"Using your Social Filter"

posted by Jillian Perrault

The book “I can’t believe you said that” by Julia Cook is a great resource that teaches students the importance of thinking before they speak. It teaches students about how their “thinking bubble” and “talking bubble” are connected by their “social filter”.  Students learn that your social filter keeps you from saying words that can hurt someone’s feelings and even embarrass someone.  Your social filter makes sure that the unkind words from your thinking bubble don’t make it into your talking bubble.   By filtering your thoughts before speaking, students are taught to understand the meaning of their words and think of the consequences they may have if they make it to their talking bubble.  This helps students show respect which is one of our B.E.S.T. expectations here at the CGS.

“Making Friends is an Art”

 posted by Jillian Perrault

Student’s in Mrs. Lim’s 3^rd grade classroom participated in a whole class guidance lesson to learn respectful ways of interacting with their classmates. We read a story called “Making Friends is an Art” by Julia Cook. “Making Friends is an Art” taught students all about the qualities that make up a good friend such as: being honest, being trustworthy, and showing respect. Students discussed the importance of being a good friend to others and what they can do to be a better friend. They learned that in order to have good friends, you need to be a good friend!

PBIS UPDATE.......UPDATE.......UPDATE

Posted by Mark Houle

     Upper School students have gone from learning about PBIS, to practicing PBIS, to now living PBIS. This is evident as you watch student life at the CGS. Students are being more respectful in areas of the CGS,  showing more responsibility in their classes and specials, showing more safety practices in the halls and cafeteria and recess. TOGETHER WE”RE READY!

     Earning bulldog bucks is only one feature of this PBIS program which promotes positive behaviors. It is teaching students that what they are doing on a daily basis means something. To be acknowledged for positive behavior is fun. Some students take a little more time to accept this. But the more they are shown they are positive the quicker it is to want to be more positive.

     Our Pup Rally on February 12^th showed many excited students waiting to see who would win raffle items. There were so many bulldog bucks to be seen. Each CGS student contributed to these bulldog bucks. The enthusiasm was overwhelming. Congratulations to all winners and the students of the CGS.

     So bulldog bucks will continue to increase at the CGS as positive behavior sweeps across the halls. Keep up the good work! 

PBIS and Internet Safety

Posted  by Mark Houle

I came across this information while researching internet safety and how it fits in with our own PBIS model, especially the safety aspect. While the school can monitor how students use technology daily, parents can also use aspects of PBIS with their children at home. When using social media for positive reasons, positive rewards can be instituted that will hopefully teach the child better ways of using social media on the internet. The following brief article below looks at both and gives parents some tools to use as your child begins or continues using social media on the internet. Then, a parent can use the ideas of PBIS to reinforce appropriate internet usage.

Safe Schools / Prevention Programs Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. PBIS is NOT a curriculum, intervention, or practice, but rather a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students. To learn more visit the website: http://www.pbis.org Cyber Safety Technology and Cyber Safety are two very important aspects of student learning. Parent Resources available online: Below are a list of articles written by Lawrence J. Magid, a syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Times, and host of www.safekids.com and www.safeteens.com. regarding internet safety. Teen Safety on the Information Highway Protecting Your Privacy: Sometimes It's OK to Keep Secrets Protecting Your Family's Privacy What Are The Risks? Family Contract for Online Safety  Other parent resources available online can be found at the following website: About.com Internet Safety Index

The above information taken from the Montery Peninsula Unified School District. (2015-2016)

GREAT WAYS TO TEACH YOUR CHILD RESPONSIBLITY

posted by Elaine Light school psychologist
A major component of the PBIS program is helping students to behave responsibily throughout our school community.  For example in the cafeteria, students learn that responsible behavior includes using manners, bringing their ID's for the lunch line, and throwing away their trash.  Giving our children responsibilities in the home helps prepare them to become responsible and independent adults.

Here are some suggestions  from the Parent Institute on ways to give your child responsibility:
• Create a chore list. Assign age-appropriate tasks that your child can do herself. Add responsibilities as he becomes more mature.
• Involve your child in the process. Let her choose some of the jobs she would like to do.
 • Keep track of your own responsibilities with a “to-do” list and encourage your child to make a list of her own as well.
• Make time to help your child learn to take responsibility. Don’t rush through explanations. Make sure she understands what she is supposed to do. Break new chores into smaller steps while she learns how to do the entire task.
 • Don’t re-do her work for her. If she hasn’t done something correctly, show her how to do it again. Then, let her do it—by herself. • Allow your child to take some risks. Don’t automatically assume that she can’t do something.
 • Be prepared for mistakes. Talk about what went wrong and how your child can learn from the experience. • Praise your child when she demonstrates responsibility. On the other hand, don’t nag or rescue her when she doesn’t. Let her learn what happens when she fails to complete school assignments, do her chores or honor her commitments.
• Be patient. According to research, it takes 21 repetitions for an action to become a habit.

Reteaching Expectations

Posted by Erin Walker, School Psychologist 

A very important component of PBIS is the reteaching of school wide expectations. 

Students learn expectations at the beginning of the year but benefit from repetition and reteaching. A good opportunity to reteach expectations is following a school vacation as students have been away from the school environment for a week or more. Following up with expectations while at home is also a helpful strategy in keeping BEST fresh in students' minds as we continue to progress through the school year. 

Ask your child what being their BEST means in different settings at school such as in the classroom, in the cafeteria, or on the bus and have them give you examples!

Understanding How Our Actions Affect Others: Social Behavior Mapping

Posted by Erin Walker, School Psychologist

Social Behavior Mapping is a method of teaching students how to connect their actions to how others feel, predict potential outcomes, and relate those outcomes back to their own feelings. As members of the CGS community, students are learning how to be their BEST by demonstrating expected behaviors in school. Our actions, whether expected or unexpected, impact those around us. A Social Behavior Map is a visual and interactive method to explain how that works.

An example of a blank Social Behavior Map.

Students identify an expected or unexpected behavior in a given place or situation. They then identify how that behavior makes other people feel. Based on how that behavior makes other people feel, how are others likely to treat you? If others treat you that way, how do you then feel about yourself? Making these connections are crucial in teaching students the concept of cause and effect and that expected behaviors typically produce better outcomes than unexpected behaviors, leading us to feel better about ourselves! When we do our BEST, we are more likely to have the BEST possible outcome!

An example of a completed Social Behavior Map.