Welcome

Road Map 1: For Teachers – Kimochis Classroom Check-in.

Step 1 Click here to watch this inspiring Kimochis Feeling Check-In to get ideas of how you might use Kimochis to connect authentically to your entire classroom.  You can use this as a model to create a way that feels like your style to reassure your kids that ALL feelings are okay and that you are not alone with your feelings.

Digital Tip and note from TK teacher Brittney Bylund from LUCHA Elementary in San Jose, ca: Today I shared a short Kimochis lesson with my TK students through a video on Seesaw. My students are sharing their voice comments on how they are feeling via the Seesaw Class app (FREE for teachers and students). I post the Thoughtful Thursday videos on Seesaw for the students to view, and they can respond by leaving voice comments. They can also respond to Activities posted on the app that includes the Kimochis blank feeling template.
(Ms. Bylund shared: “This lesson was very raw for me because I was sorting through feeling sad myself, and I imagined some of my students might feel sad to know that we aren’t going back to school any time soon.”

Step 2  Click here to watch Krisin Burt, Principle of LCHA in San Jose, Ca use the Make Your Own Feeling Digitally.

Here are two examples of how students shared feelings:

Example #1: Click Here

Example #2: Click Here

Step 3  Click here to get some more ideas and inspiration of how you can use Kimochis in a distance learning model to help your students manage their hard-to-have feelings.

Digital Tip:  These two videos were made with Apple clips and shared with students via seesaw-a digital learning platform. Then, we took the Make Your Own Kimochis resource and asked students to tell us how they are feeling. I went through their responses and added comments to make that connection with them and help them process their emotions…

Step 4 Each week when you do your  Kimochis Classroom Feeling Check-In you might consider sharing what feelings your class was feeling.  For example, without sharing student names, share that 8 students shared they were sad, 10 frustrated, 12 happy and 5 silly. Share your admiration for how your class is creating positive feelings and managing the hard-to-have feelings as both are true, important, and real.   Let kids share what tools they used. This step helps kids feel proud and remember they can do hard things as they are emotionally strong.  This step also helps kids know they are not alone with their feelings and that all feelings are okay. We find that if you do any of the above ideas your kids will come up with creative ways to use Kimochis to talk to their classmates and you about their feelings.

 
Step 1  Set up a 15-minute Kimochis Check-In with each student.

Digital Tip:  Use Zoom or another virtual platform

Step 2  Send the following Kimochis resources before your check-in.

Ages 3-6 Feeling Detective (Click Here)  Make Your Own Feeling  (Click Here)

Ages 7-12 Feeling Chart  (Click Here) Color Your Own Feelings 7-12 (Click Here)

Step 3  Follow these 6 simple steps for each one-on-one Feeling Check-In.

1. The Teacher holds a Kimochis Bowl of Feelings or uses the Be a Feeling Detective (3-6) or Feeling Chart (7-12) and says, “Let’s do our Kimochis Check-In.  “Let’s both touch and talk about one feeling we are enjoying having and one hard-to-have feeling we are having this week.

2. The teacher goes first and points to or holds the feeling you are enjoying (Example:  Grateful) and shares the story of why you are feeling this way.

3. Your student now takes a turn by pointing or naming a feeling they are enjoying along with the story of the feeling. Really enjoy this feeling together and allow your student to go on and on about this positive feeling.

4. Next, the teacher shares a hard-to-have feeling and a story of why you are feeling (sad or other feeling) and what tools you are using to make that feeling a little smaller or better.  For example, you might say,” I feel sad because I miss you.”  (Pause) Now share what you are doing to help your feeling. For example, you might say, “I make my sad a little smaller by making a time to see you on the computer, and telling myself that we will all be back at school one day.

5. Invite your student to share a feeling that is a hard-to-have such as,  sad, mad, or frustrated. Validate the student by letting this student know you understand. Ask if they have found a way to make things better.  Work together to think of tools that might help make things better or smaller.

6. The teacher gives the student either the Make your Own Feeling or Color Your Feeling resource and says that each week you invite your student to use this tool to share how they are feeling.  When you have your next Kimochis Check- In the teacher can begin by connecting with this student on the feelings, they shared.  For example:  On the Make your Own feeling the student might have expressed feeling mad that their sibling is annoying them when doing homework. You can ask if it is any better and check-in to explore if they discovered tips and tricks for managing this BIG feeling. If the student uses Color Your Feelings, you can have them tell you the story of each feeling they colored as you launch into that week’s Check- In.

Note:  Kimochis Check-in’s are not therapy but rather a tool that gives kids a way to name what they are feeling and ponder ways to make things better with the teachers help.  When concerned about a student, always go to your mental health professional at your school and share the input you have gotten from your student with the Make Your Own Feeling or Color Your Feelings worksheets you will be using for this digital feeling check-in.

Roadmap #3: For Parents and Caregivers – Tools for connecting school and home so kids feel safe, understood, and loved.

Step 1   Click here to view our 3- minute video for parents called:  All feelings are ok. School and Home Together Help Kids Feel Safe, Connected and Loved. Teachers can send this video to parents or use it as a model to make your own video as a powerful way to kick-off your school to home connection with Kimochis.

Digital Tip: We used Quicktime player to make the movie and WeTransfer to send.

Step 2 Send parents the Kimochis Be A Feeling Detective for kids 3-6 Click Here or Kimochis Feeling Chart for ages 7-12 Click Here.  These tangible feeling resources give parents simple steps for how to help feelings get talked about at home.  The big message is:  All feelings are okay. All behaviors are not.