You're awake. You're awesome. Live like it.

Heidi Ho friendly bloggers!

As our month focusing on KINDNESS comes to an end, I realized there is someone I think you should meet.  I met him several months ago and he has had a BIG impact on the Cookie Monster room.  So, without further ado, I introduce....

found on: http://www.rantlifestyle.com/2014/01/29/20-reasons-kid-president-better-president-obama/

Kid President.  This kid rocks, literally.  He is kind and insightful and he truly wants everyone to be the best they can be.  Look him up on YouTube!  Then find him on facebook, twitter, and instagram!

Kid President has been teaching the Cookie Monster kiddos a lot, especially about Kindness and how to treat others.  So far, we have learned 20 things we should say more often, how to change the world, and how to be good gift givers.

Here are some things we have learned from KP in his most recent video "A Letter To A Person On Their First Day Here":

• The world is about kindness and caring
• Food is delicious
• Hugs & Smiles & Kisses are Great!
• It's OK to make mistakes
• Be a bucket filler, not a bucket dipper
• Sometimes people are nice, and sometimes they aren't
• The world is awesome & so are you!

P.S. If you want more inspiring, uplifting, or just plain laugh out loud videos check out Kid President's YouTube channel, Soul Pancake!


Kristina

Book Review!

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day!

To celebrate this lovely upcoming holiday, I invested in some book love over the weekend.  A trip to Barnes & Noble never fails to brighten my mood, spark my creativity, and fill my bucket.  And speaking of buckets...my mission in this big, book-loving store was to find books and other tools for teaching empathy.  Good News: I hit the jack-pot!  

Here's a preview of my finds...

• "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" is a fabulous book by Carol McCloud.  Several schools in our district use this book to encourage positive behavior school wide.  At Hedges, several different classes also utilize this book to teach kids about being a "bucket filler" and a "bucket dipper."  We have already utilized this book in the Cookie Monster room by practicing how to be a "bucket filler."  This week we are practicing saying one kind thing to each member of the group before ending group.  I have heard tough third grade boys say the kindest things this week, and that sure fills my bucket!

• "Stand in My Shoes" by Bob Sornson is a grrrr-eat book to introduce empathy.  I've had my eye on Stand in My Shoes for quite some time.  In a previous job, I was trained in Parenting with Love and Logic.  I think this method is a great tool to use as a parent, teacher, or school counselor.  The entire method of Parenting with Love and Logic is based on...EMPATHY!  So what better way to explain empathy to elementary learners than with a Love & Logic book written just for them? I'm excited to share this book with the Cookie Monster kiddos and become Empathy Explorers!

• "How to be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them" by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown is another fabulous book I added to our collection over the weekend.  What I love about this book: it goes over every aspect of a friendship- from compromising on activities, to handling arguments, to ways to be and not to be a friend.  I'll have more on this book soon...our second graders are working hard on this subject and they have some great ideas on "How to be a Friend."  If you want a quick activity for this book now, check out this post by Scrapbook of a School Counselor!

This last book was a special one just for me.  "The Whole Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind" by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.  If you haven't discovered the wisdom of Dan Siegel, follow the link, I promise you won't regret it. So far in this book, I'm loving the "strategy" sections.  The information is simple but effective and easily shared with families and children.  This is a great book for elementary age kiddos, he has another book titled Brainstorm for insight into the adolescent brain.  I highly recommend both books!  

Kristina

Ever Feel Like You Want to Wreck-It?

Greetings from the Cookie Monster Room!

Before all the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, I shared a little about a program we were utilizing called How Does Your Engine Run? The month of December is busy, busy, busy around Hedges.  Keeping this in mind, Kelly and I decided to try something new...movie viewing!  I specifically chose the movie to fit with our small group discussions about How Does Your Engine Run?  During these discussions, our groups focused a lot on how Anger makes an engine rev and run a little high.  We talked about what happens to our body- mind, heart, and breath- when we become angry.  Most of the kids were able to identify having physical reactions to anger.

During this time, I introduced, or reintroduced, the groups to someone who struggles with physical aggression.  Some of you might know him as...Wreck-It Ralph!  Throughout the movie, the groups were able to identify when Ralph's engine was running high, low, and just right.  

By using an external example, the kids were able to engage in discussions about how to help Ralph use his coping skills.  The best part?  One of our Kindergarten teachers donated an actual Wreck-It Ralph doll...and yes, he can wreck-it!  During groups, the kids taught Ralph how to take deep breaths, use his words, and take some space.  

I created a few other activities to go along with the movie and posted them in Google docs. We utilized the "wreck-it" worksheet to draw a picture of time we wrecked something when upset, then we talked about what we wanted to do instead.  Using the "fix-it" worksheet, we shared how we might fix the thing we wrecked- whether it was an actual thing (my brother's game) or a relationship (saying "I'm sorry" to my brother).

I'm not sure if the cookie monster kids or their cookie monster counselor enjoyed the movie more.  But I do know it was a fun, effective tool to utilize when everyone's attention was stretched a little thin.  


Thanks Disney Pixar for another great film!

Kristina

Hap-Hap-Happy New Year!

hApPy NeW yEaR from the Cookie Monster room!

I hope this new year brings fresh inspiration, strengthened supports, and hearts full of Joy~

Kristina

Happy Ho-ho-holidays!

Wow, it has certainly been a busy, busy year at Hedges Elementary School.  I honestly blinked and its Christmas time already!  Among all the holidays and celebrations, I've found a (little) time to make this season bright...

...at home anyways!

This has been a busy time of year around the school, especially the Cookie Monster room!  I have lots to share and hope to get back to busy blogging in the new year.  In the mean time, I wish you all a very Happy Holiday, whichever you recognize and celebrate!

Kristina

How Does YOUR Engine Run?

Well, winter has been making it first appearances in Montana…

After our month of brain activity, pun intended, we are zooming on, also pun intended, to (drum roll please)...How Does Your Engine Run?

The Alert Program's How Does Your Engine Run? Is a great tool to use when working with just about any kiddo.  The program can be utilized in almost any setting- classroom, occupational therapy, and mental health counseling.  Check out their website for more info! We are just starting our engines....

But I have high hopes for utilizing this program.  Check back for more after the holidays!

Kristina

Music to My Ears

Okay counseling (and other) friends, lets try something!  Wherever you are reading this, sit up in your seat.  Close your eyes.  And think about a song.  Any song, but specifically one that draws a strong physical response.  What do you feel like when you hear this song...ecstatic, contentment, sorrow?  For me, at the moment, that song is Katy Perry's Roar.  I feel this song all the way down to my toes and I belt it out loud in my car most days on the way home.  It perks me up and helps me melt away a long day in a matter of minutes.  It makes me feel powerful...like the eye of the tiger ;-)

Now, let's think about that.  You just simply recalled a song and thought about how it made you feel.  Imagine harnessing that power for good.  A post or two ago I shared we begin each group with relaxation.  An integral part of our deep breathing exercises is the new-fangled app called Spotify.

Spotify is an app you can download on your desktop computer, your laptop, your iPad, or even your iPhone or android device.  It is similar to Pandora, but with MUCH more versatility.  Basically its the most user friendly music player you will ever encounter.  The best part, the basic edition is totally FREE!  That means, for FREE, you can download this application to your computer and listen to almost any music you want, anytime.  For the music lover (me, me!) this is the best invention since sliced bread.  

Getting back to small groups...Kelly and I utilize spotify by creating "kid friendly" playlists.  These playlists are composed of soothing, quiet instrumental tracks.  These instrumental tunes go a long way in "setting the mood" for relaxation.  And the group that follows, as we often play soft music throughout all our groups.

If you enjoyed my PSA for Spotify, great!  If you are like me and take most gushing reviews with a grain of salt, get ready for my next sentence.  WARNING: explicit ads will be aired on any and all basic editions!!!  What does this mean for unsuspecting school counselors?  This means, that in the middle of your first grade small group while everyone is beginning to have a calm body, Kanye West will start dropping swear words at a loud decibel.  Not cool.  

GOOD NEWS: you can get rid of these ads!  You can upgrade your Spotify to an ad free edition for $4.99 per month.  To me, it is totally worth the price tag.  You can even downgrade your subscription during the summer months!

Here a few of the albums I utilize to guide our relaxation exercises:

• Calm Children Collection: Piano Music for Naptime
• Calm Children Collection: Piano Music for Reading
• Baby Music: 100% Organic Acoustic Lullabies

And for the girls' group:

• Fred Molin: Princess Lullaby (Disney Princess edition!)

In case you aren't a fan of the digital download generation, you can get most of these titles from Amazon.  Those are just a few examples of the calm tunes we listen to in the cookie monster room.  Do any of you utilize music during small groups?  I would LOVE more music suggestions!

Lastly, we finally got a poster up for Bully Prevention Month:

Kristina