ELROY ELEMENTARY
Creating Confidence In Children By Mrs. Barbara Pagan, Elroy Elementary Principal rentwood Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Instilling confidence in young children will help them develop their social skills and create a sense of self-worth. When we feel good about ourselves, it shows; situations seem easier to handle and we communicate in a more upbeat and positive manner. That positivity can spread to others. Smiles are contagious! Children need to feel validated and loved. Their parents’ positive reinforcement and encouragement helps them gain confidence, and once they are in school, educators and peers also influence their self-worth. Additionally, how a child feels affects how they act. Model Confidence
Our children are in tune with our actions, so what we feel and perceive can influence our children. A positive self-image provides a strong example to children and helps them feel good about the world. Since children can mirror our behavior, we need to lead by example and model confidence. Bad days happen, and sometimes we feel overwhelmed or down. When we feel unhappy, it is a good idea to remind children that challenges are a part of life, and we feel happy and fulfilled on most days. If we are not happy, we owe it to ourselves and our children to seek out ways to feel fulfilled and joyful, which may include reading, meditating, exercising or listening to music. Instill a Positive Self-Image
Parents influence their children ' s sense of self-worth. Our children should like who they are. Children should feel as though
their voices will be heard and that they can make a difference in the world. We help them develop a healthy sense of self-worth by acknowledging their strengths and the qualities that make them unique. Everyone seeks praise and responds positively to compliments. Children develop a positive self-image when their parents acknowledge their strengths, trust in their abilities and see mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. Know Your Child ' s Friends and Their Parents
The people around us can affect how we act. Our values may differ from other parents’ and children’ s values. Part of our job as parents is to get to know our children’ s friends and their parents, and observe any behavioral changes in our children, positive or negative. We can’ t always choose who our children befriend, but we can encourage them to play with children who will make them happy. Make time to talk to other parents at the school’ s drop-off or pick-up times. Talk to your children about their play dates, and pay attention to their attitudes afterward. Are they smiling and excited about the fun they had, or are they withdrawn? Express, Don ' t Suppress, Feelings
Children need to be able to express how they feel, but also be able to control their tempers. Suppressing feelings does not help children deal with the issue and keeps them from learning how to communicate effectively with others. Finding the right balance is difficult, but if we model healthy ways to talk about our feelings, children will learn how to express how they feel in a mature, controlled and age-appropriate manner.
Squonk Opera brings their STEAM workshop to Elroy Elementary By Mrs. Barb Girone
The Squonk Opera brought their newest STEAM assembly to the students of Elroy in November. The students from Kindergarten to Fifth grade were treated to two workshops that combined science, technology, engineering, art, and math through a bicycle themed learning called Cycle Science. Students learned about the theories of balance with the mechanics of the bicycle while focusing on gyroscopes, axis, gears, sprockets, and fulcrums. Art teacher Barbara Girone coordinated the workshop with no cost to the district, through grants funded by the Grable Foundation, BNY Mellon Foundation, Allegheny Regional Asset District, EQT Foundation, and the Heinz Endowments.
68 Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall