# data[].attributes.body
Download the parent guide or print off specific articles for helpful tips for helping students cope. (3/2/2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
COVID & Kids' Mental Health - Child Mind Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources to help support children during the COVID pandemic, from kids' mental health problems to the challenges of remote learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Search careers by keywords, industry or personal interests! Awesome resource for career development. (3/1/2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Streamlined career search and discovery for students and job seekers. Includes a built-in interest assessment and access to training, education, and job opportunities. Straightforward, easy-to-read one-page career reports help guide individuals' next move on their road to a satisfying career.

# data[].attributes.body
As employment opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) continue to expand in Virginia and throughout the United States, the selection of STEM courses in K-12 allow students to prepare for a variety of STEM careers.  The Game of STEM was developed to provide a sampling of potential STEM careers and to support students, counselors, and teachers as students determine course pathways.

# data[].attributes.body
National Center for School Mental Health Webinars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Addressing Systemic Racism: Creating Safe and Equitable Schools Register

Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Safe and Equitable Schools: Tier II Interventions and Considerations Register

Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET National Association of School Psychologists: School-Community Partnerships Register

Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Youth MOVE: Leveraging Youth Advocacy Register

Wednesday, June 2, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Supporting Students Impacted by Racial Stress and Trauma Register

Learn more about webinars from the School Mental Health Virtual Learning Series.

Recorded Webinars

Trauma Responsive Care for Younger Students

Innovation and Emerging Best Practices with the School-Based Health Alliance (part of the School Health Services National Quality Initiative).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wednesday, February 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Addressing Systemic Racism: Creating Safe and Equitable Schools Register Wednesday, March 3, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Safe and Equitable Schools: Tier II Interventions and Considerations Register Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET National Association of School Psychologists: School-Community Partnerships Register Wednesday, May 5, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Youth MOVE: Leveraging Youth Advocacy Register Wednesday, June 2, 2021, 3:00-4:00 PM ET Supporting Students Impacted by Racial Stress and Trauma Register Learn more about webinars from the School Mental Health Virtual Learning Series.

# data[].attributes.body
10/26/2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Being able to come up with new and different ideas is one of my strong points.

# data[].attributes.body
Quick video on how to model a calm down strategy with a student- super simple!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sipping Water for Self-Care During the School Day

# data[].attributes.headline
Pushing Against the Wall (Calming Technique) 

# data[].attributes.subject
Pushing Against the Wall (Calming Technique) 

# data[].attributes.body
10/2/2020
Quick Video on how to incorporate this technique to benefit all students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pushing a Wall to Settle the Nervous System

# data[].attributes.headline
Counselors 4 Computing Digital Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
Counselors 4 Computing Digital Resources

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Support Teachers' Emotional Needs

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Support Teachers' Emotional Needs

# data[].attributes.body
9/15/2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At the end of March, our team at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, along with our colleagues at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), launched a survey to unpack the emotional lives of teachers during the COVID-19 crisis.

In the span of just three days, over 5,000 U.S. teachers responded to the survey. We asked them to describe, in their own words, the three most frequent emotions they felt each day.

The five most-mentioned feelings among all teachers were anxious, fearful, worried, overwhelmed, and sad. Anxiety, by far, was the most frequently mentioned emotion.

The reasons educators gave for these stress-related feelings could be divided into two buckets. The first is mostly personal, including a general fear that they or someone in their family would contract COVID-19, the new coronavirus. The second pertains to their stress around managing their own and their families' needs while simultaneously working full-time from home and adapting to new technologies for teaching.

Once distance learning had gone into effect, we heard from one educator who shared:

My vision of finally having someone else take care of my own kids' education, even virtually, was smashed to smithereens. This requires 100 percent parent involvement, actually 200 percent because my kids are in two different grades!

Given the unexpected new demands our educators are facing, we might assume that how teachers are feeling now is entirely different from the emotions they were experiencing before the pandemic. But is it?

In 2017, our center conducted a similar survey on teachers' emotions. A national sample of over 5,000 educators answered the same questions about how they were feeling.

Back then, the top five emotions were frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed, tired, and happy. The primary source of their frustration and stress pertained to not feeling supported by their administration around challenges related to meeting all of their students' learning needs, high-stakes testing, an ever-changing curriculum, and work-life balance.

Our research findings are echoed across a growing body of research on teachers' stress and burnout.

In one study, 85 percent of teachers reported that work-life imbalance was affecting their ability to teach. Other research has shown that at least 30 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first five years of teaching. Like our research, these studies found that the general causes of teacher stress and burnout are related to a lack of strong leadership and a negative climate, as well as increased job demands, especially around testing, addressing challenging student behaviors, a lack of autonomy and decision-making power, and limited to no training in social and emotional learning (SEL) to support educators' and students' emotional needs.

So, before the pandemic, America's teachers were already burning out. Add in new expectations of becoming distance-learning experts to support uninterrupted learning for all their students and caring for the ever-evolving demands of their families, and it's no surprise that 95 percent of the feelings they reported recently are rooted in anxiety.

We can't control what is happening to us and around us, but we can control how we respond to it.

Emotions matter

An anonymous teacher who filled out our most recent survey described the balancing act like this:

There is this huge dissonance right now between the messages such as "be well" and "take care of yourself" at the end of emails, and "in this time of uncertainty." Yet we have to partake in multiple seminars, read links related to online instruction, legal requirements in special ed, due process, timelines, etc. Everyone needs to be reminded again about how the brain works.

At the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, we study how emotions drive effective teaching and learning, the decisions educators make, classroom and school climate, and educator well-being. We assert that educators' emotions matter for five primary reasons:

Emotions matter for attention, memory, and learning. Positive emotions like joy and curiosity harness attention and promote greater engagement. Emotions like anxiety and fear, especially when prolonged, disrupt concentration and interfere with thinking. Chronic stress, especially when poorly managed, can result in the persistent activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Prolonged release of this and other neurochemicals impacts brain structures associated with executive functioning and memory, diminishing our ability to be effective educators and undermining student learning.

Emotions matter for decision making. When we're overwhelmed and feeling scared and stressed, the areas of our brains responsible for wise decision making also can become "hijacked." In contrast, the experience of more positive states like joy and interest tend to help people evaluate individuals, places, and events more favorably compared to people experiencing more unpleasant emotions. Pleasant emotions also have been shown to enhance mental flexibility and creativity, which are key to navigating the novel and evolving demands of living through a pandemic.

Emotions matter for relationships. How we feel and how we interpret the feelings of others send signals for other people to either approach or avoid us. Teachers who express anxiety or frustration (for example, in their facial expressions, body language, vocal tone, or behavior) are likely to alienate students, which can impact students' sense of safety in the classroom-and likely at home in a virtual learning environment-thereby having a negative influence on learning. Further, dysregulated emotions can undermine healthy relationships between teachers and parents. For most students, a successful distance-learning experience will require a solid partnership between teachers and families.

Emotions matter for health and well-being. How we feel influences our bodies, including physical and mental health. Stress is associated with increased levels of cortisol, which has been shown to lead to both physical and mental health challenges, including depression and weight gain. Both the ability to regulate unpleasant emotions and the experience of more pleasant emotions have been shown to have health benefits, including fostering greater resilience during and after traumatic events.

Emotions matter for performance. Chronic stress among teachers is linked to decreases in teacher motivation and engagement, both of which lead to burnout. Teachers who are burned out have poorer relationships with students and are also less likely to be positive role models for healthy self-regulation-for their students and their families. It's no surprise that teachers who are burned out are more likely to leave the profession, which impacts student learning and puts a huge drain on schools. You get the picture: When educators answer the question about how they feel at school-or, in our most recent study, as an at-home educator-we learn they spend a big part of their workday in a pretty dark place.

Research we and others have conducted has shown two possible protective factors for teachers' emotional well-being. First, teachers with more developed emotion skills tend to report less burnout and greater job satisfaction. These skills include the ability to recognize emotions accurately, understand their causes and consequences, label them precisely, express them comfortably, and regulate them effectively. But the challenge is that most teachers have not received a formal education in emotion skills.

Second, teachers who work in a school with an administrator with more developed emotion skills tend to experience fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions. These teachers also are likely to have better-quality relationships with their students. When students have stronger connections with their teachers, they, in turn, are more engaged and committed to learning; they're also more willing to take risks and persist in the face of difficulty.

We need a greater focus on teachers' health and well-being now, so they can thrive through this pandemic and be psychologically ready to return to school after this has passed.

Supporting educators' well-being

We know how anxious teachers (and, really, everyone else) are feeling right now. But have we thought about how we want to feel?

Previously, we asked teachers how they want to feel at school, and they answered loud and clear. A few of the top hoped-for emotions were happy, inspired, valued, supported, effective, and respected.

The more sensitive we can be to our educators' emotional needs today, the better we'll be able to support them now and when schools reopen. The space between how we feel and how we want to feel presents an opportunity to work together to improve the emotional climate of our homes and schools. The emotional climate is the feelings and emotions a learning space evokes; that space includes both the physical one and the learning climate that is evoked through the interactions between and among educators and students. This can be applied to traditional school settings and to virtual ones.

We need to understand how our teachers want to feel, again, and then support them with what they'll need to experience these feelings.

In the same survey we conducted at the end of March, we asked teachers to share some reflections about what they need to have greater emotional balance. Responses included time to adjust to the new normal of online learning and ways to make virtual learning fun and engaging. Teachers also expressed a strong need for honesty, respect, kindness, flexibility, and patience from their school administrators. Further, they requested more realistic expectations, including boundaries around working around the clock. Among the top requests were strategies to support their own and their students' wellness and resilience.

Building a charter

Putting our emotional needs in writing has a way of making them real for everyone. It acts as a reminder for those times when we might feel anxious or frustrated or any other uncomfortable feeling. It also serves as a contract between ourselves and our colleagues (and even students and families) to help during moments when we are anything but calm and considerate.

As part of RULER, our center's approach to SEL, thousands of schools across the nation have gone through the process of creating an "Emotional Intelligence Charter" with their faculty and staff with positive results.

The process of building a charter or agreement requires us to be vulnerable, and that can be hard, especially in times like these. And some educators are somewhat self-conscious and apprehensive about the process of asking colleagues how they want to feel. It can be scary. Often, how we want to feel is an indicator of what hasn't been working at our schools. But we've found that when schools have the courage to ask, the benefits outweigh the risks.

Specifically, a charter reflects the agreed-upon feelings and behaviors of the members of a learning community. Here, we describe the process of building a faculty and staff charter. The same process can be applied to the classroom or home environment.

It starts with a deceptively simple question: How do we want to feel as a faculty/staff? A principal or group of teachers can pose the question to the faculty and staff at their school. Once everyone shares their top three or four hoped-for feelings, the goal is to narrow them all down to a "top five" list reflective of the entire faculty.

The second question is: What do we need to do for everyone to feel this way? Here, faculty and staff share specific ideas that would support them in experiencing each of the feelings. The goal is to come up with two or three observable behaviors that are realistic and attainable for each feeling. For example, in order for teachers to feel supported around distance learning, what exactly will everyone agree to do differently so everyone feels supported? If teachers want to feel more valued, what are the specific things schools can do? Perhaps everyone can agree to respond to virtual inquiries in a timely manner.

Once the five feelings and related behaviors are compiled, the charter can be created and distributed to each member of the faculty and staff. In this virtual world of education, be creative about ways to disseminate it to everyone. If your school or district uses a learning management system, perhaps the charter can be "public" there.

Importantly, the charter should be a living document-it will evolve as your learning community does throughout the pandemic. Consider weekly reflections and opportunities for teachers to share ideas based on their hoped-for feelings. For example, if teachers want to feel more engaged, perhaps create opportunities for them to share their best virtual lesson of the week and why it worked so well. Even weekly quotations that remind everyone about the desired feelings can help to sustain a positive climate. And when we are all finally able to return to our schools, it will be important to revisit the charter. How we want to feel and what we need to support our health and well-being is fluid.

We are living through a pandemic that most of us could never have imagined. And, as we've shared, our educators are not in the best emotional shape. Today's teachers, counselors, and school leaders are experiencing greater anxiety, stress, and burnout than ever before. If we just hope for the best, more and more educators will fall by the wayside. Fortunately, an increasing number of schools are seeing the benefits of SEL, not just for students, but for educators' own skill development.

The time has come for all schools to address the missing link in what will help educators' thrive-a greater focus on all adults' health and well-being. If we want our educators to be successful-both personally and professionally-schools must be places that bring out the best in them.
This article was originally published on EdSurge as part of the guide Navigating Uncertain Times: How Schools Can Cope With Coronavirus. Read the original article.
Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Support Teachers' Emotional Needs Right Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the end of March, our team at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, along with our colleagues at the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), launched a survey to unpack the emotional lives of teachers during the COVID-19 crisis. In the span of just three days, over 5,000 U.S.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hand Signals to Engage Students in Group Conversations (Large and Small)

# data[].attributes.subject
Hand Signals to Engage Students in Group Conversations (Large and Small)

# data[].attributes.body
9/14/2020

# data[].attributes.headline
Lesson Plan Library to Address Hate and forge a Safe Community (Not in Our Town )

# data[].attributes.subject
Lesson Plan Library to Address Hate and forge a Safe Community (Not in Our Town )

# data[].attributes.body
(9/14/2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Facing History and Ourselves combats racism, antisemitism, and religious prejudice by using history to teach tolerance in classrooms around the globe. The purpose of this lesson idea is to provide some general strategies for using any of the Not in Our School videos.

# data[].attributes.body
(9/9/2020) Lessons, posters, webinars, and more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Visit Shubert at Home and School!

Practical, Hands-On Examples of Conscious Discipline Structures

Shubert's Home and School in Bug Valley offers practical, room-by-room examples of Conscious Discipline implementation. Discover tips, tools, videos and more that model how families, educators, administrators and helpers can put the principles and practices into action and bring safety, connection and problem solving to life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Access over 300 free and premium digital resources including video, audio, printables, song lyrics, assessment rubrics and much more.

# data[].attributes.body
(9/9/2020) SEL and Restorative Practices Classroom Activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sel and rp | Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom activities that encourage students' social and emotional learning and promote restorative practices

# data[].attributes.body
(9/9/2020) Empower teachers to integrate SEL into their core literacy instruction with content that is relevant to what students are experiencing—wherever they’re learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL support and resources for K-12 curriculum | Newsela

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Empower teachers to incorporate SEL topics and strategies into their core instruction.

# data[].attributes.headline
Spreadsheet of Tutorials on Apps (google and other)

# data[].attributes.subject
Spreadsheet of Tutorials on Apps (google and other)

# data[].attributes.body
(9/10/2020)

# data[].attributes.headline
Bullet Journaling: How to Deal When Everything is Different

# data[].attributes.subject
Bullet Journaling: How to Deal When Everything is Different

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Deal When Everything is Different || Mental Health Bullet Journal Spread Ideas

# data[].attributes.headline
Virtual Career Day Video Library AND Activity Sheets

# data[].attributes.subject
Virtual Career Day Video Library AND Activity Sheets

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020)

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020) Loads of activities for students (4th grade and up). Created for SWD but can be used by any student!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Explore Work - Future planning for teens with disabilities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

We also now offer Teacher Account Subscriptions which will enable you to monitor and track the progress of a group of students you may be working with to complete Explore-Work training activities. Find out more about Teacher Accounts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020) (Excellent quiz for students because it doesn't involve reading)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for a new career path? This super-quick quiz doesn't require any reading at all-just choose the images that appeal to you most and discover how your choices can point you toward your ideal career. Based on the well-respected Holland Code system, this quiz provides a brief yet complete assessment of your career interest areas.

# data[].attributes.headline
"Career Smart Phone" PDF with links to different apps to explore Careers

# data[].attributes.subject
"Career Smart Phone" PDF with links to different apps to explore Careers

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020)

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With schools opening back up with mandatory wearing of masks, teachers are stressing over how they're going to get a classroom full of 20-30 young kids to wear masks. So this creative teacher, Caitlin Fahey, came up with a clever song that will stick in her young students' minds and help make wearing masks seem less scary and more playful.

Watch the full mask song video here and find the lyrics below!

🎥 submitted by: Caitlin Fahey
Song lyrics: Have a mask and you know it clap your hands *clap twice* Have a mask and you know it clap your hands *clap twice* Have a mask and you know it then you really wanna show it. Have a mask and you know it clap your hands *clap twice* Put the string over one ear Put the string over one ear Put the strings around your ears Then you'll be good my dear. Put the string over one ear Now, don't forget to cover up your nose! Now, don't forget to cover up your nose! Don't forget your little nose. That's the way the story goes. Now, don't forget to cover up your nose! Your mask tells your friends that you care. Your mask tells your friends that you care. So please wear one for me. And I'll wear one for you. Your mask tells your friends that you car. Have a mask and you know it clap your hands *clap twice* Have a mask and you know it clap your hands *clap twice* Have a mask and you know it then you really wanna show it. Have a mask and you know it clap your hands! *clap twice*
ALSO CHECK OUT:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teacher's Catchy Song Reminds Students How to Wear Masks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With schools opening back up with mandatory wearing of masks, teachers are stressing over how they're going to get a classroom full of 20-30 young kids to wear masks. So this creative teacher, Caitlin Fahey, came up with a clever song that will stick in her young students' minds and help make wearing masks seem less scary and more playful.

# data[].attributes.headline
Encouraging Words for School Counselors (9/2/2020)

# data[].attributes.subject
Encouraging Words for School Counselors (9/2/2020)

# data[].attributes.body
The free 5-10 minute podcasts will air weekly with heartening short stories as well as practical tips from school counselors to make your workweek a bit lighter.

# data[].attributes.headline
Navigate through Career Options with Khan Academy

# data[].attributes.subject
Navigate through Career Options with Khan Academy

# data[].attributes.body
(9/4/2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

If you're behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains *.kastatic.org and *.kasandbox.org are unblocked.

To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Careers brought to you with support from Better Money Habits® Powered by Bank of America® Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Investment Products: Are Not FDIC Insured, Are Not Bank Guaranteed, May Lose Value

Careers brought to you with support from

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you wondering how to land your dream job or negotiate your salary? Finding answers to questions like these can be hard, but we're here to help. We ask real people in real jobs how they make it all work in our new video series about careers.

# data[].attributes.body
for VA School Counselors

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Welcome Back Message for School Counselors

# data[].attributes.headline
Library of Tech Tips for Virtual Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Library of Tech Tips for Virtual Learning

# data[].attributes.body
9/1/2020

# data[].attributes.headline
Collection of Evidence-based Practices for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Treatment Needs - 7th Edition

# data[].attributes.subject
Collection of Evidence-based Practices for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Treatment Needs - 7th Edition

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Collection of Evidence-based Practices for Children and Adolescents with Mental Health Treatment Needs - 7th Edition
The Collection is available in its entirely as House Document 9 or by viewing the complete PDF document using the link below. Individual chapters, which include links to external resources, may also be explored by topic. If you are unable to view the PDF documents, you may need to download Adobe Reader.
The Collection - 7th Edition (complete PDF document) Archive
Disclosure Statement
The information contained herein is strictly for informational and educational purposes and is not designed to replace the advice and counsel of a physician or mental health provider. The Commission on Youth makes no representations regarding the suitability of the information contained herein for any purpose.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Collection is available in its entirely as House Document 9 or by viewing the complete PDF document using the link below. Individual chapters, which include links to external resources, may also be explored by topic. If you are unable to view the PDF documents, you may need to download Adobe Reader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How do I decide what I want to do for a living?

Knowing yourself comes first. Your skills, interests, values, and needs are important to finding the right path!

How much will college cost and how can I pay for it?

Find the right college for you and learn how to pay for it, what to expect, and so much more!

What steps should I take to prepare for college?

Find the information you'll need for test prep, transferring, searching for a college, and choosing a major!

How much do you really need to earn to have the life you dream of?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How do I decide what I want to do for a living? Knowing yourself comes first. Your skills, interests, values, and needs are important to finding the right path! How much will college cost and how can I pay for it?

# data[].attributes.body
Find Your Grind delivers a unique approach to learning and navigating the path to self-discovery. We help individuals define their roadmap to discover who they are, where they are going, and the first steps to get there.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
District & School Administrators

A research-based future-ready curriculum

We address students' uncertainty in planning their futures by focusing them on developing greater self-efficacy and transferable skills, identifying lifestyles and opportunities, and communicating the next steps before careers, colleges, and other costly commitments.

Not every career pathway will satisfy a student's lifestyle needs, but personalized Find Your Grind will inspire every student-the core ethos of Find Your Grind is to dare to create the life you've always dreamed of.
SEE OUR SOLUTION
Find Your Grind for Administrators and Educators

# data[].attributes.body
Schedule office hours

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Online Appointment Scheduling Software | Calendly

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Calendly is the modern scheduling platform that makes "finding time" a breeze. When connecting is easy, your teams can get more done.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Make your PDFs and Worksheets Editable Online

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Make your PDFs and Worksheets Editable Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Make your PDFs and Worksheets Editable Online - Using Google Slides

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Flip is a video discussion and sharing app, free from Microsoft.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Flip (formerly Flipgrid) is a video discussion and video sharing app, free from Microsoft, built for classrooms and beyond. Learn more.

# data[].attributes.body
Browser-Based Video Editor (Instructions)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Instructions for using our browser-based video editor.

# data[].attributes.body
Video record a lesson

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use Loom to record quick videos of your screen and cam. Explain anything clearly and easily - and skip the meeting. An essential tool for hybrid workplaces.

# data[].attributes.body
Choose a video, give it your magic touch and track your students' comprehension.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

# data[].attributes.body
One Page Tech TIps for Creating a Google Voice Number

# data[].attributes.body
Pear Deck for Google Slides features a beautifully-designed sidebar and library of templates that lets you transform any lesson into an opportunity to engage your class.

# data[].attributes.body
Online Whiteboard for the Modern Classroom. Mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start drawing on a blank canvas. Browse the web with your students or make that remote tutoring session more productive than ever. No plug-ins, downloads, or firewall voodoo - it's all here, ready to go when you are.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start drawing on a blank canvas. Browse the web with your students or make that remote tutoring session more productive than ever. No plug-ins, downloads, or firewall voodoo - it's all here, ready to go when you are. Browser-agnostic, user-friendly.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Twiddla is an Online Whiteboard for the Modern Classroom. Mark up websites, graphics, and photos, or start brainstorming on a blank canvas. Voice and Text chat too!

# data[].attributes.body
This video tutorial will show you how to use Padlet.  Think of Padlet as a wall where you can express your thoughts on a common topic. Collect your ideas through text, link, images, videos, bookmarks and more.  Share your Padlet with as many or with as little people as you wish and you control how you want your invites to contribute to your Padlet. Padlet lets you customize the look of your wall and the style of your content placement. Padlet is FREE to use, there are certain features that do require a membership.

# data[].attributes.body
Capture powerful feedback instantly during virtual meetings, classes, events, and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Host interactive online meetings | Poll Everywhere

# data[].attributes.body
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes. Unleash the fun in classrooms, offices and living rooms!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Create a fun learning game in minutes - we call these 'kahoots'. The format and number of questions is up to you. Add videos, images and diagrams to your questions to amplify engagement.

How to create a kahoot on your computer
How to create a kahoot in the app

Kahoots are best played in a group setting. To join a game, you need a unique PIN. If you're the game host, you need a big screen. Players answer on their own devices, while questions are displayed on a shared screen. In addition to live games, you can also send kahoot challenges that players complete at their own pace - for example, for homework or remote training.
How to play a live kahoot
After a game, encourage players to create and share their own kahoots! With one of our premium plans for schools or business, you can co-create games with your colleagues and save time on finding relevant kahoots for your class or training session.
How to help learners become leaders in class

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Want to make learning fun and engaging? Find out how to get started with Kahoot!, one of world's most popular learning platforms.

# data[].attributes.headline
Great video with some awesome tips for students/adults on staying productive while working at home!

# data[].attributes.subject
Great video with some awesome tips for students/adults on staying productive while working at home!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to be more productive while working from home | Career Hacks

# data[].attributes.headline
Podcast on Supporting Student Mental Health During and After COVID-19 (review of research article above)

# data[].attributes.subject
Podcast on Supporting Student Mental Health During and After COVID-19 (review of research article above)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting Student Mental Health During and After COVID-19 by Abstract

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How can we support student mental health during and after COVID-19? MERC researchers conducted a rapid review of research to help answer this question as we prepare to support students when they return to school this fall in any capacity. Report authors David Naff, Shenita Williams, Jenna Furman and Melissa Lee discuss the key takeaways. You can access the full report on the MERC website at this link: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/merc_pubs/112/

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting Students Mental Health During and After COVID-19 (A Rapid Review of Research)

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting Students Mental Health During and After COVID-19 (A Rapid Review of Research)

# data[].attributes.headline
VA School Counselor Technology Collaborative

# data[].attributes.subject
VA School Counselor Technology Collaborative

# data[].attributes.headline
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 1: Assess Need and Create Collaborative Partnerships

# data[].attributes.subject
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 1: Assess Need and Create Collaborative Partnerships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Redesigning School Counseling Part One_ Assess Need

# data[].attributes.headline
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 2: Create a Plan and Communicate with Stakeholders

# data[].attributes.subject
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 2: Create a Plan and Communicate with Stakeholders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Redesigning School Counseling Part Two_ Create a Plan

# data[].attributes.headline
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 3: Ethical and Safety Considerations

# data[].attributes.subject
Redesigning a Comprehensive School Counseling Program Part 3: Ethical and Safety Considerations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Redesigning School Counseling Part Three_ Ethical and Safety Considerations

# data[].attributes.headline
Helping Your Kids With... (Videos for Families)

# data[].attributes.subject
Helping Your Kids With... (Videos for Families)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Description

Educational experts at MCPER have created videos to help parents and guardians use effective practices to teach students at home due to COVID-19. Videos will be posted regularly, so be sure to return to this page often to get the latest information.

Helping Your Kid With...Early Language and Literacy

Many of our videos emphasize reading with your child because of the importance of learning language and literacy. In this video, we provide specific examples-from children's books-and 10 simple strategies for interacting with your child while reading books. Hosted by Amory Cable.

Helping Your Kid With...Building Vocabulary and Comprehension With Read-Alouds

Most of you read books with your kids. This video shows you how to use book read-alouds to build vocabulary and learning. Choose a book, predict what the book is about, talk about vocabulary, and enjoy your reading time! Hosted by Letti Grimaldo and Shannon Giroir.
Download the free read-aloud bookmark!

Helping Your Kid With...Activity Transitions

Sometimes it's difficult to help your kid transition from one activity to the next. We provide several suggestions, such as using a schedule, giving choices, and being consistent. We also share how to make transitions fun for kids. Hosted by Tina Fragale.

Helping Your Kid With...Cooperation With Difficult Tasks

Have you ever found it tricky to get your kid to cooperate? This video provides a few ideas about building cooperation in the home. You may want to make a schedule, use checklists, break down tasks into manageable chunks, give breaks, and give choices. You also want to provide specific feedback and may use a reward system. Hosted by Tina Fragale.

Helping Your Kid With...Learning (and Loving) the Language of Math

The earliest learning of math comes through language-as kids learn words such as more, difference, square, or three. We share how to help your kid with early math learning through the use of math storybooks. Choose a book, identify key words, and do activities around the house to connect to the math! Hosted by Suzanne Forsyth (@suzanne_forsyth).
Download the free handout!

Helping Your Kid With...Interactive Word Walls

A word wall is a great tool for kids to learn different words. Often, teachers have word walls in their classroom, but you can make a word wall for your home! You can make a word wall with sticky notes or using the included handout. Word walls provide opportunity for your child to interact with many words. Hosted by Jennifer Schnakenberg.
Download the handout.
Download a template for your older learners to create their own word walls.

The following websites have free, downloadable word lists:

Helping Your Kid With...Reading Comprehension

From preschool to high school, kids have to understand what they read. When reading at home, ask and answer questions, such as what, how, and why. Then, work to identify the main idea. With these strategies, kids will learn more when they are reading! Hosted by Johny Daniel.

Citation: Stevens, E. A., Park, S., & Vaughn, S. (2019). A review of summarizing and main idea interventions for struggling readers in grades 3 through 12: 1978-2016. Remedial and Special Education, 40(3), 131-149.

Helping Your Kid With...Comprehending Texts Independently

Asking children to read and understand texts independently is one of the most difficult things that we can ask them to do. This presentation shares a straightforward approach to improving independent text comprehension for students in grade 3 and beyond. Hosted by Phil Capin (pcapin@utexas.edu).
Download the free self-monitoring worksheet, provided both with and without goals filled in.

Helping Your Kid With...Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is about hearing the smallest units of sounds, and it is one of the most important skills for young kids as they learn to read. Learn how to blend words and segment words by doing brief activities around the house. Hosted by Paul Steinle.

Helping Your Kid With...Science

Beyond reading, writing, and math, kids need to learn about science! Kids are naturally curious, and talking about science is a great way to extend this curiosity! You could do a science scavenger hunt by walking around your house or neighborhood. You could also observe your surroundings. Science helps you have many interesting conversations with your kid. Hosted by Chris Doabler.

Helping Your Kid With...Reading Skills Practice Through Games

Novice readers are learning skills to help them become fluent in word reading. As children learn these new skills, they need lots of structured opportunities to practice. This practice can (and should) be fun and engaging! Join us to learn four games that can be played at home to help promote early reading skills. Hosted by Jessica Toste (@DrToste).
Download the free handout with game play materials.

Helping Your Kid With...Two-Dimensional Shapes

Beyond numbers, young kids have to learn about shapes. In this video, we focus on identifying shapes and classifying shapes with activities you can do around the house. Hosted by Meijia Liu.

Helping Your Kid With...Getting Vocabulary to Stick

Before kids start reading a new book or story, it can be helpful to preteach important vocabulary. This will help prepare your kid for new information and help that new information stick. This video helps you see which vocabulary words to preteach. Also provided is a template for you to make your own vocabulary maps. Hosted by Sarah Fishstrom.
Download a vocabulary map template.

Helping Your Kid With...High-Frequency Words

Teaching your child high-frequency words is an important and easy way to develop word reading skills at home. This presentation shares a simple 10-minute routine that you can use daily to positively affect the reading development of your elementary-school-aged child. Hosted by Phil Capin (pcapin@utexas.edu).
Download a free sight word list.
Explore related resources from the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities.

Helping Your Kid With...Counting

Counting is one of the first things kids learn in math, and counting involves three separate skills. Kids have to know the number names, use the number names to assign counts, and understand the last count tells how many are in the set. Counting is essential for most other math skills, so we need to help our kids become great counters! Hosted by Sarah Powell (@sarahpowellphd).
To help with counting, download a free ten frame and number line.

Helping Your Kid With...Reading Multisyllable Words

In middle school, the number of multisyllable words that kids read increases greatly from elementary school. We share how to help students read multisyllable words with sounding out activities that you can do at home. Hosted by Elizabeth Swanson. This work was supported by the Office of Special Education Programs (H326M150016).
Download the five-step process!
Download sample words and cards!

Helping Your Kid With...Building Academic Vocabulary

When kids read, they often encounter academic vocabulary. These are words that aren't commonly used in conversation. Kids need help to understand these words. We share a vocabulary routine that can make learning academic vocabulary easy! Hosted by Colleen Reutebuch.
Download a helpful handout!

Helping Your Kid With...Basic Phonics at Home

Caregivers should not feel like they have to cover all aspects of early reading. See some tips and examples for supporting a small but important set of phonics skills for beginning readers: learning letter-sound knowledge and using letter sounds to read and spell words. Hosted by Nathan Clemens (@DrNathanClemens) and a special guest star.

Helping Your Kid With...Fractions

Fractions! That word can bring a feeling of dread to both kids and adults. But understanding fractions is necessary for success in math at all grade levels, and fractions can be fun! Join us to learn how to talk about fractions and show fractions with items found in your home. Hosted by Sarah Powell (@sarahpowellphd).
Download free fractions strips!

Reading With Your Middle School Aged Child

Video 1

Video 2

Some older students may need some motivation to read. One way to help older students read more is to do partner reading. Partner reading leads to discussions about the text and lets you have fun reading with your kid. Hosted by Elizabeth Swanson. This work was supported by the Office of Special Education Programs (H326M150016).
Download a free partner reading guide: English!
Download a free partner reading guide: Spanish!

Helping Your Kid With...Identifying the Main Idea

Kids often read without understanding what they just read. Join us to learn how to help kids identify the main idea by asking about the important "who" or "what," the most important idea about the "who" or "what," and telling the main idea in 10 words or less. Hosted by Colleen Reutebuch.
Download the free resources!

Helping Your Kid With...Practicing Reading at Home

Kids in the early stages of reading need lots of opportunities to read with support from an adult, and when school is out, reading at home is even more important. Here are some tips and ideas for reading with your elementary-aged kid and ways to make it fun and motivating. Hosted by Nathan Clemens (@DrNathanClemens).

Helping Your Kid With...Motivation to Work at Home

Now that many kids will be doing school work at home, motivation to do work might be important! Join us to learn how to plan for work at home, set the stage, and support your kid. Hosted by Elizabeth Swanson. This work was supported by the Office of Special Education Programs (H326M150016).
Download the free guide, provided in both English and Spanish!

Helping Your Kid With...Math Word Problems

All kids have to set up and solve word problems in math, but that's hard when you don't have a good strategy for working through the problem. Join us to learn more about the UPSCheckway of working through a word problem. Hosted by Sarah Powell (@sarahpowellphd).
Download the free poster!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Educational experts at MCPER have created videos to help parents and guardians use effective practices to teach students at home due to COVID-19. Videos will be posted regularly, so be sure to return to this page often to get the latest information.

# data[].attributes.headline
Resource List and Tips for Parents & Parent Communication 

# data[].attributes.subject
Resource List and Tips for Parents & Parent Communication 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for Parents During School Closure

# data[].attributes.headline
Virginia Specific Family Engagement Video for Families (reviews MTSS)

# data[].attributes.subject
Virginia Specific Family Engagement Video for Families (reviews MTSS)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Designed for family members, this 10 minute video explains the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS) and offers concrete tips and strategies to engage with school partners more effectively. The video features family members and school staff from around Virginia, sharing their own lived experiences and suggestions for building stronger connections between families and educators to improve outcomes for all students. A fact sheet accompanies the video. Spanish and Arabic captions are available via YouTube settings.

We welcome your feedback on the video at https://tinyurl.com/yah2542o .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Family Engagement with Schools Video - FFF

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Designed for family members, this 10 minute video explains the Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports (VTSS) and offers concrete tips and strategies to engage with school partners more effectively. The video features family members and school staff from around Virginia, sharing their own lived experiences and suggestions for building stronger connections between families and educators to improve outcomes for all students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Family Guide to At-Home Learning | CEEDAR

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This page provides an overview of family guides for at-home learning.

# data[].attributes.headline
VDOE: Recovery, Resdesign, Restart Document

# data[].attributes.subject
VDOE: Recovery, Resdesign, Restart Document

# data[].attributes.headline
Program Goals in a Hybrid/Virtual Setting

# data[].attributes.subject
Program Goals in a Hybrid/Virtual Setting

# data[].attributes.headline
Design Template for Online Lesson Planning

# data[].attributes.subject
Design Template for Online Lesson Planning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Designing an Online Lesson Using the 5 Es Instructional Model

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL Video Lessons | Lessons For SEL | What is SEL | SEL Videos | School | Teach

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to Lessons For SEL. We provide educators with Social Emotional Learning resources, tools, lessons, and strategies to boost core social-emotional learning (SEL) skills. Our SEL resources help teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, & more! #SEL #socialemotionallearning

# data[].attributes.headline
Why Every School Must Have a Social Emotional Learning Plan

# data[].attributes.subject
Why Every School Must Have a Social Emotional Learning Plan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For young white students, explorations of fair and unfair, just and unjust, can go a long way in advancing anti-racist white identity. Purposeful use of literature and basic study of white anti-racists are among the key ways educators can advance such aims.Teaching Tolerance presents four short biographies for early grades classrooms, with activity ideas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These robust, ready-to-use classroom lessons offer breadth and depth, spanning essential social justice topics and reinforcing critical social emotional learning skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Conducting a Virtual Suicide Assessment Checklist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This checklist complements the guidance offered in Comprehensive School Suicide Prevention in a Time of Distance Learning, is supported by the checklist titled Preparing for School Suicide Interventio...

# data[].attributes.body
These webinars were held in the Spring of 2020. You can view the recordings here and access all the resources shared!

# data[].attributes.body
Beautiful book about a little boy who learns about the coronavirus and how to fight it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Bray Bray Conquers the Coronavirus" is the second in a series of children's picture books about the adventures of a little Black boy, nicknamed Bray Bray. Join Bray Bray on this real world adventure where he learns about the the Coronavirus and how to fight it!

# data[].attributes.body
Excellent resource with loads of helpful information and considerations

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
COVID Grief and Loss Resources Brooklyn LAB

# data[].attributes.headline
Addressing Race and Racism, A Guide for School Counselors

# data[].attributes.subject
Addressing Race and Racism, A Guide for School Counselors

# data[].attributes.body
Essential Considerations and a Library of Resources created just for you!

# data[].attributes.body
COVID-19 Racial Equity & Social Justice list includes information that we hope will help communities and activists as they work to understand and respond to the moment and for the long haul. Our COVID-19 Resources are arranged in categories to help you sift through the material.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
COVID-19 - Racial Equity & Social Justice Resources

COVID-19 Racial Equity & Social Justice list includes information that we hope will help communities and activists as they work to understand and respond to the moment and for the long haul. Our COVID-19 Resources are arranged in categories to help you sift through the material:

Analysis includes a range of resources that look at the big picture - how the pandemic may reshape the world, the existing disparities it highlights, and perspectives on the virus' impact on different communities and issue areas

Resources and Tools includes tips and strategies for response, communication and framing, and addressing hate.

Healing and Community Care centers on how to care for ourselves and our people in this time, while continuing to center the needs and perspectives of the most vulnerable

Organizing and Solidarity has resources on actions people are already taking to bring attention to issues that intersect with the virus' impact, including worker and migrant rights, needs of specific communities of color, and more

Resource Building & Rapid Response - Includes lists of different funds currently available, guidance on resource building at this time and how foundations and donors need to be equitably responsive

Virtual Work and Online Engagement focuses on how we can stay connected to each other and to racial equity action while social distancing

List of Lists is a collection of resource lists shared by others that relate to equity, social justice and other areas in the context of the pandemic

Please use the following link, if you would like to submit a resource.

Analysis

Resources & Tools

Healing & Community Care

Organizing & Solidarity

Resource Building & Rapid Response

Virtual Work & Online Engagement

List of Lists

Also in this section:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
COVID-19 Racial Equity & Social Justice list includes information that we hope will help communities and activists as they work to understand and respond to the moment and for the long haul.

# data[].attributes.headline
McKinney Vento one pager for School Counselors & Video Link

# data[].attributes.subject
McKinney Vento one pager for School Counselors & Video Link

# data[].attributes.body
Be sure to view the 15 minute video with excellent information around our role in supporting students experiencing homelessness.

# data[].attributes.headline
Library of Resources with FREE Online Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Library of Resources with FREE Online Tools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Online Resources for Educators, Parents and Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Extended school closure due to coronavirus? Explore this collection of free online resources for PreK-12 educators, parents and students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Student Privacy 101: FERPA for Parents and Students 

# data[].attributes.subject
Student Privacy 101: FERPA for Parents and Students 

# data[].attributes.body
This site aims to assist stakeholders in protecting the privacy of students by providing official guidance on FERPA , technical best practices and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The U.S. Department of Education is committed to student privacy. We administer the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and we provide technical assistance to help schools and school districts use best practices in their use and management of information about students. This site aims to assist stakeholders in protecting the privacy of students by providing official guidance on FERPA , technical best practices and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Responsibility for the Department's student privacy operations lies in the Office of the Chief Privacy Officer. To learn more about FERPA please click on the video to the right.

Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA)

Webinar slides for "FERPA and Virtual Learning during the COVID-19" presentation. This webinar is intended to provide information on privacy best practices and insight into helpful resources available to the education community during this critical time of national emergency.

We will address commonly asked questions related to the challenges of complying with student privacy laws like FERPA during this time and present a series of scenarios which highlight privacy best practices and considerations when adopting distance learning approaches.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The U.S. Department of Education is committed to student privacy. We administer the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and we provide technical assistance to help schools and school districts use best practices in their use and management of information about students.

# data[].attributes.headline
Planning for Virtual/Distance School Counseling During an Emergency Shutdown

# data[].attributes.subject
Planning for Virtual/Distance School Counseling During an Emergency Shutdown

# data[].attributes.body
This resource from ASCA includes some important issues to consider during this time.

# data[].attributes.headline
Getting Back to School after Disruptions:Resources for Making Your School Year Safer, More Predictable, and More Positive

# data[].attributes.subject
Getting Back to School after Disruptions:Resources for Making Your School Year Safer, More Predictable, and More Positive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students experiencing trauma, such as from public health crises, weather disasters, or other upsetting events, may have been exposed to unpredictable schedules, inconsistent supervision, or food insecurity and desperately need school to be their safest, most predictable, and most positive setting, especially if they have been displaced or are without utilities or basic comforts. Multi-tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS), such as PBIS, are ideal frameworks for implementing strategies to support students coming back to school and to prevent and address further challenges. We recommend the following six strategies for school teams to ensure a safe, predictable, and positive school year. These strategies are beneficial for all students if the school has been closed, as well as for individual students returning from extended time away from school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
PBIS.org | Resource: Getting Back to School after Disruptions: Resources for Making Your School Year Safer, More Predictable, and More Positive

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
PDF: Students experiencing trauma, such as from public health crises, weather disasters, or other upsetting events, may have been exposed to unpredictable schedules, inconsistent supervision, or food insecurity and desperately need school to be their safest, most predictable, and most positive setting, especially if they have been displaced or are without utilities or basic comforts.

# data[].attributes.headline
Relevant Research for Educators: Confronting the Coronavirus Outbreak

# data[].attributes.subject
Relevant Research for Educators: Confronting the Coronavirus Outbreak

# data[].attributes.body
An ongoing series about how schools and families can respond to change and disruption, build resilience, and help young people learn and thrive at home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An ongoing series about how schools, families, and communities can respond, support young people, build resilience, and keep the learning going during the Coronavirus pandemic.

# data[].attributes.body
The U.S. Department of Defense, Military Health System, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress provided a resource for

Leaders and the importance of understanding people’s reactions to the losses associated with tragic events and informs the roles that leaders can play in support of recovery.

# data[].attributes.body
Write you what you are doing/plan to do to support students and share with your administration!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This website was designed in partnership with the California Association of School Counselors and Wisconsin School Counselors Association. This multidisciplinary team of over 50 school administrators and counselors organized to provide a platform where information can be consolidated into a one-stop website to address massive school closures and community wide health, mental health and economic trauma.

# data[].attributes.headline
Supporting LGBTQ Students During COVID-19 Quarantine Tip:Sheet for School Counselors

# data[].attributes.subject
Supporting LGBTQ Students During COVID-19 Quarantine Tip:Sheet for School Counselors

# data[].attributes.body
#WeThriveInside
Lots of resources for students, families and school counselors as we all try to navigate these new waters.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every day presents new challenges to the mental health and well-being of children. #WeThriveInside is bringing the Child Mind Institute's innovative telehealth, inspiring videos and online resources to families no matter where they are. Support this life-changing work. Click to help kids thrive inside.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
#WeThriveInside | Child Mind Institute is Helping Children Through COVID-19 & Beyond

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every day presents new challenges to the mental health and well-being of children. #WeThriveInside is bringing the Child Mind Institute's innovative telehealth, inspiring videos and online resources to families no matter where they are. Support this life-changing work. Click to help kids thrive inside.

# data[].attributes.headline
Guidance for Teachers and Counselors during COVID-19

# data[].attributes.subject
Guidance for Teachers and Counselors during COVID-19

# data[].attributes.body
Best practices, practical tips, and important reminders on how to keep kids safe.

# data[].attributes.body
The first child-facing emotional wellness platform that captures how kids feel and helps parents and educators respond.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By combining early & crisis intervention, real-time support, and a safe, digital space for emotional discovery, Closegap makes it easy for K-12 schools to support the emotional health of their students.

# data[].attributes.headline
A ToolKit From National Alliance for Grieving Children

# data[].attributes.subject
A ToolKit From National Alliance for Grieving Children

# data[].attributes.body
Virtual Educator Resources for free! Excellent resource for lessons (both inperson and virtually). Also includes family supports and virtual assembly ideas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
During these challenging times, we have an opportunity to work together, build creative solutions, and exercise compassion.

The CharacterStrong Team has been working on overdrive fueled by the purpose of serving educators who are navigating new waters. We are thrilled to provide this digital toolkit with resources to make sure you are still able to meet the needs of your students and staff - physically or virtually.

We've divided up the resources ( you can find these links on the navigation bar to the left on computers and up top on phones) into Elementary and Secondary tools. You'll notice that each has a few categories:

Videos with Questions: We have 2 videos per week that are age appropriate for grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-12 related to various character and social-emotional skills. You'll find a meaningful video and some questions you can use for discussion.

Teacher Character Workouts: 2 challenges a week that put a focus on self-care, relationship-building, and character development. Feel free to download the images and share with your team or on social media!

Family Character Workouts: We know that many educators are also parents and guardians who are now on double duty. We also know that you have families in your community you want to serve. We are providing 2 challenges a week to help provide meaningful conversations and activities.

Student Character Workouts: At the secondary level, we have provided 2 challenges a week for students to maintain a focus on character. We also put out a CharacterDare every Tuesday on our and have students from all over the country reflecting on their experience.

We will release the new week's content every Sunday so you can hit the ground running each Monday with tools and purpose! Feel free to explore the Samples on the menu as well, which include a variety of SEL, character, and leadership lessons for grades K-12.

This is just one way we want to support during this time. We will be holding a Whole Child Virtual Summit in April, Virtual Assemblies over the coming 2 months, and asking students and staff to follow along with our 30 Day Kindness Journal starting Monday, March 16th.

We've got this, together.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Virtual Educator Resources Overview - CharacterStrong

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
During these challenging times, we have an opportunity to work together, build creative solutions, and exercise compassion. The CharacterStrong Team has been working on overdrive fueled by the purpose of serving educators who are navigating new waters.

# data[].attributes.headline
Feelings Chart (several translations avaliable)

# data[].attributes.subject
Feelings Chart (several translations avaliable)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Below you'll find translations of the Kimochis Feelings Chart into over 20 languages, plus links to all of our other resources. Bookmark this page so that you can return easily.

Click on the language to download the chart.

The languages are listed in alphabetical order. If you would like to add a translation or find an error, please email orders@kimochis.com with the subject line "Translation request" so that it can be added to our queue.

In addition to the Feelings Charts - Team Kimochis has chosen to unlock our training portal and make all of our customer resources available for free until July 1, 2020. You can access them at the links below.

Educator's Portals (Teacher and Counselor training for use of Kimochis Education Tool Kits)
Early Childhood Educator's Portal Elementary (Grades 1-5) Educator's Portal SOS - Kimochis to the Rescue for Challenging Feelings and Behviors Early Childhood SOS Elementary (Grades 1-5) SOS Free Resources - these will remain free after July 1, 2020
FREE RESOURCES - feeling charts, coloring sheets and other goodies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The languages are listed in alphabetical order. If you would like to add a translation or find an error, please email orders@kimochis.com with the subject line "Translation request" so that it can be added to our queue.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Helps young children and families talk about their experiences and feelings related to COVID-19 and the need to shelter in place. In the story, the coronavirus has spread to Littletown causing changes in everyone's lives. The story opens doors to conversations about COVID-19, ways that families and communities are working together to keep safe from the virus, family and community strengths, common challenges and reactions in children and adults, ways that families support children and each other, and our intense gratitude for frontline workers. A caregiver guide is available in the back of the book that provides ways parents can use the story with their children. A companion story, Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka's and Sam's Questions, for how to answer children's questions about the virus is also available.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Trinka and Sam Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Helps young children and families talk about their experiences and feelings related to COVID-19 and the need to shelter in place. In the story, the coronavirus has spread to Littletown causing changes in everyone's lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Updated on March 16 at 1:56 p.m. ET. This comic has been updated. Click here for the newest version.
Kids, this comic is for you.

It's based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.

To make this comic, we've used his interviews with Tara Powell at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, Joy Osofsky at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and Krystal Lewis at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Print and fold a zine version of this comic here. Here are directions on how to fold it. To read this comic in Chinese, click here.To read it in Spanish, click here.

Malaka Gharib is an NPR editor and the author and illustrator of I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir, about being first-generation Filipino Egyptian American.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You may have heard the word "coronavirus" online or on TV. You probably have a lot of questions. Check out our comic to get some answers - and print out a zine version at home.

# data[].attributes.body
Free and interactive lessons on how to type!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn touch typing online using TypingClub's free typing courses. It includes 650 typing games, typing tests and videos.

# data[].attributes.body
Fifteen mindfulness program sessions are now available for anyone to use, no experience necessary! Designed for educators and families to do alongside children, or for older children to do on their own, Mind Yeti provides a great way for everyone to practice mindfulness during this difficult time.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mind Yeti® sessions are no longer available on MindYeti.com.

# data[].attributes.headline
COVID Coloring Book from the Children's Museum

# data[].attributes.subject
COVID Coloring Book from the Children's Museum

# data[].attributes.body
Are your kids bored? Worried? Confused about COVID-19? This activity book can help!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are your kids bored? Worried? Confused about COVID-19? This activity book can help!

Our experts in infectious diseases, child and adolescent psychiatry, and child life helped develop fun and factual pages that can be used as a source for education, amusement and a mental health check-in for kids and parents/guardians.
The book includes:

COVID-19 coloring sheets, maze and word search

Kid-friendly information on the Coronavirus, including what it is and how it's spread

Tips for staying healthy and connecting with others during the global pandemic

Opportunities to share emotions through words and pictures

Print and have a blast with markers, crayons or colored pencils. Don't have a printer? No problem! Kids can color online in Microsoft Paint, Instagram or other coloring apps.

Originaly published April 2020
Updated August 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 pages of fun during COVID-19: A kid-friendly coloring book

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Our experts in infectious diseases, child and adolescent psychiatry, and child life helped develop fun and factual pages that can be used as a source for education, amusement and a mental health check-in for kids and parents/guardians.

# data[].attributes.headline
I Can Stay Healthy by Wearing a Face Mask 

# data[].attributes.subject
I Can Stay Healthy by Wearing a Face Mask 

# data[].attributes.body
The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities and Children’s Specialized Hospital have developed a series of resources to help children understand and feel comfortable wearing face masks.

# data[].attributes.headline
I Can Stay Healthy by Wearing a Face Mask (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.subject
I Can Stay Healthy by Wearing a Face Mask (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.headline
Help your child feel good and using and seeing others wearing face masks (English)

# data[].attributes.subject
Help your child feel good and using and seeing others wearing face masks (English)

# data[].attributes.body
The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities and Children’s Specialized Hospital have developed a series of resources to help children understand and feel comfortable wearing face masks.

# data[].attributes.headline
Help your child feel good about using and seeing others wearing face masks (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.subject
Help your child feel good about using and seeing others wearing face masks (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.headline
Parent's Guide: Helping your child wear a face mask

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent's Guide: Helping your child wear a face mask

# data[].attributes.body
Your child may have challenges or discomfort when wearing a face mask. After talking about the importance of face masks, ask your child about what might be bothersome and any preferences in type, color, or style. Once you understand, you can help work with your child to help make the face mask more comfortable to wear.

# data[].attributes.headline
Parent's Guide: Helping your child wear a face mask (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.subject
Parent's Guide: Helping your child wear a face mask (Spanish)

# data[].attributes.body
Resources for Supporting Children’s Emotional Well-being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently reports that the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is low for young Americans, research on natural disasters makes it clear that, compared to adults, children are more vulnerable to the emotional impact of traumatic events that disrupt their daily lives. This resource offers information on supporting and protecting children's emotional well-being as this public health crisis unfolds.

Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, everyday life has changed and will continue to change for most people in the United States, often with little notice. Children may struggle with significant adjustments to their routines (e.g., schools and child care closures, social distancing, home confinement), which may interfere with their sense of structure, predictability, and security. Young people-even infants and toddlers-are keen observers of people and environments, and they notice and react to stress in their parents and other caregivers, peers, and community members. They may ask direct questions about what is happening now or what will happen in the future and may behave differently in reaction to strong feelings (e.g., fear, worry, sadness, anger) about the pandemic and related conditions. Children also may worry about their own safety and the safety of their loved ones, how they will get their basic needs met (e.g., food, shelter, clothing), and uncertainties for the future.

While most children eventually return to their typical functioning when they receive consistent support from sensitive and responsive caregivers, others are at risk of developing significant mental health problems, including trauma-related stress, anxiety, and depression. Children with prior trauma or pre-existing mental, physical, or developmental problems-and those whose parents struggle with mental health disorders, substance misuse, or economic instability-are at especially high risk for emotional disturbances.

In addition to keeping children physically safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also important to care for their emotional health. Below, we summarize recommendations for promoting the emotional well-being of children in the face of these types of adversities and provide a list of helpful resources. Because broader environments play an important role in supporting an individual's resilience to childhood adversity, this list supplements resources specifically for children and their families with those intended for educators, communities, and states, territories, and tribes.

Recommendations to support and protect children's emotional well-being during the pandemic:
Understand that reactions to the pandemic may vary.
Children's responses to stressful events are unique and varied. Some children may be irritable or clingy, and some may regress, demand extra attention, or have difficulty with self-care, sleeping, and eating. New and challenging behaviors are natural responses, and adults can help by showing empathy and patience and by calmly setting limits when needed.
Ensure the presence of a sensitive and responsive caregiver.
The primary factor in recovery from a traumatic event is the presence of a supportive, caring adult in a child's life. Even when a parent is not available, children can benefit greatly from care provided by other adults (e.g., foster parents, relatives, friends) who can offer them consistent, sensitive care that helps protect them from a pandemic's harmful effects.
Social distancing should not mean social isolation.
Children-especially young children-need quality time with their caregivers and other important people in their lives. Social connectedness improves children's chances of showing resilience to adversity. Creative approaches to staying connected are important (e.g., writing letters, online video chats).
Provide age-appropriate information.
Children tend to rely on their imaginations when they lack adequate information. Adults' decisions to withhold information are usually more stressful for children than telling the truth in age-appropriate ways. Adults should instead make themselves available for children to ask questions and talk about their concerns. They might, for example, provide opportunities for kids to access books, websites, and other activities on COVID-19 that present information in child-friendly ways. In addition, adults should limit children's exposure to media coverage, social media, and adult conversations about the pandemic, as these channels may be less age-appropriate. Ongoing access to news and social media about the pandemic and constant conversation about threats to public safety can cause unnecessary stress for children.
Create a safe physical and emotional environment by practicing the 3 R's: Reassurance, Routines, and Regulation.
First, adults should reassure children about their safety and the safety of loved ones, and tell them that it is adults' job to ensure their safety. Second, adults should maintain routines to provide children with a sense of safety and predictability (e.g., regular bedtimes and meals, daily schedules for learning and play). And third, adults should support children's development of regulation. When children are stressed, their bodies respond by activating their stress response systems. To help them manage these reactions, it is important to both validate their feelings (e.g., "I know that this might feel scary or overwhelming") and encourage them to engage in activities that help them self-regulate (e.g., exercise, deep breathing, mindfulness or meditation activities, regular routines for sleeping and eating). In addition, it is essential to both children's emotional and physical well-being to ensure that families can meet their basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, clothing).
Keep children busy.
When children are bored, their levels of worry and disruptive behaviors may increase. Adults can provide options for safe activities (e.g., outside play, blocks, modeling clay, art, music, games) and involve children in brainstorming other creative ideas. Children need ample time to engage in play and other joyful or learning experiences without worrying or talking about the pandemic.
Increase children's self-efficacy.
Self-efficacy is the sense of having agency or control-an especially important trait during times of fear and uncertainty. Children often feel more in control when they can play an active role in helping themselves, their families, and their communities. For example, children can help by following safety guidelines (e.g., washing their hands), preparing for home confinement (e.g., helping to cook and freeze food), or volunteering in the community (e.g., writing letters or creating art for older adults or sick friends, sharing extra supplies with a neighbor).
Create opportunities for caregivers (which may mean yourself!) to take care of themselves.
Children's well-being depends on the well-being of their parents and other caregivers. Caregivers must take care of themselves so they have the internal resources to care for others. To this end, adult caregivers can engage in self-care by staying connected to social supports, getting enough rest, and taking time for restorative activities (e.g., exercise, meditation, reading, outdoor activities, prayer). Seeking help from a mental health provider is also important when adults struggle with very high levels of stress and other mental health challenges.
Seek professional help if children show signs of trauma that do not resolve relatively quickly.
Emotional and behavioral changes in children are to be expected during a pandemic, as everyone adjusts to a new sense of normal. If children show an ongoing pattern of emotional or behavioral concerns (e.g., nightmares, excessive focus on anxieties, increased aggression, regressive behaviors, or self-harm) that do not resolve with supports, professional help may be needed. Many mental health providers have the capacity to provide services via "telehealth" (i.e., therapy provided by telephone or an online platform) when in-person social contact must be restricted.
Emphasize strengths, hope, and positivity.
Children need to feel safe, secure, and positive about their present and future. Adults can help by focusing children's attention on stories about how people come together, find creative solutions to difficult problems, and overcome adversity during the epidemic. Talking about these stories can be healing and reassuring to children and adults alike.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for supporting children's emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently reports that the risk of exposure to COVID-19 is low for young Americans, research on natural disasters makes it clear that, compared to adults, children are more vulnerable to the emotional impact of traumatic events that disrupt their daily lives.

# data[].attributes.headline
LIST OF EDUCATION COMPANIES OFFERING FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS

# data[].attributes.subject
LIST OF EDUCATION COMPANIES OFFERING FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
91 Free Educational Websites for Kids + Companies Offering Free Lesson Plans for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today we have an updated version of our massive resource of free educational websites and companies offering free learning opportunities for kids. Over

# data[].attributes.body
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) offers a powerful means to explore and express our emotions, build relationships, and support each other. CASEL provides resources to attend to the social and emotional needs that arise during stressful times like these. This site also provides school resources for K-12 lessons at home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and emotional learning (SEL) offers a powerful means to support one another during these challenging times as our communities work to address the impact of the pandemic on students' learning and development.

Now, more than ever, we understand how important it is to demonstrate empathy and resilience, build relationships across distance, and call upon our collective resolve to strengthen our schools and our communities.

So, how can SEL support you and your work during this time? Find resources and guidance in Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020).

Our recommendations follow the four core focus areas for schoolwide SEL and districtwide SEL:

First, create a foundation for SEL.

Work with students, families, and communities to envision how education can more holistically support all learners.

Prioritize strong, two-way communication between families and schools.

Second, attend to well-being and mutual support among adults.

Pay close attention to our own social-emotional needs in order to be the community of adults who best serve our young people.

Foster supportive adult relationships to process emotions, share challenges, and offer support to one another.

Third, promote SEL for young people.

Provide consistency in daily routines to foster a sense of safety and predictability.

Listen to young people and support them in building or maintaining a sense of community and connection.

Incorporate social and emotional skill-building into learning (such as CASEL's SEL 3 Signature Practices).

Fourth, reflect on how things are going and adjust as you learn.

Listen to students, families, and your wider community of stakeholders as valuable sources of information about what is or isn't working.

Analyze results with a lens of equity to meet needs using our SEL Data Reflection Protocol

How is CASEL advancing this work?
Back to top
Guidance on School Transitions and Reopening

To aid in this time of continued transitions, CASEL collaborated with more than 40 partners to illuminate a way forward through Reunite, Renew, Thrive: SEL Roadmap for Reopening School (July 2020), centered on relationships and built on the existing strengths of a school community. As we prepared for Spring 2021, we offered three strategies adapted from the SEL Roadmap to re-examine efforts for a successful second semester: Refocus on the SEL Roadmap: Actions for a Successful Second Semester (January 2021).

CASEL CARES Webinar Series

In response to the pandemic, CASEL mobilized to provide social and emotional support to our communities and share best practices through an initiative called CASEL CARES. We offered weekly practical guidance and information on topics that were sourced from the field and relevant to the needs of today. Our CASEL CARES Webinars covered a wide range of SEL topics and attracted more than 100,000 people. View the on-demand series

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of isolation, stress, loss, and more among young people, adults, families, and communities. Social and

# data[].attributes.headline
SAMHSA, Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers during Infectious Disease Outbreaks

# data[].attributes.subject
SAMHSA, Talking with Children: Tips for Caregivers during Infectious Disease Outbreaks

# data[].attributes.body
This fact sheet provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes potential reactions among youth and the support adults can provide to help them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Talking With Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This fact sheet provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes potential reactions among youth and the support adults can provide to help them.