The Last Days of School!

It is always with mixed emotions that I say good-bye to the students at the end of a school year.  While I do look forward to the changes that a summer brings, I have grown so fond of the students and this year's Calvert community that it is hard to let go.  In my position as School Counselor, I am lucky to work with the entire Lower School, and therefore get to know each student and measure his and her growth through physical, social, and emotional changes (as well as academic)!  What a delightful range of students in our midst, and I wish all families well over the three months ahead.  Summer is a chance to refresh and regroup, but it is important to keep a schedule and to uphold family standards.  Kids thrive on consistent expectations and rules, and even in a more relaxed setting will feel the comfort of knowing the limits and roles within the family.  Here are a few glimpses of the last few days of school:

Word Search to Review the Year

8th Age girls got to review the year of Character lessons by completing a word search!  After locating the words, they raised their hands to talk about a particular word and why it was placed in the search.

Jasmine Discusses One of the Character Topics

Some words were names of books we read such as Trouble Talk, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, David and the Worry Beast,  and My Secret Bully.  Others were our four Calvert Pillars, Compassion, Honor, Respect, and Responsibility.  There were many about peer relationships such as ally, teasing, apologize, Kelso's Choices, and cliques.  We spent a lot of time this year on peer relationships as there is so much to learn and to become skilled at as an 8- year-old.  I was happy to see girls helping each other find the words, and to witness respect in action!  The word boundary was in the search as was space (for personal space).  This was another aspect of Character we focused on:  the understanding of boundaries between friends, families, peers, and teachers.  And, how boundaries keep us safe in our roles and relationships whether at home, at school, or on a team.  Worry was another topic we had talked about, and it was a good review to remember that everyone worries at times but too much worry can be overwhelming and requires an adult's listening ear and care.

Caroline Points Out the Word She Wants to Talk About

The Girls at Work

It's Claire's Turn!

Fifth Age and their Quiet Place

Fifth Age Friends after Pretending to be Giraffes!

"Sometimes a person needs a quiet place" is the opening sentence of the book, A Quiet Place, by Douglas Wood.  Even Fifth Age students need to find one- a place where they can relax, be still, and settle to regroup from the busy days. In the book, a young boy considers a cavern, a beach, the woods, and a library but at the end realizes he can create a quiet place in his mind..."the one that's always there, no matter where you go or where you stay."  It is so important for young children to know they can find stillness wherever they are, and they can relax when needed; they can relax their minds and their bodies.  We talked about day dreaming and imagining something they like to feel happy.  At the end, we played a relaxing game for shoulders, backs, and necks by pretending we were giraffes and stretching our necks to make them long like a giraffe, pulling our shoulders down, then breathing in and out.  This was a nice way to end the school year with my Fifth Age friends!

Graham, Eliza, and Westley are Relaxed!

One Can Imagine Being in the Woods 

Problem-Solving Language with the 8th Age- It Makes all the Difference!

Eighth Age boys got to consider the use of problem-solving language as opposed to language that blames or hurts others and exacerbates a situation.  Here are a few examples of comments they had to choose from.  

"Everyone is mean to me" or "I'm having a hard time making friends"

"You never help me!" or "I would like for you to help me"

"You made me do it" or "I shouldn't have done it"

Then they answered the question, "What did you notice about all of the statements that your circled?"  What they noticed was that the correct way of using problem-solving language is to use I-messages and to look at one's own behavior rather than blaming others.

Using connecting statements and messages reframes the problem and opens it up to cooperation and problem-solving amongst students, teachers, and families.  

Blaming Language vs. Problem-Solving Language!

Tenth Age Reflections

Amazing- Wonderful- Unique- Awesome- Interesting - Exciting- The Best

These were the words 10-A and 10-B girls used to describe their Tenth Age year.  

They got a chance to reflect on the year and think about the year ahead.  After filling out some open-ended sentence starters, students shared thoughts and feelings with their classmates.  Many talked about how they had been "scared" at the thought of Tenth Age but had grown to realize how awesome it was to be leaders of the Lower School, to do a state report, to go to Genesee Valley, and to learn the Gettysburg Address! Looking ahead, some said they fear Middle School exams, being the young ones again, and the possibility of getting a detention.  They really look forward to having laptops! What was so clear was how well they have bonded as a group of students, and how much they care for each other and their school.  At the end of class, each girl got a plastic heart and one at a time linked it to a peer's heart saying the words above that summed up the school year.  

Classmates Come Forward- Linked for Life!

Calvert Buddy Day- A Time for Lower School and Middle School Students to Show School Spirit Together!

Lower School and Middle School Together for Buddy Day!

Hot but Happy!

Shelly the Turtle got us Organized

Today was Calvert Buddy Day and it was so great to see the different age groups mix and mingle!  Older students looked out for and played with the younger ones.  The younger ones looked up to the Middle Schoolers and pictured themselves in their shoes in a few years!  Students had relays, parachute games, and played water balloon toss.  Cross-age partners had lots of laughs together as they celebrated their school!

Balloon Toss

Sisters had a chance to be Together

Words to Grow On

Flowers are Growing, not Shrinking, with Words from 7-B!

I started a new unit with the Seventh Age called, "Words to Grow on."  I asked 7-B what makes them grow, and they offered vegetables, water, milk, and exercise.  I asked them, "What about words?"  After some discussion they agreed that there are growing statements and shrinking statements that people say to each other and say to themselves.  We brainstormed two lists: one of positive or growing words, and the other of negative or shrinking words. 

Their examples of growing words were:

• You are smart in Math
• I love you to the moon and back (to say to your parent)
• You are doing a good job with your handwriting
• That's Great!
• Your are good at Spelling
• I'll Try It (to say to yourself)
• This is fun to learn (to say to your teacher)

We discussed self-talk as well.  It is important to remember to say growing words to yourself to keep yourself healthy, confident, and strong.

Then, I read the book, The Dot, to them and asked them to listen to the words.  Would the main character, Vashti, grow or shrink?  In fact, Vashti grows as a result of what her teacher said to her.
With a few words, this adult changed Vashti's life and feelings about herself. 

"Now Sign It," Said Vashti's Teacher and that Made All the Difference

Sixth Age Sandwiches!

A Yummy Combination!

Mustard, Pickles, and Turkey

I read the book, Carla's Sandwich, to the Sixth Age students, and then they created a slice of their favorite sandwich.  Carla is a girl who loves making unique, creative, and different sandwiches but she gets teased about them at school.  A few of her favorites are:

1. Banana-Cottage-Cheese-Delight on a tasty toasted baguette
2. Sardine and Mustard Sandwich with Sunflower Seeds
3. Combo Deluxe: Lettuce, Tomato, Raisin, Bean Sprout, Pretzel and Mayonnaise Sandwich



Then, one day a boy in her class forgets his lunch, and Carla offers him one of hers.  He reluctantly agrees, and LOVES the sandwich.  The excitement prompts all the kids to try a bite, and then to bring in their own unique sandwiches to school the next day.  This is a fun story with the message that being unique and creative is so much more interesting than being the same as everyone else, and that one shouldn't judge others based on their unique and creative spirit. This is an excellent book for discussing one of the Calvert Pillars, Compassion.
 

 

 

Quite a Variety in Sixth Age!

A Sandwich with Ice Cream!

 

Cheese, Pickles, Meat

 

Carla's Sandwich Cookbook

With your son or daughter, check out recipes in Carla's Cookbook (link is above).

Boundaries with Eighth Age Students

Learning about boundaries is important; in Eighth Age we started with personal space boundaries in the fall, and we have moved on to role boundaries, physical boundaries, and behavioral boundaries.  We even talked about time as a boundary.  Learning to crawl was part of the past and learning to drive is part of the future.  There are reasons why elementary age students don't drive!  We talked about hands as boundaries- they can help or they can hurt.  They are a way to keep someone at a distance if one feels unsafe or threatened.  If someone feels uncomfortable by words or conversations, he or she can say "Stop" and extend the distance between the person and the uncomfortable conversation.  Hands are meant for working, playing, and helping.  When we use hands to hurt others, it is a boundary violation.

Boundaries can be difficult to define because they are physical, emotional, psychological, and behavioral and many seem abstract; starting with an image of a fence is a great first step.  Understanding boundaries is a process that develops over years.  Parents can assist by maintaining family boundaries which include understanding parental roles as compared to children's roles within the family unit.  If role boundaries are solid, children will feel safe, protected, and comfortable.  If boundaries are unclear, kids tend to feel vulnerable, unsafe, and stressed.  In addition, rules serve as boundaries, and create security for kids.  As child psychologist, Ron Taffel, says "Consequences are a child's safety net." Without them, home life can be chaotic and confusing.  All in all, boundaries are crucial to healthy child development. 

8-B Girls work on their Boundaries Packet

 

 

 

WHAT KIDS SAY ABOUT RULES

"Someone should watch over me" Four-year-old boy

"I definitely don't want my parents to negotiate too much" Eight- year-old girl

"I don't like going to my friend's house.  There is no one in charge." Ten-year-old boy

"I feel better when my parents tell me what they want me to do" Seven- year-old girl

From Dr. Ron Taffel's, Nurturing Good Children Now 

 

 

 

Understanding Others with The Name Jar

I have started reading the book, The Name Jar, with Sixth Age students. The main character, Unhei, is a young girl who has just moved to the United States from Korea.  She is worried that her classmates at her new school won't be able to pronounce her name so she decides to pick a new, American name.  Also, she is teased a bit by her classmates because her name seems "different" to them.  The story promotes conversations about acceptance, differences, identity, teasing, and finally, understanding and celebrating oneself and others.  Students got to pull their own names from a jar and tell the class if their name had a specific meaning or significance in their family.  Many students knew a lot about their names, and others said they wanted to go home and ask their parent more about them!

Cate is for Catherine

 

Arnavi knows a lot about her Name

 

Jackson

Charlotte had a lot to say about her Name

 

Teddy explaining the Theodores in his Family

 

Liam is for William

 

 

The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

Listen to a Synopsis of the Book