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Strategies by Subject Area to Support Social Emotional Development

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Strategies by Subject Area to Support Social Emotional Development

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Prosocial teaching strategies are not limited to particular curricula or programs, or to certain academic subjects. They are methods and techniques that can be used in a variety of classes, age groups, and circumstances.

What they have in common is that, in addition to serving learning objectives, they promote social-emotional development and prosocial goals. When implemented well, these strategies can aid educators in creating a supportive, caring classroom environment and spur students to behave in kind and helpful ways towards each other.

To help foster cohesive lab groups in the beginning of the school year, a middle school science teacher gives students a contrast experience of working individually versus working in a group. Using straws, plastic wrap, cotton balls, aluminum foil, and paper, each student has one minute to engineer a wall with protective devices so Humpty Dumpty won't break when he falls. Then, in groups of two, students are instructed to do the task again, but in three minutes. Finally, students are assigned lab roles (project director, materials manager, data recorder, and time keeper) and told to complete the task one last time. After each grouping, the students discuss what worked and what didn't, with a focus on problem-solving skills, cooperation, and conflict resolution.

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Prosocial Teaching Strategies | Greater Good In Education

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Prosocial teaching strategies are not limited to particular curricula or programs, or to certain academic subjects. They are methods and techniques that can be used in a variety of classes, age groups, and circumstances. What they have in common is that, in addition to serving learning objectives, they promote social-emotional development and prosocial goals.

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Research on SEL from Mulitple Stakeholder Viewpoints

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Research on SEL from Mulitple Stakeholder Viewpoints

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The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive results for students, adults, and school communities.

SEL has a powerful combination of evidence and support. The findings below come from multiple fields and sources and include analyses of hundreds of studies that show SEL leads to beneficial outcomes related to: social and emotional skills; attitudes about self, school, and civic engagement; social behaviors; conduct problems; emotional distress; and academic performance.

In addition, the surveys published below by CASEL and partners show teachers, principals, parents, and students agree: SEL is essential.

Download this customizable presentation to make a compelling case for SEL.

The Benefits of SEL
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SEL leads to improved academic outcomes and behaviors

When students have supportive relationships and opportunities to develop and practice social, emotional, and cognitive skills across many different contexts, academic learning accelerates. Hundreds of studies offer consistent evidence that SEL bolsters academic performance.

Results from a landmark meta-analysis that looked across 213 studies involving more than 270,000 students found that:

SEL interventions that address the five core competencies increased students' academic performance by 11 percentile points, compared to students who did not participate.

Students participating in SEL programs showed improved classroom behavior, an increased ability to manage stress and depression, and better attitudes about themselves, others, and school.

Additional meta-analyses echoed these findings. Consistency across independent research teams offers strong support that well-implemented SEL programs are beneficial.

What might this mean for the practical benefits of SEL? About 27% more students would improve their academic performance at the end of the program and 24% more would have improved social behaviors and lower levels of distress.

Read the 2011 meta-analysis. (Durlak et al., 2011)

Read a summary of the four major meta-analyses on SEL.

More recently, a 2021 systematic review found that universal SEL interventions enhance young people's social and emotional skills and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in the short term. In comparison, other approaches have produced inconsistent results (mindfulness interventions) or limited evidence of impact (positive youth development interventions).

Read the 2021 report from the Early Intervention Foundation.

SEL benefits are long-term and global

Subsequent analyses spoke to the long-term effects of SEL implementation as well as SEL's effectiveness in diverse cultural contexts.

Long-term effects:

Measured a positive correlation between strong social emotional assets (measured at the end of intervention) and higher levels of well-being up to 18 years later. (Taylor et al., 2017)

Effectiveness across cultural contexts:

An SEL approach was consistently effective with all demographic groups both inside and outside the United States. This supports the idea that social and emotional assets promoted in SEL can support the positive development of students from diverse family backgrounds and geographic contexts. (Taylor et al., 2017)

SEL interventions show the largest effect size when the intervention is designed with a specific context or culture in mind. This supports the idea that SEL is not a 'one-size-fits-all' intervention. (Wiglesworth et al., 2016)

Read the 2017 meta-analysis of 82 research studies involving 100,000 students worldwide.

SEL is a wise financial investment

When it comes to school programming, education leaders are often weighing the benefits of investing in new efforts. Cost-benefit research demonstrates the value of SEL programs. The report found an average return on investment for six evidence-based programs of 11 to 1, meaning for every dollar invested there is an $11 return.

Read the 2015 review from Columbia University.

Social and emotional skills help improve lifetime outcomes

In addition to the long-term outcomes articulated above, there are statistically significant associations between social and emotional skills in kindergarten and key outcomes for young adults years later. Specifically, early social and emotional skills development helped to reduce societal costs required for public assistance, public housing, police involvement, and detention.

Read the 2015 national study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

The Support for SEL
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What young people are saying...

High school students and recent high school graduates see the benefits of attending schools that emphasize SEL. But most current and recent high school students believe their schools could have done better.

Download the 2018 report from CASEL and Civic.

A qualitative study of young people who describe their experiences with the integration of social, emotional, and cognitive development in exemplary learning settings shows that supportive learning environments are nurturing young people's sense of themselves as valued, multi-dimensional community members.

View the 2020 report from America's Promise Alliance.

What school principals are saying...

School principals agree SEL is essential, with nearly all principals surveyed sharing that developing students' social and emotional skills is a critical aspect of students' in-school experience. They also want more guidance, more training for teachers, and greater access to research-based strategies for developing SEL in students.

Read the 2017 report from CASEL and Civic on the survey's findings (and the 2019 update).

What educators are saying...

Not only do 56% of educators believe resources to support SEL in the classroom will be most critical post-pandemic, but 82% agree that a well-crafted, fully integrated SEL approach makes an impact on outcomes.

Read the 2021 Educator Confidence Report.

Eighty percent of educators from across 15 countries believe positive emotions are critical for academic success, and emotional well-being is crucial for developing foundational literacies and communication skills.

Read the 2019 brief from The Economist Intelligence Unit on the survey's findings.

What teachers are saying...

Virtually all teachers report that it's critical to develop key SEL skills in the classroom. According to educators, key SEL skills include:

Self-awareness (with 99% of educators rating it as either somewhat or very important)

Relationship skills (98% of educators)

Self-management (97% of educators)

Responsible decision-making (97% of educators)

Social awareness (96% of educators)

View the 2021 report from McGraw Hill on the survey's findings.

Ninety-three percent of teachers want a greater focus on SEL in schools. They agree that social and emotional skills are teachable and are calling for schools to prioritize the integration of SEL practices and strategies.

Download the 2013 report from CASEL and Civic on the survey's findings.

About 90% of elementary and secondary teachers agreed that promoting SEL would improve students' academic achievement. It also found that teachers who reported higher levels of well-being reported engaging in SEL practices to a greater extent than those with lower reported well-being.

View the 2020 report from Rand Corporation on survey findings from the American Teacher Panel.

What policymakers are saying...

When we consider what it means for students to be prepared for college, career, and community life, social and emotional competencies are critically important for the long-term success of all students in today's economy. A bipartisan report addressed SEL as a core component of children's education, recommending several steps to scale up high-quality, evidence-based SEL programs.

Read the 2015 report from American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution.

What the broader public is saying...

Eighty-two percent said that it is highly important for schools to help students develop interpersonal skills, such as being cooperative, respectful of others, and persistent at solving problems.

Read the 2017 PDK poll results.

What parents are saying...

As of 2021, 62% of parents feel teaching SEL is very important, compared to 55% three years ago. Parents also believe that SEL is not emphasized as much as it should be (81%), that it has become even more important since the beginning of the pandemic (82%), and that it is helpful for children learning online (80%).

View the 2021 report from McGraw Hill on the survey's findings.

What employers are saying...

Six of the identified top ten skills for the future involve social and emotional competence, including complex problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

View the World Economic Forum report.

Thirty-one percent of employers worldwide struggle to find qualified employees. A major reason for the qualified labor shortage is that fewer students are graduating high school with the social and emotional skills required for today's workplace. In another survey, 92% of surveyed executives say skills such as problem-solving and communicating clearly are equal to or more important than technical skills, yet 89% said they have a very or somewhat difficult time finding employees with those skills.

View the report from Association for Career and Technical Education, National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.

View the Wall Street Journal article on this data.

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The benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) are well-researched, with evidence demonstrating that an education that promotes SEL yields positive results for students, adults, and school communities. SEL has a powerful combination of evidence and support.

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The Impact of Social and Emotional Learning

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During the pandemic, there have been many uses of the term well-being. When teachers ask students only "How are you feeling?" as a way to gauge well-being, opportunities are missed to teach students that well-being is a multidimensional concept that encompasses more than just happiness. Research shows that if youth explicitly learn about well-being, their concept of subjective well-being can increase because they become mindfully aware of its components.

Present Dimensions of Well-Being

Help students understand two definitions for well-being: In the hedonistic tradition, students evaluate how satisfied they are with their lives, how pleasurable their lives are, and how happy they feel. In the eudaimonic tradition, they assess their personal strengths, areas of growth, and how they contribute to the greater good. This more expansive understanding of well-being can guide students to learn from challenging events and circumstances.

Introduce students to the following dimensions of well-being:

Belonging and connection to others. Ask students, "Where do you feel like you most belong? Are you participating in a specific activity when you feel belonging? What do the people around you do to make you feel like you belong?" Also inquire about times they do not feel like they belong. What do they do to feel connected?

Growth and flourishing. Ask students to describe a personal skill that they have grown in over the last two years. Describing how they have thrived can reinforce the understanding that well-being can involve challenges.

Purpose. We often focus too much on what career path students may want to take, leaving youth feeling a lack of purpose when they don't know those answers. Encourage students to identify short-term purposes, such as, "Today I am going to help my father cook dinner," in addition to long-term goals.

Engagement. Identifying engagement can be as simple as asking students, "What do you enjoy doing?" Students can explore ways they are engaged within their family, school, or community.

Voice. Let youth know that there are many different ways to share their voice. Maybe they express themselves best through less traditional forms, such as writing equations, being in nature, participating in performing arts, or playing musical instruments.

Basic supports for health and life. Remind students of their basic needs. Ask about what they do if their needs are not being met, and encourage them to name trusted adults they can turn to for help.

Engage with the Dimensions

Establish a space where well-being education will be welcomed by inquiring about student needs. Ask, "How would you like your peers to show that they support you when you are feeling down? How would you like me to support you?" Record the answers and discuss ideas until the group is in agreement. Model the process by sharing something that was difficult for you and asking for community support.

Offer ways the dimensions might show up in daily life. For example, "One dimension I feel is going well is belonging because my family is supporting one another right now."

Sentence frames can help students make connections while using critical thinking to apply new terminology to lived experience, such as the following:

____________(insert dimension) means ____________ to me. It looks like and feels like ____________. In my daily life, an example of a positive ____________ (insert dimension) is ____________.

For example, a fifth grader used the dimension "basic supports for health and life" to write, "Basic support for health and life means that everybody can get to a doctor. It looks and feels like band-aids. In my daily life, an example of a positive basic support is that my grandma can get her medicine."

An eighth grader used the dimension "voice" to write, "Voice means expressing my unique identity to me. It looks and feels like talking with my friends. In my daily life, an example of a positive voice is when my parents actually listen to me."

Use the responses to gain new information about students and insight on ways they might need support.

Use Weekly Check-ins

Once a class has an understanding of the dimensions, they can be used to facilitate weekly check-ins. Check-ins can be incorporated into circle time, in advisory time, or via journals between the teacher and each child. Ask "What dimension of well-being has been challenging for you this week?" or "What dimension has been a strength for you this week?" Place paper with the dimensions on the floor, and have students walk to the dimension that has been a strength. Invite them to turn to their peers and discuss why they selected this dimension, using examples. Students report that this provides them with new examples of positive experiences that they can then consider in their own lives.

Avoid asking youth to elaborate upon challenges, as probing questions can lead to retraumatization. Instead, accept what students share and how they share. Validate their responses by listening intently, asking, "What support do you need from me?" When they identify needs, follow through in your support for them. Supporting student ideas, versus immediately working to project your ideas for solutions onto them, promotes youth agency.

Remind students that just because we are struggling in one dimension does not mean we are alone or that we have zero well-being. Counter the misconception that well-being is a "you've got it or you don't" feeling.

When a student expresses something that has got them feeling down, discuss it. Then, when the time is right, ask, "I know that dimension ______ has been tough this week. Is there a dimension that has gone well?" When youth begin to see that one dimension could be positive while another dimension is negative, it reinforces the idea that well-being is multidimensional and not a fixed state.

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During the pandemic, there have been many uses of the term well-being. When teachers ask students only "How are you feeling?" as a way to gauge well-being, opportunities are missed to teach students that well-being is a multidimensional concept that encompasses more than just happiness.

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Perspectives of Youth on High School and Social Emotional Learning

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Perspectives of Youth on High School and Social Emotional Learning

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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Perspectives of Educators on Social and Emotional Learning

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Perspectives of Educators on Social and Emotional Learning

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by TeachThought Staff

The modern school day can be stressful, due in part to the pressure caused by standardized testing, social tension, and dwindling unstructured free time - all issues that affect teachers as well as students.

It's hard to cultivate a culture of curiosity and patience in an environment that's heavy on schedules and expectations, but the true objective of education is to enrich lives in a way that fosters lasting growth and an interest in knowledge, and that's unlikely to happen if the daily experience is filled with anxiety.

Although it's difficult to change the way the (school) system operates, it is possible to adjust how you operate within the system. Introducing meditation and mindfulness techniques in the classroom not only allows you to create a calmer environment, but the practice has also proven to have verifiable benefits on the human brain.

A Harvard study of MRI images showed a thickening in the cerebral cortex (an area responsible in part for attention and emotional integration) in meditation participants in as few as eight weeks. It's more than a good habit and some quiet time in the classroom-you may be helping the brains of your students develop even more than you realize.

Where do you even begin teaching meditation when you may not be familiar with the practice yourself? Although it seems like an incongruous match, this is yet another area where technology steps in to make learning convenient, and a variety of apps offer options for every age, ability, and amount of available time.

Obviously, you don't necessarily need an app if you have experience with meditation. Further, there are some decent YouTube videos available that you could also start with if you're unsure how meditation might fit in your classroom. However, apps are far more structured and offer features that videos can't.

With that in mind, here are a few to experiment with as you get started.
See also 10 Team-Building Games For A Friendlier Classroom 16 Meditation Apps For Children In The Classroom
Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free with paid support and curriculum

Developer Description: "Our app is a completely free, state-of-the-art technology platform that supports every member of the school community with hundreds of guided meditations and mindfulness activities that can be used in the classroom and at home."

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

This is a great place to learn the basics of mindfulness for beginners and is suitable for a wide range of ages. The included Headspace For Kids program focuses on breathing exercises, visualizations, and focus-based meditation in themes like calm, focus, kindness, sleep, wake up, and tailored for age groups 9-12, 6-8, and 5 and under, with regular Headspace being appropriate for older kids (and teachers who need a midday meditation break!)

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

Developer Description: Featuring recurring characters, "teach your kids the basics of mindfulness with guided meditations designed to help kids relax, reduce anxiety and manage negative thoughts."

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: $4.99 with In-App Purchases

While not made specifically for children, Buddhify's simple and colorful interface and 80 plus custom meditations offer plenty of options, and the upfront price with no additional costs adds even more value.
5. Simple Habit
Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

Developer Description: "Our wellness and sleep therapy sessions offer guided mindfulness & meditation, daily motivation, guided sleep sessions and coaching by world-renowned experts, personalized for the way you live your life. We'll help you feel less stressed, get better sleep and be your best self whether you have 5 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes during your commute or need to fall asleep quickly. Start your Simple Habit today and live better every day."

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free for schools

Made just for kids, Dreamy kid offers meditations such as Body Scan, an ADD and ADHD session, ambient background noise, and more. General and issue-based meditations, guided visualizations and affirmations are added each month.
7. Ninja Focus: Kids' Mindfulness
Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Insight Timer is a well-rated and revised meditation app with different styles, teachers, and methods. Users can log cumulative meditation time, join the online community of meditators, or set a timer for some quiet.

Platforms: iOS, Web Browser

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

The title indicates what this app focuses on and all three are important life skills that are often under-taught. Best-suited for the 10 and up crowd and ideal for individual use, this app makes it easy to track progress and gain daily momentum with reward stickers, check-ins, and a lesson on how to meditate as well as a list of meditations to follow.

Platforms: iOS

Price: Free with In-App Purchases

This simple app geared towards the elementary crowd offers five meditations with kid-friendly art and tone, ranging in time from three to 14 minutes and working on sitting comfortably, visualization, and a gradual reorientation.

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

As part of the Calm Classroom Initiative, teachers can apply to receive Calm's paid subscription at no cost for access to the library of meditation and mindfulness exercises for age groups covering pre-k through high school.

Platforms: iOS, Google Play

Price: .99

While well-reviewed and focused on supporting meditation for children, this app no longer appears to be supported.

See also Supporting Wellness in Schools.

Whether you're interested in developing the whole child, carving out some quiet time, growing gray matter, or all of the above, incorporating meditation and mindfulness into your class's schedule can create a ripple effect into their daily lives, future, and the world beyond. The meditation apps listed below are not child, student, or school-centered but may prove useful in a classroom under the supervision of a teacher who has experience with meditation.
13. Ten Percent Happier Meditation 14. Balance 16. Mindfulness Coach 16 Meditation Apps For Children In The Classroom

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16 Meditation Apps For Children In The Classroom

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Where do you begin teaching meditation when you may not be familiar with the practice yourself? These meditation apps for children may help.

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Perspectives of Administrators on Social and Emotional Learning

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Perspectives of Administrators on Social and Emotional Learning

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5 BRAIN GYM and Coordination Exercises for Your Multilingual Kids

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Demystifying Social-Emotional Learning and the Controversy Surrounding It _ EdSurge News

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Brain gym exercises are simple activities that improve cognitive function. These exercises help enhance learning, communication ability, attention, memory, academic performance in children and also help maintain a healthy lifestyle ( 1), ( 2). While they were initially designed for kids, they also may help delay Alzheimer's XA brain disorder that impacts memory, thinking, and cognitive functions due to the shrinking of brain cells. disease, Parkinson's 3), ( XA brain disorder that leads to degeneration of the nerve cells and causes involuntary movement of the arms, legs, or the jaw disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory problems, and depression and anxiety in adults ( 4), ( 5), ( 6).

This article explores the 15 best brain gym exercises and their benefits. Keep reading.

Why Are Brain Gym Exercises Good?

Michael Hamlin, Certified Personal Trainer, says, "Brain gym exercises are based on the idea that certain movements, such as shaking your hands, rocking, and stretching, can help brain function. There needs to be more research on brain gyms. But a substantial amount of research has found that exercise, in general, can help relieve anxiety and depression by releasing endorphins and improving blood flow in the brain. For example, researchers found that those who exercised regularly showed fewer signs of anxiety and depression when exposed to stress."

Most brain gym exercises are appropriate for people of all ages. For example, some simple movements such as walking and stretching have been shown to be effective in easing anxiety, regardless of a person's age or fitness level. In fact, tasks such as sleeping or listening to music also allow the brain to rest and recover, which can help with mental health.

1. Make you smarter and sharper.

2. Boost your confidence levels.

3. Improve your self-esteem.

4. Improve attention and memory.

5. Boost thinking and decision-making abilities.

6. Revitalize your natural healing mechanisms.

7. Restore health and harmony.

8. Help improve eyesight.

9. Enhance creativity and communication skills.

10. Cheer you up when you feel disappointed or rejected.

The best part of brain gym is that anyone can do these exercises, from kids to older adults, and improve their quality of life. Explore the brain gym activities in the following section.

15 Brain Gym Exercises

According to Hamlin, "These exercises are designed to develop, increase, and improve functions of the body, such as vision, concentration, balance, coordination, and communication.

Next to this, brain gym exercises are the foundation for developing a more alert and relaxed body and mind, and this translates into improved physiological function. These exercises help improve the functionality of specific neural pathways so that the body and mind work harmoniously together and students can be more balanced and grounded in their physical, mental, and emotional activities."

Let's take a look at the brain gym exercises you can do.

1. Marching In Place

Marching in place is a great way to warm up your muscles. This low-to-moderate intensity exercise preps your muscles and improves breathing, balance, and hand-leg coordination.
How To March In Place
2. Cross Crawl

Cross crawl exercise helps improve the coordination between the right and left brain. You can do it either by standing, sitting, or lying, depending on your comfort level.
How To Do Cross Crawl

1. Stand straight with your legs hip-width apart, shoulders rolled back, and chest up. Look ahead.

2. Lift your right hand above your head. This is your starting position.

3. Lift your left leg off the floor, and bend your left knee.

4. Simultaneously, bend your right elbow and try to touch the left knee with your right elbow.

5. Get back to the starting position. Do the same with your left hand and right leg.

6. Do three sets with eight repetitions.

You may sit on a chair and do this exercise if you have a knee injury or are relearning to balance your body.

3. Ankle Touch
Similar to the previous exercise, the ankle touch exercise helps enhance balance and coordination between the left and right limbs. How To Do Ankle Touches
4. Ankle Touch Behind Your Body

This brain gym is another variation of the ankle touch. It is an effective way to improve balance and coordination between the right and left limbs.
How To Do Ankle Touches Behind Your Body
5. Step Touch
Step touch, also known as the dancer's warm-up, is great for lateral or side-to-side movement coordination. How To Do Step Touch

1. Stand with your legs close together.

2. Take a step toward your right with your right leg.

3. Place your left foot next to your right leg.

4. Take a step toward your left with your left leg.

5. Place your right foot next to your left leg.

6. Do this 30 times at a slow to moderate pace.

6. Neck Circles

Neck circles are good for the neck muscles and head movement coordination. This activity also improves balance if you do it while standing. Keep your eyes closed when you do this exercise.
How To Do Neck Circles
7. Cook's Hook-Up

The cook's hook-up exercise helps calm the nerves and improves hand and brain coordination.
How To Do Cook's Hook-Up
8. Brain Button

This exercise helps improve the flow of electromagnetic energy. It relaxes the eyes, shoulder, and neck and promotes body balance.
How To Do Brain Button Exercise
9. Lazy Eights

In lazy eights, you trace the number eight or infinity symbol with a marker on a whiteboard or with a pen/pencil on white paper. Following the shape with your eyes have several benefits. It improves eye muscle movement, visual tracking, peripheral vision X The ability to see objects away from the center that are out of the direct line of sight or from the corner of the eyes. , attention span, and coordination. This activity enhances your abilities to understand languages, study comprehension, and eliminate reversals and transpositions.
How To Do Lazy Eights
10. The Elephant

The elephant brain gym helps improve attention, recognition, perception, memory, speech, spelling, thinking ability, depth perception, and eye coordination.
How To Do The Elephant
Note: You can also do this exercise in a sitting position.

11. The Energy Yawn

The energy yawn exercise helps release tension in the jaw and relaxes the eyes.
How To Do Energy Yawn
12. The Thinking Cap

The thinking cap activity is one of those brain exercises for memory that effectively improve learning speed and mood, increases attention span, and boosts memory in kids and adults.
How To Do Thinking Cap

1. Sit on a chair. Place your index finger and thumb on your ear.

2. Massage the top of your ear and gradually come down to the auricle XThe outermost layer of the ear made of skeleton and skin (also called the pinna) that helps collect and transmit sound waves. .

3. Massage from the back to the top of your ear.

4. Do this slowly for 15 times.

13. Belly Breathing

This exercise helps increase oxygen supply in the body, which, in turn, helps you relax and improves your reading and speaking abilities.
How To Do Belly Breathing
14. Trace X

The trace X exercise helps improve eye coordination, vision, depth perception, hearing, and body coordination. It enhances your skills in writing, organization, mathematics, spelling, grammar, language learning, sports, and executive function (planning and scheduling).
How To Do Trace X
Note: You can also draw a big 'X' spanning the diagonals of a whiteboard and trace it with your eyes.

15. Positive Points

This exercise helps draw positive emotions and reduces the negative ones. It releases stress, relieves memory blocks, and boosts your mood. The positive points brain gym also enhances long-term memory and improves learning, reading, academic skills, and stage and sports performances.
How To Stimulate The Positive Points
Note: Practice it regularly to train your brain to restrict bothering thoughts.

Workout routines are good for maintaining a fit and healthy body. It is a universal truth that exercising improves your muscle tone and fitness, but there are a few exercises that improve your brain fitness or cognitive function as well. You can look up specific exercises to train certain aspects of brain functioning like brain exercises for concentration, brain exercises for focus, brain exercises for learning, and brain exercises for creativity. They help boost your memory and attention span along with academic and athletic performance. Make sure that you are doing the exercises correctly as incorrect form can lead to injuries or muscle pains. Additionally, you can practice mental exercises that stimulate brain function to enhance cognitive and memory functioning. Consult a therapist and primary care physician before beginning these brain gym exercises to learn how to make the most of these exercises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you train your brain like a muscle?

Michael Hamlin says, "The brain is not a muscle, but in many ways, it does work like one. The brain is made up of millions of neurons communicating through electrical and chemical signals. Like a muscle, your brain can be trained to become stronger over time using activities such as brain gym exercises."

Is brain gym evidence-based?

Yes. Brain gym exercises help improve cognition, mental health, and overall well-being.

Which brain gym exercise is best for students?

The following exercises are best for students:

Belly breathing

Positive points

Thinking cap

Brain button

How do you exercise your left brain?

Do coordinated moves of the right limbs to exercise your left brain.

Is the brain gym an effective educational intervention?

Yes. The brain gym might help improve thinking, reading, and speaking abilities. However, no evidence shows the brain gym to be an effective educational intervention.

Which brain gym technique to use to calm children down?

You can use Cook's hook-ups and cross-crawls to help children calm down after experiencing anxiety and distress. Hook-ups can help control their breathing while cross-crawls can improve their focus and release stress.

Does brain gym help autism?

No, current scientific evidence shows that brain gym does not increase engagement in children with autism ( 7).

How much brain training should you do in a day?

You can practice 60 to 90 minutes of brain training or brain workout every week to keep your brain sharp and healthy.

What time of the day is your brain sharpest?

Studies suggest your brain is sharpest in the mornings following a good night's sleep ( 8), ( 9). Ideally, you can perform cognitive-heavy tasks in the morning.

Key Takeaways

Learn how to improve your focus and concentration with brain gym exercises. Discover simple and effective techniques in the video below to help you stay focused and productive.

Sources

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

1. THE EFFECT OF BRAIN GYM® ON ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1029010.pdf

2. Memory and Time of Day
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233046511_Memory_and_Time_of_Day

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Top 15 Simple Brain Gym Exercises For Children & Adults

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Brain gym exercises improve learning, memory, attention, academic performance, planning, and mood. Here are the 15 brain gym exercises for kids and adults.

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SEL 101: What are the core competencies and key settings?

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Dreamy Kid - Scenario Based Mindfulness Sessions

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Dreamy Kid - Scenario Based Mindfulness Sessions

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Friendship

Ages 8-17 In this meditation you will be guided to imagine two friendships. One that is going well and one that is more challenging. Each friendship will be acknowledge with gratitude and understanding. This amazing program from our special collection by renown meditation teacher and author, Bill Meyer. 10:26 minutes

Letting Go Of Issues

Ages - 4-18 In this meditation you will imagine you are on a cliff with a pile of stones next to you. Then you will be guided to throw a stone out into the distance to help release a burden you have been carrying. This amazing program from our special collection by renown meditation teacher and author, Bill Meyer. 9:14 minutes

Letting Go Of Sticky Thoughts

Ages 14-17 In this meditation you will identify thoughts that are stuck in your mind. These thoughts are ones associated with stress or anxiety. You will learn a fun way to let them go. This amazing program from our special collection by renown meditation teacher and author, Bill Meyer. 7:47 minutes

Cultivating Loving Kindness

Ages 6-17 You will be guided to cultivate loving kindness toward a friend, an acquaintance and someone who challenges you. A great way to shift heavy upsetting feelings into ones of peace. 5:07 minutes

Peace, Love & Light

Ages 3+ This affirmation meditation comes highly recommended by a master teacher as a powerful healing. It will support you by activating the feeling of love which can bring trust to your emotions, peace which can bring ease for your mind, light which can bring healing for your body. Includes original music by Dan Bailey. 5:04 minutes

Compassion

Ages 6-17 In this meditation you will be guided to bring the light of compassion into your heart and send it out into the world. 5.00 minutes

Morning Gratitude

Ages 8+ Feel the benefits of gratitude and say out loud positive phrases that will enhance this feeling of being grateful. 3.44 minutes

Fuzzy Kitten

Ages 3-9 Imagine playing with an adorable kitten that brings joy and laughter to your day. 4.50 minutes

The Fire of the Sun

Ages 6-11 In this meditation you will feel the power of the sun in your body. Building strength and power to know you can make your dreams come true. 5.12 minutes

Setting Intentions for a Successful day at School

Ages 5-10 A positive way to start a school day with these encouraging phrases and attitudes. 4.02 minutes

Transforming Anger

Ages 7-13 In this meditation the listener will journey to a beach where they will encounter a storm. The storm is a symbol of the anger one can sometimes feel. You will be given a very special message to help overcome feelings that are sometimes like a wild storm inside of you. 9.26 minutes

The Sound of Breath

Ages 3-18 In joy of the sound of breath. ASMR, which stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, is still a relatively new creation. It describes a feeling of euphoric tingling and relaxation and has been found to help relax the listener through audio stimulation. 2.03 minutes

Yoga Nidra

Ages 3+ The listener will be guided through the body and asked to engage muscles and then relax them. This is a traditional yoga deep relaxation technique that helps promote calm and peace. It is also great to practice if one has a hard time settling down for sleep or focused behavior. 6.46 minutes

Cleansing Breath

Ages 8+ In this meditation the listener will be guided into a deep breathing exercise that will help release tension, stress and anxiety from places in the body. This is a great practice to help prepare for sleep. 10.10 minutes

Flower Power

Ages 3+ in this meditation the listener will imagine a flower in their heart and help it to grow through guided positive affirmations. 5.09 minutes

Sleepy DreamyKid

Ages 3+16 This lovely meditation helps children relax and drift off into sweet dreams. 8.30 minutes

Sunshine Breath

Ages 5+ This is a energizing meditation which guides the listener to visualize the suns light and energy into the body to help awakening, focus and gain clarity for the start to an awesome day. 6.25 minutes

Body-Scan Meditation

All Ages - In this meditation you will explore the whole body in a peaceful way, while at the same time jump-starting your day. 11.04 minutes

Rainbow Meditation

Ages 5+ This is a wonderful way to start every day! All of the colors of the rainbow are experienced through the wonder of the body leaving the listener rejuvenated. 5.04 minutes

In The Sports Zone

Ages 6-14 Get ready for game day with "In the Zone" affirmations. A quick way to get centered, focused and ready to win. 3:10 minutes

Self Love

Ages 8-16 In this guided self love affirmation you will be guided to send messages of love and acceptance to different parts of your body. 4:36 minutes

Dealing With Anger

Ages 4-10 In this short affirmation the listener will address their anger by acknowledging it. Working with affirmations to send the anger out. Breath work and forgiveness are helpful tools in dealing with anger. 3.37 minutes

Today Is Going My Way

Ages 10-17 Be prepared to be inspired in this guided affirmation meditation. You will be encouraged to ask for what you desire and imagine it happening. 4.15 minutes

Body Acceptance

Ages 9-15 In this affirmation the listener will work with a golden light breath to relax and then repeat affirmations that support a healthy attitude towards one body image. 4.15 minutes

Calm and Strong as a Tree

Ages 3-7 In this short guided affirmation the listener will imagine becoming a tree and thru movement and affirmations create a sense of calm strength. 3.12 minutes

Confidence Mastery

Ages 6+ This meditation helps the listener build confidence with the use of powerful affirmations. It's great to listen to before starting the day or as they are drifting off to sleep. 9.59 minutes

I Am A Star

Ages 5+ In this powerful affirmation, the listener will repeat "I am a star" to connect their unique gifts and light. Great for confidence building and the feeling of connection. 5:25 minutes

I Am Peace

Ages 4+ In this guided affirmation practice you will activate the feeling and strength of peace in your body and mind thru repeating statements out loud. With focus on the breath. Good anytime of day or night. 5.47 minutes

Its Great Day to be Alive!

Ages 3-10 Wake up to this positive affirmation! You will remember something you did really well and affirm your greatness! 3.25 minutes

Journey to the Rainbow Waterfall

Ages 3-14 Go on a journey guided by a seal to a rainbow waterfall. Your body will be filled with rainbow light and you will receive a magical gift. 10:09 minutes

Journey to the Volcano of Creativity

Ages 13-17 In the guided journey fly with an eagle to a volcano where you will receive a magical gift that will remind of your creative power. 5.20 minutes

Journey to the Cave of Gifts

Ages 13+ In this guided journey the listener will be guided into a deep relaxation. Starting on a beach you will travel to a garden where you will let go of a trouble and then discover cave with a fire that is holding a gift for you. 15.41 minutes<

Journey with Owl

Ages 9+ With owl as your guide, the listener will walk thru a forest to an open meadow where owl will help the listener release distracting thoughts to help clear the mind so one can drop into a deep sleep. 8.55 minutes

Sun Salutations

Ages 6-17 Get ready to move your body in this basic yoga flow. A great warm up your whole body, this sequence will prepare you for any activity that you might be about to engage by both energizing your body and focusing your mind. A perfect balance between stretching and strengthening too. 6:51minutes.

Tapping For Emotional Balance

Ages 10-17 In this healing activity you will work with a technique that has been proven to help with PTSD. It is also called Emotional Freedom Technique. You will be guided to tap different points on your head, face and body. Very helpful for anxiety and nervousness as well. 7:58

I am Strong

Ages 5-10 In this guided movement the listener will feel strong and powerful. We encourage the listener to repeat the words of this healing activity to them selves as they move along with this energizing flow. 1.57 minutes

Breath for Relaxing the Nerves

Ages 13+ In this guided breath work the listener will be guided to count the breath in a specific sequence to encourage a state of ease and relaxation for the nervous system. 5:01 minutes

Lets Fly

Ages 3-10 Stand up for this healing activity and get ready to move. A great way to take a one minute break from sitting an get the body flowing with energy. You can do the sequence as many times as you need. .58 minutes

Balancing Vibes

Ages 4-10 in this upbeat sound exploration the listener will be guided to bring awareness to three centers of the body. Then making sound vibrations with the listeners own voice each center will be activated and ultimately brought into balance. 6.40 minutes

Healing A Trauma

Ages 14-17 In this powerful guided journey the listener will bring healing light to a past trauma or hurt. By facing a old trauma we can experience more freedom in our mind and body. This amazing program from our special collection by renown meditation teacher and author, Bill Meyer. 12:42 minutes

Get Fit Meditation

Ages 10+ This meditation is a deep-dive into the listener's mind - into understanding and committing to change their eating behavior by dreaming of their future "me." Perfect for bedtime or starting their day. Best to not use the background ambiance sounds for this as ocean waves will begin two minutes into the program. 35.09 minutes

Calming Those Issues That Happen

Ages 6+ This meditation helps kids coping with any issue that is stressing them out in order to feel calm and confident no matter what it is. 21.02 minutes

Self Esteem Booster

Ages 6+ Kids are always entrenched in new experiences and sometimes they aren't pleasant. There are kids who are dealing with all kinds of challenges that cause deep divides in their self-esteem and sense of worth. This meditation is for the kids big and small who are feeling down on themselves and need help in guiding their self-talk towards a more positive sense of who they are. 21.16 minutes

Schoolwork Mastery

Ages 8+ For kids who need help in the desire to get down to work. This meditation will clear their mind and help them to understand the importance of what they contribute to their education and ultimately enjoy getting it done. 12.17 minutes

Help For ADD/ADHD

Ages 5+ This is a wonderful meditation to help the listener recognize their issue in real-time and develop their own special trigger to adjust for better focus and control. It is also a great way to start the school day. 14.28 minutes

Coping With Divorce

Ages 5+ We all understand that divorce is a very painful and scary time for children. This meditation helps the listener understand that their parents will always love and cherish them and that it will get better. It will guide them in self-love and the power of family. 20.51 minutes

Night-Time Dry DreamyKid

Ages 3+ This gentle program will help the listener learn to control their body trigger so that they can stop wetting the bed while they sleep. 6.58 minutes

Healing The Negative Mind

Ages 12+ in this meditation the listener will identify where one judges themselves and will be guided toward releasing this negative mind dialogue. 6.28 minutes

Wintertime

Ages 7-13 A classic children's poem by Robert Louis Stevenson that takes you on a journey to slumber while imagining the cold, frosty night while you're snug as a bug in your bed. Listen to a gentle melody with the sound of cold wind just outside your window. 3:00 minutes

The Flower Party

Ages 3-11 In this amazing bedtime story, we listen to Mother Nature ask flowers and friends to contribute to a sweet party for them all to partake in. They all do their part and have a wonderful time and at bedtime it's time to end the festivities and go night-night. 8:27 minutes

Deep Relaxation For Your Body

Ages 7-17 Be guided into a state of deep relaxation by focusing on your body from toes to head. Tightening and then relaxing different parts of your body help create a state for deep rest. 12:55 minutes

My Bed Is A Boat

Ages 3-8 This sweet childrens poem by Robert Louis Stevenson is short and sweet evoking a journey to sleep while listening to the waves and seagulls in the distance. 2:22 minutes

Land Of Nod

Ages 3-8 This story is based on the classic Robert Louis Stevenson poem that takes a child on a short but sweet journey to bedtime. The gentle music, birds and cicadas continue for a bit after the poem has ended to help lull the listener into a gentle dream. 2:00 minutes

Escape At Bedtime

Ages 3-8 Based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson, in this story we wander looking up at the stars. Once we're found avoiding bedtime, we are tucked back into bed, snug as a bug. 2:01 minutes

Hippardy, Nippardy, Niek, Nock

Ages 3-12 With this bedtime story, the listener will be transported to the Island of Nil with the sea splashing against their boat. Best not to have a background ambiance sound because it is recorded with the sound of the ocean and birds on the island. 3:29 minutes

Time For Sleep

Ages 3-10 In this gently spoken narrative the listener is brought into a relaxing mood for sleep time. 5.14

Sleepy DreamyKid

Ages 3-16 This lovely meditation helps children relax and drift off into sweet dreams. 8.30 minutes

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DreamyKid * Kids Meditation App * DreamyKid The #1 Kids Meditation App

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The original Kids Meditation app, DreamyKid, has over 150K downloads in its first year! In just minutes every day, help your kids live healthier and happier lives with DreamyKid Meditation For Kids. Free and subscription plans for everyone plus free for schools and organizations that work with children.

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Social and Emotional Learning: A Schoolwide Approach

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Current Training Opportunities

Primary School Mental Health & Resilience Program

We've expanded our education program to meet the increasing needs of Australian primary schools to deliver a more integrated, impactful program for kids and their communities. We've also added a range of new features you've been asking for including:

Enriched impact evaluation

Ability to connect with other Smiling Mind teachers around the country

Specialist modules for ADHD and Trauma Informed training

Parent and Teacher Workshops

Opportunity for Whole School or Individual Teacher development

Regional & Rural Funded Schools Program

Thanks to generous support from the Commonwealth Government, we're rolling out our Whole School Program in 600 regional and rural Australian primary schools. See if your school is eligible.

Over 180,000 Australian educators are using Smiling Mind - that's more than half of all Australian teachers.

The Smiling Mind Primary School Mental Health and Resilience Program is underpinned by a mindfulness-based social and emotional learning framework. Research has shown that developing mindfulness skills can help primary-aged children to develop emotion and behaviour regulation skills, improve attention and concentration, and facilitate optimal environments for learning. Fundamental to the program is training, access to a range of resources and ongoing support for educators.

Mapped to the Australian and Victorian Curricula and included in the Be You Programs Directory, the program assists schools to implement and sustain meaningful development and impactful change - benefiting students, teachers and the whole school community.

How we support you

All of our training is complemented with resources to enhance the learning experience and depending on the tier of training you opt in for, there is an opportunity to access all of the below.

CONTACT US

If you're a school leader, parent or teacher looking for support or an answer to a question we haven't covered above, try sending us an email. education@smilingmind.com.au

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Mindfulness Education Program - Smiling Mind

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We've expanded our education program to meet the increasing needs of Australian primary schools to deliver a more integrated, impactful program for kids and their communities.