October Counselor Corner
Last week we wrapped up National Ally Week here at Ainsworth. We’ve talked about Ally Week in previous News & Notes, so we’ll spare you here…
ALL SCHOOL: How can you be an ALLY when you see a problem? Especially when someone is getting picked on, it’s important to do something about it. It benefits our community, improves learning for everyone, and reduces destructive conflict. Ask your kids for examples of what they can say when they see someone getting teased in a mean way. Who are their allies? When have they been an ally to someone? It ain’t Thanksgiving, but boy are we grateful for the allies in our world!
Kindergarten: We just read the book Zero (the sequel to One), which not only shows how it feels to be left out, but also brings Red (the “bad guy” from One) back to pass on the respect he was given. When have you felt left out? Are there ways you can make sure others don’t feel like they don’t count? We’re also beginning to explore emotions - how to tell when someone is feeling left out; why someone might feel happy/sad/surprised/angry… It’s easy to forget that feelings change! Everyone has sad days, but they don’t last forever!
First grade through Fifth: We also read Zero (see above), but had deeper level conversations about what it means to “do something”. An Ally is not someone who doesn’t bully (you can not-bully in your sleep!). They SAY SOMETHING, and that was reflected in many of the posters. We noticed that Red (aka “7”) became the ally because he wasn’t yelled at, kicked, hit, or shamed. What’s the hard part about being an ally? What’s different between an “ally” and a “friend”?
Look forward to learning about conflict and problem-solving in October!
Last week we wrapped up National Ally Week here at Ainsworth. We’ve talked about Ally Week in previous News & Notes, so we’ll spare you here…
ALL SCHOOL: How can you be an ALLY when you see a problem? Especially when someone is getting picked on, it’s important to do something about it. It benefits our community, improves learning for everyone, and reduces destructive conflict. Ask your kids for examples of what they can say when they see someone getting teased in a mean way. Who are their allies? When have they been an ally to someone? It ain’t Thanksgiving, but boy are we grateful for the allies in our world!
Kindergarten: We just read the book Zero (the sequel to One), which not only shows how it feels to be left out, but also brings Red (the “bad guy” from One) back to pass on the respect he was given. When have you felt left out? Are there ways you can make sure others don’t feel like they don’t count? We’re also beginning to explore emotions - how to tell when someone is feeling left out; why someone might feel happy/sad/surprised/angry… It’s easy to forget that feelings change! Everyone has sad days, but they don’t last forever!
First grade through Fifth: We also read Zero (see above), but had deeper level conversations about what it means to “do something”. An Ally is not someone who doesn’t bully (you can not-bully in your sleep!). They SAY SOMETHING, and that was reflected in many of the posters. We noticed that Red (aka “7”) became the ally because he wasn’t yelled at, kicked, hit, or shamed. What’s the hard part about being an ally? What’s different between an “ally” and a “friend”?
Look forward to learning about conflict and problem-solving in October!