The Second Step Program Is Coming to WHS This Fall

What Is the Second Step Program?

The Second Step early learning program teaches skills to build self-regulation and social-emotional competence, both important for kindergarten readiness and school and life success. Children learn and practice vital skills for listening and paying attention, having empathy, managing emotions, building friendships, and solving problems with others. The Second Step program has been shown to reduce behavior problems, improve classroom climate by building feelings of inclusiveness and respect, and increase children’s sense of confidence and responsibility. The program includes Weekly Themes with daily short learning activities, brain builder games, visual aids, puppets, and songs.

The major units of the Second Step Early Learning Scope and Sequence are:

• Skills for Learning – welcoming, listening, focusing attention, self-talk, following directions, asking for what you want and need.
• Empathy – identifying feelings, identifying anger, same or different feelings, accidents, caring and helping.
• Emotion Management – we feel feelings in our bodies, strong feelings, naming feelings, managing disappointment, managing anger, managing waiting.
• Friendship Skills and Problem Solving – fair ways to play, having fun with friends, inviting to play, joining in with play, saying the problem, thinking of solutions, speaking up assertively.
• Transitioning to Kindergarten (FOR YELLOW GROUP ONLY) – learning in kindergarten, riding the kindergarten bus, making new friends in kindergarten.

Ms. DiMedio, the Head of School, will be teaching the Second Step Program this year to all children in the Blue and Yellow Groups.  The children in the Green and Red Groups will learn all of the key strategies and skills associated with the program since the components will become part of the overall school philosophy and daily practices.

More information will be available to parents throughout the year on strategies to use at home that coincide with our lessons in school.  Please check the website often.