COMPASS

Curriculum On the Management and Promotion of Appropriate Social Skills

Playgroup for 4-6 year olds

The goal of the COMPASS group is to promote positive social skills in children who are either shy/anxious or who display negative behavior towards others during play. Each group is composed of approximately 6-8 children and their parents. Through puppet shows, role plays, and/or structured activities, your child will be given brief instruction on how to handle a difficult social situation by using appropriate social skills. Your child will be encouraged to rehearse the skill being taught and will be coached during this practice. You will be taught how to coach your child, too. Although it is important for us to teach your child the basic social skills, it is more important that you know how to reinforce those skills at home. That is why parent sessions and involvement are a big part of COMPASS and are also what make COMPASS unique from other social skills programs in the community.

Curriculum

In the COMPASS curriculum, your child will learn:

• sharing
• taking turns
• obeying game rules
• body boundary awareness
• leading/joining with a fun idea
• questioning/sustaining play
• listening/two-way conversation
• talking nicely to other children

Parents will learn ways they can help their child make and keep friends. Basic parenting techniques for use on play dates will also be reviewed in the program.

To further improve parenting skills, the Parent Education Group (PEG) is highly recommended.

Requirements

• Child age: 4-6 years old
• Parents attend all sessions
• Regular attendance by parents and children is imperative
• Intake is required

Schedule

COMPASS is a 12 week program which meets on Thursdays in the late afternoons. The groups fill quickly; therefore, please plan ahead and contact Dr. Rich to schedule your intake one to two months in advance of the group's tentative start date.

Typical and Tentative Annual Schedule

• Fall Group: Beginning in October, emphasis on Improving Play Dates.
• Winter Group: Beginning in January, emphasis on Enhancing Social Skills At School.
• Spring Group: Beginning in April, emphasis on Addressing Specific Social Difficulties in Your Child.
• Summer Group: Beginning in July, emphasis on Strengthening Social Skills Through Parent-Child Play.

Additional Information

Is COMPASS right for me and my child? To find out, click here.

Contact Dr. Rich for more information.