Learning to REFUSE

A very important skill for children to learn from any early age is to learn ways to REFUSE unsafe or unwanted touches. Over the last few weeks we have learned to RECOGNIZE situations where we may feel unsafe. We have noticed that when there are times when we feel unsafe our bodies may give us a clue (heart beats faster, our body may feel shaky, breathing faster). This is our brains way of letting us know that something may appear unsafe. The children learned ways to REFUSE situations that are unsafe. Refuse words might include: Stop it! Don't touch me! Stop it that hurts! We practiced this through role play keeping in mind how to hold our body tall and to speak firmly.

Personal Space: Connecting to personal Safety

Over the past two weeks, we have been reviewing the concept that everybody has a personal space bubble. Your personal space bubble is the amount of space left between you and another person when you are interacting together. We should be able to notice how someone feels if we are too close inside their personal bubble by reading the clues on their face and their body. Here are some of the key concepts we learned:

Students are also learning that if anyone enters into your personal space bubble without asking and it made you feel uncomfortable or if they hurt you, that this needs to be reported to an adult right away. 

Here is a also a song we are learning about personal space:

Home Learning - Child Safety

Dear Parents,

By the end of the week all of your children should be familiar with the child protection information we have featured in our blog and that I sent an email about. I have asked all students to discuss the following with you this week or over the holiday. Please do take family time to discuss these important topics so you are both using the same terminology and they feel confident they know the ways to keep them safe. Please do let me know if you have any questions.

Wishing you and your family a safe, happy and healthy winter break!

As a reminder, please have the following conversations with your parents this week or over the break.

1. What are your family's "never - never rules" - rules that you automatically know that you should never do in order to stay safe? 

2. Who are your trusted safe adults - those people your parents would trust to take care of you if they were unable? For example, who might they send to pick you up from school if they were unable?

Do you and your family have a "safe word"? A word that only you and your family know that someone coming to care for you should know so that you feel confident your parent sent that person or you can open the door to them, for example.

3. Memorize your parents' phone numbers so that you can call them in case you ever need to. For example, if you are separated from them and need a store clerk to call them or if you want to make sure of a change of plan they didn't tell you about.

4. Also, tell your parents about these other safety rules and terms:

• What are the 3 R's? Recognize, Refuse, Report. Please explain what these mean. 
•  What is the "always ask first rule"? If you're not sure if something is safe then always ask a safe trusted adult first.
• Personal space - how big is your bubble?
• What are safe touches, unsafe touches, and unwanted touches? What do you do if someone is giving you unsafe or unwanted touches? 
• What is the private body parts rule?

If you or your parents have any questions, please let me know.

Kind regards,

Mrs. Stone

Here are students practicing "refuse" - how to communicate with someone they are making you feel uncomfortable and getting in their personal space bubble. It is important for each student to find his or her own "voice" to let both adults and other children know when they are uncomfortable.

The Six Sides of Breathing

Safe, Unsafe and Unwanted Touches

This week we have unpacked the difference between safe, unsafe and unwanted touches.
Safe touches are touches that make you feel cared for and loved.

Unsafe touches make you feel hurt, uncomfortable and scared.

Unwanted touches are touches we don't like even if they don't hurt our bodies. Theses touches can also make us feel uncomfortable. 

Tech talks

This semester Mr. Katz, our ES Tech Coordinator,  and I partnered to do lessons with Grade 4 and 5  about "The Ripple Effect" and "Respect Online." We stress to students that what they post either on blogger, through text messages to friends, or comments they make on gaming sites etc. is a reflection of who they are, which in turn affects the friends who they associate with and also the community they are a part of at ISKL - the ripple effect. How do you want to be seen to others? 

Never Never Rules are rules that students should know automatically that they shouldn't do in order to stay safe. This includes digital citizenship. 

We asked students to think critically about the things they post and whether or not they should post it or send it. What would happen, who does this affect? 

Should we share pictures of people without their knowledge? What if the person says "yes" but it's an embarrassing photo? How does that reflect on us?

Students should always consider this:

Students are encouraged to take a screen shot and tell a trusted adult if they receive something that is unexpected or makes them feel uncomfortable. If students stumble upon something online we ask that they close their computer and tell a trusted adult right away. It's important to know what they saw and how they "got there." 

You should know your child's password and what they're doing online. To assist you in having these conversations please visit commonsensemedia.org which has many useful tools to help you be involved in your child's tech usage and tips for how to keep your child safe online. 

**Students were reminded that they are not allowed to use their PantherApps for anything other than school content related material. 

Coffee Chat: Child Protection and Keeping our Children Safe

Photos from our most recent coffee chat on Child Protection and Keeping our Children Safe!
HERE  are the resources.

STEP Problem Solving Song

 Below please find a link to the STEP Problem Solving Model song. 

Grade 3 Continues Problem - Solving!

Students have been introduced to the STEP Model and are now practicing how to solve their "small problems." During our lesson together they are working with partners using their problem-solving "kits."

Their "kits" include the same posters to help them with problem solving on the playground. 

Feel free to use these same ideas and language at home!

             

Do you know what a Social Filter is?

Occasionally Mrs. Wright and I have students or classes who need reminders about what their "Social Filter" is. Do you know what it is?

We all have TONS of thoughts in our brains at all times, but our social filter helps us to decide which ones should stay in our brains and which ones are okay to say out loud. I demonstrated this to a G5 class using sand and pebbles. The mean words and phrases stayed in the filter while the kind or socially acceptable words were fine enough to go through the filter. Making sure our social filter is turned on helps us to have friends and get along with others.

Want to learn more or read a great book on this topic with your children? 

We recommend this book by Julia Cook 

Problem Solving and Calming in G4

Grade 4 is working on Problem Solving! We learned how to differentiate between big and small problems. Small problems are those problems students build their "toolkit" to solve using the STEP Model, choices featured in the Kelso's Choice problem-solving wheel, and the "I-Message."

Small problems typically make students feel annoyed, sad, frustrated or angry. Just because they're "small" problems doesn't mean they are not important problems. Trusted adults are always available to help if students have used their tools and they are still unable to solve these problems or need help in using their tools.  

Big problems are those problems that make students feel scared or worried if someone is being hurt or they are afraid something or someone is going to be hurt or damaged we want students to go to a trusted adult right away.

Grade 4 is starting to practice using mindfulness strategies to calm down in those moments of high emotion so they can be more successful problem solvers. High emotions sometimes cause small problems to become big problems. Practice, practice, practice! Students are encouraged to practice breathing strategies so they will be more likely to work in those moments they need them. Ask your child about times they think they might need to use their strategies. 

Students listened to the STEP song to remind them of their STEPs. Enjoy!

Welcome 3JH!

New students from 3JH have lunch and play games in my office! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our new students and their many special talents and interests. We continue to have new students join ISKL throughout the year so please remember to invite them for play dates and help their families feel included in our wonderful community.

                                                                                               

Integrity in G5

In Grade 5 we are discussing topics such as integrity during our counseling time together.  During this stretch before break sometimes students become impatient with one another and may need reminders about what an important role they play as Red Hat leaders in modeling expected behavior with one another and across the school.

During our integrity lesson, two unsuspecting students were given M&Ms and juice. However, what was represented on the outside was not actually what was on the inside. Instead, students expressed feeling disappointed, upset and grumpy when instead they got pebbles and water.

It's water...how disappointing!

In the same way, students revisited their role as Red Hat leaders and what that should look like and sound like in their behavior and how the reality of their behavior should match who they say they are as Red Hat leaders. The vast majority of our students are doing the right thing! We want to commend our students for continuing to act with integrity during those transition times and spaces where they could choose to make unexpected choices.

Use this a conversation starter at home. It's never too early to talk about the importance of integrity!