Throughout the year I offer small groups as an optional service for students who might need some additional support in certain areas. These groups focus on specific issues and consist of students in the same grade with similar concerns. Groups meet for 30 minutes once a week during the school day and usually go for about 6-8 weeks. If you would like to refer your child to a group, please share your concerns with me and give me their name. I keep a waiting list, and start groups when I have at least four students in the same grade/developmental level.
Newcomers
Social Skills/Friendship
All grades
Communication and relationship skills.
Friendship making and maintaining skills.
Self-awareness about interactions with others.
Practice turn-taking and conversational skills.
Changing Families/Banana Splits
All grades
Identification and healthy expression of feelings
Coping strategies and stress reduction
Focusing on family strengths and support systems
Finding comfort in others with similar experiences
Smart Choices/Keep Your Cool (anger management)
All grades
Identifying anger triggers and healthy anger reduction.
Understanding how anger affects each person individually.
Self-awareness about interactions with others.
Understanding/expressing feelings.
ADD Success/What’s Up?
All grades
Understanding ADD and how it affects each person individually.
Self-esteem and the positive side of having ADD.
Self-advocacy and self-accommodating with ADD.
Studying and organization tips.
Girls World
4-6 grades
As needed throughout the year
Helps girls learn how to have healthy and positive interactions with others.
Designed to raise awareness, develop empathy, build self-esteem, teach healthy conflict resolution, explore feelings and promote positive change in female relationships.
Learning to Learn Group
All grades
This is a good group for students who are struggling academically and with self-esteem.
Learn about learning style and self-accommodations (LD or not)
Build self-esteem and confidence
I have also done a variation on this group - Transition Group for 6th graders at the end of the year.
Lego Club
K/1, 5/6 grades
Lego Club is for students who enjoy legos and need a little extra support and guidance at school.
Kindergarteners and 1st graders who are interested in legos and struggle either socially, behaviorally or with self confidence are good candidates for the Lego Club.
Several 5th and 6th graders help out as mentors. They are also interested in legos, are good with the little ones, and struggle with self-confidence.
There is a strong teamwork component to this group.
Lunch Bunch
3-6th grades
As needed throughout the year.
Informal friendship group
Students learn social skills through real life experiences and teachable moments that arise during lunch activities.