Our focus for week 3 is a continuation on feelings/empathy with a focus on friendship skills and conflict resolution.
Our focus skills this week are:
Self-control: being able to wait for what they want, using words to express their feelings rather than acting disruptively or misbehaving, giving others a turn with toys.
Welcoming: being able to approach and respond to others positively (eg with a smile and greeting such as ‘hello’).
Consideration: being able to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, taking turns, being able to lead and follow what others want to do, being able to cooperate and share.
Play skills: being willing to take part in games and make suggestions for play.
Communicating: talking and listening to others in a friendly way, saying something to start a conversation.
Helping: being willing to help others.
Prediction: being able to understand how others might be feeling based on their behavior, being able to predict how their behavior might affect others.
Thinking: such as about alternatives when things go wrong (eg if other children want to play something different, thinking of whether to join them or find someone else to play with).
Coping: being able to respond to rejection, disappointment or disapproval without experiencing too much distress or winning without gloating.
Empathy: being able to respond to others’ feelings with understanding.
Flexibility: being open to hearing or learning about other points of view or ways of doing things
Ways skills are incorporated in the classroom:
-Continuing with using words to describe feelings
-Taking turns/sharing
-Including other's ideas in play
-Recognizing own and other's emotions
-Discussing rules, making up rules for play, and what happens when someone breaks the rules.
-Helping students say how they feel using emotions and feelings reviewed last week
-Encouraging students to use words rather than actions
-Discussing how some words are hurtful
-Encouraging problem solving by asking "How can you make this right" or "what would you like to happen" and supporting students as they develop and practice skills.