SOCIAL/ EMOTIONAL LEARNING MICHELLE SOMERHALDER, LISA SIMMONS, HEATHER ALEXANDER

MINDFULNESS MATTERS Mindfulness – the practice of staying attuned to what’s happening in the present moment Benefits Increases resilience Increases ability to manage stress Increases motivation to sustain effort in difficult tasks Elevates empathy Enhances compassion Increases kindness Encourages heathier eating habits Improves immune function

WHAT IS SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING? Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to… understand and manage emotions set and achieve positive goals feel and show empathy for others establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEARNING

COLORING PAGES

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF COLORING Helps reduce stress and anxiety Activates both parts of the cerebral hemisphere De-concentration, which helps relax and reduce the chatter of a restless mind Perfect therapy for many diseases Sparks creativity Removal of technology distractions

OUR TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD

HOW YOUR PHONE IS CHANGING YOU

SQUARE BREATHING Simple technique for when you feel stressed or overwhelmed Controlled breathing can be utilized to calm nerves and relieve stress by helping to regulate the autonomic nervous system Helps to slow your breathing to combat the effects of the body's fight-or-flight response to a stressful situation

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION Calm App Marine Aquarium

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION Lumosity Do Nothing

ADDRESSING THE “WHOLE CHILD” PHYSICAL HEALTH SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING ACADEMICS

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL SKILLS Curriculum devoted to children and adults to be engaged life-long learners who are self-aware, caring and connected to others, and responsible in their decision-making Social/Emotional Learning Skills include: Recognizing and managing emotions Caring about and respecting others Developing positive relationships Making good decisions Behaving responsibly and ethically

17 PROACTIVE SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES Relationship Strategies 5 to 1 Ratio of Positive to Negative Interactions Positive greetings at the door to establish a positive climate Delivering effective praise and corrective statements Wise Feedback – voice high expectations and belief in student‘s ability to meet those expectations Procedural Strategies Teach, model, and reinforce social/emotional skills Manage transitions well Teacher proximity and mobility Effective goal setting Visual schedule Provide numerous opportunities to respond Effective Cueing System/Attention Signals

Open Circles Purpose Process Students sit in circle To proactively develop children’s skills for recognizing and managing emotions, empathy, positive relationships and problem solving; and To help schools develop a community where students feel safe, cared for and engaged in learning. Process Students sit in circle Teacher poses a question/topic Students go around circle sharing their thoughts related to the topic

Mindfulness in the Classroom Mindful Moment (Beg of Class/After Transition/End of Class) Close eyes; take deep breaths Play relaxing music Stand, stretch Think of something you are grateful for Reflect on lesson - what did you learn; what did you accomplish Resources for Teens Change to Chill Website Take the stress quiz Learn what stress is and how to manage Stop, Breathe, Think Website

SCHOOL-CONNECT CURRICULUM