Success Story:
Young Children Managing Emotions
Kristine Leone, Kindergarten Teacher
Sara Skibba, Kindergarten Teacher
Tulalip Elementary School
Marysville, WA
Kristine Leone and Sara Skibba both teach the SECOND STEP program to their kindergarten students at Tulalip Elementary School. The school is on the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Washington State, and 70 percent of the student population is Native American.
"I think there are a lot of needs at our school for social skills, handling impulses, and dealing with other children who are being aggressive or not playing fair. And I think the SECOND STEP program helps," says Skibba.
Leone agrees, "I've seen a lot of improvement in my students' behavior from the beginning of the year until now. At the beginning, students weren't sure how to handle frustrations and their feelings, and through the SECOND STEP program, they've been able to identify feelings, acknowledge them, realize that feelings aren't right or wrong, they just are; and they've learned ways to manage those feelings. They talk about acknowledging what the problem is and how to fix it. They've also learned steps on how to calm down, like breathing techniques."
