The Counseling Corner

All children go through developmental stages as they grow up. Although there are general characteristics at each developmental stage, how quickly a child goes through these stages depends on many factors including personality and environment. Here are common characteristics of the developmental stages by age.

Age 6: The bodies, minds, and social behavior of six-year olds are changing dramatically. Sixes have lots of energy. Eagerness, curiosity, imagination, drive, openness, and enthusiasm–all are at their peak in the typical six-year old.

Age 7: In contrast to noisy sixes, seven-year olds are generally quiet, sensitive, and serious. Their intense moods often change quickly. Sevens tend to work hard at everything they do and need private time to manage their new thoughts and feelings.

Age 8: Enthusiastic and imaginative, eights often love big challenges but lack the work skills and patience to complete their plans. Children this age need adult help to know their limits and work through the steps to their goal.

Age 9: The enthusiasm of eight often turns into brooding and worrying at nine. Nines tend to be critical of the world around them–nothing seems fair to a nine-year old. But nine can also be a time of budding intellectual curiosity. Children this age look hard for explanations of how things work and why things happen as they do.

Age 10: Ten-year olds are generally happy and relaxed, enjoying themselves, their peers, and parents. Proud of all they have accomplished, they like to share their knowledge with others. Tens usually do well with group projects because they tend to be calm and naturally cooperative.

Age 11: Elevens are going through huge changes in their bodies, minds, and social behavior as they begin adolescence. The easy friendliness of ten often gives way to awkward, sometimes rude behavior at eleven. With their growing capacity for higher thinking, children this age like to try work that feels grown up.

Mr. Kudo and Mrs. Kāneakua share this information because understanding the developmental stages really can help you support your child’s learning at home and at school. Remember, enjoy your child at each age.

From: Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4 – 14

Students enjoy last year's water play day.

Today was Punch Day! 228 students (89%) earned their first punch of the third trimester. This means that students only need one more punch to earn their way to the third trimester reward. This reward is usually the favorite as it is a water play day right before summer. Remember the three criteria for earning a punch are: 1) Come to school on time every day 2) Show respect towards others and 3) No referrals or write-ups. If your child didn’t earn a punch today, he or she can still be a part of the reward celebration by earning the next two punches.

Thursday, February 16th, was Mini-Carnival day here at Kula Ha`aha`a. 98% or 252 of our haumāna participated in this FUN event. Students played games, got their faces painted, earned tickets and bought exciting prizes. Aunty Lisa Pana brought some of our high school brothers and sisters to kōkua with the games. Everyone had a great time!

It’s that time of year when Mr. Kudo and Mrs. Kāneakua trade places for Guidance lessons. This means that beginning next week, Mr. Kudo will be teaching Guidance to our lower elementary students in grades K,1, and 2. And Mrs. Kāneakua will be working with our older students in grades 3, 4 and 5. It’s a nice change for both students as well as counselors.

Courtesy of: Google Images

Yesterday was Punch Day #2 of  the second trimester. Two out of three punches on student punch cards will earn them a space at the next Nā Koa Reward Day – Mini Carnival that will be held on February 16th. 237 out of our 256 students, or 93%, earned a punch yesterday on their punch card. Students who only have one punch so far still have a chance to get a second punch and go to the mini carnival. Mr. Kudo encourages students to find out why they didn’t get the punch. There are two main reasons why students didn’t earn a punch, tardiness or not demonstrating respectful behavior. 

Please encourage your child to try his/her best in coming to school on time, making good behavior choices, and being respectful to each other.

On Wednesday, January 4th, Dr. Michael Thompson spent the day with our Kula Ha`aha`a faculty and staff discussing the social lives of children. He shared his wealth of knowledge and experience that was gained in working with over 700 schools worldwide over the past 30 years. Most importantly, Dr. Thompson impressed upon us the importance of friendship in the social development of children. For example, it is through friendships that children learn how to get along with others. 

The next day Dr. Thompson spent an hour with our 4th and 5th graders. The discussion focused on friendship and popularity. The main point for the students was that everybody needs a friend.

Later that evening, Dr. Thompson presented to approximately seventy parents at our second `Ohana Summit. Dr. Thompson opened and closed his ninety-minute presentation with questions from the audience. It was a treat to have their individual questions addresssed by a leading an expert on child development. Dr. Thompson’s main point in all of his talks was that if your child has at least one friend, then he/she will be okay.

Michael Thompson, Ph.D. is a consultant, author and psychologist specializing in children and families. He received his BA and MEd from Harvard and his doctorate from the University of Chicago. As a speaker, Dr. Thompson has appeared on The Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America and Oprah. He has been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek and Time. Dr. Thompson has co-authored The New York Times best-seller, Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys which was made into a documentary for PBS. He also co-authored Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children which was featured on a past blog post. As a practitioner, Dr. Thompson has worked in more than 200 schools across the US and runs a private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

On January 5, 2012, Michael Thompson will be the guest speaker at Kula Ha`aha`a’s `Ohana Summit. Dr. Thompson will provide insight into the social lives of children, in other words, why our keiki do what they do. He will explain that many behaviors of children are driven by the need for connection, recognition and power. Find out about the hidden role that friendship plays in the lives of children from birth through adolescence. Gain insight into the social dynamics of the “in crowd”, bullies, shifting alliances and disloyal best friends. Most important, learn how to support your child through the ups and downs of their social lives.

Plese join us for this rare opportunity to meet a leader in the field of child and family psychology. Dr. Thompson is even encouraging parents to come with questions for him. So come join us for a bowl of stew and an enjoyable evening with Dr. Michael Thompson. We’ll see you there!

A new trimester brings new topics in Guidance, for this 2nd trimester the focus will be on the academic development of our students. This means that Mr. Kudo and Mrs. Kāneakua will be teaching skills to help your child be more successful in school. Some of the lessons include listening, decision making, perseverance, and goal-setting.

Recently our kindergarten and first graders heard a story and discussed the components of active listening. Then they took an assessment and found that they can be successful learners whenever they apply good listening skills. 

In the upper grades, students are learning how to be good decision makers. The first step is awareness to realize that in a day they make many decisions. Some decisions have positive outcomes and others have negative ones. Therefore, students are taught how their decisions affect not only them, but others as well.

Don’t forget to ask your child about what they’re learning in Guidance.

Kula Ha`aha`a held their first student-led conferences of the year on November 22nd and 23rd. Students and parents came out to review test scores, discuss report cards, share progressfolios, and set goals. As a kula we give up two instructional days twice a year for this valuable time. Each year we look forward to the conferences because it gives us an opportunity to spend time with each student and their `ohana.

Mr. Kudo and Mrs. Kāneakua want to wish all of our families a very Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy the long weekend with your family spending quality time with each other.