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Counseling Lesson Units

Ms. Hodgkiss and Mrs. Polsinelli will visit each classroom every other week for a 30 minute counseling lesson. These lessons cover a variety of topics (i.e., bullying prevention, empathy, emotion management, etc.). This year, we are using social-emotional curriculums Harmony SEL and SecondStep in our lessons. Please see below for more information.

Please contact natalie.hodgkiss2@apsva.us with any questions.


Counseling Lesson Units

Zones of Regulation Communicating with Each Other
Bullying Prevention Learning From Each Other
Child Protection Unit Career Awareness
Being My Best Self Mental Health Awareness Month
Valuing Each Other Resources


Zones of Regulation

The Zones of Regulation program is being used in all classrooms at Campbell as a universal language for identifying how we are feeling, and what strategies would be most helpful for us in managing those feelings.

There are four zones.  Each zone reflects how someone is feeling and their level of energy (e.g. too low, too high). While none of the zones are “good” or “bad”, students are most available for learning when they are in the Green zone.

In the first counseling unit of the school year, students learn to identify the face and body clues associated with each zone and talk about how peers and teachers might feel/react when they see someone in each zone.  Older students generate a “toolbox” of strategies they could use when they were in the Blue, Yellow, or Red zones so they could get back to the Green zone and be available for learning.

Please consider using Zones vocabulary at home and ask your child what strategies they can use to increase their energy, decrease their energy, and calm themselves down when they’re upset.

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Bullying Prevention

In our Bullying Prevention unit, Campbell students learn how to Recognize, Report, and Refuse Bullying. We also learn about being Upstanders.

Recognize

Bullying hurts someone’s body, feelings or belongings; it happens on purpose; it is unfair or one-sided; it happens more than once; and we are unable to get it to stop.

Report

When we recognize bullying is happening, we must report it to a caring and trusted adult. When we report bullying, we try to use an assertive voice that is clear, serious, and respectful. In our Bullying Prevention Unit, all students are asked to identify caring and trusted adults in the Campbell community who they could report bullying to.

Refuse

Both Upstanders and anyone who is experiencing bullying can refuse bullying by telling the bully or bullies to stop using an assertive voice.

Upstanders

Through the No Place for Hate Program, Campbell students take a pledge every year to be Upstanders to bullying. Upstanders take responsibility for preventing and stopping bullying in their community. When they recognize an unsafe or unkind situation is happening, they can support the person experiencing the unsafe or unkind behavior by reporting it to an adult, refusing the bullying, and checking in on the victim. Upstanders understand that we all have a responsibility to keep Campbell a safe and welcoming community for everyone.

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Child Protection Unit

The Child Protection Unit includes one grade level specific lesson in Kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms. Campbell students learn ways to help them decide if something is safe or not: specifically, about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches, and rules about touching private body parts (we define this to students as the area covered by swimsuits). They also learn to say no to unsafe or unwanted touches, and to tell an adult if someone breaks rules about touching private body parts. Students also practice asking an adult for help, telling an adult about an unsafe situation, and being assertive to get out of unsafe situations.

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Being My Best Self

In this unit, students learn about who they are and their interests through Harmony SEL created lessons. They learn to identify feelings, regulate their emotions, engage in optimistic and helpful self-talk, and develop a growth mindset.  This unit ties in nicely with the ideals and values captured in The Campbell Way, reflecting Campbell Way principles “I reflect,” and “I try.”

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Valuing Each Other

In this Harmony SEL unit, students learn how to recognize and appreciate other people’s emotions (practicing empathy). Students will also practice perspective taking and reflect on the value of different lived experiences, resulting in learning how to support each other in helpful ways. This unit supports Campbell’s mission statement of embracing and celebrating the diversity of our school community.

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Communicating with Each Other

In this Harmony SEL unit, students will learn and practice social skills related to communication, including non-verbal cues, conversation skills, active listening and appropriately responding. Communication skills are an important part of developing teamwork and collaboration abilities, are reflected in the Campbell Way principles “I Cooperate,” and “I Respect.”

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Learning from Each Other

In this Harmony SEL unit, students learn the importance of learning from each other and the world around them. They learn constructive ways to approach and resolve conflict, how to make amends for mistakes, and how to have healthy relationships with peers, family, school staff, and others in their lives. Relationship building skills are a crucial component of child development, and are reflected in the Campbell Way principles “I Cooperate,” “I Respect,” and “I Serve.”

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Career Awareness

In the counseling unit on Careers, students use the Virginia Wizard platform:

  • Learn that people have jobs and a variety of jobs exist through learning about Career Clusters.
  • Learn that people dream about getting certain jobs.
  • Learn about jobs people do at our school.
  • Learn about jobs people do in our community.
  • Learn about their personal values and skills that may influence job choice in the future.

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Mental Health Awareness Month: May 2023

Students learn about various ways to maintain mental wellness, such as establishing habits, getting plenty of sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, getting exercise, going outside, socializing with friends, and practicing self-care and mindfulness.

Students in older grades also learn about how to recognize when they need support or help with their mental health and wellness. In the 2023-2024 school year, this unit will be supplemented with lessons from the Riding the Waves curriculum.

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Resources

If you would like more information about the various curriculums we will use in counseling lessons this year, please click the links below.

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Disclaimer: This page contains links to websites that are outside of the Arlington Public School network. APS does not control the content or relevancy of these links.