RELATIONSHIP SKILLS PRE-K-6th GRADES

Relationship Skills Competencies

Pre-K - 2^nd Grades Indicators of Relationship Skills

3^rd - 6^th Grades Indicators of Relationship Skills

1. Develop and maintain positive relationships.

●        Lists traits of a good friend.

●        Identifies multiple types of relationships they have with others.

●        Demonstrates the ability to make friends and sustain positive relationships.

●        Recognizes the difference between helpful and harmful behaviors in a relationship.

●        Identifies a problem in a relationship and determines the appropriate means of resolution (e.g., problem-solving process, peer mediation, adult assistance).

●        Describes the positive and negative impact of peer pressure on self and others.

●        Applies strategies for forming and maintaining positive relationships.

2. Use positive communication and social skills to interact effectively with others.

●Develops and maintains friendships.

●Use positive communication and behaviors, such as taking turns, sharing, using compliments to encourage others, paying attention when others are talking.

●Effectively and appropriately communicates needs, wants, and ideas in a respectful manner.

●        Identifies peer, home, and school supports and/or resources to help solve problems.

●        Demonstrates good sportsmanship, plays fairly; is a gracious winner; is an accepting loser.

●        Demonstrates cooperative behaviors in a group (e.g., listens, encourages, acknowledges opinions, compromises, and reaches consensus).

●        Demonstrates reflective listening.

3. Demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and/or resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways.

●        Demonstrates respectful ways to apologize to others.

●        Identifies problems and conflicts commonly experienced with peers.

●        Explains how to prevent problems and conflicts.

●        Takes personal responsibility in a conflict situation by using “I” statements.

●        Understands the difference between appropriate and inappropriate social skills.

●        Describes approaches (assertive, aggressive, or passive) to resolving conflicts & benefits of resolving conflict (consequences of not).

●        Demonstrates an understanding of both sides of a conflict.

●        Explains different strategies (e.g., apologize, talking it out, seeking assistance) to resolve conflict.

SEL Academic Integrated Strategies for Relationship Skills

Pre-K 2nd Grades

3rd  - 6th Grades

● Have students practice saying “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” when appropriate.

● Conduct a morning meeting during which students share a compliment with their peers.

● Use specific feedback to encourage students when they listen well (e.g., Thank you for listening when I was talking.).

● To create an atmosphere of friendship in your classroom, in a morning meeting, have students shake hands and welcome their peers.

● Teach students to use “I” messages to communicate feelings in a conflict situation.

● Provide a “peace” corner for students to de-escalate when upset.

● Teach the five-step approach to problem solving: (1) identify the problem; 2) brainstorm solutions; 3) evaluate the solutions; 4) put the solution into action; and 5) evaluate the outcome.

● Give students authentic feedback anytime they work well with others.

● Thank students whenever they listen well and tell them specifically what they did well.

● Use interactive teaching strategies such as cooperative learning and project-based learning to provide students with opportunities to develop and practice positive communication skills.

● Model and reinforce effective communication and relationship skills.

● Model good conflict-resolution skills.

● Give students authentic feedback and support for resolving conflicts peacefully.

● Establish a conflict-resolution process to be used any time there is a conflict within the class.

● Use cooperative learning and project-based learning to build partners and teams i.e.: Think-pair-share or Turn & Talk, Numbered Heads Together, Round Robin, Round Table, Talking Chips, Small group roles: task leader, materials monitor, time keeper, reader, etc.).

● Seat students in heterogeneous teams (not random, not student-selected, not homogenous).

● Have individual students take a turn to greet students at the door in the morning.

● Have teams create a team name or team cheer.

● Build classroom structures that encourage positive relationships i.e. 4 Corners, Inside-Outside Circle, Give One Get One, Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up, Mix Freeze Groups, Class cheers and chants, Echoes (ex: Teacher: “Macaroni and Cheese!” Students: “Everybody Freeze!”).

●Classroom discussion modeling an “I” Message format to communicate their feelings. “I feel___when you__.” “I would like ____.”

●Class will develop an Anchor Chart for “I” messages together. This can also be used as a designated area to resolve conflicts within the classroom. For example, you may consider the use of an “I” Care Corner.

●Have a class discussion of how using neutral language and not blaming the other person is helpful in maintaining healthy relationships. Use an “I” message to resolve conflicts in role plays. Possible scenarios:

•      During a test, you notice that the person sitting next to you is copying your answers.

•      Your classmates are teasing a student who just got new glasses.

•      Your friend is ignoring you.

•      You feel like one of your friends is upset with you, but you don’t know why.

•      You borrowed your friend a book but has not given it back yet.

•      You ask to join a game at recess that your classmate says you cannot play.

•      Your friend said something mean about another friend.

●Have a Compliment Day in which students give and receive three compliments.

●In groups, have students build ‘towers’ using only the materials provided. Have students discuss how they cooperated as a group to build the tower.

●Give students a listening task (e.g., describe a process or task, then have students turn to a partner and explain what they heard).

●Help students understand that a loss can be a valuable life lesson through “teachable moments” when playing games either in class or on the playground.

●Have students describe and discuss what characteristics a good friend should have and compare them to their own personal characteristics.

●Allow students the opportunity to make decisions about appropriate class rules and identify the consequences when rules are broken.

●Observe students on the playground or halls, noting conflicts and how they were handled. If the conflict were poorly handled, ask students to problem solve how they could modify the response.

●Implement a peer mediation program.

●Provide role-play scenarios for students that show the causes and effects of conflicts and ways to peacefully resolve conflicts.

●Use conflict resolution and problem-solving skills as a topic for a class meeting.

●Use specific feedback to encourage students when they listen well (e.g., Thank you for listening when I was talking.).

●Teach students to use “I” messages to communicate feelings in a conflict situation.

●Provide a “peace” corner for students to de-escalate when upset.

●Teach the five-step approach to problem solving: (1) identify the problem; 2) brainstorm solutions; 3) evaluate the solutions; 4) put the solution into action; and 5) evaluate the outcome, and continually monitor to ensure that teams are always working together in positive ways.

●Give students authentic feedback anytime they work well with others.

●Thank students whenever they listen well and tell them specifically what they did well.

●Model and reinforce effective communication, relationship, and conflict resolution skills.

●Use cooperative learning and project-based learning that build partners and teams i.e.: Think-pair-share or Turn & Talk, Numbered Heads Together, Round Robin, Round Table, Talking chips, Small group roles: task leader, materials monitor, time keeper, reader, etc.).

●Seat students in heterogeneous teams (not random, not student-selected, not homogenous).

●Have individual students take a turn to greet students at the door in the morning.

●Have teams create a team name or team cheer.

●Build classroom structures that encourage positive relationships, i.e. 4 Corners, Inside-Outside Circle, Give One Get One, Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up, Mix Freeze Groups, Class cheers and chants, Echoes (ex: Teacher: “Macaroni and Cheese!” Students: “Everybody Freeze!”).

Healthy Lifestyles SEL Teaching Activities for Relationship Skills

●Model and reinforce effective communication, relationship skills, and conflict-resolution skills.

●Provide students with opportunities to problem solve by stating the problem clearly and providing ground rules to discuss the problem rationally to arrive at a solution.

●Give students support and guidance as needed when they are working through a conflict. Ask nonjudgmental questions about what happened and what the students might do differently to avoid the conflict.

● Model and reinforce effective communication, relationship skills, and conflict-resolution skills.

● Provide students with opportunities to problem solve by stating the problem clearly and providing ground rules to discuss the problem rationally to arrive at a solution.

● Give students support and guidance as needed when they are working through a conflict. Ask nonjudgmental questions about what happened and what the students might do differently to avoid the conflict.

Humanities SEL Teaching Activities for Relationship Skills

●Teach lessons to develop speaking and listening skills (e.g., how to speak loudly and clearly so that others can hear, etc.).

●Use children’s literature for teaching student’s friendship skills.

●Establish morning meetings to give students the opportunity to take turns interacting with each other and practicing speaking and listening skills.

●Teach lessons to develop listening, including nonverbal behavior to show you are listening.

●Teach lessons on how to say thank you and receive help.

●Use stories as an opportunity to teach students a lesson or lessons on how to resolve conflicts peacefully.

●Have students draw a picture of themselves and then pass the picture to their classmates. Other students write one thing about them that makes them a good friend.

●Have students role-play how to be a good friend to someone who appears lonely or sad or has a hard time making friends.

●Have students work in pairs using puppets to identify conflicts and show responses. Use class discussion to determine whether the conflict needs an adult helper.

●Use collaborative work groups (e.g., cooperative learning projects or project-based learning) to reinforce the importance of working together to solve problems and achieve goals.

●Rehearse appropriate questions students can ask guest speakers about their jobs for an upcoming career day.

●Assist students in identifying the traits of different community helpers such as policemen, firemen, teachers, nurses, etc. and how those traits help them in their job.

●Ask students to find and share three things they have in common with a friend and three things that are different.

●Give students opportunities to practice social skills in small groups and project-based learning activities.

●Read books to students about friendship.

●Teach lessons to develop speaking and listening skills (e.g., how to speak loudly and clearly so that others can hear, etc.).

● Use children’s literature for teaching student’s friendship skills.

● Establish morning meetings to give students the opportunity to take turns interacting with each other and practicing speaking and listening skills.

● Teach lessons to develop listening, including nonverbal behavior to show you are listening.

● Teach lessons on how to say thank you and receive help.

● Use stories as an opportunity to teach students a lesson or lessons on how to resolve conflicts peacefully.

● Have students draw a picture of themselves and then pass the picture to their classmates. Other students write one thing about them that makes them a good friend.

● Have students role-play how to be a good friend to someone who appears lonely or sad or has a hard time making friends.

● Have students work in pairs using puppets to identify conflicts and show responses. Use class discussion to determine whether the conflict needs an adult helper.

● Use collaborative work groups (e.g., cooperative learning projects or project-based learning) to reinforce the importance of working together to solve problems and achieve goals.

● Have students read a story or history lesson that demonstrates conflict. Discuss the cause-and-effect relationship of the conflict.

● Invite a business/industry representative to speak to the class about his/her job. Students should listen for specific skills, education or training required, rewards and challenges in the job, and should ask appropriate questions.

● Read books to students about friendship.

● Give students opportunities to practice social skills in small groups and project-based learning activities.