5th Grade Lesson - Rumor Has It

This lesson entitled Rumor Has It focuses on encouraging our students to stop and T.H.I.N.K...

So many times, students speak without stopping to think about the consequences of their words.  In this lesson, students watched a video entitled "Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, Did You Hear About...?"  The video is comprised of several different segments in which students learn how rumors often start. Students are shown that things are not always how they appear and that they should always have their facts straight before talking about something. We focus on the fact that it's best not to talk about other people...period. The objectives for this lesson are as follows:

• Understand the meaning of rumors and gossip
• Recognize how rumors and gossip start and are spread
• Be aware of the reasons people might spread rumors and gossip
• Understand the dangers of spreading rumors and gossip
• Learn how to defend against rumors and gossip

By the end of the lesson, students have a greater understanding of how rumors start and what to do if they find themselves involved with rumors and gossip.

Students are encouraged to try the strategies above if they are dealing with rumors and gossip. They may also make an appointment with me to discuss other strategies and to get help if this is an issue they are dealing with. We want our students to learn to solve their own problems, but also to be happy each day when they come to school!

4th Grade Bullying Unit, Lesson 2

This month 4th graders continued with the next lesson in the bullying unit from The BullyProof Kit. The title of this lesson is "5 Ways to Stop a Bully" and is designed to teach students strategies to use when dealing with bullies and when dealing with people who are just not being nice.  The objectives for the lesson are as follows:

• Review the behaviors of a bully.
• Learn 5 ways you can stop a bully.
• Describe appropriate ways of handling various bully situations.

I stress to the students that these strategies will work with people at school, people on the bus, and even siblings! They are versatile and can be applied in various situations.  We discuss the fact that you might have to try a strategy more than once and you might even need to try more than one strategy in order to solve your problem.  The strategies we discuss in the lesson are listed below.

Although "Tell an Adult" is listed last, we have a long discussion about when it is appropriate to seek assistance from an adult right away. If a student is threatened by someone else, they should go to an adult right away, especially if the threat is of physical violence. In addition, if someone speaks to the student about having a weapon or using a weapon or if the student sees the person in possession of a weapon, the student should go to an adult right away.

While we want our children to learn strategies to solve their own problems, we understand that sometimes these strategies do not work and adult intervention is needed. If you ever feel that your child is the victim of bullying, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail or phone. I will work with you and your child in a confidential manner to help solve any problems that arise. In addition, students may obtain a red counseling appointment request form from me or their classroom teacher to request a meeting with me during the school day. I am here to help your child navigate through these elementary school years!

Second Semester Club Day Selections

Information about Club Day was sent home and e-mailed to parents on Friday, December 12, 2014. If your child misplaced his or her form, you can print another one from my website by clicking here.

Instructions for Entering Club Choices Online
Click on your child's grade level below to enter their Club Day choices online. Remember, students need to turn their Club Day Selection Forms in to their homeroom teachers signed by a parent by Tuesday, December 16th.

Students will know what Club they are in by Tuesday, January 20th. If you have any questions, please let your child's teacher or Mrs. Blake know.

Feedback on Assemblies Requested

At Paine Intermediate, we are striving to create a community of student leaders.  Last year, we began implementing student-led assemblies to encourage leadership among our students.  Please take a few minutes to complete the survey below regarding our leadership initiative through our student-led assemblies.

Click here to take the survey. Thanks in advance for your input!

Thanksgiving Food Drive

The Husky Helper Club at Paine Intermediate School will be collecting non-perishable items now until November 19th through our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.  Our school-wide goal is to collect 1,500 or more non-perishable items.  Let's show our community how much we care.  Donate, Huskies, donate!

Fifth grade Husky Helpers with their completed boxes waiting to be filled...

5th Grade Red Ribbon Week Lesson

Please read my previous post about the purpose of our Red Ribbon Week lessons before reading this post.

The PowerPoint presentation used for this lesson is posted to my website.  Please read below to learn more about the lesson in order to fully understand the PowerPoint presentation.

The lesson began by asking the students to discuss the following questions with their small groups of 3-4 students:

• What does it mean to be healthy?
• What are some things we should not do, things that would hurt the way we think and act?
• What might happen to someone who smokes?
• What might happen to someone who drinks beer or other alcoholic drinks?
• Do you know of any other drugs that might keep us from being healthy and taking care of ourselves?

After around 5 minutes, we discussed the students' thoughts on each of these questions as a large group.  Students viewed a picture of a smoker's lungs compared to the lungs of a non-smoker and we discussed the health risks associated with smoking.  Students also viewed a picture of a 15-year-old male brain who does not drink alcohol compared to a 15-year-old male brain who drinks alcohol.  We discussed the dangers of drinking alcohol, especially as it pertains to underage drinking.

Next, the students viewed a video entitled The Boy Who Was Swallowed by the Drug Monster.  The story was written by the mother of a man who started using drugs at the age of 8 to cope with issues going on in his life.  The video is in the format of a picture book being read to the students and they are able to see the dangerous effects the drugs had on the boy and how the drugs changed his life.  The video is a very powerful video marketed for students in grades 3-5 and it shows students how a person can become addicted to drugs even after trying it one time.

After the video, we reviewed the term peer pressure and discussed effective strategies for dealing with peer pressure. We discussed the fact that effective communication is key and we must say what we mean and mean what we say.  The students were given the opportunity to practice saying no using a variety of phrases with the correct tone of voice and assertiveness.

Our lesson ended by discussing three of The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey.  Students were encouraged to discuss today's lesson with their parents and ask them any questions they may have on the topic.  Students were also reminded that I am available to discuss any concerns they  have on the topic and were reminded how to make an appointment to meet with me.

Thank you for your support of the school counseling program.  I know this is a sensitive topic, but it is one we must teach our students about so they have the knowledge and the skills to make safe, healthy choices.

4th Grade Red Ribbon Week Lesson

Please read my previous post about the purpose of our Red Ribbon Week lessons before reading this post.

The PowerPoint presentation used for this lesson is posted to my website.  Please read below to learn more about the lesson in order to fully understand the PowerPoint presentation.

The lesson began with a game of "True, False, or It Depends".  Statements were displayed and students talked with their small group of 4-5 students about their thoughts on the statement.  After a minute or two, we had a class discussion about the statement.  We discussed the legality of each statement, the health risks associated with the statement, and answered a few questions students had.  We also watched a few videos that demonstrated the risks associated with various substances.  (You can view the videos by clicking on the Husky WILF dog in the top left hand corner of each slide of the PowerPoint.  If the video is a BrainPop video, please see your child's Husky pad for login information.)

After we discussed each statement, I posed the question "What is peer pressure?"  Students discussed this question in their groups,  In order to illustrate the concept of peer pressure, the students watched a clip from an episode of Full House in which Stephanie is offered a cigarette while in the 6th grade.  Students were asked to take note of the tactics the girls used to try to get Stephanie to smoke as well as the steps Stephanie took to get herself out of the situation.  (You can view the video by clicking on the yellow "Caution:  Peer Pressure" sign in the top left hand corner of the PowerPoint.)

We discussed the reasons why peer pressure works.  We discussed the fact that peer pressure does not only pertain to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.  Negative peer pressure occurs any time a peer tries to get you to do something that you do not want to do or that you know is not right such as calling someone a name, watching a movie you know you are not supposed to watch, playing a video game you know you are not supposed to play, etc.  We discussed effective strategies for dealing with peer pressure and students were given an opportunity to think about how they would deal with peer pressure in various situation.

Our lesson ended by discussing three of The 7 Habits of Happy Kids by Sean Covey.  Students were encouraged to discuss today's lesson with their parents and ask them any questions they may have on the topic.  Students were also reminded that I am available to discuss any concerns they  have on the topic and were reminded how to make an appointment to meet with me.

Thank you for your support of the school counseling program.  I know this is a sensitive topic, but it is one we must teach our students about so they have the knowledge and the skills to make safe, healthy choices.

Red Ribbon Week Lessons

During the month of October, the counselors on the Paine campus teach children about personal safety and the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.  Alabama Counseling Standard C states that "students will understand safety and survival skills."  Furthermore, the following indicators must be addressed during the elementary school years:

• PS:C1.7  Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices (Kindergarten-5th grades)
• PS:C1.8  Learn about the emotional and physical dangers of substance use and abuse (Kindergarten-5th grades)
• PS: C1.9  Learn how to cope with peer pressure (3rd-5th grades)

In order to address these standards, we choose to tie these lessons in to Red Ribbon Week, a national week dedicated to bringing awareness to the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.  The purpose of teaching these lessons is not to scare the students or cause worry or anxiety.  The purpose of teaching these lessons is to educate our students about the dangers of substance abuse and help them develop strategies for dealing with peer pressure of all kinds and saying no effectively.

I will post details of each lesson in separate posts.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Thank you for your continued support as we work together to help our children succeed in all areas of their lives!

Red Ribbon Week 2014

Red Ribbon Week

 Oct. 27^th - 31^st, 2014 

  Paine Intermediate

We are joining thousands of other schools across the USA in an effort to raise awareness about the dangers of using tobacco products, other drugs, and alcohol.  Throughout the month, counselors will conduct drug awareness lessons for all classes according to the state counseling standards, and then dress up days during this week will help emphasize awareness too..  Daily themes for the week revolve around PI’s focus on student leadership; “The Leader in Me is Drug Free!”

*Please note:  Since the Hewitt vs. Clay game was moved to Thursday, Oct. 30^th, we are switching the last 2 dress up days..  In support of our HT Huskies, we will now wear our Husky Spirit clothing on Thursday, and then the bright, neon colored clothing on Friday.  Thanks for your understanding!   

Monday- Hats Off to Being Drug Free!

Students are encouraged to wear hats/caps to kick off the week and to help show their commitment to being a drug free leader.

Tuesday- Don’t Let Drugs Erase Your Dreams!

Students are encouraged to wear appropriate pajamas to school to remind them that drugs can erase their future hopes and dreams.  Students must wear or bring tennis shoes for PE! 

Wednesday- Leaders are “Red-y” to Say No to Drugs!

Students are encouraged to wear red colored clothing to show their support for Red Ribbon Week as it is “National Wear Red Day.”  Remember, leaders stay drug free!

Thursday- These Paws Won’t Touch Drugs!

Students are encouraged to support our school team and wear their favorite Husky school spirit clothing to show that Paine Intermediate Husky Leaders will make smart choices and stay drug free. Go Huskies!

 Friday- My Future is Bright so I’m Staying Drug Free!

All students are encouraged to wear bright, neon colored clothing as they commit to make good choices and be drug free for their future.  

5th Grade Lesson - Conflict Resolution

During the month of September, fifth graders participated in a lesson on conflict resolution.  Through class discussion and watching a video entitled Solving Conflicts with Teachers, Parents, and Peers (Human Relations Media, Inc.), we determined that conflict is normal and is not always a bad thing as long as we handle it appropriately. We discussed how poor communication leads to conflict and misunderstanding.  This includes the words we say but also our actions and body language as well.  We discussed guildelines for talking it out effectively and how to apply the "Rules of Fair Play" to conflict situations.  We also discussed the fact that we are responsible for our own actions and reactions.  This is Habit 1 from The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, Be Proactive!

Selected slides from the PowerPoint presentation I used for this lesson are pictured below.  It is my hope that students remember the conflict resolution skills we discussed in this lesson and begin to apply them in their daily interactions at school and at home.

What do you see in the picture above?  Some students saw two faces looking at each other whereas others saw a table, candlestick, and birdbath. 

What do you see in the second picture?  Some students saw a lady's face whereas others saw a man playing a saxophone.  In life, we see things differently, just as we saw different things in the pictures above.

The lesson reinforced the fact that we cannot solve conflicts when we are angry.  We discussed taking time to calm down and think before we try to solve a conflict.  We also talked a lot about the use of "I" statements.  Instead of telling someone everything they did wrong in the situation, rephrase what  you want to say and tell them how you feel or how it appeared to you.  For example, instead of saying "You are mean because you left me sitting all by myself in the courtyard", say "I felt left out when you went to play with her in the courtyard.  I felt alone and upset because I didn't have anyone to talk to."  By rephrasing our statements, we are not accusing the other person of anything and we allow the other person to really see how we feel.

Thank you in advance for reinforcing these conflict resolution skills with your children.  We will continue to work on conflict resolution here at school and help the students learn to apply these skills in their everyday lives.

4th Grade Bullying Unit, Lesson 1

This school year fourth grade students will participate in a unit of study on bullying when they come to counseling class each  month.  I am using lessons and videos from The Bully Proof Kit put out by Human Relations Media.  During the month of September, students participated in the first lesson of the unit called "Are You A Bully?"  The objectives for this lesson are listed below.

• Identify common bullying behaviors
• Better understand why some people resort to bullying
• Distinguish between teasing and bullying
• Determine the types of bullying we have occurring at our school and when/where this bullying is taking place
• Identify one thing we can start doing NOW to treat others better

The lesson began with the students completing a pre-test on bullying to assess how much they know about what makes a bully a bully.  Next, students watched a video from The Bully Proof Kit entitled "Are You A Bully?"  During the video, students witnessed kids their age going through situations including being teased, being left out, having a rumor spread about them, and being intimidated or threatened by other children.  After each video segment, we discussed what was taking place in each situation, why the bully was acting that way, and how the child being treated unkindly felt.  The students realized that many of us are guilty of displaying bullying behaviors and we do not even realize it!

After the video concluded, students worked in groups to write a definition of bullying.  They also worked with other students to identify what kinds of bullying we have going on at Paine Intermediate and when/where the bullying at our school usually takes place.  They recorded their thoughts on their handout and turned the handout in to me at the end of class.  I will use these handouts to identify bullying situations in our school and will share the results with school administrators so we can work together to combat any issues going on at Paine Intermediate.

At the end of the lesson, all students were asked to answer the following question:  What is one thing you can start or stop doing today to treat others better?  I stressed the fact that all of us are not bullies, but we can all do something small each day to brighten someone's day and to make others feel valued.

The next lesson in our unit on bullying will be entitled "5 Ways to Stop A Bully".  This lesson will take place during the month of November.  In the meantime, if students feel that they are dealing with a bully, they should tell an adult immediately so we can help address the situation. I look forward to continue working with your children.  If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

September is Attendance Awareness Month!

September is Alabama Attendance Awareness Month!  Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.

We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school— regardless of the reason— it can cause them to fall behind academically.  Your child is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent and we know absences can add up quickly.  A child is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month!! Research shows that by 6^th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.  By 9^th grade, good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8^th grade test scores.  Clearly going to school regularly matters!

At Paine Intermediate, we want to help establish positive attendance habits for our students.   In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of attending school, we will recognize all students who achieve perfect attendance for the month of September.  Perfect attendance means being at school 100% of the month with no check-ins or check-outs!  All students who achieve perfect attendance, beginning September 2, will receive the following incentives: 

• Week of September 12: A pack of Smarties because Smarties come to school every day!  Students must be present 9/2-9/12 to receive this treat.
• Week of September 19:  Perfect Attendance pencils.  Students must be present 9/2-9/19 to receive a pencil.
• Week of September 26: Perfect Attendance paw print bracelets.  Students must be present 9/2-9/26 to receive a bracelet.
• September 30: Perfect Attendance certificates and classroom recognition.  Students must be present 9/2-9/30 to receive a certificate for a month of perfect attendance.

Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:

• Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Ensure your children go to school every day unless they are truly sick
• Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
• Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your children feel anxious about going to school.
• Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up.  Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.

Let us know how we can best support you and your children so that they can show up for school on time every day.   We want your child to be successful in school!

4th and 5th Grade Small Group Counseling

As part of the school counseling program, we offer small group counseling for students each year.  I typically offer one set of groups during the fall semester and another set of groups during the spring semester.  This semester, I would like to offer the groups listed below.  Please note, I may not have enough students to create a group on each topic below, but I will be glad to meet with your child one-on-one if needed.

• Divorce – This group is for students whose parents are currently going through a divorce or have divorced in the past year.  Dealing with the Problems of Divorce will focus on helping children develop plans of action to cope with the hurts of divorce, being “caught in the middle”, and other concerns regarding divorce.
• Grief of a Parent  – This group is for students who have lost a parent.  Students will learn coping strategies as well as talk to other kids who may be dealing with the same kinds of feelings regarding death.
• College Bound Siblings – This group is for students who are having a difficult time adjusting to a sibling going off to college or moving out of the home.
• Families Who Foster – This group is for children whose families foster children in their homes and would like to talk to other children who are experiencing the same thing.
• Family Additions – This group is for students who have added family members in the past 6 months or are in the process of adding a family member.  Additions to the family may include new babies or adopted siblings.
• Siblings with Special Needs – This group is for students who have a sibling with special needs.  By participating in the group, students will have a chance to talk to other children who have similar experiences as they have at home and learn how to cope with these special needs.
• Anger Management – This group is for students who need help learning how to manage and deal with angry feelings in an appropriate way.  Cool and In Control will focus not only on anger management skills but also provide additional skills to reduce the frustration and anger that may be caused by poor interpersonal skills and negative thinking.
• Fabulous Me – This group is for students who need help with self-esteem.  We will focus on personal strengths, managing negative thoughts, and building up the positives about ourselves. This group is for students who truly deal with self-esteem and positive self-concept.

If you are interested in your child participating in one of the groups above, please click here to complete the online referral form.  If you have any questions regarding small groups, please feel free to e-mail me at lauren.blake@trussvillecityschools.com or call me at 228-3387.

Club Day Overview and How to Make Selections Online

Our students at Paine Intermediate are excited about Club Day but parents might be asking themselves what in the world Club Day is!  Take a look at the pictures below from our PowerPoint presentation to learn more about this exciting opportunity for all of our students.

Information about Club Day was sent home and e-mailed to parents on Friday, August 22nd. If your child misplaced his or her form, you can print another one from my website by clicking here.

Instructions for Entering Club Choices Online
Click on your child's grade level below to enter their Club Day choices online. Remember, students need to turn their Club Day Selection Forms in to their homeroom teachers signed by a parent by Wednesday, August 27th.

Students will know what Club they are in by Tuesday, September 9th. If you have any questions, please let your child's teacher or Mrs. Blake know.

August Counseling Lesson

Fourth and fifth grade students participated in their first counseling lesson of the school year this week.  Swap classes came together to meet with me in the amphitheater for around 50 minutes to learn about me and my role as their school counselor.  Through listening to various song clips, students identified reasons they might want to talk to a school counselor.  They also learned how to make an appointment with me and how to know when it is their turn to come to my office.  In addition, each grade level participated in an activity to help them recognize that our words and actions have a lasting effect on others.  The activities for each grade level are summarized below.

4th Grade - The Wadded Paper Activity.  Each student was given a plain piece of white paper.  I explained that they were mad at the piece of paper and that they had 15 seconds to show the paper how mad they were.  Students showed the paper how mad they were by crumpling it up, stomping on it, and even yelling at and talking to the paper.  After 15 seconds, I told the students that they were no longer mad at the paper and they had to smooth the paper out and make it look exactly like it did when I gave it to them.  The students were given time to try to straighten out the paper, but they could not make the crumpled up papers look new again.  We discussed the fact that the paper they were given represents a person's heart.  The things we do and say to people leave wrinkles in people's hearts.  We can't make the wrinkles go away on the paper by telling the paper we are sorry.  This is true of the wrinkles in people's hearts, too.  People may forgive us, but we can never take back the things we do or say.  We discussed the acronym THINK (pictured below courtesy of Technology Rocks) and the students were reminded that they are in charge of their legacies and of the choices they make.

5th Grade - Kid President Video "20 Things We Should Say More Often".  We reviewed the Wadded Paper Activity (described above) from last year and discussed the fact that the things we do and say to people leave a lasting impression.  We can choose to be kind or choose to be unkind.  We watched the Kid President Video "20 Things We Should Say More Often".  As we watched, I paused the video and we talked about the underlying ideas behind the "surprise corn dogs" and the "BBQ sauce on someone's shirt" to make sure the students understood the meaning behind these analogies.  The students were reminded that their words and actions make a difference in the lives of others.  We reviewed the acronym THINK (pictured above courtesy of Technology Rocks) and the students were reminded that they are in charge of their legacies and of the choices they make.

You can view the PowerPoint I used for this month's lesson by clicking here.

Thank you for your support of the counseling program at Paine Intermediate.  If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me via e-mail (lauren.blake@trussvillecityschools.com) or you call me at 228-3387.  Thank you for sharing your children with me!

Explanation of Counseling Program

We are off to a great start here at Paine Intermediate!  My name is Lauren Blake and I am the 4^th and 5^th grade school guidance counselor.  I am excited to be your child’s counselor and look forward to working with the students in various settings this year.  Below you will find a summary of my role at Paine Intermediate and how I will be working with your child.

Whole Group Guidance Lessons – Fourth and fifth grade classes will join me in the amphitheater monthly where they will participate in lessons on such topics as character traits, feelings and emotions, peer relationships, friendships, study habits, career awareness, communication skills, and decision making.  The lessons are engaging, interactive, and informative and are meant to help students become more successful in all areas of their daily life.

Small Peer Groups – Throughout the school year, I will be conducting small groups on a variety of topics such as dealing with anger, school success, behavior/self-control, divorce, grief, and self-esteem.  With parent permission, these groups meet weekly for 6-8 sessions.  During this time, students have discussions and participate in a variety of activities to develop the skills and strategies needed to help them become more successful personally, socially, and academically.  Groups offered vary as it depends on the needs of the students at Paine Intermediate.  Teachers and parents may recommend students for these small groups.  In addition, students can choose to participate in a Lunch Bunch when available.  During a Lunch Bunch, groups of students eat lunch with the counselor and talk about things relevant to their lives including broad topics such as friendship, homework, conflict resolution, concerns they have about school, etc. These groups are more informal and do not require parent permission.  

One-on-One Counseling Appointments – I am available throughout the school day to meet with students on a one-on-one basis and discuss any concerns they may have.  Students may schedule an appointment with me by completing an Appointment Request Form.  These forms can be obtained from their classroom teacher or from the basket outside my office.  There is also an online form students may access by visiting my school website.  Parents may also contact me and request that I meet with their student using the contact information provided below.

A peek into my office space!

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your 4^th or 5^th grader, please feel free to call me at 228-3387 or e-mail me at lauren.blake@trussvillecityschools.com.  I look forward to a great year!