Guideance Lessons

For lessons in Pre-K and Kinder we use the Kelso's Choice curriculum. Kelso’s Choice is a fun and engaging conflict management and resolution curriculum that teaches children the difference between big and small problems. The curriculum teaches skills to try to solve small problems on their own by choosing appropriate choices for a given situation. These choices empower students to understand the differences between big and small problems, work on self-advocacy skills, grow their critical thinking brains, and learn proper conflict resolution and why it is important. Students are tasked with trying two choices on their own for small problems and taught to seek out a trusted adult for help if they are faced with a big problem or if two of the choices they tried were unsuccessful. Kelso the frog is adored by students and the skills they learn at school can be used at home for a wonderful school-home connection.

September Guidance Lesson:
This month is an introductory lesson on big and small problems. We are all learning- but BIG problems (ex. someone is being unsafe, someone is hurt, you are scared, or alarms are going off) always go to an adult. Small problems (ex. another student is staring at you, someone cuts in line, you can't get your locker open) can be tried to solve by using Kelso's choice.

October Guidance Lesson:
We will review some examples of big and small problems. Then we will look at Kelso's wheel, acting out examples of how to "Go to a different game", "Talk it out", and "Share and Take Turns”

November Guidance Lesson:
We will review big and small problems, then work on practicing the Kelso Choices: "Tell them to Stop", "Walk Away", and "Ignore".  We will also be identifying big feelings and some breathing techniques to use when we are having big feelings.