GUIDANCE NEWS If you have a son or daughter in sixth grade, I hope s/he has been asking you about some of the important events of the last century. As part of our Making Peace Where I Live Program and Ms. Bebo-Long’s social studies curriculum, we’re looking at what has happened in the last century, including important world events, inventions and technological advances, social movements, as well as cultural and the arts. After we have a pretty good idea of what has happened in the last century, we’ll start considering what we would like the next century to be like. We’re more likely to achieve those goals if we know what they are and work actively to achieve them. Later this spring, we’ll invite some community members in to talk with us about what they do to make the world a better place. In third grade, we’re learning about anger management, using the Second Step Program. The process taught through this program encourages children to: 1. Stop and think. Ask yourself how your body feels. 2. Try to calm down, by taking deep breaths, counting backward slowly, thinking calming thoughts, talking oneself in a calming and encouraging manner. 3. Think out loud about how to solve the problem. 4. Later, ask yourself: Why was I angry? What did I do? What worked and didn’t work? What would I do differently? Did I handle myself well? I’m still reading to the kindergarten and FanS children weekly. In kindergarten I’m trying to find as many books as I can that address feelings, and thanks to Ms. Welch, I’ve found several. For younger children, being aware of and able to label feelings is an important first step to emotional health. Once children can identify their feelings, they can become better at managing them in constructive ways. Despite the predicted snowstorm, the robins are back, crocuses are up, and I might have heard a wood frog or two last night. Nothing like spring for a little boost in mental health!