Kindergarten guidance begins

We've started kindergarten guidance lessons here at Lunt. Our first lesson is mainly aimed at introducing ourselves, explaining what guidance is, and what we do as school counselors (or as many kids call us "guidance teachers"). It is also an opportunity for us to meet the kindergarteners. The K kids also get to meet either Bonnie or Coco (depending which of us teaches their class). Bonnie and Coco are puppet friends we bring with us to the kindergarten classroom rooms to help us teach guidance lessons. We usually take only one of the two puppets each week, but alternate... one week Bonnie, one week Coco, etc... so all the K students will eventually get to meet both. I think Mrs. LaBossiere starts out the year introducing Coco to the K students she teaches, and I start out the year with Bonnie! You can see Coco and Bonnie (respectively) in the photo above.

Aside from introductions, if there's time, we read the book Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London. We also explain the "rules" or behavior expectations for guidance, and we teach the kindergarten students the guidance "Beginning Song," which we sing at the start of each lesson, and the guidance "Ending Song," which we sing at the end of each lesson. Here are the lyrics for the songs, both to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle."

Beginning Song

Hands go up and hands go down,
I take turns around and round.
Lots to learn and lots to do,
I can sit and so can you.
I can listen, I'll show you how,
guidance time begins right now.

Ending Song

Now it's time to go my friends,
This is when guidance ends.
We had lots of fun today,
Lots of learning, lots to say.
Now it's time say good-bye
Next time you see me, please say "hi."

You can see a full outline of our kindergarten curriculum, as well as information about who teaches guidance to your child's class, by clicking on the "Kindergarten Guidance at Lunt" link on the right toward the top.