Author: PCSB

Counseling Connection

ORANGE GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

Volume 6, Issue 1

September/October 2015

Learning to Be Responsible

Inside this Issue

Learning responsibility is an important part of growing up. As each year passes, students are responsible for more and more things. Most students are able to understand how to be responsible. They know to do what they are supposed to do, clean up after themselves, finish and turn in work. They won’t do this all the time, but they know what is expected and are often able to do it.
One facet of responsibility that can be very difficult for most children (and sometimes adults) to understand is not being responsible, but rather taking responsibility for their actions. It can be very difficult for children to think about what happened and understand that it was their own choices and decisions and not someone else’s. Often, the first instinct is to keep themselves out of trouble or deny wrongdoing by finding the easiest person/thing to blame. As parents, we want to teach our children not to do that. We want them to understand that they are in control of their words and actions and it’s their choices that cause them to do things, both good and bad. Here are some tips for helping your child learn this:
Help them make the connection - Talk about cause and effect. Use real-life examples to show the link between actions and consequences. You could say “Because you didn’t do your chores, you didn’t earn your allowance.” Examples don’t always have to be negative. You could also say “Because you worked hard on your project, you earned a good grade.” Let your child get in on it too. Ask them what would happen if you decided not to stop and put gas in the car. When you see a potential for misbehavior, try to talk to you child about what choices he can make, and what would happen with each of those choices.
Make it okay to admit to mistakes - Kids blame others to stay out of trouble or to keep from being to one who is wrong (thereby disappointing you or themselves). Of course, bad choices have consequences and you want to be consistent with those consequences. But approaching your child’s wrongdoing in a calm way will make them more likely to admit when they are wrong. They won’t feel as though they need to hide what they’ve done because they know that while they may still get in trouble, they can trust your reaction and know they still have your support.
Don’t Fall For Old Excuses - How many times have you heard “She told me to” or “He did it first.” Those excuses are probably as old as time, but they still don’t excuse our actions. When I talk to students about responsibility, I always ask them to raise their hands if they have their own brain. Most of them raise their hands, so I tell them that they have the ability to think for themselves. They don’t need a friend or classmate to tell them what to do. If someone else is telling them to do something, they need to think first, decide if it’s a good choice, and then act. Give your kids the credit they deserve for knowing right from wrong and how to think for themselves.
Do As I Do - Remember to model accepting responsibility for your own mistakes. Even as adults, we don’t always like to own up to things. But our kids need to see us do that. Show them that you make mistakes just like everyone else. Teach them through your actions to admit to mistakes using self-control, learn from them, and try to fix what you can. Your child watches you so make sure you’re doing what you want them to do.

Responsibility

Meet the Counselor

Upcoming Events

Welcome to my first newsletter of the year. My name is Stacey White and I’m the School Counselor at OGE. As School Counselor, I work with students and families in many different ways:
Teach monthly character lessons in each class, based on our character trait of the month
Lead small group counseling when children have similar concerns (anger management, self-esteem, divorce, social, skills, etc.)
Counsel individual students as needed
Coordinate referrals to help families receive assistance (counseling, food, clothing, etc.)
Coordinate our Healthy Habits program
Coordinate the Bring Up Grades (BUGs) program
Consult with school staff and parents to meet the needs of students, academically and behaviorally
Please let me know if I can be of assistance to your child or family through counseling or other resources. You can reach me at whitesta@pcsb.org or 547-7845.

Red Ribbon Week	Oct 26-30
Healthy Habits	October 26

Counseling Connection

Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week will be celebrated at Orange Grove and around the world during the week of October 26th through October 30th. Red Ribbon Week is a time when we focus on making smart choices for healthy minds and bodies and staying away from things that hurt us, like drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The theme this year is “Respect Yourself. Be Drug Free.”
During this week, we will have several activities including themed dress up days, morning announcements from the Multicultural Club, writing focused around the theme, and red foods in the cafeteria.
Students love dressing up for our theme days and we hope everyone participates. The following is a schedule of our dress-up days:
Monday — Sock It To Drugs - Wear crazy/mismatched socks.
Tuesday— Don’t Let Drugs Mix You Up—Wear mismatched clothes
Wednesday —Team Up Against Drugs - Wear a team jersey or shirt
Thursday— Follow Your Dreams, Don’t Do Drugs— Wear pajamas (no slippers!)
Friday—Red Ribbon Celebration Day—Wear red clothes
Please remember when your child dresses up, we still have to follow the PCS dress codes and wear safe shoes for school.

Use cooperation to make a big job easier!

Cooperation

The character trait for October is cooperation - getting along and working together to accomplish a goal. Students are often more familiar with the term teamwork, a synonym of cooperation. We talk use these words together and discuss their benefits.
In Kindergarten/1st grade, we read a great book (The Giant Jam Sandwich, by John Vernon Lord) that has examples of cooperation on every page. Afterwards, students get a chance to practice cooperation with an activity that uses teamwork.
In 2nd/3rd, after discussing the importance of cooperation, students split into teams and work together in a variety of challenges. To do well, they have to cooperate and (as many have noticed) get along.
4th and 5th grade works in small groups and practices cooperation by solving puzzles together. They learn about the advantage of good communication as Round 1 is done in silence and in Round 2 they are able to talk .

Respect and Responsibility

In September, we started off the year talking about Respect (treating yourself and others with courtesy and consideration) and Responsibility (doing your best and taking ownership for your words and actions).
Kindergarten and 1st grade talked about our different feelings, recognizing those feelings in others, and how different things make us feel.
In 2nd-5th grade, lessons centered around how to handle situations when someone is being disrespectful to you or others around you. We read a couple of great books about handling hurtful words and actions and also things we might do that can be hurtful. We discussed the difference between conflict, mean moments, and bullying. We also talked about the important role of those who witness hurtful teasing or bullying and the importance of trying to help in some way, either by speaking up to the disrespectful person, getting the victim away, or going to an adult.

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Volume 6, Issue 1

Orange Grove School-wide Expectations/Guidelines for Success

Character education is an important part of Orange Grove Elementary. Every month I visit each classroom and lead a lesson on our character trait of the month—respect, responsibility, citizenship, kindness, tolerance, self-motivation, honesty, caring, and self-control. Orange Grove has four character traits that we call our School-Wide Expectations. These are traits that we expect of all students, staff, and visitors in all parts of our campus. All of our other character traits can be linked to these four traits.
Respect—Treating yourself and others with courtesy and consideration. Be kind, treat others the way you want to be treated, and think of others’ feelings before you speak or act.
Responsibility—Doing your best and taking ownership for your words and actions. Do your job and don’t blame others for your choices.
Honesty—Using truthful speech and behavior. Make sure the things you say and do let people know you can be trusted.
Self-Motivation—Working in a careful and consistent manner without giving up. Use hard work, perseverance, and persistence.

Respect
Responsibility
Honesty
Self-Motivation

Story Suggestions

Get Organized Without Losing It, Janet S. Fox. A funny book from the Laugh and Learn series for older students. Kids will crack up while reading about steps they can take to become a more organized student at school and home.
By Mouse and Frog, by Deborah Freedman. This book is about a mouse who wants to write a story, a frog who tries to help out, and the difficulty they have agreeing until they decide to work together and compromise.
My Mouth Is A Volcano, by Julia Cook. Julia Cook is a children’s author who has written many books that teach character. This book teaches children the importance of being respectful by listening and waiting for their turn to speak. If you notice that your child has a habit of interrupting, this would be a great book to share with them.

Choose a book to read with your child and talk about character.

Character Quotes - Talk about what these quotes mean to you

“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.”
- H.E. Luccock
“Treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned, not given.”
- Hussein Nishah
“It is a fact that in the right formation, the lifting power of many wings can achieve twice the distance of any bird flying alone.”
- Author Unknown
“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.”
- Author Unknown
“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me...All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
- Jackie Robinson
“’I must do something’ always solves more problems than “Something must be done.’”
- Author Unknown

“The time is always right to do what is right.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr

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Orange Grove Elementary—Pick of the Crop!

PCS

Orange Grove Elementary
10300 65th Avenue North
Seminole, FL 33772

Phone: 727-547-7845
Fax: 727-547-7505
E-mail: whitesta@pcsb.org

Pinellas County School Counselors Vision
The vision of Pinellas County counselors is for all students to graduate empowered with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve academic, personal/social, and career success, and be inspired to reach their full potential as respectful, responsible citizens.
Pinellas County School Counselors Mission Statement
As student advocates, Professional School Counselors provide a comprehensive program that promotes student success through a focus on academic achievement, social/personal/emotional and career development.

“Nothing will ever change while you point the finger of blame. Out of responsibility comes possibility.”
- Lisa Villa Prosen

Learning to Be Responsible

Red Ribbon Week
2
Cooperation
2
Respect and Responsibility
2
School-wide Expectations
3
Story Suggestions
3
Character Quotes
3
Learning to Be Responsible (cont.)
4

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