Mrs. Yanoff's Counseling Website
All About Me
My name is Heather Yanoff and it is a pleasure to be the Guidance Counselor at the Helen Morgan School. I taught first grade at Helen Morgan for five years and I have been teaching for over ten years. I received my Masters in School Counseling at William Paterson and I am currently pursuing my Doctorate.
On a typical day I can be seen teaching lessons, visiting the cafeteria, assisting on the playground, waving hello or good bye to your children as they arrive or depart the school, and/or privately working with a small group or a child one on one. Each month I will be posting a newsletter on my website that will focus on the school’s current Character Education theme of the month.
During the school year I will be visiting your child’s classroom to teach a series of lessons. The Sparta School District uses an excellent program called Second Step. The Second Step program is designed to promote social competence and reduce social and emotional problems by teaching children skills in the areas of empathy, emotion management, and problem solving. The students will practice many social skills including how to talk about their feelings, getting along with others, problem solving, and managing strong emotions. Families are an important part of the Second Step program and throughout the year I will have links on my website that will explain the social skills we are working on, and many ideas you may use at home to help your child practice.
If you would like your child to meet with me, please complete the counseling permission form. Individual and group counseling sessions occur during the school day at a time mutually agreed upon with the teacher.
I am very excited to start the new school year! Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
I look forward to working with you this year!
Websites that you may like to visit:
Some great positive parenting books:
Parenting with Love and Logic by: Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline
Redirecting Children’s Behavior by: Kathryn J. Kvols
Newsletter
May_is_Trustworthiness_Month.pdf
Counseling Form
Second Step Program Skills
First Grade: Empathy, Impulse Control and Problem Solving, and Anger Management
Second Grade: Empathy, Impulse Control and Problem Solving, and Anger Management
Kindergarden/Pre-School: Empathy, Impulse Control and Problem Solving, and Anger Management
Empathy skills are the focus of the first Second Step unit. They provide a foundation on which the problem-solving and anger-management skills are built in the second and third units. Empathy skills are central aspects of emotional intelligence and emotional competence. It is important for children to have good empathy skills. Empathy is related to children’s social competence and their academic success.
Impulse Control and Problem Solving are the focus of the second Second Step unit. Children are taught that when they are having a problwem with peers, it is useful to calm down first, and then apply a set of problem-solving steps.
Anger management is the focus of the third Second Step unit. The children are taught strategies to manage their anger and other strong emotions.
Here are some great books to read at home:
The Any Bully by John Nickle
The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric
Crickwing by Janell Cannon