Frequently Asked Questions
Empowering Education offers a comprehensive, standards aligned social and emotional learning (SEL) program with professional development that is teacher led, evidence-based, and integrated with academics
Purchasing Questions
What makes the Empowering Education program unique?
We’re very proud of our program. Here’s why:
1. The Empowering Education program is easy-to-use. We designed it with the busy teacher in mind. In practice, this means we make sure that the lessons require minimal prep. We even check that lessons will work if a teacher doesn’t have a printer, projector, etc. Everything is online so that there are no books or props to keep track of.
2. We do mindfulness-based SEL. What is that? It means that not only do some of our lessons explicitly teach mindfulness, but we also start every lesson with a short “mindful moment” and when lessons explore other topics, like apologizing, we often rely on mindfulness as part of the skill (e.g. take a deep breath and calm down before you apologize…). It also means that every lesson is directly connected with CASEL’s five SEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness, and relationship skills.
3. Our program is accessible for both students and teachers. We don’t think SEL or mindfulness should be complicated and our lessons make sure that’s what students and teachers think too.
4. Our program is designed for easy school-wide implementation. With the same theme across K-8 and across 9-12 each week, administrators can tie the school’s SEL work together and even have older kids work with younger ones.
Here's some additional information about our program if you are interested.
What comes with the program?
For all licenses in the PreK-8 grade bands, you will receive 30 weekly lessons unique to each grade band. With a 9-12 license, you will receive 13 core units, with 5 lessons and 1 project within each unit.
Grade band access is broken up for K-2, 3-5 ,6-8 and 9-12. Multiple Grade band packages are also available and provide a discount.. All lessons come with a Spanish version.
All lessons include:
1. Easy-to-follow lesson plans
2. Lesson outlines
3. Optional lesson scripts
4. Weeklong and school-wide extension ideas
5. Lesson variation guidance
6. Google slide decks (K-8)
7. Printouts
8. At-home resources
9. Academic extensions to connect SEL to other topics
10. Recordings of mindful moments, led by students
11. Admin guides
How much does the Empowering Education program cost?
We work hard to make our SEL affordable. Take a look at our pricing page.
Do you offer professional development?
School licenses include engaging self-paced training modules that teachers can do at home or together in school. Training videos and additional teacher support resources available 24/7. Supplemental live-online or in-person training sessions available.
We also provide personalized professional development opportunities. Check out this flyer for more information.
Technical Questions
I have purchased school-wide access and/or multiple teacher seats - how do I access the program online and add users?
The plan admin will need to first log into their account. Once logged in, click Account (top right), click Subscriptions, then click Manage Members. From there you will see a link that you can send out to all your teachers.
Teachers then will receive the link, if they have an account already they will accept the invitation and join your team. For new teachers, they will set up a new account and join your team.
I’m having trouble logging in, what do I do?
95% of the time, this is solved by clearing your cache. If you don’t know how to do this, look here.
Empowering Education Program Facts
What grade level is the Empowering Education program? Is it differentiated?
The Empowering Education program spans grades PreK-12.
While the weekly theme is the same across PreK-8th grades (to make school-wide implementation easier) we definitely differentiate the lessons for each grade band.
9-12 grade bands are broken into 13 core units. Each unit is broken into 5 lessons and a project. This concept supports a longer focus on core SEL units for high school aged students. We offer suggestions for differentiation within the lessons.
While all grades do a bit of all of the following, the K-2 lessons center on reading our children’s stories (included). The 3-5 lessons use more role-playing and games. The 6-8 lessons include more discussion, including topics on social media. The 9-12 curriculum focuses on more real-world application, discussion and practice.
What topics does the Empowering Education program cover?
Many! Take a look at our scope and sequence for PreK-8 and our scope and sequence for 9-12.
Do you have hard copies of the Empowering Education program?
In order to keep our program affordable, we don’t send out binders. But, you can print the lessons yourself.
Is the program in other languages?
Our program is in English and Spanish.
Do you have pre/post surveys for use in my school?
Yes. We use the Child Trends Survey for use before and after the program. This survey is most appropriate for grades PreK-5, but can be adapted to any grade.
Background on Empowering Education
Is Empowering Education standards-aligned?
Our program is based on CASEL’s five SEL competencies, which is widely seen as the standard for SEL programs. Our academic extensions list the academic standards that we align with.
Is the Empowering Education's program evidenced-based?
Not only are our lessons based on research on mindfulness and social emotional learning, but we’ve had studies done and they show that our program has positive effects on student persistence, self-control, and social competence. You can see the results here.
We already use some other SEL program but we need more. Will Empowering Education conflict with it?
Yes, that can work. While our program is comprehensive and is best used as a whole, the lessons work independently.
Is your program CASEL-aligned?
Yes! We even list which CASEL standards each lesson focuses on.
SEL & Mindfulness Questions
Do I need to be a mindfulness expert to teach Empowering Education?
Definitely NOT! We specifically make sure that our program is easy-to-use for someone with NO experience with mindfulness. Not only do we provide scripts for mindful moments, we provide recordings of kids leading them.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. Mindfulness is learned by focusing attention on one specific aspect of the experience at a time (e.g. breath, sounds, body sensations, thoughts, emotions, etc.). With continued practice, we enhance our capacity to purposefully and skillfully direct our attention and awareness – a skill that is very helpful. Learn more about mindfulness in schools!
Are you teaching meditation?
No. While meditation is a form of mindfulness, mindfulness is simply the practice of paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment.
Is mindfulness religious?
No. Just like singing or story-telling, which are used in both non-religious and religious settings, mindfulness is not in itself religious. In our program, there are no references whatsoever to higher powers, religion, or spirituality.
In Empowering Education, students learn mindfulness through various practices such as mindful body, mindful listening, mindful eating, mindful breathing, mindful coloring, and mindful walking; however, we do not specifically teach meditation.