Greetings from Guidance,
The staff of K-4 Guidance Counselors have been working to develop a curriculum that is uniform in all the NPS elementary schools, while still allowing for the individual needs of students in each building. We are exploring new guidance materials and I want to share with you some highlights.
Kindergarten: DUSO (Developing Understanding of Self and Others), the Dolphin puppet continues to bring the students stories of characters to whom they can relate. In addition, we now teach the "Second Step" Skills for Social and Academic Success with posters, puppets, songs and games to help students develop their skills for learning, for managing their emotions and for relating to and cooperating with others.
First/Second: We are using CharacterFirst Education materials which teach skills such as Self-control, Attentiveness, Compassion, Courage, Diligence, Determination; etc. through nature stories about animals, through biographic sketches of famous people from history, and with songs, poems and crafts. You can find out more by visiting http://www.characterfirsteducation.com
Third: We have been reading the book The Energy Bus for Kids by Jon Gordon and have been compiling journals as we learn to practice five rules for "staying positive and overcoming challenges". A YouTube video project done by a young girl is found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAkw73m_KxI- if you watch it you can gather some information and discuss the book with your third-grader!
Fourth: We are using the Why Try? Program provided to us by the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department. This curriculum teaches students resiliency skills for dealing with pressures and challenges. Lessons we have studies so far include: Reality Ride - choices and consequences: Tearing off Labels - replacing negative labels with positive; Defense Mechanisms - using communication and understanding rather than aggression; and Climbing Out - not letting others drag you down. Visit http://whytry.org/ for more information!
Guidance curriculum covers four areas: Personal, Social, Academic and Career Readiness Skills. Starting second semester we will be emphasizing the last two areas more intentionally. With the third and fourth grade classes, we will use the Career Camp curriculum ( www.careerkids.com ) to teach students very practical skills as they begin to focus in on their interests and strengths and applying these to their academic tasks and short and long-term goals.
I truly enjoy working with your children and invite you to visit a guidance class session or to e-mail me anytime you have a question, concern or comment!
Thank you! Kathy Naranjo, Guidance Teacher kathynaranjo@npsne.org
Washington Elementary M-Th 402-644-2557 Lincoln/Montessori School F 402-644-2550
Greetings from Guidance - PDF format
