COUNSELOR MESSAGE
Dear KG Parents,
Welcome to the Kindergarten A’takamul counseling corner.
A'takamul strives for students to have a strong foundation in their Islamic and Kuwaiti roots, as well as ensuring them to grow into well rounded and global adults. Kindergarten is vital for children to learn human interaction skills and to express their emotions. The school, especially teachers and counselors, emphasize self awareness, self regulation, social awareness and how to be responsible. We do not underestimate the power of meaningful relationships (family, fellow students and teachers).
A'takamul focuses on four areas which are respect, responsibility, results and recreation. Respect at this age is achieved by teaching students living values, but also by demonstrating how to be good listeners. They are taught to be polite to everyone . They are taught to encourage and congratulate one another. Respect is more than saying please and thank you. Responsibility is expressed in our department by setting high expectations and setting routines. Students are taught to be accountable and realize that the choices they make affect those around them too. For example, if a student is being helpful and considerate, others may want to follow their lead. If a student is making the wrong choice, it may cause the other students to avoid or isolate them, hence harming their self-esteem and growth. Results are achieved through project based learning and documented with the different assessments that are administered. Recreation is achieved through the use of play based learning. In Kindergarten, our staff strives for our students to foster a love of learning.
It is our goal as counselors to understand that every child’s behavior is different. The goal is not to change the uniqueness of each child, but for them to have strong social emotional skills so they can succeed in school and life. It is important for counselors to not only listen to children, but to watch their non-verbal communication as well to better understand them
We want to allow students to express themselves in a safe and positive manner. At this age, children are vulnerable and rely on positive role models in their lives. This means that it is vital to focus on all the students’ strengths as well as helping them overcome their weaknesses.
A counselor's job is to advocate and ensure a child is safe as well as having the best education. When a child feels confident, he or she is able to succeed at the desired goal. Whether that is something as simple as being self-aware and building strong relationships, or if it is a child who needs to be challenged academically. That is where this department comes in. It is the counselor's job to help all students, and not the misconception that it is only certain students that require support. We are here to
support children and families in order to strengthen our students academic and social-emotional foundation.
Sincerely,
Nancy Gerges
Kindergarten Counselor