Peter Kirk ElementaryCounseling
Ms. Miller’s School Counseling Page
Welcome Kirk students and parents! I created this page just for you! Hopefully it will help your family’s emotional well being during this challenging time of COVID 19. Each student lesson, activity and parent resource are created to support us during this unusual time. In a time of information overload, I'm trying to keep it simple and will offer the following categories:
• Classroom Guidance Lessons that can be done at home.
• Parenting Articles and Resources.
• Phoebe June Bug's Turtle Flo Moments. (Mindfulness activities for students)
This is your place to come to find help with the
Emotional Well Being of your whole family!
Periodically, I will add more information as I come across it and think it would be helpful to students and families. I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to email me at
mmiller@lwsd.org.
Let me know what resources you need. What are you struggling with? What are your biggest challenges as we tumble into this new norm? How can I provide support while we are away from school?
Classroom Lessons for Students
While we were in school, I taught weekly lessons to students to support their social emotional development. These lessons are still available! Click below to access a lesson. I will be providing one lesson per week.
Mrs. Miller's Bucket of Summer Fun
https://www.wevideo.com/view/1735076689
COVID Time Capsule; sharing your story!
Grades K-5 Lesson
Talk it Out Bucket
Fun Activities to Spread Some Kindness!
Creating a Calm Down Spot at Home
Grades K-5 Lesson
Using Our Turtle Thoughts To Help Us Calm
Bugs and Wishes
*Please note, hoping to have my weekly parenting article coincide with my weekly Classroom Lesson
Great Parenting Blogs and Resources
Click below to find one of my articles on parenting during COVID:
Mistakes as an opportunity for compassion
Connection, Connection, Connection; when our families need it most!
“Good Enough”; When life is overwhelming, practice a little bit of Self Care.
A Dozen Family Fun Feeling Activities
Beginning the Almost Perfect Spring Break
When Life is Changing Quickly, Try a Routine
“Is that My Hoop?”: Self-care, staying in the moment, finding our calm/”Turtle Flo”, supporting us as parents
“Keeping your Calm in COVID 19”: Flipping your lid, finding your calm, modeling this for children.
Sarina Behar Natkin, a local parent coach, speaker and author, has a wonderful all-inclusive webinar with tips on talking with kids about COVID 19, creating routines, working together as a family to solve daily issues, parent self-care and sibling conflict. Her work is based on “Positive Discipline”. Check it out here.
Some other Blogs and websites:
http://www.sounddiscipline.org Parenting blog
http://www.joyfulcourage.com Parenting blog and webinars
http://www.positivediscipline.com Positive Discipline website
http://www.cherylerwin.com/publications/radio.htm Former Therapist and parent educator with short NPR radio podcasts on many parenting topics
Students! Read about Phoebe June Bug’s Turtle Flo Moments!
I have a dog named Phoebe…. her full name is “Phoebe June Bug”.
She is very sweet and loves her family, other dogs and walks to the park.
Phoebe has lots of worries. She wasn't treated very well by her first owners. She really wants to be brave, but sometimes her "Feeling Fred" takes over her brain and her body won't let her show her courage. So, we practice many things that take courage. Hearing a loud sound but walking by that sound anyway. Greeting new people who come to our house. Walking into rooms in our house that she isn't used to. Even taking a walk through a new neighborhood.
Each day Phoebe grows her “Turtle Flo” and exercises her Calming Carl part of her brain. We help her exercise her Calming Carl by always using a gentle voice, standing close to her when she needs some courage and just plain loving her! She is so happy right now to have my son home from College and me and my husband spending our days with her. But, she does miss my daughter who is still away at college.
Tell me about your pet, or maybe a favorite stuffy! How does your pet or your stuffy help YOU with your "Turtle Flo”? mmiller@lwsd.org
Here are some other ideas for practicing your “Turtle Flo”!
Go Noodle has some great ways to practice “Turtle Flo”.
https://app.gonoodle.com/categories/manage-stress
If you are in Kindergarten, first or second grade, you might recognize the one titled "From Mindless to Mindful". We did it earlier this year!
https://app.gonoodle.com/categories/practice-self-control
I miss you all! Be sure to email me with your questions and needs. Encourage your children to email me and share with me what they learned during their “Classroom Lesson” or to share their work or just to share a struggle or a “Turtle Flo” moment!
mmiller@lwsd.org