Personal Safety

 

Our district strongly encourages counselors to teach at least one personal safety lesson each year as part of the counseling curriculum.  We use some of the Committee for Children's talking about touching materials, primarily in kindergarten.  The skills the children are taught are "the Always Ask First Rule," the Touching Rule, and the Safety Steps. The Steps are: 1. Say words that mean "No," 2. Get away, and 3. Tell a grown-up.  Our county does not want us using the language good touch-bad touch.  The Committee for Children materials use safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches. We reinforce these same skills in grade one and use the book Not Everyone Is Nice for a springboard to the discussion.  In both grades we send home parent letters the same week we teach these important skills so they can be reinforced by parents and caregivers.  In grade 2 we switch to using the curriculum provided free by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Got2BSAFE! We like these materials because they address children in the 8 to 10 age range that are being granted more freedom and need the "Think smart and Take Charge" message in the program.  There is a great parent letter that refers them to the web site for additional ways to practice these life saving skills.  What materials are you using in your program?