Happy New Year! I hope this finds everyone happy and healthy as we embark on a new year and new unit in Friendship Group! I am very excited about the month of January as this is the month that we begin my favorite unit of the year: Mindfulness.
For those parents whose children I had in group last year, you might remember the curriculum called “MindUP” which is a product of The Hawn Foundation. It is a social emotional learning program designed to enhance a child’s self-awareness, social awareness, focused attention, self regulation, problem solving, pro-social behaviors (helping, sharing, and cooperating), and positive human qualities, such as happiness, optimism, and altruism. We will work our way through the most updated curriculum until spring break, refreshing on lessons learned last year, as well as going more in-depth into content of the curriculum. Check out MindUp’s website for more information (www.thehawnfoundation.org/mindup).
This week we kicked off our mindfulness unit by learning about the brain. It’s amazing how kindergarten through fourth grade students alike are completely enthralled by the brain! We learned about three specific parts of the brain and their functions this week: prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Each of these parts play a role as we train our brains to be mindful. Your child will be bringing a worksheet home with the brain labeled on it, as well as notes to help them remember the function of each part. Discuss this with your child and prepare to be amazed!
As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
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