May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Ms. Shaw has tools and resources on her webpage to help families prioritize and take care of their mental health. She has also created a page entirely dedicated to COVID-19 resources to help children understand COVID-19, answer their questions, address their anxious, sad, angry feelings, and share ideas on fostering family connection and harmony during this stressful time.
Some May highlights from Ms. Shaw include:
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- With many important events and rites of passage canceled, this article, “How to Help Teens Handle the Loss of Proms and Graduations,” offers some useful tips for supporting children who are dealing with feelings of loss about important events.
- ParentMap is hosting a webinar and Q&A on May 12 called, Supporting Your Quaranteen: Raising Happy, Healthy Kids in the New Normal, which addresses parenting during this crisis. Registration is free.
- Ms. Shaw reads, Coronavirus: A Book for Children, which provides key information that answers children’s most common questions about Covid-19 using simple language.
- In the spirit of having a little fun, Ms. Shaw created a Social Emotional Learning Scavenger Hunt for students! There are eight tasks that are both silly and fun but also aim to nurture mental health and well-being
Ms. Shaw also continues to facilitate the following weekly activities for:
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- Primary: 15-minute read-aloud videos with mini-counseling lessons that help students process their feelings. Videos include simple art projects, puppets, mindful moments, and breathing techniques.
- Intermediate: Ms. Shaw has a new program called “Stempathy,” which combines STEM and empathy. Stempathy requires the innovator to first listen to and emphasize with a person’s problem, and then build a solution for them. This is a fun activity to do with whatever materials you have at home. You can learn more here.
- Middle School: Ms. Shaw and Ms. Tsagalakis are hosting a weekly 30-minute “Virtual Recess” on Fridays. Students play games, chat, and catch up with one another. It’s a fun and informal way for them to connect with friends. RSVP here: 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade
Ms. Shaw is also available for emails, calls, or video chats at any time during the school week.
