Knowing we all address SEL in our classroom, what is the simplest thing you do in your classroom that you would share with your peers in this course?

What does your school/district do to support you or purchase for you? (curriculums, etc)

My school district does not have any curriculum but we do have an advisory period each week that focuses on SEL activities that teachers do with a small group of students.

The curriculum our district uses to support SEL learning is Strong Start.

My District does not have a specific SEL curriculum for our PreK Program.

My district used the Open Circle curriculum at the elementary level to support SEL learning. The curriculum provided a common language for teachers and students to use to problem solve or recognize feelings. The curriculum also focused on weekly 5-10 minute class meetings that focused on a particular topic, a team building activity, or a problem the class was having and ideas to address it.

My school supports me by allowing our school adjustment counselor to come in once a week of "snack packs" and SEL lessons. Snack Packs are a smaller group of students that are joined by our school adjustment counselor. During these sessions they discuss more specific topics of SEL that all the students could benefit from. Her SEL lessons are taught whole group with a group discussion, scenarios, a read-aloud story, and a small coloring activity.

I use humor to diffuse situations. It usually works. Kids want to laugh and at the same time see the absurdity in their conflicts. That doesn't take away from the fact the many students are coming into school from difficult circumstances.

I introduce every class with a short google slide invitation that always includes a kindness video.

See above

We are also fortunate to have Miss Erin from Happy Humans Mindfulness come in for eight weekly sessions to teach about mindfulness. She usually focuses on a whole group discussion where she will sometimes incorporate a story or short activity and then wraps up her time with a coloring page that reviews what concept she discussed with our class. These lessons range from things like different types of breathwork, mindfully listening, feeling and naming our emotions and more.

In my third grade classroom we have a parent who is a yoga instructor come in each Friday to teach yoga and breathing that we utilize throughout the week. (We started after December break.) We also have a daily morning meeting where we review the schedule for the day and any changes to routines and have a small amount of time to check in with students about what is going on in their worlds.

We also created a class expectations chart at the start of school together with things each of us needs to have a successful day in school and we discuss how those are working each day. (Expectations include statements like "We are kind, honest and fair. We are a friend to all and include others always" etc) These do provide some excellent discussions believe it or not, especially when emotions get high or frustration arises in class.

My school has provided online resources for teachers to utilize in the classroom. Each class also received a soft blue chair for our "cool down" corners. The cool down corner is a place for students to go and use different types of tools, such as fidgets, to help them calm down.

Something simple that I do weekly in my pull out groups is SEL Reflection Prompts. These reflection prompts pair well with the Speaking and Listening components of ELL instruction, as well as vocabulary development. I found these prompts on learningtogive.org. I do have to simplify language and ideas at times due to student's age and often ACCESS Scores. However, when simplified, these prompts have lead to meaningful conversations where students learn more about themselves, their peers and their teacher.

All teachers in my district have access to Second Step. I have looked at it briefly. In my role, where i only have students for a short time each day or only several times per week, it seems overwhelming unless specific situations were to arise.

Our school supports us with Strong Start and Social Thinking.

Finally, I find that using the Responsive Classroom Model and that our morning meeting routine helps students to build relationships that help to foster stronger SEL skills overall.

Years ago we used to use Second Step but we don't currently have an SEL curriculum.

Our school used to use the Open Circle program when I first started here. They no longer formally use it but some teachers still use it. Our new-ish principal holds Restorative Practice circles with several different grades/classes each week and encourages teachers to try them in their classroom.

Our district does not have a curriculum for SEL.

Our district is supportive of SEL. We have SEL lessons scheduled with the school counselors once a month where they explicitly teach social skills or emotional strategies. Our students were fans of the calming tools, yoga session, and mandala coloring stations offered during one scheduled lesson.

One calming tool we used was self-control time. Teacher directed students after lunch, recess, back from gym etc., to sit calmly for less than a minute with eyes shut. Afterwards, the students would resume activities. Same for students having a problem, they would use self-control time to regain composure and then a staff member would help the student with the issue.

When I was principal, school district had a full-time guidance counselors in every elementary school. Also, SEL at Peabody Public Schools was featured on May 24, 2022 on WBZ news.