Stepping Stones Life Skills Adolescent Coach, Kim Earle, hands a Persell Middle School student a post-it to answer a question about his feelings to share on the “message board.” Mrs. Earle visits with students using creative ways to provide social and emotional assistance.

“Do you ever feel like a monster and what does that feel like?” asked Kim Earle,

Stepping Stones Life Skills Adolescent Coach, to Persell Middle School students in Stephanie Ralph’s class. “I want you to use sticky notes to write down your answer and put it on the message board.”

All the students wrote an answer and shared if they felt comfortable.

“I brought in the lyrics to a song called, Monster, and we are going to listen to the song and see how it makes you feel.”

The students listened and many sang along to the lyrics.

“What do you think is the emotion of the song?”

“Anger,” said one student.

“That’s right but instead of taking out his anger on someone or doing something bad with it, he put his emotions in a song. This is a perfect example of turning something that could be a bad thing into something positive. He found a positive way to express his emotions.”

Mrs. Earle was teaching students through the Stepping Stones Life Skills Program, which she teaches at Persell on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in Mrs. Ralph and Mrs. Mosher’s classes.

“I do my best to introduce students to ‘their best selves’ through unconditional love and forgiveness, conversation, crafts, toys, games, prizes, treats, guests, or whatever works best for the students,” said Mrs. Earle. “I want to bring out the joy and curiosity for learning.”

Stepping Stones is a newer program still being developed and currently only available at Persell. She visits with students to show creative ways to provide social and emotional assistance including:

¯ The Power of Choice – everything is a choice resulting in an outcome.

¯ Community Building – using individualized and group games, activities and projects to open the imagination

¯ Positive Behavior Modification – discovering both self and mutual respect through example

¯ The Joy of Self Discovery – an opportunity to explore their talents/abilities through projects

¯ Naming and Taming Our Emotions – promoting multi-level communication through a message board, trust and creativity allowing every student to have a voice.

¯ Dismantling Limited Belief – consistent and unconditional affirmation of students’ priceless worth

¯ Removing Barriers – daily “clean slate” forgiveness

“As much as we need education – reading, writing and math – we also need life skills and how to get along – that we are all a community,” said Mrs. Earle. “I like to constantly do different things with the students and I individualize it for each student. I like to say I’m a cheerleader in their corner.”

The teachers see their students loving the experience with Mrs. Earle.

“I’ve seen a lot of growth in my student’s maturity and willingness to discuss feelings that are relevant to them,” said Mrs. Ralph. “Mrs. Earle is great! The kids love her! She is so happy and positive all the time and that rubs off on everyone she comes in contact with.”