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Go to MiniPD Courses to find out more about the course above.

- Promote wellness in yourself and others in your learning community.

- Consider daily bite-size wellness actions this month. Scroll horizontally along day by day. Scroll each day up and down.

Stay safe and well.
The MiniPD Team
www.minipd.com

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MiniPD Core Course - Strengthening Executive Function Skills in Students

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Peg Dawson talks about executive function skills 

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CLICK HERE to listen to Dr. Peg Dawson (2 mins) talk about the importance of EF skills for learning success and wellness. Explore her 5-star rated course.

@FariaMiniPD #MiniPDchat

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Develop Greater Self-Awareness
- MiniPD Coach, Marcelle Valadares recommends the moodmeter app for supporting SEL and creating compassionate classrooms.
- Sign in for free to MiniPD to read more from Marcelle.

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A gift of self awareness for yourself, and for others. Based on decades of research from Yale. Tell your Mood Meter mobile app how you feel and build emotional intelligence that lasts a lifetime.

Expand your emotional vocabulary Discover the nuances in your feelings.

Gain insights about your inner life Learn what's causing your feelings over time.

Regulate your feelings Use strategies to regulate your feelings: enhance how you manage your life.

Remember to check in with yourself Use reminders to check-in on your feelings throughout the day.

View your report Learn how your feelings are affecting your decisions, relationships, and performance.

Over time, you'll develop emotional intelligence skills that can help you in all areas of life.

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A gift of self awareness for yourself, and for others. Based on decades of research from Yale. Tell your Mood Meter mobile app how you feel and build emotional intelligence that lasts a lifetime. Expand your emotional vocabulary Discover the nuances in your feelings.

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Use a Coping Strategy: Mindful Breathing
- Try this yourself or share with your students.
- Put your hands on your belly and close your eyes.
- Breathe in counting 1-2-3 and breathe out 1-2-3.
- Repeat a few times.
The MiniPD Team

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Use a Stress Reduction Strategy: Humour

- MiniPD Coach, Dawn Summerfield recommends building meaningful relationships with students and colleagues.
- She says the key is to try out your chosen strategy a few times.
- Download the pdf to get more strategies on Time Management, Prioritization and Self-Regulation.

Dawn Summerfield and Sarah Plews presented at the ELMLE Connect Conference, January 2022. Further resources can be found here: https://padlet.com/MiniPD/ELMLEJan2022

- Sign in for free to MiniPD to read more from Dawn.

The MiniPD Team

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Dawn Summerfield Sarah Plews MiniPD ELMLE Wellness Strategies

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Use a SEL Strategy for Adults: Optimistic Closure - Suit Yourself
• Something I’ll do as a result of this meeting is...
• Something I still question...
• Something that still concerns me...
Read more here: CASEL Signature Practices

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Expand your Wellness Tool Kit
- Join #MiniPDchat on Twitter to share and gain strategies from international educators to promote Wellness.
- Share a Pro-Tip for this month's theme: Promoting Wellness.
- Follow @FariaMiniPD

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Enhance and Practice Executive Function Skills

Use a Coping Strategy - Grounding
- Try this yourself or share with your students.
- Stand or sit and bring your awareness to the ground/seat beneath you.

Take time for a deeper dive in the linked pdf on Enhancing and Practising Executive Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence.

The MiniPD Team

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Read the Blog Post - The Importance of Promoting Wellness in International Schools

- Access more MiniPD Coach articles and resources by creating an account at no cost
- Get to know MiniPD Coaches experienced in Promoting Wellness and who can support you 1-on-1!

https://www.minipd.com/blog

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The importance of international school community wellbeing (pastoral care or wellness), has arguably never been more important than in the current global context. It is right that topics related to wellbeing, such as executive function, social-emotional learning, coping strategies or developing resilient mindsets, are at the top of international school agendas, particularly in light of the ever-evolving COVID pandemic. Wellness is, after all, essential to academic success.

So how can we ensure whole school community wellness, and staff and student wellbeing?

The International School Consultancy (ISC) Wellbeing Report 202 1, shared findings from International educators in 109 countries who identified the most beneficial wellbeing support actions that schools can take for:

Staff Wellness. These were identified as active support of colleagues, active support of the senior leadership team, staff group events, wellbeing activities organised by the school and resources enabling staff to have a voice about their wellbeing.

Student Wellness. These were named as one-to-one time with teacher and student, specialist support, wellbeing-focused group events for students, regular wellbeing time scheduled into the timetable, and resources enabling students to have a voice about their wellbeing.

A whole school approach for Wellness. These were pinpointed as parent training or guidance, events to specifically support wellbeing, wellbeing within the curriculum, better resources to give students or staff a voice about their wellbeing and extra curricular activities specifically to support wellbeing.

Spotlighted MiniPD Coaches experienced in pastoral care and wellbeing, and working in K-12 international schools and intercultural environments, share their insights below.

Ensuring Whole School Community Wellness

While Dr. Rima Puri explores Wellbeing During the Pandemic , Dawn Summerfield explores the Impact of Executive Functioning on the School Community , and highlights the role that self-regulation and organisation play in the wellness of staff and students. In her article, Incorporating SEL Into Your School Culture: The Challenges and Rewards , she invites whole school communities to consider taking steps for positive change. She explores the various reasons why a school community may want to invest in developing social emotional learning (SEL) for all its stakeholders.

Ensuring Staff Wellness

Teacher wellbeing is associated with better student wellbeing. However, 61% of teachers said they struggle to cope with the demands of their job once a week or less, while 73% considered COVID-19 as a significant challenge that increased their stress. (ISC Wellbeing Report, 2021). Enhancing and practicing executive function skills, and acquiring simple strategies can help educators maintain their own wellbeing. Anna Orr, in her article, Learning to Say No , invites us to consider how to say no to prioritize workload for improved wellbeing and a better work-life balance. On MiniPD's October Promoting Wellness Calendar , international school leaders and teachers can find simple daily bite-size strategies, resources and actions that can support wellbeing, such as self-care, self-regulation, coping and stress reduction strategies. Educators may also want to consider making supportive connections with like minded educators using social media platforms, such as Twitter #MiniPDchat, to share ideas to help maintain wellness.

Ensuring Student Wellness

Creating a supportive intercultural learning environment for student wellbeing and learning is an integral part of international school education. Marcelle Valladares explains the concept of Culturally Responsive SEL to ' create compassionate classrooms that cultivate wellness in an equitable way'. One strategy, amongst others she suggests in her article, is to 'd ismantle the idea that emotions are good or bad.' She writes, 'all emotions just are. Often we equate pleasant emotions with being good and unpleasant emotions with being bad, when in actuality all emotions are important for informing us of what we need or want.' Additionally, Sandra Pinzón Sànchez , provides her perspective, and highlights scaffolding techniques to manage cognitive load to impact wellbeing and learning of second language learners. In her article, written in Spanish, she highlights that 'when approaching a class...educators need to establish a unified and practical mechanism within the classroom to determine the strategies applied to support cognitive development in the learning experience of second language learners.'

In order for our school communities, staff and students, to thrive, continuing to promote and ensure wellness is the responsibility of us all.

Join the Conversation

We invited educators from around the world to join us in a Coaches-in-Conversation on Promoting Wellness in October 2021, and would invite our readings of this blog to benefit from the conversation as well.

Wanting to further the conversation? Schedule one-to-one coaching sessions with MiniPD Coaches about Wellness!

The MiniPD Team

Want to keep connected?

You will receive a newsletter at the beginning of each month with pro-tips, tools and resources.

You will have access to information on live events and our bite-size action-based calendar created for, with and by our community of international school educators.

You can access articles published by MiniPD experienced Coaches, IB and non-IB international school educators, on topics that matter to you.

You can connect with our experienced Coaches quickly and easily for ongoing one-to-one supportive conversations.

Want to learn more?

What topics matter to you?

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The Importance of Promoting Wellness in International Schools - MiniPD

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The importance of international school community wellbeing (pastoral care or wellness), has arguably never been more important than in the current global context. It is right that topics related to wellbeing, such as executive function, social-emotional learning, coping strategies or developing resilient mindsets, are at the top of international school agendas, particularly in light of the ever-evolving COVID pandemic.

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Create a Mindful Moment
- Take 5 minutes in your morning to focus on body sensations or your breathing.
- Try creating mindful moments in class during student wait time or think time.
Meena Srinivasan, Executive Director, Transformative Educational Leadership

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Recommendations to Address Wellbeing

The MiniPD Team recommends reading Thematic Notes No.7 on Educating for Well-being by Dr. Hughes (UNESCO IBL):

It focuses on reasons and recommendations to address wellbeing in educational spaces.

Use a protocol such as Chalk Talk to consider the recommendations with your team, which include:

Working on performing high school transcripts

Being present

Identifying the gifts people have within

Bringing people together

Humour

The MiniPD Team

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Do a Random Act of Kindness
- Do something kind for someone else today.
- Expect nothing in return.
- Keep it simple.
The MiniPD Team

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Use an EF Strategy: Stop, Think, Act
Help students improve self-management skills:
- Before you say or do something
- STOP yourself from reacting immediately.
- THINK of an appropriate way to express what you need to
say or do
- ACT on the appropriate response that you have thought
about.
The EF Guidebook, Strosnider and Sharpe

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Roberta I. Strosnider and Valerie Saxton Sharpe

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Figure 1.1 Strosnider and Sharpe Executive Function CategoriesFigure 1.2 What Does the Downward Spiral Look Like?Figure 1.3 How to Stop the Downward Spiral – Reframing One’s ThinkingTable 1.3 Te

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Use a Self-care Strategy: Address your 'Thinking Trap'
- 'Check in with cognitive distortions that you may have had had in the last few days, hours or minutes
- Consider how they distort your in-the-moment teaching or leading?'
- Try to reframe your thinking
@ChaseMielke, Author, The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again

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Use a Self-care Strategy: Invest in Yourself
- MiniPD Coach, Dr. Rima Puri recommends making time for self-care.
- She says to do something that interests you to help maintain good mental health. Today's the day.
- Sign in to MiniPD and click here to read more from Dr. Rima.

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Jump back into our Wellness Chat
@FariaMiniPD #MiniPDchat

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Use a SEL Strategy for Students: Optimistic Closure - One-Minute Accolade
• Something I learned today…
• I am curious about…
• I am looking forward to tomorrow because...
Read more here: CASEL Signature Practice

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Build Non-Cognitive Skills For Success: 3 Activities for Scaffolding Successful Practice (5 minute read)

Consider how can we build characteristics and behaviours for academic success?

- Read this blog post and explore the course Developing Mindsets for Success in International Schools.
- Learn about the critical role non-cognitive skills play in academic performance
- Consider the importance of scaffolded strategies and coaching for support, balance, wellness and success.

The MiniPD Team

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The MiniPD team thanks Hannah Bradley, MiniPD Coach, teacher and writer, for contributing this article below. Hannah has worked in UK and international schools as a teacher of Science and Biology specialist. She loves learning about learning and thinking of ways to make education more efficient and effective. Enjoy this great 5 minute read from Hannah below.
I recently completed the Developing Mindsets for Success asynchronous course on the MiniPD platform facilitated by Martin Griffin and Steve Oakes. This course examines the model, which identifies five non-cognitive attributes of high performing students that are shown to be key factors to facilitating academic attainment and overall success of students . Non-cognitive factors, also known as competencies, soft skills, and approaches to learning are still often a challenge for educators to systematically address in practice. With this in mind, Griffin and Oakes lay out identifiers and intentional strategies to support the non-cognitive development of students in the areas of vision, effort, systems, practice and attitude.

So, with the aim of being more intentional in my own teaching practice, in this article I will look specifically at the area of practice - what students actually do when they study - and lay out some of my own classroom strategies to support students in developing their practice.

Activity 1: If you can teach it you know it

Research confirms that when we engage in explaining something, we learn it better . And getting students to explain their learning to their classmates is a popular teaching activity, think carousel type learning, speed dating activities or station rotations. In all of these, the teacher gives each student a topic to go away and learn and then present back to their classmates. A nice idea in principle, but in practice, students struggle unless the teacher provides sufficient scaffolding. They don't know what to focus on, how much depth to go into, or how to pronounce words. As a result students often end up frustrated, bored or embarrassed.

Before we can expect students to teach something to their classmates, we have to support them in building understanding and confidence. I like using the " " format for this. For example, when teaching students about DNA replication, In "I", I might first explain the process to students, while they add to a partially complete diagram. The "We" section of the lesson might involve students sequencing the steps using a card sort and then answering questions on the process. Finally, the "You" could involve students explaining the process of DNA replication to a classmate - helping them to identify any gaps in their knowledge and consolidating their learning of the process by teaching it to someone else.

I, We, You' to scaffold student teaching in your practice? It can provide a safe and supportive environment for students to try out and develop this practice strategy. As the teacher, you are able to highlight the depth and breadth of knowledge that students need to know and they get to hear and practice saying words out loud. But perhaps most importantly, it normalises the process of teaching to and learning from other students, helping them to form a habit for successful practice.

Activity 2: Structuring exam technique

It is highly debatable how much we should focus on exam questions when we teach. Too little and our students are disadvantaged, too much and it sends that message that the assessment is more important than the learning process.

But at the end of the day, if our students will sit high-stakes external exams, we have a responsibility to show them how to apply their knowledge to the exam questions that they face. We can do this by teaching them to be formulaic in their approach. And being formulaic is an important skill for life - building a house, packing a bag to go on holiday and cooking a meal are all things that require a formulaic approach.

So, to build habits of a formulaic, intentional and focused approach to answering exam questions, I provide a formula to scaffold student approach. As students begin to use the formula to form habits, and potentially even adapt the formula to best meet their own needs, I will gradually remove the scaffolding.

For example, the formula for answering a data analysis question might be:

1. Read the question twice and underline key words

2. Study any available diagrams and make sure you can summarise what they show in one sentence

3. Look at the number of marks available for this question - these are the number of distinct points you should include in your answer

4. Circle the command term. Write down the meaning of the command term (for example, in an "explain" question they must give a reason for something)

5. Write down all of the keywords you want to include in your answer

6. Once you have answered in full, read the question again and consider if you have satisfactorily answered it

Activity 3: Coaching questions to encourage reflection on practice

As teachers we don't just impart knowledge. We tailor what they do to each specific class or student.

Opening up conversations about what makes effective practice helps students to understand their strengths, weaknesses and areas for development, as well as helping you, their teacher, in knowing how best to support your students. Here are some example coaching questions taken from the Developing Mindsets for Success in International Schools asynchronous course :

Which techniques do you prefer to use for practice/revision?

If you could pick one activity to use to revise for an exam what would it be?

What do you do with feedback you get on marked work?

For further information on the VESPA model, visit the VESPA Academy website, take part in the MiniPD Developing Mindsets for Success in International Schools asynchronous course , or watch the webinar below that I took part in with Martin Griffin and Steve Oakes.

Join the Conversation

We invited educators from around the world to join us in a Coaches-in-Conversation on our theme, Developing Mindsets for IBDP, Alevel and GCSE Success on 17 October 2022. Jump into the recording below to listen....
If you would like to have a conversation about how you might support the non-cognitive development of your students, or would like someone to help you plan to scaffold successful practice, connect with me here in a MiniPD session. Alternatively, please tweet me @HannahBradley_9 - I would love to hear your opinions and any other advice you might have on this topic.
Want to learn more about developing non-cognitive skills?

Try one of the recommendations from the MiniPD Team and Hannah Bradley:

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K, A., Marsh, E, J,. NathanJ, M, J., & Willingham, D, T,. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology. Available at: https://pcl.sitehost.iu.edu/rgoldsto/courses/dunloskyimprovinglearning.pdf (Accessed 10/01/2022)

MiniPD Coaches, 2022, Monthly Content, Practical Strategies from Educators on key themes: Promoting Positivity, Nurturing Wellness, Fostering Belonging, Driving Engagement, Skilling Up with Tech, Using Your Data, Focusing on Feedback, Leveraging on Languages, Celebrating Diversity, Designing High Quality Units, Supporting Middle Leaders, Leading at All Levels.

Williams, J, J., & Rehder, B., Why does explaining help learning? Insight from an explanation impairment effect. Available at: https://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/cognition/files/impairment_effect.pdf (Accessed 10/01/2022)

Voogt., J & Roblin., N. P., (2012) A Comparative Analysis of International Frameworks for 21st Century Competences: Implications for National Curriculum Policies, Journal of Curriculum Studies, 44:3, 299-321, DOI: 10.1080/00220272.2012.668938 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2012.668938 Published online: 30 Apr 2012.

Want to keep connected?

You will receive a newsletter at the beginning of each month with pro-tips, tools and resources.

You will have access to information on live events and our bite-size action-based calendar created for, with and by our community of international school educators.

You can access articles published by MiniPD experienced Coaches, IB and non-IB international school educators, on topics that matter to you.

You can connect with our experienced Coaches quickly and easily for ongoing one-to-one supportive conversations.

What topics matter to you?

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3 Activities for Scaffolding Successful Practice

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The MiniPD team thanks Hannah Bradley, MiniPD Coach, teacher and writer, for contributing this article below. Hannah has worked in UK and international schools as a teacher of Science and Biology specialist. She loves learning about learning and thinking of ways to make education more efficient and effective.

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Watch Developing Mindsets for IBDP, A-level and GCSE Success: MiniPD Coaches in Conversation (75 mins) with Martin Griffin, Steve Oakes and Hannah Bradley.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH at no cost

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Use an Empathy Building Strategy: Examine Your Bias
- MiniPD Coach, Hatem Mahmoud recommends linking 'your self-awareness with situational awareness and emotional intelligence.'
Consider this today:
- Do you always talk to people with a shared background?
- Find someone that you don't normally talk to.
- Show interest in them to start building a new connection.
- Sign in for free to MiniPD to connect with Hatem.

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SEL & EF Strategies: Early Years to Adolescence

- Click the link. Bookmark it. Use it as and when you need.

Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University

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Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

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Executive function and self-regulation (EF/SR) skills provide critical supports for learning and development, and while we aren't born with these skills, we are born with the potential to develop them through interactions and practice.

This 16-page guide (available for download, below), describes a variety of activities and games that represent age-appropriate ways for adults to support and strengthen various components of EF/SR in children.

Each chapter of this guide contains activities suitable for a different age group, from infants to teenagers. The guide may be read in its entirety (which includes the introduction and references) or in discrete sections geared to specific age groups.

Suggested citation: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University (2014). Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence. Retrieved from www.developingchild.harvard.edu.

Download PDF

Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

An activities guide for building executive function

Download PDF

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Activities Guide: Enhancing & Practicing Executive Function Skills

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Download free guides of executive functioning activities to support and strengthen skills, available for children ages six months through adolescence.

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LIVE EVENT: WATCH THE RECORDING

PROMOTING WELLNESS
MiniPD Coaches in Conversation took place on October 21st, 2021. 2:00 pm UTC.

Access the recording, and other past live events, HERE.

Alternatively, go to our blogpost on wellness HERE and scroll down to view the live event recording.

Find Coaches to support you!

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Promoting Wellness at Schools - MiniPD Coaches in Conversation

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Share a story of impact on our Wellness chat on Twitter
- How have you promoted wellness this month?
@FariaMiniPD #MiniPDchat

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Practice mutuality: Learn with a MiniPD Coach today
- Coaches are experienced IB and Non-IB International Educators
- www.MiniPD.com
- Sign up for free

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Use an EF Strategy:  Manage Time
Help students reduce stress by improving time management skills:
- Estimate the time needed for each task
- Add up the total time needed to all the tasks
- Keep a time check of actual and estimated time task take

The EF Guidebook, Strosnider and Sharpe

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LGBTQ+ Affinity Group for International Educators
Connect with colleagues in a safe space to support each other.
- Register here
- Emily Meadows

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Practice Self-Care
- Breathe.
- Do something you love to do.
- With people you love to be with.
- Smile.

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Try out a New Tool: Time Management Focus
- Help students (or yourself) track the time it takes to complete a task' to help improve time management skills and reduce stress levels.
- Attitude, talking Executive Function, recommends 'TimeTimers, iPhone reminders, and calendars.'

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Reduce the Stress
- Begin all your lessons or exchanges today with personal greetings, or mood rating scales.
- Build an opportunity in a lesson to let students teach you something.
Phyllis Fagell, Author, Middle School Matters

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Use a Self-care Strategy: Set Boundries
- Check in with yourself and your emotions
- Are you setting healthy boundaries? To what extent do they need adjusting?
- Consider setting yourself a new boundary no matter how small
ASCD

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Use this: SEL Support Resource
- CASEL is the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).
- Use 1 minute of your day today to register to the CASEL newsletter for ongoing SEL support beyond this month.
- Subscribe here

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Select from the options below and enter your email to subscribe. Register for our Newsletters Monthly Newsletter Want the latest information on SEL?

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Next? Checkout the MiniPD Fostering Belonging resources.

Belonging focused:

#MiniPDchat on Twitter

Padlet Calendar for daily-actions and resources

Blogpost and articles from MiniPD Coaches

Free live session with experienced MiniPD Coaches in Conversation

1-1 Coaching sessions via www.MiniPD.com

Stay Safe and Well.
The MiniPD Team
Questions? Feedback? Suggestions?
Contact us at: hello@minipd.com

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What are educators saying about MiniPD coaching for continued professional learning?

"I was quite amazed that someone could actually home in very, very quickly [...] guide others to their own solution."

Get connected at minipd.com