Helping Students Belong—Not Just “Fit In”

Kindergarteners are fibbing about coloring on their desks…second graders are changing their favorite TV show based on their friends…and teachers are joining the Friday happy hour, knowing they’re exhausted. The common denominator here? We’re all trying to fit in. This...

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Why Kids Bully and What To Do About It

We’ve all heard by now that bullying is an epidemic in schools due to its pervasiveness and catastrophic impact on students. We can see signs of aggressiveness towards peers starting as early as preschool. These signs can predict later issues...

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Comfort Corners are an Essential Classroom SEL Tool

We’ve all been there. After wrapping up a fun art project, our students have gathered around the carpet for the next lesson, with listening ears on and calm bodies engaged. But one learner didn’t have enough time to finish their...

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The Truth About Self-Care

Take a break, read a book, drink some tea, use essential oils or draw a bath! As educators, we have heard it all, frequently bombarded with suggestions and impractical adages. You deserve it. Put yourself first. You can't pour from...

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School's out for Summer!

The countdown is on! Summer is just around the corner, and the anticipation is palpable in classrooms. But let’s face it, even with the excitement about summer break, change can be challenging for young learners. The ambiguity surrounding an unfamiliar...

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5 Ways Teachers are Already Nurturing SEL in Their Classrooms

It's Teacher Appreciation Week! There is no better time to extend an infinite note of gratitude to all you educators for your relentless pursuit to magnify your students' strengths – illuminating their unique gifts and skills. Despite the challenges of...

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SEL-ebrating Earth Day with Honey Bear

Earth Day is a wonderful opportunity to nurture a student’s innate curiosity about the world; moreover, an opportunity to plant social-emotional seeds around belonging, gratitude, and responsibility. A part of our role as educators is to support students' understanding of...

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7 Tips for a Great Parent Teacher Conference

In today's busy world, parents and educators are stretched to the max, making the face to face time provided by parent-teacher conferences precious. Despite parents having more access to teachers than ever before via email (remember when our parents had...

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Celebrating Culture and Traditions in the Classroom

Celebrating Different Cultures Starts with Inclusion  I was in 5th grade and trying hard to belong, but just barely fitting in. I looked different than all my teachers and everyone in my class. Small things often reminded me I did...

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8 Gratitude Activities for Early Education

Gratitude is an important topic for the classroom when building out any social-emotional learning curriculum, but as we know, students don’t just learn from listening, they learn from doing. Here are eight fun activities that can help students learn about...

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Celebrating Creativity in the Classroom

When you hear the word “creativity,” what are some images and words that come to mind? Do you think of art? Paint palettes and the like? If so, you’re not alone! While creativity definitely includes the act of creating art,...

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Soothing School Anxiety and First-Day-of-School Jitters

Even during a regular year, the end of summer and beginning of fall marks a big change and transition for a lot of educators. Preparing your curriculum and classroom setting, as well as anticipating your new group of students, are...

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