Second Step Curriculum
A focus at Halmstad in the last couple months has been on teaching students the
Second Step Curriculum which promotes social and emotional growth. Second Step is a
curriculum that uses activities, partner work, and practice exercises to engage students
in learning. Second Step is made up of four main units:
1. Skills for learning
2. Empathy
3. Emotions management
4. Problem solving
During the skills for learning unit, students learned about the importance of focusing
their attention and listening. They also learned how using positive self talk can help
with focusing their attention.
Students identified feelings in themselves and others during
the empathy unit. Respect and compassion were two key
words for several grades. They learned to define and
understand these words which are important because
sometimes two people experience different feelings about
the same situation. Showing compassion to another person
who may be experiencing something differently is a
respectful thing to do.
The emotions management unit helped the students identify the way their body
experiences a range of emotions. Understanding the body’s signals allows children the
chance to recognize and name the feeling they are having and choose the best way to
handle their feeling. Deep breathing, counting, and positive self-talk are three
strategies for calming down.
Problem solving is the unit classroom teachers are concluding with. The problem
solving approach for Second Step curriculum is to state the problem, think of solutions,
explore consequences, and then pick the best solution.
All students from Kindergarten through fifth grade have finished the first three units.
Some classrooms may be finishing the problem solving unit in the next few weeks.
After the final lesson is completed, the staff at Halmstad will continue to emphasize the
important concepts taught in these lessons throughout the school year. Thank you to
parents for being involved with the material your student brings home from the Second
Step lessons. We hope you will continue talking to your student about these concepts
at home.
Kayla Rick, School Counseling Intern