Students develop an awareness of their identity and their strengths and weaknesses. They learn to recognize, communicate and manage their own feelings and emotions. They reflect on their abilities and behavior and set achievable personal goals.
Students show awareness of and take responsibility for the social and behavioral choices they make. They develop a sense of safety and an ability to protect themselves. Students show initiative and self-direction with increasing independence, and approach learning with flexibility, creativity and commitment. Students develop social skills when interacting with others in different situations, and they develop and maintain appropriate relationships. They show awareness of and respect for the views, needs and rights of others. They show appreciation of cultural, racial, social, linguistic and religious differences. They recognize and deal appropriately with conflict situations.
Students develop an awareness of the attitudes and skills needed to be leaders, group members and collaborative team mates. They develop an understanding of transition and the impact this can have both on their own lives and on the lives of others. They develop empathy, responsibility, respect and tolerance in a learning environment where our mission drives us all to learn, care, challenge and lead.
In addition to the personal and social learning that takes place within the homeroom curriculum and morning meetings, often supported by the counselors, the counselors offer the following programs:
- “Kelso’s Choices” – Conflict resolution and problem solving program offered to students in Grades 1-5
- “Paws b” – Mindfulness and emotional intelligence program offered to students in Grades 3 and 4
- All students participate in planned lessons around Safeguarding (child protection). Young children can be taught ways to protect themselves from abuse. They can be “enlightened without being frightened”. It is important to give students enough information so that, if faced with a situation of potential abuse, they can react quickly and seek protection effectively.
Students learn:
- about feeling safe and their right to be safe.
- to recognise appropriate touching and inappropriate touching.
- that appropriate touching is an important part of positive relationships.
- that they have a right to say NO to a person who touches them inappropriately or threatens their safety.
- that it is important to tell trusted adults about such situations and help is available.
- that they may have to keep on telling people until they are believed.