Hoover school teaching social skills in class

BUT DICKSON SAYS IT’S WORTH IT FOR 35 NOW, IMPROVING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN STUDENTS. THAT’S THE GOAL FOR ONE HOOVER CITY SCHOOL RIGHT NOW. WVTM13’S PATSY DOUGLAS LIVE AND LOCAL. PATSY, YOU SPOKE WITH THE FOLKS AT BLUFF PARK ELEMENTARY. HOW ARE THE FOLKS THERE HELPING STUDENTS WITH THEIR SOCIAL SKILLS? WELL, TEACHERS LIKE KATIE COLLINS, SHE’S WORKING CLOSELY WITH THOSE STUDENTS. THEY HAVE THEIR HANDY HANDBOOK. HERE IS A 12 STEP PROCESS CALLED 12TH BLUFF BASICS. IT’S REALLY HELPING THOSE KIDS WITH THEIR EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION GOSHEN, AND IT’S TEACHING THEM THINGS LIKE EYE CONTACT, A HAND SHAKING AND PROPER MANNERS. THIS IS NEEDED BECAUSE RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SPENDING MOST OF THEIR SOCIAL TIME WITH TECHNOLOGY. FIRST GRADE TEACHER KATIE COLLINS SEES FIRSTHAND THE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY IN THE CLASSROOM. WE START SOMETHING EVERY DAY CALLED DAILY NEWS, AND RECENTLY I’VE BEEN ASKING THEM TO GO AROUND AND SHARE THEIR NEWS WITH FIVE PEOPLE. AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE COME BACK TOGETHER AND I SAY, OKAY, WHO KNOWS WHAT LILLY’S NEWS IS TODAY? AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO LISTEN AND THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND THEY HAVE TO JUST COMMUNICATE. NOW, KATIE COLLINS SAYS THAT COVID IS THE ONE TO BLAME FOR THE REASON THAT MOST OF THESE KIDS ARE FINDING A HARD TIME WITH COMMUNICATION, FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER. SHE BELIEVES THIS 12 STEP PROCESS WILL HELP THEM. NOW AND IN THE NEAR FUTURE.