"Let's sit down and make an oval," sang the enthusiastic group
of preschooolers. It's an age when the kids need to learn how to
behave in a group, to line up, and to share. But these
preschoolers were going beyond those lessons, in a locally
developed program called Second Step. "How do you feel?" asked
their teacher, Daren Chamberlin. "I feel mad. You're mad? What's
going on? I feel happy," called out a second student. Circle
time starts with an exercise in identifying emotions. "What's
after we name our feelings?" Chamberlin asked. "Take belly
breaths," replied one preschooler, telling what they had
practiced to control their emotions. "Emotions even for us as
adults can be really overwhelming. When they feel like they can
name it and you know the ways to calm down, helps them manage
those feelings," explained Chamberlin. Story books the children
read reinforce the curriculum. "It's Ok To Be Different", by
Todd Parr topped the reading list on this day. At Denise Louie
Education Center that's an important me