# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Thinking (SBM, Size of Problem, etc.)

# data[].attributes.headline
Link to SEL for Families Padlet to Share

# data[].attributes.subject
Link to SEL for Families Padlet to Share

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learners who are socially aware can take others' perspectives, identify how others may be feeling, and recognize and respect individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Why is social awareness important for social-emotional learning?

Teaching students to empathize with others improves their ability to work in groups and form relationships with their peers. Socially aware students are more equipped to adapt to new environments and cause fewer disruptions in class.

Social awareness, like self-awareness, is a skill that evolves well into adulthood. Social awareness helps us form and develop friendships and relationships, and helps us read the room in social situations.

How to teach students social awareness

Modeling is a powerful tool for teaching social awareness and other social-emotional learning skills. One of the most influential things you can do as an educator is to model respect for others. This includes using inclusive language in the classroom and treating all students and adults with respect, no matter their background, age, appearance, or learning level. Read our blog post on advocating for neurodiversity in SEL for more information and ideas for promoting an inclusive classroom.

Another great approach for teaching social awareness is to ask guiding questions. If you are reading a book or watching a video with characters, you might ask your students questions about how the characters are feeling. You can ask questions like:

How do you think they're feeling?

What do you think will happen next?

How would you feel in the same situation?

All of these questions teach students to think critically and empathically. These are also great opportunities to draw your learners' attention to the characters' body language and facial expressions for clues on how they might be feeling. Try our Caring When It's Complicated activity with your students.

Teaching social awareness will help your students interact with their peers and lay the foundation for success in future social interactions.

Social awareness is one of the CASEL 5 competencies, along with self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These are the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning's recommended skills for setting your students up for success in academics, school and civic engagement, health and wellness, and future careers.
Are you looking for more information and materials for teaching your students social skills? Try our no-prep curricula free for 30 days!
Related Resources:

"Honestly, with the students I provide virtual and in-person sessions for, I use Everyday Speech almost exclusively when providing services, because it encompasses SO much of the skills I work on with students. This hands-down is the most important resource I use with my students, and I'm truly grateful for Everyday Speech!!"
- Ben Nelson, School Social Worker at Detroit Institute for Children

Leave a comment

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Students Social Awareness | Everyday Speech

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learners who are socially aware can take others' perspectives, identify how others may be feeling, and recognize and respect individuals from diverse backgrounds. Teaching students to empathize with others improves their ability to work in groups and form relationships with their peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teaching Students Self-Awareness | Everyday Speech

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching self-awareness will provide the groundwork for developing other foundational SEL skills. Try Everyday Speech free for 30 days.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FREE K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® Curriculum

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download our NEW K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® lesson plans today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At some point in your child or student's life they will be part of a conflict. Teaching them how to address conflicts to reach a peaceful resolution is an important part of social skills development and maturity.

To get started, explain that there are various conflict resolution styles: passive, assertive, aggressive. Share examples of each of the styles, such as: a passive person may avoid eye contact or ignore a problem, whereas an aggressive person may resort to shouting or getting too close and raising their voice.

Talk through each of the resolution styles and encourage your students to consider how they address conflicts when they arise. Share how they can be more assertive while addressing conflicts rather than passive or aggressive.

Our educational consultants have prepared a learning module that educators can use to teach about conflict resolution. This module includes a PowerPoint presentation, activity sheets, homework samples, and an outline for the lesson. Give it a try!

The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute's special education consultant, Andrea Morris, M.Ed.

Powerpoint Presentation:
Assertive vs. Aggressive PowerPoint Assertive vs. Aggressive Facilitator's Guide
Resource Materials:
Assertive vs. Aggressive Activity Sheet 1 Assertive vs. Aggressive Homework Assertive vs Aggressive Activity Sheet 2 Assertive vs. Aggressive Activity Sheet 1 Assertive vs. Aggressive Teacher Alert Assertive vs. Aggressive Assertive vs. Aggressive Mini Schedule Assertive vs. Aggressive Parent Note Assertive vs Aggressive Outline Assertive vs Aggressive Social Power Point card
Pre/Post Assessment

A pre and post lesson assessment is included in each lesson. Use of the assessment is an instructor preference. Many of the 'homework' pages for a lesson can be used as a pre/post assessment device alone or as part of the provided assessment. Each homework page can be checked by the instructor as well as the student.

Review all included pages of the lesson to determine what 'assessment' method will meet your needs. If the student is able to achieve a + in the majority of items of the pre-assessment, or if the student has been observed to display the skill topic of the lesson often, then the lesson may not be introduced or can be taught with a group as review and/or reinforcement.
Assertive vs. Aggressive Pre/Post Assessment
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute's use of this information, please contact us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Skills to Teach Conflict Resolution - Watson Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At some point in your child or student's life they will be part of a conflict. Teaching them how to address conflicts to reach a peaceful resolution is an important part of social skills development and maturity. To get started, explain that there are various conflict resolution styles: passive, assertive, aggressive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The social and emotional development of students starts at home.

Families and caregivers are, arguably, every school's most important partners in growing a child's social-emotional learning (SEL).

And the research backs this up: The positive outcomes of SEL curriculum can amplify when it extends into the home. Family members who reinforce and model the same SEL skills and competencies that are taught in the classroom can accelerate a student's social-emotional development.

Yet, parents and caregivers with positive intentions don't always know where to start-or how to help-when it comes to social-emotional learning. As district administrators, school leaders, and teachers, it's up to us to initiate and nurture that consistency between home and school for SEL.

Here are six resources that you can share with families to help guide their social-emotional learning efforts at home. From free apps, to videos, to games, these expert-designed materials are perfect for helping parents and caregivers turn everyday moments and interactions into "SEL moments."

Download our new resource pack on how to engage families in SEL, including conversation guides for caregivers and educators!

1. Inner Explorer @ Home App

2. Harmony at Home Lessons

3. "Wisdom: The World of Emotions" Game

4. The Family Guide to Supporting Student Well-Being

5. The Play at Home Guide

6. Interactive Family Activities Checklist

1. Inner Explorer @ Home App
What Is It? A free mindfulness app from Inner Explorer. Hundreds of school districts use Inner Explorer's mindfulness program to help educators and students become socially-emotionally present and handle situations with calmness and resilience. Inner Explorer @ Home is specifically designed for parents and caregivers to use with their children and features daily guided mindfulness practices for all age-groups. [Download the free Inner Explorer app]

2. Harmony at Home Lessons

What Is It? A set of activities and lessons for families to use at home with children in grades PreK-6. Provided by Sanford Harmony, these resources guide parents and caregivers through ways to help children practice key SEL skills such as empathy and critical thinking. Sanford Harmony offers social-emotional learning resources for teachers, administrators, program managers, and families at no cost. [Access the lessons]
3. "Wisdom: The World of Emotions" Game

What Is It? " Wisdom: The World of Emotions" is the leading social-emotional learning interactive game for children ages four to eight. Developed by Better Kids, this free game is designed to build SEL skills through play. Parents and caregivers can play the game with their children and use Better Kids' supplemental hands-on activities to help their child practice healthy coping strategies and gratitude. [Download Wisdom from Better Kids]

5. The Family Guide to Supporting Student Well-Being

Pro Tip: Districts and schools that partner with Panorama for social-emotional learning measurement receive access to Playbook, an online professional learning library. Playbook includes hundreds of SEL strategies, lesson plans, and activities from expert organizations-such as Second Step, Move This World, and Open Circle.

6. The Play at Home Guide
This guide from What Is It? Breathe For Change offers easy-to-use strategies to help families reduce stress, enhance well-being, and cope with the challenges that are ever-so-present this school year. Breathe For Change also offers mind-body and social-emotional trainings that unite, train, and support educators and caregivers. [Download the guide]
7. Interactive Family Activities Checklist
This resource from What Is It? Playworks includes 30+ games that young children can play at home to stay active and build valuable life skills. Each game comes with guidelines on recommended ages, number of people needed to play, equipment, setup/teaching time, game rules, challenge ideas, game variations, and safety considerations. [Download the guide]

This checklist from What Is It? Respectful Ways contains 14 activities for families to foster creativity, prompt discussion, expand children's imaginations, and cultivate social-emotional growth. Respectful Ways created these fun, interactive activities to guide family members through the process of recognizing and navigating negative feelings, understanding the origins of emotions, and help everyone cope with stress. [Download the checklist]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL at Home: Top Resources to Share with Families | Panorama Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Social-emotional learning starts at home. Explore seven SEL activities, apps, and games to share with parents and caregivers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
People communicate through many forms: verbally, using sign language, or communication devices. People also use their body language to communicate with others.

Teaching your child or student how to read and understand body language is an important skill that will benefit them in social interactions.

There are four main components to consider when reading someone's body language:

1. Facial Expressions - look at their eyes and mouth for cues. Are they looking away a lot, letting their eyes wander as you speak? Is their mouth relaxed or in a tight line?

2. Posture - how is their body positioned (mainly head, back, and shoulders)?

3. Gestures - watch what they are doing with their hands. Are they pointing aggressively, giving you a polite wave?

4. Stance - how are they standing and what are they doing with their arms?

Be sure to teach the big picture - someone may be standing with their hands on their hips, which alone may seem like an angry stance, but they may have a smile on their face and have relaxed posture. Taking these four components into account will help your students read and understand their peers' body language.Watson's educational consultants created a social skills module for educators to use when teaching this topic. The module includes activities, homework assignments, and magnet cards.

The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute's special education consultant, Andrea Morris, M.Ed.

Powerpoint Presentation:
I Can Read Body Language I Can Read Body Language Facilitator's Guide
Resource Materials:
I Can Read Body Language Activity I Can Read Body Language Magnet Cards I Can Read Body Language Mini Schedule I Can Read Body Language Outline I Can Read Body Language Parent Note I Can Read Body Language Homework I Can Read Body Language Teacher Note
Pre/Post Assessment

A pre and post lesson assessment is included in each lesson. Use of the assessment is an instructor preference. Many of the 'homework' pages for a lesson can be used as a pre/post assessment device alone or as part of the provided assessment. Each homework page can be checked by the instructor as well as the student.

Review all included pages of the lesson to determine what 'assessment' method will meet your needs. If the student is able to achieve a + in the majority of items of the pre-assessment, or if the student has been observed to display the skill topic of the lesson often, then the lesson may not be introduced or can be taught with a group as review and/or reinforcement.
I Can Read Body Language Pre/Post Assessment
If you have questions or concerns about the Watson Institute's use of this information, please contact us.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Skills to Read Body Language - Watson Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People communicate through many forms: verbally, using sign language, or communication devices. People also use their body language to communicate with others. Teaching your child or student how to read and understand body language is an important skill that will benefit them in social interactions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Everything you need to teach your class self-management.

Everybody benefits when a student's behavior improves. We Have Choices is an evidence-based, 9-week self-management skills curriculum for grades 4 through 6, including:

1. Video series for students on the fascinating brain science behind self-management

2. Trackers and posters for students to practice self-management

3. Easy-to-use teacher's guide and lesson plans

Current research shows that impulse control and self-management skills have the greatest impact on academic outcomes. Like any skill, self-management can be taught. Supported by funding from the US Department of Education, this PBIS curriculum helps students develop a daily self-management routine that includes

Self-monitoring: teaches students how to be aware and teach themselves good behavior.
Self-recording: learning skills to record their behavior.
Self-evaluation: behavior evaluation based on pre-established criteria.
Self-reinforcement: learning how to reward themselves for achievement.

We Have Choices comes with a Teacher's Guide/Lesson Plans book, a DVD of the video episodes, 30 My Daily Tracker student booklets and 8 colorful classroom posters. Students learn to apply self-management strategies to these critical classroom skills:

* Pay Attention * Focus on the Task * Ask For Help * Do Your Best Work * Get Along * Participate in Class * Manage Feelings * Follow Class Expectations

Weekly video lessons using the entertaining game show setting makes the instruction engaging for students. My Daily Tracker student booklets support self-management routines that are easily incorporated into regular classroom activities. Teaching self-management to students has big payoffs. Self-managers are ready to learn what educators have to teach.
Training materials include: Video series, 52 page teacher's guide, 30 daily tracker student booklets, and 8 colorful posters.
You can purchase additional student self-care trackers here and self-management posters for homes and classrooms here.
USB copy-protected video content can only be viewed on Windows and Mac operating systems. If there are any questions about this, please contact us at orders@irised.com before purchasing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
We Have Choices: Self-Management for School Success Grades 4-6 - FREE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Everything you need to teach your class self-management. Everybody benefits when a student's behavior improves. We Have Choices is an evidence-based, 9-week self-management skills curriculum for grades 4 through 6, including: 1. Video series for students on the fascinating brain science behind self-management 2. Tracke

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Engage Families in SEL [Templates and Protocols] | Panorama Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download our resource pack including 5 templates and protocols for engaging families with social-emotional learning (SEL)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For teachers, building rapport with students is a component that takes teaching to the next level. Teachers understand that this takes time. Building rapport is a process. It often takes weeks and even months to establish a healthy student-teacher relationship. Teachers will tell you that once you have earned the trust and respect of your students, everything else becomes much easier. When students look forward to coming to your class, you look forward to coming to work each day.

Strategies to Build Rapport With Students

There are many different strategies through which rapport can be built and maintained. The best teachers are adept at incorporating strategies throughout the year so that a healthy relationship is established, then maintained with each student that they teach.

1. Send students a postcard before school begins letting them know how much you are looking forward to having them in class.

2. Incorporate personal stories and experiences within your lessons. It humanizes you as a teacher and makes your lessons more interesting.

3. When a student is sick or misses school, personally call or text the student or their parents to check on them.

4. Utilize humor in your classroom. Do not be afraid to laugh at yourself or the mistakes that you make.

5. Depending on the age and sex of the student, dismiss students with a hug, handshake, or fist bump every day.

6. Be enthusiastic about your job and the curriculum you teach. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm. Students will not buy in if a teacher is not enthusiastic.

7. Support your students in their extra-curricular endeavors. Attend athletic events, debate meets, band competitions, plays, etc.

8. Go the extra mile for those students who need help. Volunteer your time to tutor them or hook them up with someone who can give them the extra assistance they need.

9. Conduct a student interest survey and then find ways to incorporate their interests into your lessons throughout the year.

10. Provide your students with a structured learning environment. Establish procedures and expectations on day one and enforce them consistently throughout the year.

11. Talk to your students about their individual strengths and weaknesses. Teach them to set goals. Provide them with the strategies and tools necessary to reach those goals and improve on their weaknesses.

12. Ensure that each student believes that they are important to you and that they matter to you.

13. From time to time, write students a personal note encouraging them to work hard and embrace their strengths.

14. Have high expectations for all of your students and teach them to have higher expectations for themselves.

15. Be fair and consistent when it comes to student discipline. Students will remember how you handled previous situations.

16. Eat breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria surrounded by your students. Some of the greatest opportunities for building rapport present themselves outside the classroom.

17. Celebrate student successes and let them know you care when they falter or are facing difficult personal situations.

18. Create engaging, fast-paced lessons that grab every student's attention and keep them coming back for more.

19. Smile. Smile often. Laugh. Laugh often.

20. Do not dismiss a student or their suggestions or ideas for any reason. Hear them out. Listen to them intently. There may be some validity to what they have to say.

21. Talk to your students regularly about the progress they are making in class. Let them know where they stand academically and provide them with a path for improvement if needed.

22. Admit and own up to your mistakes. You will make mistakes and students will be looking to see how you handle things when you do.

23. Take advantage of teachable moments even when on occasion this ventures far away from the actual topic of the day. The opportunities will often have more of an impact on your students than the lesson.

24. Never demean or berate a student in front of their peers. Address them individually in the hall or immediately after class.

25. Engage in casual conversation with students in between classes, before school, after school, etc. Simply ask them how things are going or inquire about certain hobbies, interests, or events.

26. Give your students a voice in your class. Allow them to make decisions on expectations, procedures, classroom activities, and assignments when it is appropriate.

27. Build relationships with the parents of your students. When you have a good rapport with the parents, you typically have a good rapport with their children.

28. Make home visits from time to time. It will provide you with a unique snapshot into their lives, possibly giving you a different perspective, and it will help them see that you are willing to go the extra mile.

29. Make every day unpredictable and exciting. Creating this type of environment will keep students wanting to come to class. Having a room full of students who want to be there is half the battle.

30. When you see students in public, be personable with them. Ask them how they are doing and engage in casual conversation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
30 Strategies for Building Better Rapport With Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For teachers, building rapport with students is a component that takes teaching to the next level. Teachers understand that this takes time. Building rapport is a process. It often takes weeks and even months to establish a healthy student-teacher relationship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We've had a great time in Social Thinking groups over the past 9 weeks. Here are updates about the topics that we've tackled...

Kindergarten/1st grade group: We've been learning the basics of Whole Body Listening and have read the book Whole Body Listening Larry at School. We've practiced "looking like Larry" as we attend with our whole body to the group. We've continued to work on being able to accurately identify feelings in static examples and beginning to attach the "why" of thoughts to the feelings. We've worked on basic play skills including sharing, taking turns, participating in a game even when it is not our preferred activity, and handling winning and losing. Finally, we've begun to work on basic social problem solving in book format by reading a story with a problem and then rewinding back to the beginning to find another way to approach the issue that will result in a more positive solution. These boys are working hard!

1st grade group: We began this 9 weeks by studying the Social Detective. The Social Detective is a super smart dude who uses three tools to help him make good social guesses. The tools in the social detective's toolbag are his EYES, EARS, and BRAIN. He takes the information he sees and hears and runs it through his brain computer to be able to make a smart social guess about what is expected and what might happen next.

We practiced first with static images and then moved onto short dynamic video clips where the boys had to identify what in the video was expected/unexpected and make a prediction about what might happen next. This is TOUGH, but they became successful Social Detectives!

Next, we moved on to beginning to learn about Superflex. Superflex is a super hero who uses his flexible brain power to help him defeat a team of Unthinkables. Unthinkables are not "bad guys", but instead are troublemakers who bother all of us at different times. So far, we've learned about defeating Rockbrain (his power is making you get stuck on your own ideas and not flexing to work with the group) and Crankenstein (who makes you fuss and say or do mean things when you don't get your way). When the boys demonstrated that they knew basic facts about Superflex and were ready to take on the challenge of growing their Superflexible powers, they were awarded with a Superflex cape. They have since earned their first "power badge" for demonstrating the power to defeat Rockbrain. They are currently working on earning their second "power badge" for defeating Crankenstein.

One of the ways that we've practiced defeating Rockbrain was by running obstacle courses on the playground. But there was a catch! At any time in the routine, we would call "freeze" and change the plan. The kids had to be able to switch their activity to match the new direction.

2nd grade: We have learned about applying our Superflex knowledge to solve social problems using the 5 Step Power Plan.

We have also engaged in a long unit on building conversation skills. The students have learned the parts of a conversation and that to maintain a conversation we have to keep the ball bouncing back and forth between participants. We can keep the ball bouncing by asking a follow-up question or comment. At home, you can practice this by encouraging your child to keep the ball bouncing back and forth between conversation partners during family time at dinner or even in the car as you run errands.

Feel free to download either of the above visuals to help reinforce these concepts at home by clicking on the link below each image.

3rd grade: During this 3rd nine weeks, we had a great time applying the social thinking concepts that the boys have been working to develop over the past couple of years in a cooperative movie project. The boys were divided into teams and assigned at least two Unthinkables to target. They had to work together to develop a story with a beginning, middle, and end that stayed on-topic. They created storyboards to tell the story, wrote scripts, designed sets from Legos, and then took about a bazillion photographs with digital cameras. I then helped them construct a stop-action movie on the computer where we applied sound effects and the boys recorded their dialogue.

The boys had to use many skills that targeted executive functioning including setting a goal, planning, negotiation and compromise, time management, writing skills, and their individual targeted language/articulation goals.

Our movie premiere was quite the event and a visiting celebrity (Dr. Pena!) attended. The boys were super proud of themselves! And I was so impressed by the high level the boys applied all the social learning that they've done. This is a super group of young people!

Check out their fantastic movie creations here...

We also finally harvested our garden. All groups were able to harvest a little bit, but unfortunately I only had my camera with me during one of the groups. :( So, here are a few shots of the great carrot/broccoli/cauliflower harvest.

The kids (and I!) definitely have great appreciation for anyone who lives off the land. :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Thinking Group Updates ~ 3rd Nine Weeks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We've had a great time in Social Thinking groups over the past 9 weeks. Here are updates about the topics that we've tackled... Kindergarten/1st grade group: We've been learning the basics of Whole Body Listening and have read the book Whole Body Listening Larry at School.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Help students develop their social and emotional skills with these games.

At Playworks, we create a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. Here are some of the games and activities our schools use to make recess fun for all students.
Games to practice kindness Games to build community Games to teach conflict resolution Games to develop cooperation
Looking for more games for social-emotional learning?

Download our SEL game guide and explore more than 150 games.

Games are indexed by the social and emotional skills they can help support.

We hope you find this resource helpful as you create more opportunities for kids to play and grow!
Download the SEL Game Guide
P.S. Are you an educator?
Learn about more ways Playworks can support your school. Get in touch for a free recess consultation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Twelve Games to Teach Social-Emotional Learning | Playworks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Help students develop their social and emotional skills with these games.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Social emotional learning in school allows students and teachers to communicate with a common language for deeper connections. When the language and skills of SEL work their way into the home, families develop the tools for healthier and more joyful home life. Move This World helps schools go beyond the classroom to impact families and entire communities with stronger relationships and emotional intelligence. Teachers and administrators use our specialized Family Engagement Toolkit as a resource to involve parents in ways that are consistent with Move This World's core curriculum.

Social Emotional Learning At Home

Social emotional learning in school allows students and teachers to communicate with a common language for deeper connections. When the language and skills of SEL work their way into the home, families develop the tools for healthier and more joyful home life. Move This World helps schools go beyond the classroom to impact families and entire communities with stronger relationships and emotional intelligence. Teachers and administrators use our specialized Family Engagement Toolkit as a resource to involve parents in ways that are consistent with Move This World's core curriculum.

Barriers to Family Engagement

Schools that adopt SEL initiatives with Move This World quickly recognize the benefits of continuing this education outside the classroom. Teachers and administrators experience firsthand how difficult it is to involve parents and guardians in the learning process. The barriers to spreading SEL from the classroom into the home can be addressed, but first, they must be identified. Our Family Engagement Toolkit helps administrators identify the gaps and then address them in practical and effective ways.

Build Acceptance with Background Knowledge

The key to getting parents on board with your school's Move This World SEL program is education. Overcome parental concerns and misconceptions with detailed information about what SEL is, what the research shows, how the Move This World program works, and assurance that academic instruction is enhanced rather than impeded by a consistent SEL practice, including SEL at home. Download the Family Engagement Toolkit for templates, infographics, and resources that give parents and families the background knowledge they need to understand the effectiveness of implementing Move This World's SEL programs.

Provide Opportunities for Involvement

Everything about social emotional learning is experiential. These concepts are learned by engaging in the exercises regularly. Family involvement grows in the same way. By offering parents regular opportunities to volunteer in program initiatives, creating take-home challenges, and offering workshops, parents not only recognize the value of SEL for their children, but they begin practicing the skills of SEL at home. Move This World's goal is to cultivate emotional intelligence throughout entire communities. Engaging parents and families to develop and practice SEL skills in the home, at work, and at school will achieve our mission to truly Move This World.

Move SEL beyond the classroom. Download our Family Engagement Toolkit for valuable resources and guides to integrate social emotional learning at home.

Help your students truly succeed by providing their families with the resources they need to integrate SEL at home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Emotional Learning at Home | Move This World

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Integrate Social Emotional Learning at home. Download our Family Engagement Toolkit to move SEL beyond the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The last year and a half brought a lot of lessons, maybe the most important of which is the way we build relationships with each other. Now is the perfect time to talk about going beyond welcoming students and start creating radically welcoming classrooms.

In this episode of Expert Instruction, our guest is Saki Malose, a research assistant from the University of Oregon's College of Education. Saki is an experienced educator and scholar. In her current project, the Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA), Saki works as part of a team of researchers helping schools implement an instructional approach to exclusionary discipline practices like suspension and expulsion. She shares how she creates classrooms that welcome students and offers up the strategies she teaches so others can do the same.

For more information about radically welcoming spaces, check out Dr. Christopher Emdin's conversation from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts' Activate Series.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PBISApps | Expert Instruction Podcast-Ep. 11: Creating a Welcoming Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The last year and a half brought a lot of lessons, maybe the most important of which is the way we build relationships with each other. Now is the perfect time to talk about going beyond welcoming students and start creating radically welcoming classrooms. In this episode of Expert Instruction, our guest is Saki Malose, a research assistant from the University of Oregon's College of Education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most educators know that supporting students' social and emotional wellness is critical to their overall success. We can't expect students to process information when they're distracted, hungry, tired or feel unsafe.

Now that parents and caregivers are overseeing learning at home, we need to ensure that students continue to build and practice social and emotional skills in meaningful ways, especially when distractions and anxieties from current events and in their personal communities are at an all-time high.

Social emotional learning (SEL) strengthens us as individuals and as communities, especially during uncertain times. When we practice and build our skills in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building and decision making, we are better equipped to navigate stressors, anxieties, and challenges. We can solve problems and work together to function at a higher level-in the classroom, at work and at home.

Regular practice is key, just as it is for any other skill like reading, math or shooting a basketball. The same ways we exercise our bodies or practice dribbling a ball, we have to practice identifying, expressing and managing our emotions. Empathy is a muscle we have to flex. By consistently doing so, when we encounter stressful situations, we have a toolkit that we can readily draw upon to help us navigate that stressor or de-escalate the conflict.

So how can we practice SEL at home? Here are ten tips that families can follow.

1. Take care of yourself, even when it feels like the last thing you can do right now.

In order to cultivate the social and emotional skills of young people, you must take care of your own mental, social and emotional wellness. Young children are sensitive to the stress of their caretakers.

We must stay calm and realistic. They sense when we are worried and anxious, and our emotions directly affect the emotions of our children. We must build in time, even if only 10 minutes a day, for our own wellness practices-journaling, going for a walk, meditating, exercising, for example. Much like putting on our own oxygen mask first before putting on a child's, we must take care of ourselves during this stressful time so that we're able to show up for others.

2. Establish routines and intentionality.

Routines ground us and provide a sense of safety and security. They are especially important for young children and children who have experienced trauma. Right now, amid the uncertainty of COVID-19, all of us are experiencing trauma. Disasters, forced isolation and other situations associated with the virus break students' usual routines.

Craft a daily routine for you and your children to stick to. Create intentional time and structure for social emotional learning. This would ideally be 5 to 10 minutes of dedicated practice every day. Use an evidence-based curriculum that provides a thoughtful scope and sequence, allowing students to build upon skills over time. At Move This World, we have opened up access to a library of free videos and activities to help you integrate this work into your home more easily.

3. Presence is not the same as being present.

Many parents may be more physically present than they ever have because they are now home. But that does not mean they are truly present due to increased work demands while supporting learning at home. Many of us are also stressed ourselves, making us less emotionally available.

It is important to dedicate structured time to connection and not assume that it will happen organically because we are more "present" now than ever before. Be intentional about when you're connecting with children and when you are working. Set daily times for playing together, reading books or singing songs.

4. Commit acts of service or kindness for others.

Practicing kindness for others helps us build an appreciation for our own lives and situations, in addition to improve our physical and mental health. Phone or write people you know who live alone or are on the frontlines to help them feel less isolated. Write a letter outlining the highlights of your day, or draw a picture of a joyful moment you've experienced or something you wish for someone else. Demonstrating kindness gives a more powerful message than just talking about it, and helps build gratitude during difficult times.

5. Engage in creativity together.

Being creative is an inherently vulnerable process, especially for older students and adults. By flexing our creative muscles, we can crack open pieces of ourselves that may otherwise be closed off, find opportunities to learn new things about ourselves and others, or learn new modalities to communicate.

Examples of creativity in action include cooking or baking together, doing puzzles, coloring or art projects, playing board games, or writing a poem or a song together. Moving together is doubly powerful in getting our blood flowing and activating kinesthetic empathy, or the ability to experience empathy through the movement of another human being. Try taking turns mirroring each other's movements or just having a dance party where you each create a new move and teach it to one another.

6. Celebrate what you can.

The days can seem long and hard to separate when they are often spent stuck inside. Try to find something small (or two or three things if you can!) to celebrate each day. Celebrate health, a new day, the sun shining. Journal three daily highlights or share them with each other. Research has indicated that when we stop to "savor the good stuff," we develop resilience to the negative events that may be happening in our lives.

7. Practice active listening.

Do not assume that you know exactly what your child is feeling or is afraid of. Ask questions, listen actively and model eye contact, and then explain what you can in response to their questions. Validate that you see and acknowledge their feelings, fears and concerns.

Research tells us to be careful in how we respond to fear and to be mindful not to redirect or diminish the feeling by saying things like, "there's nothing to be afraid of." By validating our child's emotions we help them better accept and understand their feelings, develop self compassion, and empathize with others.

8. Help your child express and name emotions.

This helps young people understand what it is that they're feeling. If children are struggling to identify their feelings, ask them to express it through drawing, a facial expression, or through a movement in their body. Older students can try journal prompts like: "If I were a weather reporter and my feelings were the weather, it would be _____ today." They may be able to describe a cloudy, gloomy day but not have the emotional vocabulary to specify their feelings.

9. Practice social emotional learning daily.

Building important habits takes practice, and just as you brush your teeth every day, students and adults need daily opportunities to identify, express and manage their emotions. Our emotions and stressors change hour to hour and day to day, and it's important that we check in with ourselves and those around us in order to understand what we all need in order to work through those feelings and move through them together.

10. Transition mindfully.

During times of stress and anxiety, it's easy to get pulled in by negative thoughts and emotions, and it is difficult to remain in the present moment. Transitions are already challenging for young children, so introduce mindful breathing as you transition between learning time, lunch time and play time. This could mean breathing in for a count of 4 and exhaling for a count of 4.

You could also quietly stretch your bodies and follow the leader, de-escalating and bringing down your "emotional temperature" so that we can quiet our bodies and minds and move on to the next thing with more focus. Identifying a color, and asking children to name everything in the room that's of that color, is another quick exercise that helps us focus and takes us away from a swirling stream of worry and confusion.

These are times filled with worry, fear and uncertainty. It is a challenge we didn't expect, and the obstacles are shifting each and every day. We need social and emotional skills more than ever, and we can lean into this event as a learning opportunity in how we react to stressful, overwhelming circumstances while juggling multiple responsibilities.

We will certainly not be perfect each moment of every day. But by opening an honest dialogue about our emotions and incorporating SEL into our days with intentionality, we are helping ourselves and our children now and for the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Ways Parents Can Bring Social-Emotional Learning Home - EdSurge News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most educators know that supporting students' social and emotional wellness is critical to their overall success. We can't expect students to process information when they're distracted, hungry, tired or feel unsafe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
© 2023 UCLA Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A few weeks ago, I caught up on the season finale of SongAssociation on Terrell Grice's YouTube channel. This channel has changed my Spotify, for real. Terrell plays a game with his guests - he gives them a word and they have 10 seconds to sing a song with that word either in the lyrics or the title. The game is good, but the reason I keep coming back to this channel is Terrell and the instant camaraderie he has with everyone on that blue wall.

He has a passion for music and musicians. It doesn't matter if his guest is an Instagram star, a former reality show competitor, or a whole signed-to-a-label singer, he has a way of making everyone feel comfortable. He brings an effervescence to each interview and a genuine interest in every story told. Whether he knows a person before they got there or they showed up as a stranger, everyone...and I mean EV-ER-Y-ONE leaves lifted, refreshed, and seen.

If only all of us could experience this welcoming spirit.

Well...

In July, the Lincoln Center kicked off its Activate Series. The theme of this year's event is radical welcoming, which they define as "the intentional and extraordinary effort to make people feel welcome." Dr. Christopher Emdin gave a keynote. You remember Dr. Emdin, right? He is a scholar, a hip-hop educator, and the author of For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood - the book we used to guide our series last year on culturally responsive practices in PBIS. During the July event, Dr. Emdin partnered with folks from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to reimagine what a classroom might look like in a post-pandemic world - a space he calls calls The Ratchetdemic Classroom.

It's beautiful!

It was in this space where Dr. Emdin moderated a conversation with five educators from across the country exploring what radical welcoming means to them. He asked them how they felt sitting in a room designed to make students feel welcome. They commented on how the green grass gave their eyes a place to rest and invited them to sit on the ground. They loved the diversity available in the seating options and their eyes kept coming back to a piece of art on the wall that said, "Imagine the person you could be if you let someone love all of you." One aspect of radical welcoming is creating a physical space that's inviting, comfortable, and allows students to engage their imaginations while they learn.

Beyond the physical elements of the space, I couldn't help but focus on the way Dr. Emdin led the conversation and made the hour comfortable enough for everyone to share some vulnerable perspectives. One example happens around the 13:26 mark in their conversation. Meghan Sullivan shares her perspectives teaching in Standing Rock reservation. She makes a distinction between "teaching in" vs "teaching on" the reservation. Dr. Emdin picks up on this, acknowledges the significance, amplifies it for the group, asks others to offer their thoughts, and ultimately takes the conversation to a place where later another aspect of Meghan's identity can be celebrated and shared. In a conversation where he is considered an expert, he continuously tells participants how he's learning from them and building on their experiences. [When you have some time, watch the conversation, soak up the lessons, and pay some attention to the way Dr. Emdin elicits ideas from everyone in the room.]

See, the physical elements of the Ratchetdemic Classroom created the space where everyone was comfortable and allowed to share confidently; the physical aspect of a space is a piece to the puzzle.

You are another.

Your students would probably say they want to be acknowledged for their efforts. They want to feel like they can share their opinions openly, to know they will be heard, valued, and cared for as a member of your class, and that the things that matter to them also matter to you.

You Have Active Presence

The way people feel when they're around you is what researchers call your affective presence. They define it as the "tendency to invoke either positive or negative feelings in others in a consistent and stable manner."[1] When you have a positive affective presence, people usually feel happy, enthusiastic, or inspired when they're around you.[2] A negative affective presence tends to make folks feel sad, bored, or stressed. Researchers also found affective presence is significantly related to how likely someone is to share their ideas openly.

The way guests feel on The Terrell Show, the way participants openly shared their perspectives during Dr. Emdin's moderated conversation, the way your students engage in your classroom, it hinges on whether your affective presence is positive or negative. Research is fuzzy on what contributes to an overall positive affective presence, but we can get some clues by looking at what people say makes them feel like they belong in a place.

LinkedIn surveyed more than 14,000 professionals from around the world to learn more about their experiences working for a company.[3] They asked respondents what would make them feel like they belong at the company where they work. This list they generated might feel familiar.

To my eye, their answers are not so dissimilar from what you might expect to hear from your students if you asked them a similar question on the School Climate Survey. Your students would probably say they want to be acknowledged for their efforts. They want to feel like they can share their opinions openly, to know they will be heard, valued, and cared for as a member of your class, and that the things that matter to them also matter to .

I emphasize the word "you" because research tells us that even more than their peers or their parents, teacher support has the most significant impact on a student's sense of belonging at school.[4] "Students who believe that they have positive relationships with their teachers and that their teachers are caring, empathic and fair and help resolve personal problems, are more likely to feel a greater sense of belonging than those students who perceive a negative relationship with their teachers." And! It's that sense of belonging that keeps students motivated academically, reduces absences, and makes it more likely they will stay in school.

Make Your Classroom Radically Welcome

As your students come back to the classroom - some of them in-person for the first time in a long time - investing in relationships and fostering a sense of belonging should be at the top of your list of to-dos. Here are some ways to start radically welcoming students in your classroom.

Popcorn Goals

This idea comes from a 5th grade teacher named Josh Monroe. At the beginning of the year, he hands each student two index cards. On one they write a goal they have for 5th grade; on the other they write a goal they have for their lives. The goals are anonymous, so no one gets to know who wrote it. Students crumple up the cards and throw them around the room. One by one, everyone picks up a card and reads it aloud. They decide as a class whether that sounds like a goal for 5th grade, a goal for life, or maybe it could be a goal for both. Mr. Monroe says the game generates important discussions as students find similarities they have with each other and think about how they can work together to create the kind of classroom where everyone can achieve their goals.

Snail Mail Shoutouts

Who doesn't love getting something special in the mail? Last year, Elkins Park School in Elkins Park, PA, started sending postcards in the mail to their students' homes. They did it as a way to encourage students during distance learning and to acknowledge the efforts their teachers saw in class. Of course, students thought it was great to get the personal note, but the school started hearing from families, too. The handwritten messages meant so much to them they put the postcards on their refrigerators. Positive, unprompted, personalized acknowledgements include families in the community you're trying to build.

Welcome Students At the Door...

Greeting students as they come into your classroom is a simple and effective way to start class. TUMS at the Door is an acronym to help you remember the pieces of the greeting that matter most.

T is for Touch. In the before times, this would mean a handshake, a hug, or a high five. These days, physical touch isn't always safe, so you'll need to improvise. Fist bumps, elbow bumps, toe taps, hip checks, or even a synchronized dance are all good ways to incorporate physical movement in your welcome that's safe and appropriate.

U is for Use Their Name. Calling students by their name demonstrates you know who they are. Be sure you use the name they prefer and you pronounce it correctly. If you're unsure how to pronounce their name, ask and keep practicing until you get it right.

M is for Make Eye Contact. Looking someone in the eye as you welcome them shows them you are focused on them and how they're doing. Even if for that brief moment, they have your undivided attention.

S is for Smile. Ever notice how hard it is to say an angry word with a smile on your face? A smile lifts your words and makes them sound more inviting.

...No Matter When They Arrive

I get annoyed when people are late to something we scheduled together, so I try to be a person who shows up on time. This last year and a half has also taught me a lot about how life is unpredictable. The same way I would hope someone would find grace and understanding when I can't make it on time, I'm now trying to extend the same to other people.

Your students will show up late to class for any number of reasons. Based on their previous experiences, they might walk in late expecting irritation from you. What would happen if you extended a welcome to students even when they show up late? Josh Monroe came through with an example, again.

Show Some Love

When it comes to your school-wide expectations, typical expectations might be: Safe, Respectful, Responsible. What if you added some love to the matrix?

What would that look like in your classroom? On the playground? How would your students feel knowing they could expect to find love in your space? Does it feel awkward or maybe impossible? Well...

Among the core values of respect, integrity, and perseverance, in her welcome message, Allika Thompson-Young, the principal at MAST High School in Queens, NY says, "The greatest legacy that you have left is that of LOVE. Make sure to demonstrate love in action throughout your tenure at MAST."

What if you added "love" to your behavioral matrix and asked your students to help you define what that might look like, what it might sound like, how it would feel in your classroom?

Our kids start school in a few weeks. I'm excited, they're excited, and I hope their teachers are excited. I think we're all a little anxious, too, about what it's all going to be like. One way to start things off on a positive note is to embrace the concept of radical welcoming. Set up a physical space where everyone feels comfortable and then focus on ways to improve your positive affective presence. How can you acknowledge your students' efforts a little more? How can you celebrate the things they love and create a community that shares openly? The tone you set, the relationships you build, and the way your students feel when they're around you matters. Start creating the kind of classroom where everyone wants to be.

1. Madrid, H. P., Totterdell, P., & Niven, K. (2016). Does leader-affective presence influence communication of creative ideas within work teams? Emotion,16(6), 798-802. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/emo0000183

2. Eisenkraft,N. and Elfenbein, H., 2010. The Way You Make Me Feel. Psychological Science, 21(4), pp.505-510.

3. LinkedIn, 2017. Inside the Mind of Today's Candidate. [online] Available at: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/cx/17/08/inside-the-mind-of-the-candidate.

4. Allen, K., Kern, M., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J. and Waters, L., 2016. What Schools Need to Know About Fostering School Belonging: a Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30(1), pp.1-34.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PBISApps | Teach By Design-Make It Radical: Ideas For Your Most Welcoming Classroom Ever

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As your students come back to the classroom, investing in relationships and fostering a sense of belonging should be at the top of your list of to-dos. Here are some ways to start radically welcoming students in your classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of the Morning Meeting: 5 Steps Toward Changing Your Classroom and School Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia blogger Lisa Dabbs shares her own transformative experience with the Morning Meeting model and suggests five steps for integrating this practice into the classroom.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Parent's Guide to Handling Child's Anxiety

# data[].attributes.subject
A Parent's Guide to Handling Child's Anxiety

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practice mindful breathing with these animal-inspired breathing exercises!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behavior-Specific Praise: Elementary School Example & Non-Example

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behavior Specific Praise Practice (PBIS Teacher Training Companion Video)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some of the best autism friends may not be the same age. Having a common interest can be more important for friendship. Examples here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Behaving With Cowley - Classroom Routines