Trauma, mindfulness, and social emotional learning

This week, we are learning about these topics and I want to share some information with you to help support you as you enter classrooms filled with students who may need help being mindful and becoming more resilient to overcome adversities in their lives.

Free 8 week mindfulness training https://palousemindfulness.com/

Calm Schools Initiative:     https://www.calm.com/schools

Mindful Schools -videos and support:
 https://www.mindfulschools.org/resources/explore-mindful-resources/#presentations

What art projects can help encourage mindfulness?

Zentangle

Weaving

watercolor 

What are Social Emotional Learning?
“Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2018)

Iowa has developed Social Emotional Learning Competencies for k-12 teachers and students. They were just released this spring.  Many schools are already implementing work around them.
Iowa’s Social-Emotional Competencies have been organized around five core Competencies identified by CASEL. Each Competency includes three to five Learning Targets that further organize essential skills, abilities, behaviors and attitudes. The five Competencies and Learning Targets are consistent across grade bands that include K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th. Although Learning Targets are consistent across grade bands, Adult Examples for Instruction were developed considering the important changes in learners’ social and emotional development as they mature.

Here they are:
Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision-Making

See guide: Social Emotional Learning Competencies