Here we are at the end of April and the late spring events on the calendar are approaching! The same holds true for the counseling program here at Pembroke Hill Middle School.
5th grade
I've finished quickly interviewing each 5th grade student. The 5th graders were so much fun to talk with! They are excited and ready for middle school -- and we are ready for them! Additionally I've been able to meet with the boys to discuss bullying and will do so with the girls this Friday afternoon (unless we need the May Day rain out date). The boys watched and discussed the following video:
http://www.wimp.com/simplething/. Then we talked about the impact of bullying on those targeted, those doing the bullying and those going to school where others are involved in bullying. We also focused on how the young man in the video made a positive choice in response and how that impacted his school community. The boys were engaged and thoughtful in the conversation. We finished by having the boys judge a recent middle school advisory LEGO building contest. They got a sneak peek at some of the fun we have in advisory across the creek :) Girls will be participating in an inclusion/exclusion conversation and writing their own personal "Friendship Bill of Rights." Thos will be coming home with them Friday afternoon, so asking to see that and talking it over is a great follow-up for parents!
For follow-up at home with boys: Ask your son what he remembers most about the video and why he thinks that is what sticks out to him. Or ask him why he thinks this particular video was chosen to show thee 5th grade boys.
6th grade
6th graders were pioneers for me recently! Together we tried a new app called Nearpod - which puts the presentation from the large screen right on their iPad. Students could answer questions, submit drawings and interact with the presentation right from the app. (This also helps with sunshine glare in the commons on the screen!) The focus of the lesson was about passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive behaviors. We defined each of these types of responses and talked about how to be assertive, as well as when it might be necessary to be assertive. This lesson is a lead in to many of the peer pressure conversations that will be a part of the 7th and 8th grade curriculum. Students were taught power poses to help boost their own assertiveness and confidence before an important conversation or event. To read more about this strategy, click here: http://jamesclear.com/body-language-how-to-be-confident
For follow-up at home: Which power pose did you hold during the lesson? Did you like it - why or why not? Why do you think this could be helpful for someone before a big event or important conversation?
7th grade
7th graders have had two different Wellness topics recently. First, the students broke into gender specific groups to hear from speakers regarding healthy body image, eating habits, physical fitness and eating disorders. The girls spoke with two local therapists who specialize in body image and eating disorder treatment, Dr. Wendy Eaves and Paula Antonacci, RDN, LD. The boys worked with Pembroke Hill's own weight room coach, Sam McGriff. We have heard your feedback that this topic was much needed for the boys as well, and we agreed, and Coach McGriff was very glad to help us out! Both genders discussed how media, gender-stereotypes and peer pressure can make us feel as though we should look a certain way and how that can influence our food and exercise choices. A healthy, balanced diet was defined and explained for both groups as well.
I was also able to meet with the 7th grade to follow up on the concept of peer pressure. The students were divided into groups that formed friendship "cliques." Each clique was asked to make up a secret handshake and password. After this, one group was asked to divide up and try to join other groups, while those other groups were given instructions about how much to include their peers who tried to join. This led to a discussion about exclusion, but also about the importance of a sense of belonging and how we have an innate need to belong. Because belonging is important to our well-being, we might be tempted to make choices that compromise of our integrity to fit in, and so to help students understand this point, we read an article from Junior Scholastic (many thanks to Mr. O'Connell for sharing with me!) about teens and peer-pressure.
7th grade will have their final lesson in the peer pressure/healthy choices series in May when First Call, a local organization focused on substance abuse prevention, visits with them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
For follow up at home: Ask your child what kind of peer-pressures they might face in 8th grade that they have not yet faced in 7th? How did they handle any pressures in 7th grade and would they do the same thing in future? Why or why not?
8th grade
8th grader spring Wellness follows closely the framework for 7th grade Wellness. Our 8th grade students have also had gender specific body image and eating disorders awareness lessons. The boys met with Coach McGriff, just as the 7th grade boys did, to talk about media and stereotypes and their influence on body image for teen boys. Supplements, work-out myths and eating disorders were specifically addressed. Girls met with Dr. Kim Kato of Walden University, who has worked with our 8th grade girls in year's past as well. Dr. Kato discusses the importance of a healthy balanced diet, and what it means to have an eating disorder with students as well. She also includes media and advertising influence, as well as societal gender expectations.
Tomorrow, our 8th graders will hear from a former Pembroke Hill student about her personal experience with drinking and drug use as she transitioned from 8th to 9th grade. Kate White does a phenomenal job highlighting the very normal and socially acceptable reasons she began to participate in a party lifestyle, and the very real negative impacts that had for her.
Additionally, 8th graders will be visiting with pharmacists from CVS next week about prescription and over the counter medications. This presentation will include information regarding appropriate use of these medications, as well as mis-use and abuse.
For follow-up at home: Ask your child, why do you think your school is talking to you about drugs and alcohol at this time of year? Why would they have a former student share such a personal story? What is your plan when it comes to parties with alcohol and/or drugs in high school?
