies; Jen could be attending a cluster meeting; Lindsey could be teaching an Empathy workshop; and Kathy could be facilitating a leadership group. No
day is ever the same.

As the K-12 Content Specialist, I would like to publicly thank the Guidance Counselors for their hard work and dedication to the Medfield Public School community. Medfield is fortunate to have devoted counselors whose primary focus is the support and well-being of our students.

Elementary Book Read

by Kathleen Bockhorst & Lindsey Warner

Join us for an elementary parent discussion, of the book The Price of Privilege, by Madeline Levine, Ph.D. This New York Times bestseller addresses the importance of fostering resilience in our children and how parents’ best intentions can go awry. Levine’s engaging accounts of the myriad of parenting traps, that derail best efforts to raise independent and confident children, along with her suggested solutions, make it a thought provoking read. At first glance, it looks like a book relevant to parenting teens, however, we picked this book for elementary parents because the solutions Levine puts forth are best implemented starting in the early years.

The book discussion is open to all elementary parents/guardians K-5.

We look forward to your joining us for one of the two discussion groups:

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from 9:30-11:00 am @ Wheelock School
Thursday, March 2, 2017 from 6:30-8:00 pm @ Dale Street School

Space is Limited - ​Please by 2/27/17 to 

Kathleen Bockhorst, 

Memorial and Wheelock Guidance Counselor

KBockhorst@email.medfield.net

Lindsey Warner

Dale Guidance Counselor

LWarner@email.medfield.net

Zones of Regulation at Memorial

by Kathleen Bockhorst

In November, I was excited to be able to meet with each Kindergarten and First Grade classroom, to teach a self-regulation lesson based on the “The Zones of Regulation” curriculum by Leah Kuypers. As part of the lesson, students learned to classify different feelings into one of four zones - Blue, Green, Yellow and Red. Feelings such Tired, Bored and Sad, are grouped in the Blue Zone because they are associated with a low energy level. Feelings such as Happy, Calm and Ready to Learn/Focused are grouped in the Green Zone, because they are associated with a Medium energy level. Likewise, feelings such as Frustrated, Silly and Worried are grouped in the Yellow Zone because they are associated with a high energy level and the feelings Out of Control, Very Mad and Panic are grouped in the Red Zone, due to their very high energy level.

The students were quick learners. They were given assorted feelings cards and were able to stand in the right place on a Twister mat to identify which Zone their feeling was in. The students were also able to practice utilizing self-regulation strategies to assist them with getting to/staying in the green zone! Ask your child to demonstrate a “Hand Push” or “Chair Push Up”. They can also tell you how Closing Eyes and Taking Deep Breaths can settle them down, while Drinking Cold Water or doing a Chair-Push-Up can raise their energy level. I am looking forward to returning to each classroom this winter, to focus in more depth on self-regulation strategies for moving from the Yellow Zone to the Green Zone!

Welcome Ms. Warner!

We are pleased to introduce our new full time Guidance Counselor at the Dale St School! We are thrilled that Ms. Lindsey Warner has joined the Guidance Department.  Ms. Warner was a counselor at Saint Columbkille Partnership School in Brighton for five years. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and her Master of Arts in School Counseling from Boston College. Ms. Warner loves working with 4th and 5th grade students! We are excited that she is joining us at Dale St. 

Elementary Guidance Program Update

by Kathleen Bockhorst

I am very excited that there will be substantial growth in the  Elementary Guidance Program in Medfield next year.  There will be a full time guidance position at the Dale St. School, a half-time position at the Wheelock School and a half-time position at the Memorial School.  This will be 233% growth in elementary guidance counselor staffing!  During the thirteen years I have been a part of the Medfield Elementary Guidance Program, I have been fortunate to have the support of administrators, teachers and parents in developing and implementing a variety of individual, small group and whole class services geared toward further developing the emotional intelligence of our students.  Included in these services have been programs focused on empowerment,  developing self-calming strategies for managing anxiety & frustration and developing skills to increase impulse control.  It is with much enthusiasm I look forward to the expanded opportunities the increased staffing will allow  for Medfield students to further develop their emotional regulation skills.

Where does technology come in from a social/emotional learning perspective?

by Tracy Allen

Technology has brought wonderful and exciting new things to learning in our district. Last week's DLD day was an opportunity for teachers to share what they're doing with each other. It truly is amazing to see technology's impact from a student perspective. 

Where does technology come in from a social/emotional learning perspective? This question was addressed as part of a larger discussion about technology and schools with a panel moderated by Blake principal Nat Vaughn and made up of  IT Directors from other school districts as well as our own Superintendent Jeff Marsden. The S/E component can not be separated from the educational component, according to one of the panelists. Digital Citizenship and ethics around device use are part of that conversation. One place that we, as a department, will start exploring more are the programs, apps, and digital resources that guidance counselors, particularly at the middle school level, can be used in the guidance classes. 

One great presentation on DLD day was about an app called Social Stories. Students for whom previewing social situations helps could read and reread a story created by a teacher or counselor before actually encountering potentially scary events like the first day of school or when a teacher takes a maternity leave. This app was originally developed to help people with autism preview new situations. However, I think the app could appropriately used for a number of our students.

In my 6th grade guidance classes, I am asking kids to think back to things that made them nervous about entering Blake. They are using the app to create stories, all in the first person so the reader can imagine himself/herself in that situation, that would help answer questions and preview experiences that might be "scary" when entering the middle school. I hope to have a variety of scenarios available on the guidance website this summer to help quell pre-Blake jitters.

As the direction of technology in the classroom has been so exciting to watch, I think the journey of technology in S/E learning will be equally exciting.

Helping Students Achieve Through Intrinsic Motivation

by Kathy Mahoney

I recently finished a graduate course in student motivation, and one of the biggest take-aways that I gained is the importance of building intrinsic motivation in young people. Many times as parents and teachers, we provide incentives in order to motivate our kids to learn. In the short term this may produce the desired goal, but in the long run, it builds extrinsic motivation, or motivation that stems from some type of tangible reward. The problem is that when students are solely motivated by extrinsic means, they can become less driven when the promise of a reward is gone.

Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, comes from within; it is a desire to work hard for personal satisfaction and growth. This is a much more powerful way to drive achievement and learning. Teachers can help to build intrinsic motivation by celebrating learning, rather than offering a reward. Another way to engage students is to make the lesson meaningful to the child. Both teachers and parents can build intrinsic motivation in kids by welcoming their questions, encouraging exploration, and providing a supportive environment that promotes independence and self-worth.

As humans, we have a natural desire to learn about the world around us. If we can foster that desire, we can help students reach higher and achieve more.

“I don’t want to go to school today”

by Russ Becker

“I don’t want to go to school today”. I’m sure that statement rings true with just about everyone. Whether your child has had an “off day” or if you remember a specific instance that you simply did not want to spend your day in a classroom, the sentiment is shared by most. Many individuals are able to get past that feeling and spend their day furthering their education, but what happens to those who can’t? Discourse such as “Can’t these students see the importance of going to school?” Or “If they say they want to get to school then why are they sitting in bed all day?” are all too common when discussing the topic of school avoidance which often negates the fact that this is a legitimate problem facing a number of students.

This past Thursday I was able to go to a conference lead by Dr. George Haarman with the aim of uncovering more information about the topic of school refusal. Dr. Haarman is one of the foremost leaders in not only studying school refusal, but actively combating many of the factors that keep our students from accessing their education. The information was vast, and highlighted the mountain of factors that could contribute to why a child cannot or will not come to school. Hardly ever does a student simply make up his or her mind that they never want to come to school again. Instead there is usually an underlying factor or factors that act as barriers towards the student’s education. Whether that barrier is mental illness, instability in some facet of the student’s life, or another mitigating issue often times these problems become too much for a student to overcome in order to properly access a curriculum. Dr. Haarman not only outlined the many causes for this issue, but properly demonstrated techniques on how to treat these difficult cases. Going forward I certainly aim to employ many of these techniques while being cognizant of some warning signs in order to help these students before symptoms of school refusal even manifest. Please contact me if you’re searching for more information on the topic or about the conference in general.

Mindset

by Kathy Bockhorst

The Mindset book club Steve Grenham is running for Dale St. staff has been a great opportunity for me to keep the importance of presenting challenges as growth opportunities, top of mind. Donna Olson is running a similar book club at Wheelock. Carol Dweck wrote Mindset following years of research on how people cope with challenges and failures. Through her research she noticed people fell into two major groupings “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset”. Those with fixed mindsets perceive their abilities to be unchanging. Those with growth mindsets perceive their abilities to be malleable. Dweck’s research provides compelling evidence for the importance of a growth mindset for managing setbacks in a resilient manner.

The book club has provided a great opportunity to problem solve with colleagues about ways of further promoting a growth mindset in our students. For instance, one of the hallmarks Dweck identifies of a fixed mindset, is the belief that the truly intelligent/talented succeed with little effort. Effort therefore is something to hide or avoid. Clearly this is a perilous road to go down. Given the developmental trajectory towards abstract thought that takes place with fourth and fifth graders, it is a crucial time to support students’ understanding of ways in which they can impact their own success rather than fall prey to detrimental ego-protective behaviors. I recommend Mindset for educators and parents alike, as a resource to promote such an outcome.

Wheelock Break Space

By Kathy Bockhorst

Thanks to a Medfield Coalition for Public Education grant, partially funding sensory motor items,   the new Wheelock Break Space has been a busy place at Wheelock.  This fall I have been able to offer all teachers the option to sign students up for one of several small group supervised break space visit with me, each day I am at Wheelock.  Teachers can sign-up different students each week or choose to send the same students several times.  Each visit lasts roughly ten minutes and focuses on making students aware of their ability to self-regulate.  The break space visits I run begin with the students identifying which “zone”  they are in (Blue - sad, bored tired, Green - happy, calm, ready to learn, Yellow - silly, excited, frustrated  or Red - out of control,  from “The Zones of Regulation” by Leah Kuypers).  The students are then free to choose from the many sensory items in the room, including a spinning egg chair, a tunnel, scooter and ramp, building manipulatives, yoga balls and a gym mat. Some groups have worked together to set up an obstacle course.  The Break Space is an “expected” space for students to be in the “Yellow Zone”,  feeling excited and energized.  After about 7 mins of movement the students are again asked to identify which “zone” they are in.  The lights are then dimmed and the students are  guided in a simple deep breathing exercise, thereby engaging in a strategy for returning to the “green zone”.  Many other adults are sharing the break space with students each day. It is a wonderful addition to Wheelock!