Todd Elementary Students 'Paws' And Think About The Power Of Their Choices

Press release from the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District:

Todd Elementary students are learning that making a good choice can sometimes begin with something very simple: a pause.

This year, Todd launched Paws and Think, a new schoolwide initiative that builds on Todd’s existing social-emotional learning (SEL) framework with concrete skills and strategies.

From kindergarten through fifth grade, students explore monthly Briarcliff Bear traits through developmentally appropriate read-alouds, learn and practice a skill, and reflect on their learning in the classroom. Classroom SEL sessions are led by school counselor Nathan Heltzel.

October’s Briarcliff Bear trait is Responsible, with an emphasis on making good choices and the affirmation, ‘I will take responsibility for my actions by making good choices. “The Paws and Think assemblies introduce a shared schoolwide language,” said Mr. Heltzel.

The SEL work extends across Todd, with administrators, counselors, classroom teachers, Encore teachers, and staff reinforcing the monthly traits throughout the school day. The idea for Paws and Think came from Principal Jessica Michaelidis as another way to provide students across grade bands with actionable strategies for making good choices.

“We are all working together to promote monthly traits on many levels,” said school counselor Gillian O’Connell.

To reinforce October’s SEL focus on positive actions, Todd Encore teachers led Words Have Power, the first assembly of the school year, for each grade level.

Students considered how words can repair mistakes, escalate or solve problems, and encourage or discourage others. They also practiced the Paws and Think three-step strategy:

Pause: What happened?
Think: What choices do I have?
Choose: A response that is safe, respectful, kind, and helpful.

During the third-grade assembly, music teacher Faith Ciavarella, physical education teachers Kelly Whitman and Michelle Hiltsley, and art teacher Paul Villanueva guided students to reflect on what it means to pause and think.

“The very responsible thing for us to do when making better choices is to pause and think,” Ms. Ciavarella said. “What do you think it means to pause and think?”

The students quickly made the connection.

“It means to stop and think about what you’re saying so you don’t hurt anyone’s feelings,” one student shared.

“It means to control your emotions,” another student said.

Ms. Ciavarella took the question a step further.

“It also means knowing what you need in that moment,” she said. “What do you need to help find a solution? What words will help us solve a problem?”

Briarcliff Bear was on the scene to help role-play, much to the delight of Todd students. In one scenario, the Bear cut in front of Sabrina in the lunch line. Sabrina modeled a responsible response by calmly asking Briarcliff Bear to please return to the end of the line.

Students also discussed times when solving a problem might mean asking an adult for help and practiced ways to respond when someone’s words hurt.

In a scenario presented by art teacher Mr. Villanueva, a student came to him upset after a classmate said his artwork looked like scribbles. One student suggested a different way the classmate could have responded.

“You could say that maybe your art project isn’t what the instructions are like, but I still like it because you can be creative in your own way.”

Moments like these show how this year’s districtwide focus on Personal Agency is taking shape at Todd. Students are learning to recognize the choices available to them, consider how their words and actions affect others, and take steps toward positive solutions.

The lesson reinforced that responsibility is not only about making the right choice the first time. It also means owning a choice, repairing it when necessary, and thinking about what to do next.

At the end of the assembly, students worked together to create posters filled with powerful words. The posters will hang in the hallways as daily reminders that we all have the power to pause, think, and choose words and actions that are safe, respectful, kind, and helpful.

This press release was produced by the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.