Parent Chat Series 1: Child Emotional Well-being

In PC Series 1, nine evening programs 1.5 hours each in duration, are available.  Our chats can be contracted individually, as a series, or can be mixed with any chat(s) in PC Series 2. The presentations are offered in a workshop style where parents/guardians/caring adults engage in discussion and activities that will provide information and lots of strategies to assist you in working with your child.

Please be aware that Parent Chat 4 in Series 1 (Understanding Special Education) is the same as Parent Chat 1 in Series 2 (Understanding Special Education.)  Series 1 is designed for ALL parents and caregivers and Series 2 is designed for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. We just want to make you aware so you don’t double book!

  • • What is Social and Emotional Learning?

    • Background and supporting research

    • SEL challenges for parents

    • SEL Framework from CASEL organization

    • Instruction in the 5 SEL competencies endorsed by CASEL

    • Brain science and emotion: the connection to SEL

    • SEL and educational equity

    • Grade/level appropriate SEL skills

    • SEL non-academic victories

    • What can I do tomorrow?

    • Plus…several interactive activities/small group

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • • Let’s build a team: Parent perceptions of teachers; Teacher perceptions of parents

    • Building a relationship of mutual trust

    • Impact of communication breakdown on children

    • SEL for parents

    • Roles of parents

    • Roles of the teacher

    • What NOT to do

    • Positive Action Steps activity

    • SEL application activity

    • Connecting Positive Action Steps to SEL competencies

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • Part 1: Relationships that Matter

    • Recalling impactful school memories

    • Statistics: parent-child relationships

    o Benefits for parent-child relationship

    o Benefits for child in school

    o Benefits for child socially

    • Breakout activity: Intentionality of Rapport Building

    Part 2: Creating Conditions to Support our Children during times of Psychological Stress and Trauma

    • Psychobiological Factors Involved

    • Window of Tolerance

    • Important First Steps

    o Self-Regulation

    o Maintaining a Curious Stance

    o Active Listening

    o Using “Feelings Language”

    o Timing

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • • Intros

    • Social Emotional Learning as an effective means of support

    • Understanding the Special Education system

    • How to provide effective support

    • CASEL framework for SEL

    • The 5 CASEL SEL competencies

    • Academic and social/Emotional qualities

    • Special Education defined

    • Eligibility for services

    • What is every student legally entitled to?

    • Seven steps of the IEP process

    • IDEIA of 2004

    • Educational Equity

    • The 14 Special Education categories

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • • Define

    • Benefits of strong Self-Management skills

    • Students who struggle with Self-Management

    • Components of Self-Management

    • Discussion topic: “Assessing your child’s Self-Management”

    • Video

    • Strategies to support strong Self-Management skills

    • Parental Self-Management Toolkit

    • WOOP Strategy

    o If-Then Statements Strategy

    o “Create Awareness of When Students Learn Best” Strategy

    o “HOW to do, not just WHAT to do” Strategy

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • • Statistics on Parenting

    • Parenting challenges

    • Brain Science and the Connection to Emotion

    • Parenting Styles

    • What is Negativity Bias?

    • What is discipline?

    • Stopping behavior v. Correcting behavior

    • Positive Discipline

    • Positive supports for your child

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • Part 1: Bullying Awareness (45 min)

    • We begin with an infographic on bullying statistics

    • Bullying vs. Conflict

    • Cyberbullying

    • Warning Signs of Bullying

    • Effects of Bullying

    • Addressing Bullying

    • Preventing Bullying

    • The difference between Bullying and Conflict

    • Brief revisit of the 5 SEL competencies

    • Bullying Awareness activity

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

    Part 2: Cyber Safety (45 min)

    • Cyber safety

    • Online Predation

    • Newest apps on social media

    • Parental controls/settings

    • Geotagging

    • And more

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

  • • We begin with a short video

    • Discussion topics:

    o Working From Home, 21st century jobs and the workforce, the impact of slack or similar platforms in the workplace

    o What challenges exist in a fully digital social environment?

    o How do we best prepare our children to appropriately use digital learning and work in a digital environment?

    o What limits should exist to help support children and what is available for parents to help in doing so?

    • Brief revisit of the 5 SEL competencies

    o Scenario-based SEL strategies to support positive use of technology

    o Action plans

    o Take Home Tips for Parents

    o Q and A

  • • Discussing transitions in general

    • What are some typical transitions that we make as adults?

    • Transitions that children make

    • Emotional impact of transitions

    • Necessary adjustments that adults make

    • Challenges that children experience making transitions

    • Transitioning from Pre K -Kindergarten:

    o Coordination between Pre-K and K

    o Preparing throughout the Pre-K year

    o Relationship between cognitive and social competence before K.

    o Successful transition and impact on social and academic skills

    o Visiting the Kindergarten classroom

    o Kindergarten teacher visits Pre-K classroom

    o Parent-Child learning programs in schools

    • Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School

    o How middle school is different

    o Establishing a support system

    o Encourage self-advocacy

    o Common concerns for your child

    *Will I know anyone?

    *Will I make friends?

    *Will I have someone to eat lunch with?

    *Are the older kid’s bullies?

    *General social anxiety in a new situation

    o Common concerns for parents

    *Will my child feel safe and supported?

    *Will my child navigate the building and the schedule?

    *Will my child make new friends?

    *Will my child’s teachers be sensitive to this new world?

    o Transition Checklist Activity for parents

    • Take Home Tips for Parents

    • Q and A

    (Moving from Middle School to High School can also be developed upon request)