Here are some specific things you can do this upcoming school year to help your students thrive
We know social emotional learning (SEL) improves academic performance, positive self-esteem, and mental health, but how can we specifically implement SEL in our classrooms and school sites? SEL can be incorporated into a school's curriculum even though it is not a defined subject like math or history. Here are three things you can try this Fall.
Letters of compassion. Research reveals that if we practice compassion towards ourselves, we have a higher chance of showing kindness to one another.
In this activity, get students to write a letter to a friend going through a difficult time. Encourage your students to compliment their friends on strengths and positively comment on what makes them unique.
Once done, replace the name of the person on the letter with your students' names. Ask your students how it feels now that they're speaking positively of themselves.
FPS (Failure Perseverance Success). While they may think FPS stands for the "frames per second" of their favorite video game, this activity gets students to understand that the most successful people in the world persevered through failure.
Have them choose a famous person and create a timeline of their career or life, highlighting failures and setbacks on their journey to success. Create a discussion around their discovery, exploring what would've happened if the successful person had given up. How does this discovery relate to the lives and goals of your students?
Host an Esports team at your school site. A growing body of research suggests Esports teams are an excellent opportunity to connect more students to a school culture that otherwise would be left behind in traditional sports. Esports is also a perfect opportunity to build relationships and foster a sense of community with students of similar interests.
The California League of Esports is a great way to start a camp or club at your school. Find out how you can prepare your students for future jobs and engage them now with video game competition.
What other SEL activities can educators implement in the classroom and their school site? Share your ideas on Facebook and Twitter.