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Mindfulness Activities for Kids in the Classroom

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Mindfulness Activities for Kids in the Classroom

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Some solid and easy to use exercises for supporting students as they navigate their relationship with mindfulness and all the benefits it offers.

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These days, the answer to the question, "Should we prioritize academics or social-emotional learning in schools?" is a firm, "Yes to both." Academic skills are of course essential for children's lifelong success. But without intentional social-emotional development, students may not learn how to process their emotions and connect with others in healthy ways. That's where mindfulness can come in.

If you're not sure exactly what mindfulness is, here's a quick recap. Mindfulness involves both an awareness and an acceptance of both the world around us and our internal experiences.[3] Mindful people tend to focus more on the present instead of ruminating on the past or future, and they cultivate a curiosity towards their thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations.

Let's go over some of the benefits of mindfulness and how it relates to social-emotional learning (SEL). Then, we'll share 51 tips and activities for teaching elementary students how to practice mindfulness.

Why Mindfulness? Consider the Social-Emotional Benefits

Why teach mindfulness in our schools? The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has linked mindfulness to two core social-emotional skills: self-regulation and self-awareness. These skills teach students not only how to recognize their thoughts, emotions, and actions, but also how to react in positive ways.

According to brain imaging research, practicing mindfulness can alter brain structure in a way that can improve a student's reaction to stress.[1] It thickens the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for perception and reasoning, and increases blood flow in the brain.[2] And not only does mindfulness training reduce stress levels, it can also help alleviate anxiety or depression.[4,5]

A final reason to try mindfulness in your classroom? It can be especially helpful for children with learning disabilities, particularly attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One study found that children with learning disabilities who received mindfulness training earned better grades and had fewer behavioral issues compared to before they started the program.[6] Children in special education programs better connected with their peers after mindfulness training.[7]

Overall, mindfulness has something to offer for every child in your class. It can relieve student stress, reduce bullying rates, and help children with learning disabilities or special needs develop stronger SEL skills. If you haven't yet tried mindfulness activities with your class, now may be the time to see just how much they can benefit your students.

29 Individual Activities for Teaching Mindfulness to Children

The best way to show students how to be mindful is to practice it in class. These 51 engaging mindfulness activities can help your students develop self-awareness and self-regulation skills.

1. Heartbeat Exercise: As your students monitor their heartbeat and breathing after exercise, they'll learn to become mindful of how their body feels.

2. Pinwheel Breathing: This exercise helps students practice deep breaths by using a pinwheel to show them how.

3. Muscle Relaxation: How often are we truly mindful of the muscles in our body? With this activity, children can start practicing mindfulness around how they tense or relax their muscles.

4. Five Senses Exercise: Did you know that you can use all five of your senses while being mindful? This activity can show you how!

5. The Present Moment Worksheet: This free mindfulness worksheet teaches young students all about what it means to be present.

6. Making Mindful Observations: Add a little social-emotional learning to your science lessons by teaching students to make mindful observations.

7. Teaching STOP Mindfulness: Teach kids the core components of mindfulness through the acronym STOP: Stop, Take a breath, Observe, and Proceed.

8. Breathing Boards: Have your students follow the line with their fingers as they take calm, measured breaths.

9. Mindful Glitter Jar: This adorable craft can give students a visual example of how their thoughts settle down after practicing mindfulness.

10. Mindful Eating: What student doesn't love a lesson that involves snacks? With this creative mindfulness exercise, students can learn to be more aware of what they're eating.

11. Smiling Minds App: Try out this free mindfulness app for kids with your students to practice short meditations and other exercises.

12. Quiet Time: Adding a little quiet time to your classroom schedule can give students room to de-stress and focus on the present.

13. Nature Walk: Embark on an outdoor walk that will encourage your students to engage all of their five senses in observation.

14. Rainbow Bubble Breathing Story: For younger students, this "story" about a rainbow bubble can be a great visual for practicing controlled breathing.

15. Positive Affirmations: Check out this list of 125 positive mantras your students can use while meditating or reflecting on their strengths.

16. Build-a-Face Story Stones: This activity can help students learn to observe and recognize different emotions.

17. Blindfolded Taste Test: Taste is a powerful sensation, and this activity can be especially helpful for teaching students to analyze different sensations.

18. Being Mindful of Anger: Anger can be difficult for kids to process and even tougher for them to react to in a healthy way. Use this quick meditation script to help students calm down when they feel overwhelmed.

19. Mindful Journaling Prompts: Try some of these journaling prompts with older students to help them reflect on internal and external experiences.

20. Emotion Octopus Craft: Learning about our emotions has never looked so adorable! Let each child put together an emotion octopus, then have a class discussion on feelings.

21. Today I Feel...: Hang this Muppet-themed chart in your classroom and teach students how to recognize the emotions they feel each day.

22. Square Breaths: Square breathing is a simple yet effective way to help students calm down when they're feeling overwhelmed.

23. Stop and Think Worksheet: Every action we do can cause a positive or negative reaction in others. Pass this worksheet out to your students, then discuss why it matters to consider others' reactions.

24. Raisin Exercise: Hand out a raisin to each of your students, then practice observing it using each of the five senses. Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center recommends doing this exercise multiple times to get the full effect, but even once can be a helpful experience for your students.

25. Draw Your Breath: This art exercise can help students gain self-awareness of their breath and use that knowledge to move towards relaxation.

26. Melt or Freeze?: Mindfulness is a great way to help students manage their impulses. This activity helps students sort possible actions into impulsive ("melt") and responsible ("freeze").

27. Tuning into Different Moods: If we're overwhelmed or distracted, it can be hard to remember to stay mindful of our emotions. This exercise requires just a few minutes as you teach students to observe what they're feeling in the moment.

28. Emotions Bottles: While we definitely don't want students to "bottle up" their feelings, this activity uses the Pixar movie Inside Out to help children name and claim their emotions.

29. Mindful Coloring: Did you know that coloring is a great way to practice mindfulness for both children and adults?[8] Use these printable coloring pages for a quiet activity to relax and focus on the present.

21 Group Activities for Teaching Mindfulness to Children

Group mindfulness activities can help children practice what they have learned and discuss what it means to be grounded in the present. These 21 activities-including classroom ideas as well as home activities for families-are a great place to start.

30. Yoga for Kids: Check out this video of mindfulness exercises that will help elementary students practice yoga through age-appropriate and imaginative games.

31. Rainbow Walk: Go on a walk with your students and encourage them to find something red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet as a quick way to practice mindfulness.

32. Mindful Quote Jar: This DIY craft (#3 on the list) will help you make a jar full of mindfulness quotes so you can share little insights with your students every day.

33. Mindfulness Bingo: Give your students the challenge of completing as many activities as possible on the mindfulness bingo sheet. Then, hold a class discussion on how many they did and how the mindfulness activities made them feel.

34. Red Light, Green Light: This game is a classic P.E. staple, but did you know that you can use it to teach observation-a core part of mindfulness?

35. What Would You Do?: Use this worksheet to help children become more aware of their actions and emotions in real-life situations.

36. Root to Rise Activity: This activity combines yoga and meditation to help students mindfully practice self-confidence and peace.

37. Assessing vs. Judging Others: Do you know the difference between observing and judging another person? Teach your students how to assess others mindfully with this social-emotional learning activity.

38. Freeze Dance Mindfulness: Have a freeze dance party with your class as a fun way to engage and teach your students about mindfulness.

39. Body Scan: Try this quick body scan meditation as a class to focus on emotions and physical sensations.

40. Gift of You: This festive activity is a great way to teach mindfulness around the holidays.

41. What Are You Doing? Activity: This activity teaches students both how to listen mindfully and pay better attention to their actions.

42. Lots of Feelings: Share this take-home activity with families so they can help children practice recognizing and processing emotions.

43. Read a Book About Mindfulness: Put together a story-time read aloud with this list of 11 best mindfulness books for young learners from Read Brightly.

44. Who Am I? Game: This classic game encourages students to pay attention and make observations, which can be helpful for developing mindfulness.

45. Mindful or Unmindful? Worksheet: To make sure your students grasp what mindfulness is and is not, fill out this worksheet as a class.

46. Mindful Listening: Listening is an essential part of mindfulness. Use this resource to show your students how to become mindful listeners in school and elsewhere.

47. Guided Meditation: Demonstrating how to meditate to your little learners can be tough. With this guided meditation designed for children, you can help them learn how.

48. Mindfulness Safari: With this mindfulness safari, you can learn to pay attention to the world around you from the comfort of your schoolyard.

49. What Mood Are You Generating in Others?: Using this lesson plan as a guide, discuss with your students how everyday actions affect their classmates and what they can do to put themselves in another person's shoes.

50. Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt: As students check off each box in this modified scavenger hunt, they will get closer and closer to practicing mindfulness.

51. Mindful Gratitude Exercise: When students learn to be mindful of what they're thankful for, they can find greater contentment in their lives.

Sources:

1. Davidson, R. and Lutz, A. Buddha's brain: neuroplasticity and meditation. IEEE Signal Process Magazine, 2008, 25(1), pp. 174-176.

2. Weare, K. Evidence for the Impact of Mindfulness on Children and Young People. The Mindfulness in Schools Project, April 2012, pp. 1-12.

3. Greater Good Magazine. Mindfulness Definition: What Is Mindfulness? Retrieved from berkeley.edu: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition.

4. Napoli, M.N., Krech, P.R., and Holley, L.C. Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 2005, 21(1), pp. 99-125.

5. Meiklejohn, J. et. al. Integrating Mindfulness Training into K-12 Education: Fostering the Resilience of Teachers and Students. Mindfulness, 3(4), pp. 291-307.

6. Leland, M. Mindfulness and Student Success. Journal of Adult Education, 2015, 44(1), pp. 19-24.

7. Benn, R., Akiva, T., Arel, S., and Roeser, R. W. Mindfulness training effects for parents and educators of children with special needs. Developmental Psychology, 2012, 48(5), pp. 1476-87.

8. Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. 3 Reasons Adult Coloring Can Actually Relax Your Brain. May 27, 2020. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-adult-coloring-can-actually-relax-brain/.

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Mindfulness Exercises for Kids in the Classroom - Waterford.org

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Use these 51 mindfulness activities to help children recognize and manage their thoughts, emotions, and actions-all important SEL skills.

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Duncan-Andrade's "Growing Roses in Concrete"

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Duncan-Andrade's "Growing Roses in Concrete"

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This lecture is a must for all educators and youth advocates! Duncan-Andrade dives in on critical hope - the material, socratic, and audacious aspects - in a way that is informative, inspiring, and challenging each of us to stand with the wholeness of our students en route to their actualization IN SERVICE of their communities.

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Jeff Duncan-Andrade: Growing Roses in Concrete

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Quick blog post about the impact of having students self-report before assessments or in advance of finalizing a project, and how (like John Hattie suggests with an impressive effect size of 1.44) this explicit routine/practice can dramatically impact acquisition and ownership.

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John Hattie holds consistent family engagement, cohered MTSS structures and programming, and collective teacher efficacy as impactful drivers of solid academic achievement and student actualization. Reference this 'canva'-based slide show as a resource for using ReachMyTeach to effectively invite families into the collective conversation around instruction and intervention.

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ReachMyTeach Training (Facilitator - J Dionne), 2024-2025.pdf

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ReachMyTeach is such a fantastic platform for enrolling families as partners in the work!

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I love how these charts can be used with students to celebrate strengths and identify opportunities for growth AND within student-advocate meetings where staff are striving to point out strengths and hone in on a skill for building - very helpful!

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The Neurosequential Model - Interacting with Trauma

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The Neurosequential Model - Interacting with Trauma

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This 10-minute video is EXCELLENT - describing what trauma is, how it plays out in a child's brain, and how to, as a community of care, re-program how an impacted brain works, so that the child has greater access to a high quality life in which past trauma is less intrusive.

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The Repair of Early Trauma: A Bottom Up Approach

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The Meta-Moment is a RULER-based tool that explicitly invites students into a specific protocol when feeling big emotions - pause, sense, identify, strategize, actualize. Very effective tool, especially if talked about and practiced in advance and outside of experiences in which there are big feelings.

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Engaging students in genuine relfection and processing around less than lovely decisions is key - using this SODAS protocol (Situation, Options, Disadvantages, Advantages, Solution) with students requires them to break down a given stressor, flesh out the pros and cons of a decision while generating other options, be challenged to choose and practice options for having one's needs met WHILE positively contributing to the community. Worth implementing, for sure!

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As a system for both managing a structured, flowing, and productive classroom AND making executive function skills an explicit component of your classroom, this 'game' is a solid way to engage friendly competition around a specific skill you are seeking to have evident throughout your learning block.

Note, for kids older than 4th grade, it makes sense to title the 'game' something different, as the wording might feel a bit 'kiddy' - I encourage calling it something like 'EFS development', but keeping the game/competition component the same - call it what it is, in essence, and enroll the kids in co-determining what the skill for building needs to be for the class to be more productive.

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You do your best to maintain a positive learning environment for your students, from reinforcing and encouraging good behavior to celebrating their contributions and achievements. But what if you could make a game out of it?

The Good Behavior Game is one of many classroom behavior interventions - backed by research - that inspires better behavior from students. It's a simple game that doesn't cost a single penny to set up, and it increases your ability to teach students in an engaged, disruption-free classroom.

How to Play the Good Behavior Game

To set up the game, start by identifying a few behaviors you'd like for your students, who will be split up into two (or more) teams, to work toward. You can set a goal, for example, of no more than three interruptions while you're teaching a lesson.
[Get This Free Download: The Daily Report Card for Better Classroom Behavior]
The teams who meet the goal earn a reward at the end of the lesson. Rewards can range from a quick game of freeze dance to free reading or drawing time - anything that motivates your students to want to win.

Communicate the goal and rules of the game to the class, and then write them down for all to see for easy reference. Use a chart to mark and display each team's progress toward the goal.

Benefits of the Good Behavior Game

Apart from imparting lessons in teamwork and camaraderie, The Good Behavior Game effectively encourages good behavior through the school day. If a team doesn't win during one lesson, they will have another opportunity to play and win in the next lesson. Another advantage of the game is that it changes the focus of peer attention. Rather than laughing at a fellow student who may be breaking a class rule or otherwise being disruptive, students instead turn their attention to winning the game.

The game improves behavior in the long run. Compared to other first graders, students in classrooms that implemented the Good Behavior Game were rated less shy and aggressive by teachers at the end of the school year.
[Read: Positive Teaching Strategies to Uplift Students with ADHD]
What About Behavior Games for High School Students?

Do behavior games work for older students? Absolutely. Here is one game that has proven effective for encouraging better behavior in high school students: At the beginning of class, set a two-minute countdown timer. If the timer goes off without a single disruptive or off-task behavior from any student, the class earns a point, and the timer is reset for another chance to earn. But if a negative behavior does occur, the timer is reset, and no point is earned. The goal is for the class to arrive at 17 points - or 34 minutes of no disruptions - so that they can win free time at the end of class. Teens are highly motivated to win the game because it cuts a lesson short by about five minutes, and they can use the time to talk with their friends, which is really important to them.

Play the Good Behavior Game with your class - and spread the word so that all students in your school can join in on the fun.

Classroom Behavior Games: Next Steps

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF ADDITUDE
Since 1998, ADDitude has worked to provide ADHD education and guidance through webinars, newsletters, community engagement, and its groundbreaking magazine. To support ADDitude's mission, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

View Article Sources
1 Barrish, H. H., Saunders, M., & Wolf, M. M. (1969). Good behavior game: Effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive behavior in a classroom. Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2(2), 119-124. 2 Dolan LJ, et al. The short-term impact of two classroom-based preventive interventions on aggressive and shy behaviors and poor achievement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 1993;14(3):317-345. 3 Christ, T. J., & Christ, J. A. (2006). Application of an interdependent group contingency mediated by an automated feedback Device: An intervention across three high school classrooms. School Psychology Review, 35(1), 78-90.

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The Good Behavior Game Is a Hit with Students - and Teachers

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The Good Behavior Game is one of many classroom behavior interventions - backed by research - that inspires better behavior from students. Here is how to play.

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Never hurts to have a clear plan for a tough phone call with a caregiver - using this BARR-based format for the call, beginning with strengths, then diving in on concerns and foundational skills for building, followed by how the school AND home are going to commit to developing skills, can be super helpful in conveying concerns in a way that can be best received - therefore enrolling caregivers in as partners in the work of strengthening achievement.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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The Preferential Reinforcement Inventory (PRI)

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The Preferential Reinforcement Inventory (PRI)

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As we know, the right motivators can make or break a behavioral system. Taking the time to determine what a kid (or an entire class) is motivated by is worth the effort (five categories: adult approval, peer approval, independence, consumable rewards, competition)! Check out this folder filled with a couple variations of the Preferential Reinforcement Inventory (slide show and questionnaire format) that will hone in on what motivates a kid (or class), alongside a tracker for representing preferences.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Our youth benefit from explicit check-ins/outs around prioritization and goal-setting/reflection - use this WIN tracker as a simple tool for standing alongside youth as they navigate how to manage tasks/responsibilities.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Ditch That Textbook Executive Function Skill-Building

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Ditch That Textbook Executive Function Skill-Building

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End of statement, no classroom can afford to NOT incorporate explicit Executive Functioning Skill-Building - increases student confidence and minimizes shame, and positively impacts achievement. EF skill-building is a necessary now for integrating in ALL classrooms.

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brain science

This post is written by Charrell Coleman, author, blog content creator, educator, presenter of Student Engagement and Executive Functioning Matters, book junkie, self help/care enthusiast, mother & calligraphist. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @heartucator. Check out her blog at teachyourheartoutcon.com/blog.

Have you ever wondered why students with learning or behavior issues in school perform better in some classes, poorly in others and inconsistent in others? Typically if this is the case in elementary school for a student, it only worsens by secondary level.

Executive function profiles are not equally problematic in different settings. Research shows that students with developmental executive function weakness generally require far greater adult supervision than their developing peers across grade levels. (Barkley, 1997, 2006). Therefore these students need strategies that move them to the front of the class. We want to assure these students are not left behind!

Skills that help students with organization, homework completion, time management, and impulse control are executive functioning skills. Although the ultimate goal is for students to learn how to complete tasks independently, teaching and modeling strategies will help students move towards independence rather than forcing them to use skills they don't yet have.

7 strategies for students who struggle with executive functioning

Giving students an "artificial frontal lobe" is almost like giving the brain a booster or a head start in the learning process. Consider these strategies as adding artificial flavoring to make it just the right taste of learning!

Give one-on -one instruction after group or whole group lesson

Provide guided practice as you teach the lesson

Start homework in class so that students can ask any questions. During this time, the teacher will demonstrate the expectation of the homework task.

Use a project planning form for long term projects

Sit with students to plan out time projected for each task-

Post visual reminders in students' immediate sight, whether it is on their desk, on the wall, or the board

This includes writing strategies, reading strategies, math formulas.

Social Mentoring: A trained adult provides the students with severe executive deficits with an adult or more socially skilled peer for specific periods of the day to serve as their social coach.

Be clear about when tasks are due by listing dates on the school's LMS and class page.

At the beginning of each month, have students write dates on a monthly calendar of any assessment or due date you will require

Teach the material to the whole group/small group, pause to discuss, allowing collaboration and discussion to emphasize the importance of students' voice

Have a visual representation of the material you may be teaching on the board or an anchor chart when possible

When reading stories or novels, have an auditory version for students to follow along if needed (Learning Ally, TeacherTube, Youtube, SOAR, or any other resources.

Check to see if websites have an immersive reader feature

When teaching vocabulary, have students act out the words using the pantomime game or play Win Lose or Draw for student engagement. Follow up with a writing activity as an application exercise.

Build student comprehension of a text read aloud to the class by stopping at every page or two to have fast-paced role-playing, discuss the critical plots for element story elements of that story, and also have students discuss with a partner or partners

Provide students with comprehension questions to the answer before they read the question and then stop to explicitly discuss the answers and questions as a group or as a whole

Have students track how much time it takes them to complete a task completely undisturbed by using a timer or an app like RescueTime, then write their start and finish time. (This means multitasking is off the table.)

Model pre-reading strategies. For example, read an article from Newsela, your local newspaper, etc. Afterward, organize and summarize information by using a KWL chart.

Explicitly model the writing process using expert, proficient, and novice-level writing samples.

Use the HEAR strategy to organize and sequence students' thoughts while writing.

You might hear students say things like, "I can't keep all my thoughts in my head" or " everything you're saying is just too much, and it makes my head hurt." These are signs of memory overload.

Here are a few valuable tools:

Encourage students to use sticky notes to remember tasks in each class to avoid memory overload by the end of the day. Transfer this information to one centralized place before the midpoint in their day if possible.

Use apps like Forest to avoid distractions while working on a task.

Break tasks into smaller tasks. For example, when writing, have students start with the pre-write process. Pause and conference with students before beginning the planning and outlining process.

Use rubrics and checklists in all writing tasks for a visual. Now turn these rubrics or checklists into your grading rubric as a time saver!

The stronger your working memory, the less your brain has to work. This can make room for more brain power when encountering new challenges. Russell Barkley calls our working memory our brain's GPS.

Use guided oral reading practice exercises. Many students with executive function skills find reading boring and laborious.

Use writing templates, math templates, reading diagrams throughout the year.

Present new skills in a spiraling manner. Keep reviewing skills.

Do role-playing and demonstrations of class rules once a week.

Kiss your brain with consistency! The brain loves predictability!

When students enter your learning space, always have a calendar with upcoming assessments and due dates of an assigned task.

Set aside the same day each week to plan out the week on their digital or paper calendar (including students' extracurricular activities and family events). This will look different for each student. I create a Google Calendar for the class and share it with them to edit their calendars. Students add their extracurricular and family events to this calendar.

At the beginning of the year, develop a homework and project turn-in (this includes where things are physically turned in). Try to stick to this and not tweak this too much. Keep the same routines so that students know where to find things.

Try to arrange for your test to be on a specific day of the week if possible. From a school-wide approach, this looks like :

Have the schedule for the day printed on the board when students walk in each day

Develop classroom-wide organizational systems such as English items on blue paper, Math items on white paper, reading on lavender paper

Keep binder dividers in sync with color coding and in a specific order school-wide.

Use the same heading for papers school-wide. i.e. Decide if students need a Name, Date, Class Sec, and Topic and whether this should be on the left or right side of the paper.

Perform binder checks so that students know that the organization of the binder is essential.

Open up class with check-ins. Take time to ask each student how they are Arriving at class. I created my own set of emojipresssions, google slides and use online resources.

While students are working on a task, play calming music with interactive backgrounds on a projection board when possible help to set the mood for learning and settles the nervous system

Practice simple meditation. It is one of the most effective ways to access the use of your executive functions. This helps students who need assistance with self-awareness and stabilizes the nervous system. Calm App and Headspace App have many features for the classroom.

Use mindfulness techniques. You can find yoga and tai chi quick exercises on YouTube when you notice students need to self-regulate.

Allow Brain Breaks. Students enjoy having dance parties to rejuvenate the dendrites in the brain. GoNoodle has a variety to choose from.

Allow students to share in your mistakes and challenges. Say aloud to them that you have made a mistake and are frustrated. (For example: "Girls and boys, I have no idea why I keep spelling that word incorrectly. This frustrates me. Are there any ideas on how I can help myself break this cycle?" Start the discussion about how you handled the situation and how you could have handled the situation differently.) Students will begin to view you as a person who is just human and gain tremendous respect for you. This also creates a safe space for students to make your flaws transparent to them!

What strategies do you use to help students who struggle with executive functioning? Share in a comment below!

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©2023 Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.

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7 strategies for students who struggle with executive functioning

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Executive functioning helps students get tasks done and work through their day. Here's how you can support students who struggle. This post is written by

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Helpful tips and tricks to address specific math skill deficits.  

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Quick reference for tips and tricks to address specific deficits and build reading skills planfully!

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 Strategies to Address Reading Areas of Concern

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Strategies for addressing key reading areas of concern: phonemics, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary.

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 Strategies to Address Reading Areas of Concern

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Strategies for addressing key mathematical areas of concern: computational fluency, fact fluency, math application (concepts & procedures), algebraic concepts, word problem solving, vocabulary development.

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 Strategies to Address Mathematics Areas of Concern

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"Tips for Successful Family/Teacher Conferences with Multilingual Families"

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"Tips for Successful Family/Teacher Conferences with Multilingual Families"

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Being prepared and mindful, without making assumptions, can make for powerful and productive family/teacher conferences.

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Tips for Successful Parent-Teacher Conferences with Bilingual Families

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“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”— ConfuciusTips for ParentsShare these bilingual tip sheets on Parent-Teacher Conferences with the families of your ELLs!Your family has been selected for a new reality show called “Education Around the World.” You and your children are relocated within a week to a country very different from the United States — let’s say China. To win the grand prize on the reality show, you must help your children succeed in the Chinese public school system. Before you leave the U.S., you barely learn survival Chinese and you’ve gotten the basic assistance to get your children registered in the Chinese school system. You don’t know anything, however, about the Chinese educational system, and you are not sure what the expectations are for students or their parents, or how you will communicate with the teacher since he/she speaks very little English.Once you have arrived and the school year begins, you are not able to understand the information that is sent home; your children are struggling to learn math, social studies, and science in Chinese with one hour of English support each day; and you don’t know how you should communicate with the teacher or if the school has parent-teacher conferences. If the school does hold conferences, how does it work? Do you sign up for a time? Do you go there and wait for your turn? Do the teachers come visit the house? Or are parent-teacher conferences only held when there is a problem? And perhaps the most important question of all: if you want an English translator, how do you request one?This example demonstrates what some of our ELL families might experience as they attempt to understand the U.S. educational system and such practices as parent-teacher conferences. The challenges of this situation could also be compounded if parents do not have very much education themselves and feel uncomfortable in an educational environment.In addition, parents may come from a culture where it is either insulting to a teacher to ask for student progress information. Alternatively, the expectation may be that the children have been sent to the teacher to learn and if the teacher is asking for a parent’s help, then there must be something wrong with the teacher. You can see how many bridges must be crossed in order to offer the kind of outreach and support parents may need to fully benefit from parent-teacher conferences.Before the conferenceThinking outside the boxYou may wish to try different formats, schedules, or locations to maximize parent attendance. Take a look at these tips and creative ideas in our ELL family engagement guide.Encourage parent attendanceTo prepare for a successful conference night, see the Bright Ideas article on encouraging bilingual family involvement, which includes ideas on bilingual invitations, childcare, and other steps you can take to encourage parent attendance.Make personal contactAfter sending the conference invitations home, call the parents or greet the families at school and ask them if they will be able to meet with you.Make an appointment with the parentsTake a tip from sales people: give parents an appointment time. When you offer the appointment time, ask the parent if they will be able to come at that time or to suggest a time that is more convenient for them. Then describe the parent-teacher conference and what they should expect.Give parents a reminder callAnother tip from sales people: The day before the conference, make a reminder call. Be aware that families may have children in other grades or in other schools, and do your best to coordinate with all staff involved on the appointment times for the family. If possible, be flexible if a family can’t make the appointment on conference day, and arrange to meet the family on another day after school.Arrange for an interpreterIt is very important that students are not the interpreters. Students may not feel comfortable interpreting for their parents. They may not know the appropriate vocabulary to interpret the educational information. And they may not necessarily be forthcoming if they do not like the information being presented. (Some teachers have reported that a few of their Spanish-speaking students told their parents that ‘F’ stood for “Fantástico”.)Enlist help to find an interpreter if necessaryIf you do not have an official interpreter available at your school, talk to your principal and/or school district about the need to get one. If in-person interpreters are not available (and you may not be able to get one for a low-incidence language such as Urdu or Farsi), there are companies that provide interpreters over the phone so that you could set up a phone conference with your student’s parents. If another bilingual parent offers to serve as an interpreter, make sure that the conference parent is comfortable with this. Also make sure that this does not violate privacy policies in your school district.Consider training parents to become interpretersIf interpreters are not readily available at your school, consider offering an “interpreters’ training” for bilingual parents, and enlist the support of those parents who have become familiar with the school and educational environment. Offer the training they need so that they feel comfortable and confident with their skills in a new role as an interpreter for other parents. Again, make sure that this does not violate privacy policies in your school district.Create an interpreters’ schedule with other teachersBe aware that interpreters may have many classrooms to assist. If possible, collaborate with other teachers to establish an “interpreters’ schedule.“Train interpreters and staffBefore conference night, have a training session for interpreters and staff in order to make the process successful and ensure that all people involved have the skills and understanding necessary to support the families.Meet with the interpreterMeet with the interpreter before the conference to go over the meeting schedule and agenda, and to address any questions or concerns. Be sure to define the kind of information that will be shared and to reinforce the fact that the interpreter is translating the information, not offering advice or opinions.Review educational terms and vocabulary with the interpreterMake sure that the interpreter feels comfortable interpreting certain vocabulary words that may not exist in their own language such as “special education,” “state standards,” or “curriculum.“Allow more time for translationsConferences that include an interpreter will take more time while you, the interpreter, and the parents exchange information.Be aware of cultural differencesIf possible, get some background information about your students’ cultures and educational expectations that their parents may have. The following true anecdote illustrates the importance of this: a kindergarten teacher held a conference with parents who were from an African country. The kindergarten teacher was very concerned about their child’s excessive talking, activity, and inability to pay attention or play quietly with the other children. The parents beamed at the teacher and described how happy they were that their child was displaying such inquisitive and active intelligent behavior. They had a very different perspective on the behaviors of a successful learner.During the conferenceSpeak with the parents, not the interpreterDuring the conference, always make eye contact with and talk directly to the parent (as opposed to speaking with the interpreter).Speak evenly and pause frequentlySpeak at a measured pace (not slowly or more loudly), and pause often so the interpreter can translate a manageable amount of information.Use simple documents in your explanationsUse documents for visual support, but keep them simple. For example, don’t offer a full-page single-spaced description of the curriculum. Offer an example of the student’s work and a bullet list or rubric to show how it is evaluated, or a simple calendar with curriculum projects filled in.Discuss educational plans and the parents’ expectationsSome schools develop educational plans with the parents, and this may be a new concept for ELL parents. Simplify the process by asking the parent, “What do you hope your child will learn this year?” or “What do you want your child to get better at?“Offer translated information if possibleMany schools now offer basic student progress forms in two languages — English on one side and a second language on the other. Teachers fill in the appropriate information for each student and then give the parents the form, showing them the translated explanation of the form on the back. Some forms include classroom schedules and an area for grades and test scores, while others use very basic symbols such as smiley faces. While the teacher’s remarks themselves may not be translated, the parents will have an explanation in their language of how their child is being evaluated, and will be able to get a good sense of their child’s progress from the form. If your school offers such forms, they can be a highly useful tool in communicating with parents.Offer information about local support resourcesParents may not know about resources such as the public library’s homework-help program or a tutoring support program offered in the school or community.Encourage reading at homeEmphasize the importance of reading at home in the student’s native language and/or English. The important thing is to encourage the joy of reading and to continue to support the development of both languages.Leave time for parent questionsUnderscore the importance of ongoing communication between the home and the school. Provide the parents with ways that they can contact you and communicate their questions and concerns with the necessary bilingual support. And of course — don’t forget to thank them for coming!After the conferenceSend a thank you noteOne of the most important things about a parent-teacher conference is the development of a partnership between the teacher and the parents. Once the conference has been completed, you can send a note home to the parents and tell them how much you enjoyed meeting them and talking about their child, or you can make a call to the family within a few weeks of the conference to inform them about the positive progress you have noticed in their child.Hot linksParents + Schools = Successful Children: Practioner GuideThe Parents + Schools = Successful Children series is a project developed by the National Center for Family Literacy. The project includes bilingual materials to promote the importance of parent involvement and literacy support at home. This Practitioners’ Guide offers numerous ideas and resources for reaching out to parents.LA Unified School District: Translation ResourcesThe English/Spanish Glossary of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Terminology was developed as a tool for translating and interpreting the most commonly used wordsNPR: Language Gap Mars Parent-Teacher Chats Weekend Edition Sunday, April 8, 2007.by Elizabeth Wynne JohnsonFederal law requires school districts to provideinterpreters for parent-teacher conferences. But demand far outstrips the state and federal funds provided. How are schools adapting? (audio file from NPR website)Scholastic: Reaching Out to Bilingual FamiliesA list of seven tips for involving bilingual families at school. (Please note that the recommendation to enlist other bilingual children as translators refers to guiding new students at school and assisting with translating at programs, not at parent-teacher conferences.)Harvard Family Research Project: Bilingual Voices and Parent Classroom ChoicesA case study of a Latino mother and her difficulties in helping her daughter achieve success in the U.S. school system. Offers discussion questions for staff to reflect on ways they might better assist immigrant families.Massachusetts General Hospital: Medical Interpreter ServicesRecommendations of how to help interpreters ensure more effective outcomes. The list focuses on meeting the needs of medical patients, but can be applied to parents and the field of education.American Academy of Family Physicians: Medical InterpretingThis site offers guidelines for medical staff who may be enlisted to interpret for patients. The guidelines can be adapted for an educational setting, however, and are excellent recommendations for bilingual education staff who may be asked to serve as interpreters.

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"Can You Really Breathe Your Way to Student Achievement?" 

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"Can You Really Breathe Your Way to Student Achievement?" 

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Danny Bauer (powerhouse Ruckus Maker) interviews Martín Blank in his BLBS podcast, a school leader who brings professional development "below the neck" in service of students being served by holistic supports/systems in every classroom - such a simple reminder to prioritize breathing and emotional centering in service of regulated students and higher achievement.

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Can You Really Breathe Your Way To Student Achievement?

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Listen to this episode from The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast with Daniel Bauer on Spotify. Martín Blank is a visionary educator, breathwork instructor, and educational consultant specializing in whole-school wellbeing and teacher and staff retention. He's worked with over 15,000 students, and 14,000 educators over the last 10 years in hundreds of schools across districts nationally.

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This structure centralizes restorative practice in taking ownership, increasing understanding, and repairing damage (OURR), AND is an excellent opportunity for developing writing skills with scaffolds in place. In the day and age of endless 'sorries' and 'my bads', this accountability practice removes empty apologies, and replaces them with thoughtful reflection, elaboration, and honoring of how a given choice has impacted someone else's experience with a stated commitment to making changes for the better.

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Yardstick Developmental Stage Descriptors, K-2nd

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Yardstick Developmental Stage Descriptors, K-2nd

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Understanding a child's developmental stage and the common characteristics that accompany the age/stage can be so helpful as we provide and adjust Tier 1 Academic and Behavioral Instruction AND develop individualized plans for supporting students in earlier elementary grades.

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Major Resource for Intervention Strategies from Panorama!

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Every student comes into the classroom with their own experiences and needs. As educators, we can support students by choosing intervention strategies designed to help them succeed. A strong . Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) depends on individualized, evidence-based intervention strategies. Intervention plans must be relationship-informed as well as data-informed, building on what we know about our students and determining how best to support them. " Relationships don't support the learning, relationships are the learning," says Travis Hamblin, Director of Student Services at Jordan School District (UT). Students need connection and support now more than ever, whether it be with academic learning recovery, behavior, or social-emotional learning. To help your MTSS teams choose the right strategies for your students, here's a (non-exhaustive) list of intervention ideas curated from our school and district partners and the Panorama Student Success intervention library

Table of Contents
Targeted Intervention Strategies for Individual Students Deep Dive on Three MTSS Intervention Strategies 2x10 Relationship Building Phone Call Home Homework Club

Key Takeaways:

Customized intervention strategies based on individual student needs and data are crucial within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

Building strong relationships with students is essential for their learning and overall success in school.

There are numerous intervention strategies available for educators to choose from, ensuring a comprehensive approach to student success.

Implementing simple yet consistent practices like the "2x10 Relationship Building" method or "Phone Call Home" can significantly enhance student engagement and support.

Regularly assessing student progress and adjusting intervention plans accordingly is key to ensuring effectiveness within an MTSS framework.

Want more strategies? Download our toolkit of 18 MTSS interventions.

Targeted Intervention Strategies for Individual Students

1. Phone call home

2. Home visit

3. Classroom observation

4. Pre-correction conversation

5. Preventative problem-solving plan

6. Student and/or parent meeting with Support Team

7. WOOP (student goal-setting)

8. Review cumulative folder

9. 2x10 relationship building

10. Two Word Check-In

11. Enroll in a positive activity

12. Student self-advocacy email to teachers

13. Binder or locker organization session

14. Buddy student

15. Substance abuse counseling

16. Weekly academic check-in

17. Homework club

18. Before/after school meetings

19. Lunch Bunch

20. "Rose, Bud, Thorn" journaling

21. Working lunch (make-up work)

22. Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) plan

23. Match with a role model/mentor

24. Small group SEL lessons (social skills)

25. Peer tutor

26. Schedule/class change

27. Behavior contracts

28. Class passes

29. Self-monitoring

30. Talk ticket

31. Accelerated Reader (Literacy)

32. Corrective Reading (Literacy)

33. Fast ForWard (Literacy)

34. Lexia PowerUp (Literacy)

35. Reading Horizons Elevate (Literacy)

36. Wilson Reading (Literacy)

37. Accelerated Math

38. ALEKS (Math)

39. Bridges (Math)

40. Exact Path (Math)

41. Voyager Math

42. Study Island

If you use Panorama: You can select from our full library of strategies when creating an intervention plan for a student. Monitor the student's progress over time by logging notes. Everything will be saved to the student's profile and visible to other educators with access to Panorama.

Example of a student intervention plan in Panorama (mock data pictured)

Deep Dive on Three MTSS Intervention Strategies

Description: Spend two minutes for 10 consecutive school days developing a positive relationship with one student. Provide positive attention through encouragement and recognition of the student's strengths and interests.

Goal: To connect with a student and to ensure that the student feels safe coming to you for help.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"I first came across this strategy and was inspired by the article, "The Two-Minute Relationship Builder" published by ASCD. Originally presented by Grace Dearborn, an educator and consultant, this "Two-By-Ten" approach has worked for me as quick, two-minute conversations that are done consistently over 10 days.

It doesn't always have to be a formal scheduled meeting with the student. Instead, I try to make an effort to walk around the building, drop in where the student might be, and then engage them in brief conversations to see what they're up to and ask how they're doing.

For example, when my student comes in the library in the mornings, I'll reach out and ask questions like, "How are things going?" and "How have your grades been in this class?" and "Anything I can do to help?"

I will also connect with the student through impromptu interactions in other settings, such as attending their extracurricular events or classroom presentations. This can be just as powerful because you are showing the student that you care about their interests both in school and outside of school. It shows that you are there for them and want to support them."

-Lucy Clerkin, Library Teacher at McDevitt Middle School

Phone Call Home

Description: Call the student's home to share an update with their family. When possible, identify something positive about the student's behavior or school performance to share with the family member. Leave a message if they don't answer and encourage them to call you back.

Goal: Toengage a student's family as partners in the student's success. Parents and guardians can play a key role in student progress when provided regular updates and information about their child.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"When calling a student's parent or guardian, I usually follow this conversation template:

1. Share one positive thing about the student's behavior or academic performance
2. Share areas of concern about the student, such as recent attendance issues, failing grades, or missing assignments
3. Reiterate why it's important to address the student's academic, attendance, behavioral, or social-emotional issues
4. Ask the parent or guardian why the student might be experiencing challenges at school
5. Ask the parent or guardian if there are specific things the school or class could do better
6. Discuss ideas and action steps for working together to get the student back on track
7. Share more about yourself and your experiences to build trust with the family

Once you've established an initial connection with a student's parents or guardians, you might call or text them on a weekly basis to check-in and share the student's recent progress. When the student does a good job on a project or shows positive behavior, you could even tell the student that you can't wait to let his or her family know about it!

These small, consistent interactions create a cycle of positive reinforcement between the student, the family, and their experience with school."
-Nick Freehling, Special Education Teacher at McDevitt Middle School
Homework Club

Description: Invite students to complete homework during a designated time outside of school hours.

Goal: To improve academic performance by setting aside time for students to finish homework assignments or make up missed work in a controlled environment.
How an Educator Is Using This Intervention:
"For our school, Homework Club is a 60-minute period after school where students complete their work and have access to educators or other students for extra support.

When inviting the student to attend, consider framing Homework Club as an opportunity to get homework done so that they have more free time to spend at home or in extracurricular activities. This way, the student doesn't view Homework Club as a punishment or negative consequence.

I do require that students attend Homework Club if I'm noticing that their low grades are due to incomplete classwork or not doing homework. If the student reacts negatively by skipping or refusing to attend Homework Club, consider getting their parents or guardians involved to talk about the consequences of skipping mandatory school events."
-Margaret Simeone, ELA Teacher at McDevitt Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How can educators ensure that intervention strategies are culturally responsive and inclusive?

Culturally responsive intervention strategies acknowledge and respect the diverse backgrounds and experiences of students. Educators should strive to incorporate culturally relevant content, perspectives, and examples into their interventions. Additionally, seeking input from students, families, and community members can help ensure that interventions are inclusive and respectful of cultural differences.

2. What role do families play in supporting intervention efforts?

Families are critical partners in supporting student success through interventions. Educators should communicate regularly with families, provide them with information about intervention strategies and progress, and involve them in decision-making processes. Collaborating with families can help ensure that interventions are consistent across home and school settings and that students receive the support they need to thrive.

3. How can educators monitor the effectiveness of intervention strategies and make adjustments as needed?

Educators can monitor the effectiveness of intervention strategies by collecting and analyzing data on student progress. This may include academic performance, behavior observations, and feedback from students and families. Based on this data, educators can identify trends, make adjustments to interventions as needed, and determine when additional support may be necessary. Regular communication and collaboration among intervention team members are also essential for ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Download the toolkit of 18 research-based interventions for your MTSS.

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42 MTSS Intervention Strategies for Your Student Support Team

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Explore effective MTSS intervention strategies for supporting students across academics, behavior, and social emotional learning.

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Enrolling families in the collective work of actualizing youth who are SEL solid is a MUST.

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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A model worth exploring in service of actualizing students who demonstrate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relational skills, and responsible decision-making.

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline practices, promoting family engagement, using data for decision-making, integrating early childhood and infant mental health consultation and fostering inclusion. s

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Children's book list

Includes diverse examples of books that can be used to promote social-emotional skills.

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National Training Institute on Effective Practices: Addressing Challenging Behavior

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the ...

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SEAT (Sensory, Escape, Avoidance, Tangible)

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SEAT (Sensory, Escape, Avoidance, Tangible)

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Getting down and dirty with tracking/trying interventions to change interruptive behavior based on the "SEAT'd" purpose of the interruptive behavior.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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18 Research-Based Instructional Moves/Practices for Any Classroom

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18 Research-Based Instructional Moves/Practices for Any Classroom

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A resource worth checking out, whether in a literacy class, math class, or morning meeting - protocols and practices that will support student success.