Mindful Schools began in a classroom at Emerson Elementary School in Oakland, CA in 2007 when a small team assembled their collective experience in education, social justice, and mindfulness. The program is founded on the belief that mindfulness provides young people with a compass to navigate their lives.
The following post by Betsy Hanger suggests three activities to create short moments of mindfulness for your students. Read more ›
Assertive communication is a hard skill to learn. Our culture tends to reward aggression. Putdowns are framed as humor in cartoons and sitcoms, and the internet can be a platform for bullying. It’s hard to find examples of assertiveness in the public sphere.
What does assertive communication look like and sound like in real life? How can we resist the pull of aggressive or passive choices, which may be easier in the moment but don’t solve our problems in the long run? How can we get our needs met without hurting others? Read more ›
The ability to exercise self-control — even with a specific, self-imposed goal in mind — is tough, even as it develops with age. New research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education illustrates just how precarious willpower can be for young people: Middle school students who want to achieve a goal and who actively agree to suffer a consequence if they don’t achieve it may still be unable to change their counterproductive behaviors. It’s a reminder for teachers that simply encouraging students to “stay focused” may not help those students cultivate positive habits. Read more ›
Many young children struggle with frustration tolerance. Anger and frustration are powerful emotions, and children’s reactions can be intense in the moment. As adults, we know when our anger buttons are pushed. We know what we need to do to work through something frustrating in an appropriate manner. Kids, however, don’t enter this world with a pocket full of frustration management skills. Read more ›
Digital technologies have added a new element of anxiety to family life for many parents. A lot of kids now have access to mobile devices, which brings up parent concerns that kids aren’t learning to interact with people, spend too much time on devices and no longer play outside.
Sara DeWitt of PBS Kids Digital says some of parents’ deepest fears could be holding them back from seeing the potential of digital technology. Read more ›
Social and Emotional Learning in Elementary School, produced by Pennsylvania State University with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examines the evidence of successful, universal SEL programs and practices used to support social and emotional development in students during the elementary years (K-5). Read more ›
In this session for educators, educator Alixanne Agnew defines executive functioning, examines individual “functions,” and discusses strategies for building and supporting executive functioning in the classroom, including behavioral strategies and technology supports. Read more ›
There have been numerous studies showing that people who read fiction have increased empathy. This is why fiction is one of the most powerful tools we have to combat bullying and intolerance.
When you see the world through another person’s eyes, you realize how similar you are to them, even if that person might seem very different from you. Read more ›
Does it feel like you are often focused on your child’s struggles and reacting to negative behaviors? Christine Wang. EdM, discusses how SEL improves positive behavior and reduces negative behavior. Learn how to build on your child’s strengths and orient your parenting style towards this positive mindset to support and empower your children. Read more ›
Funded by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, Edutopia is dedicated to transforming kindergarten through 12th-grade (K-12) education so all students can thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives. Their focus is on the practices and programs that help students acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, skills and beliefs to achieve their full potential. Read more ›
