​Social Learning
 
Much of our social curriculum is based on the Responsive Classroom model, which includes Morning Meeting, Guided Discovery, Logical Consequences and Academic Choice

This year we will also participate in Counselor Connections every other Tuesday with our school Counselor Kristen Woodworth.
She will be using a program called Kelso's Choice, a leading tool for teaching conflict management skills to k-5th grade.
  The Haven Safe Kids Program also visits our school. 
 
We start each day with a classroom Morning Meeting where everyone is greeted and we have time for a shared experience – game, song, book, sharing and News and announcements
We learn and practice routines to help our classroom run smoothly. We model and discuss quality expectations.  We learn to work with partners effectively.  We encourage children to try to use their words to try to solve problems on their own, but adults facilitate as needed.  We explore new materials and experience though Guided Discovery.  We hold classroom meeting to solve class problems and work through issues. 
Everyone in this class wrote hopes and dreams for the year. Then we worked together to come up with rules we would need as a community to make our hopes and dreams come true:

1-O Class Rules

​Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Responsible

When we care about each other and our classroom, we share what we have.
We listen carefully, help each other learn, work hard and have fun together. 
We understand that everyone makes mistakes.  We stand up for ourselves, and others.
When someone asks us to STOP, we STOP!
This is who we are even when no one is watching.
                                                                    ~Classroom promise
 
We use logical consequences, which means there are consequences for behaviors. 
If we break something we need to try and fix it. If we hurt someone’s feelings we need to do something to make them feel better. 
We have a thinking space in the room. A child may be asked to go there if they need time to stop and think.  Children may also choose Thinking Space on their own if they need a quiet place to think.

Academic Choice – In our classroom we try to provide opportunities for children to have a say, to have a choice. 
As they learn routines and skills we can gradually release more independence to them. 
In addition we use a Daily Five structure that sets the foundation of routines that help
kids have a say as to what they do and when.
Academic Choice (Click on Academic Choice to see a Smilebox explaining Academic Choice in our class room)