SEL Blog
Articles about Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Mindfulness in the Classroom, and Trauma-Informed Teaching
Teachers are reading…
SEL and Racial Equity
SEL teaches children the lessons they need to understand and practice racial equity. Social emotional learning starts with bringing an end to racism and injustice. But how do we have these tough conversations with young people?
Funding Sources for SEL
You’re a school administrator, you’re already stretched thin. You may want to implement social-emotional learning, but you don’t have the money! Here are some creative ways you can fund your SEL program.
Benefits of Mindfulness for Children
What is mindfulness? And how can practicing mindfulness benefit areas of a child’s life such as in the classroom or socializing with friends? Check out the benefits of practicing mindfulness in the classroom for more details.
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Articles
I Statements for Kids
Try incorporating these I statements for kids to effectively communicate thoughts, feelings and emotions.
6 Tips for Evaluating a Social-Emotional Learning Program
How do I evaluate a social-emotional learning program? You’re a school administrator, you’re busy. You may want to implement social-emotional...
Benefits of Schoolwide SEL
A schoolwide SEL curriculum is great for every classroom and Empowering Education is here to help you implement the program that works best for your students and teachers.
#LearningNeverStops
How has Empowering Education ensured that #LearningNeverStops? Check out our SEL response to the new learning environment we are all navigating.
How can read-alouds teach social-emotional learning?
Use read-alouds to teach kids social-emotional learning and positive affirmations. Try a mindfulness activity like reading Munchy and Jumpy Tales!
Self-Reflection as a Coping Skill
Teach self-reflection for students by using the “roses and thorns” exercise. This is one way to help students practice gratitude and reflect on their challenging days.
Mindfulness in the Classroom Articles
Five Tips to Reduce Winter Break Anxiety for Students
Teachers are almost always excited about an upcoming vacation, but as we approach the winter break, your students may also be experience excitement...
Classroom Gratitude Challenge
Gratitude in the Classroom With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s a good time to practice some gratitude. Research on gratitude has shown that regular...
Self-Care For Teachers
Self-Care For Teachers by Anne Brunette, LCSW, Psychotherapist Caring For Yourself So You Can Care For Others You became a teacher because you want...
Mindfulness & Silence Lesson
Notes from the Field: A Silent Lesson in Mindfulness from High Tech Elementary Empowering Education recently observed a lesson in mindful silence at...
A Mindful Approach to New Year’s Resolutions
As the days begin to grow longer and we welcome the next calendar year, many are looking toward 2019 with a familiar mixture of hope, trepidation,...
School-Based Mindfulness – Examining the Evidence
The past several decades have seen a marked increase in the use of mindfulness-based interventions to promote psychological health and well-being....
Trauma-Informed Teaching Articles
SEL and Racial Equity
SEL teaches children the lessons they need to understand racial equity. Social emotional learning starts with bringing an end to racism and injustice. But how do we have these tough conversations with young people? We compiled a list of resources, books, and activities to help adults and kids talk about race.
Teacher Tips for Online Learning
Create a virtual classroom from home: how you can build an online class using these 6 distance learning tips.
Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus: 4 Tips
As coronavirus continues to affect each of us, we would like to provide resources and tips in response to student questions regarding the virus and school closures, in addition to providing activities that students can do at home to stay engaged.
Tips for the Trauma Informed Educator: Stress & Trauma as Resilience Factors
Being a trauma-informed educator does not mean that we need to protect our students from all possible stressors and difficult experiences, rather, it means we have a deeper understanding of our students’ emotional states and we work to empower them to respond effectively to challenges and stressors….If we as parents and educators remove all stress from a child’s life we are robbing them of their richest opportunities for growth.
5 Ways to Support Children (& Ourselves) in the Wake of Tragedy
When students feel unsafe they don’t learn. So, how can we support students in the face of such global tension? Is there anything that we can do as educators and parents to create a sense of safety?
Absolutely. The same principles for effective treatment and prevention of trauma hold true here. Here are five practices to support your students (and yourself) following a tragic event.
Trauma Informed Teaching Part 4 of 4: The Mindfulness Solution
The simple practice of turning your attention to the present moment – your breath, the sounds you hear, the sensations you feel – can actually physically change the structure of your brain and counteract the effects of stress and trauma in less than 8 weeks. Studies are now revealing that mindfulness-based therapy is more effective than anti-depressants and cognitive behavioral therapy combined in treating PTSD. Even better, the results are permanent as long as participants continue to practice mindfulness in their daily lives