SEL and RP

Taking a deep breath isn’t just for difficult moments. This simple soothing strategy can help us and our students any time we need it.

This lesson begins with activities aimed at creating a sense of community among your students, then invites them to explore issues in the news, and to consider how these issues are connected to their own lives and community.   

In this activity, students consider what happened after a mosque in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was defaced. They explore the personal stories of people in the community, including those targeted by the attack, through information gleaned from this New York Times story by Sabrina Tavernise about the...

Begin by asking students, "What do you need to feel safe, comfortable, and excited to learn?"

Instead of jumping ahead to brainstorming solutions, first explore why a problem is occurring.

Students reflect on the way their advisory or class has worked together and consider the values that are most important to them as a group now and going forward.  

Well-facilitated circles can give students a chance to listen and share their thoughts and feelings about difficult or emotional subjects. Here are some suggestions for facilitating a circle in which strong emotions surface.

Encouraging students to use put-ups can improve the climate in your classroom. But many put-ups are about surface qualities. (I like your shoes!) Help students craft deeper put-ups with these simple steps.
 

Once your students have identified their personal anger triggers, have them share those triggers with each other. This can foster empathy, increase students' awareness of themselves and others, and reduce conflicts.

  Students hear and discuss the words of a group of trans teens, see a video of them speaking to their future selves, and consider what obstacles transgender teens face.