SELebrations Newsletter May 2016

Congratulations Social and Emotional Learning fans, we made it to the last week of school! Don’t forget to appreciate all the amazing teachers that make our district an incredible learning environment, and take these trusty summer sanity tips with you into these next few months. Oh yes, and enjoy our latest SELebrations newsletter, featuring our first 11 SEL model schools, some solid SEL science, things to think about for School Year 2016-17, and lots more! Read it below, or click each page to be taken to the “live” version for links and zoomable pictures. (Use ‘Ctrl + ‘ to zoom in here or there for easier reading!)

Thanks so much for reading! See you soon!

Mindful Brain First-Aid for Test Season

Well, we’ve made it to Spring Test Season ’16! Students, teachers, administrators and parents experience this part of the school year in many different ways, but most would agree that it can be a high-pressure moment in our educational lives. We all know about getting enough sleep, eating a good breakfast, and having our lucky socks and pencils on those upcoming test days, but what are some other ways we can prepare our brains and bodies to set ourselves up for success?

Practicing a bit of mindfulness at different points before and during the testing sessions can help us feel more calm and grounded, both good states to be in when we’re asking our brain to perform at high levels. What is mindfulness? How about a definition from a leading expert on it, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn:

Notice the words “paying attention” and “non-judgementally” in particular. The term ‘mindfulness’ is thrown around quite a bit these days, and often people think that it means working hard to make one’s brain completely empty and free of thoughts–if your brain isn’t perfectly clear and empty, you’re not doing it right! This is simply not true, however; our brains are wired to think all the time. Practicing mindfulness is learning to pay attention non-judgementally to all those thoughts, giving us some space and perspective to really notice and honor them. Here’s an example of a simple mindfulness practice that can help us pay attention to our thoughts before or during a stressful testing situation…when we feel our bodies getting nervous and our brains buzzing with anxiety, try this strategy:

Describe 5 things you see in the room/area. (“The walls are light blue.” or “The trees outside the window are green and lush.”)

Name 4 things you can feel. (“My feet in my shoes, and my shoes on the floor.” or “The air in my nose.”)

Name 3 things you can hear. (“Traffic on the highway.” or “My own soft breathing.”)

Name 2 things you can smell. (“New pencil smell.” or “fabric softener.” Or remember 2 smells you really like.)

Name 1 good thing about yourself. (“I’m a thoughtful friend.” or “I’m feeling stressed, but I’m handling it.”)

Doing an exercise like this can help us take a step back from our buzzing brain, bring us back to the present moment, and allow us to gently observe and name our feelings. If we’re feeling a measure of panic or powerlessness due to test anxiety, being able to say “wow, I’m feeling pretty stressed! I can take a moment to remember where I am right now and give my brain a break” can help us back into the thinking, logical, frontal part of our brains and out of our fear-feeling amygdala and mid-brain. The strong feelings coming from our amygdala during stressful situations can help keep us safely out of physical and emotional danger, but it’s not the best place to stay when we’re trying to get our brains to work logically!

One of the best, simplest ways to come back to the present moment and pay attention non-judgementally to our thoughts is to intentionally notice our breathing. Here is a basic breathing exercise adapted from Calm Classroom:

Sit up straight and comfortably in your chair. Rest your hands on your desk or in your lap. Close your eyes. Feel your feet flat on the floor. Relax your shoulders back and down. Let your whole body be still.

Feel the air moving in and out of your nose. [wait 10 seconds]

Remember, when you breathe in, you will fill your lungs completely. Make each breath slow, smooth, and deep.

Now, breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.

Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.

Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.

Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.

Now breathe normally and relax. Feel the air moving in and out of your nose. [wait 20 -30 seconds]

Now, take a deep breath in, hold and exhale slowly.

Notice how you feel. [wait 10 seconds]

Slowly open your eyes.

The beauty of exercises like these is that they require no special preparation, space or equipment; they are tools at our disposal any time we need them, and they are highly effective at inviting our brains back into a calm, logical space. For a special treat, however, definitely check out Calm.com for some peaceful sounds and visuals anytime you have access to a mobile device or computer with the internet!

Even though testing time can be a stressful time in school, practicing a little mindfulness can help us all get through it with a little more awareness and self-compassion. Take good care of those brains and bodies, Austin ISD SEL fans!

Austin High’s Youth in Government Club Makes SEL Waves at State Conference!

The weekend of January 30th and 31st, hundreds of high school students descended on the Texas State Capitol to participate in the 69th annual YMCA Youth and Government State Conference. The conference is designed to gather young leaders from all over the state and provide a hands-on, real life government experience, fostering interest in the democratic process and excitement in the potential of political engagement. This year, Austin ISD’s Austin High Youth in Government Club brought a high-impact team to the YAG State Conference, finishing with two distinguished delegates and a State Affairs proposal aimed at improving the Texas high school graduation rate via statewide implementation of freshman MAPS classes.

From hundreds of peer-reviewed proposals addressing 30 pre-selected state affairs topics, Miranda Gershoni and Madison Perry’s MAPS (Methods for Academic and Personal Success) class proposal was ranked among the best in the state by the conference participants, winning a chance to be viewed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and affect actual state legislation. That’s right…youth leaders from all over Texas thought Austin High’s MAPS class model, which explicitly teaches freshmen Social and Emotional Learning skills to help set them on a successful path for high school and beyond, should be a state-wide requirement to raise graduation rates!

Ms. Gershoni and Ms. Perry present their proposal

Ms. Gershoni, who led the development of the proposal, drew upon her freshman experience in the MAPS class at Austin High and the organizational and interpersonal skills it helped her develop. She was also inspired by her participation on a student team that helped to facilitate a workshop on MAPS-style student engagement activities at last October’s National Dropout Prevention Network Conference. Armed with her passion for helping her peers succeed and her experience with presenting at this national conference, Gershoni led her team in convincing other youth leaders that SEL skills taught in MAPS classes statewide could lead to more Texas high school graduates ready for career and life. District data backs up their proposal’s claim: At high schools with high MAPS class implementation rates, administrators have seen positive indicators like a 50% reduction in suspensions, a 71% reduction in discipline referrals, and a 41% reduction in freshman failures.

Distinguished Delegates Mr. Symonds and Mr. Smith-Klein

Mr. Steven Wnorozski, Austin High’s sponsor of the Youth in Government Club, was proud of Ms. Gershoni and Ms. Perry’s winning proposal, and the recognition of distinguished delegates Mr. Theo Symonds and Mr. Joseph Smith-Klein. Participating in the club, and preparing for experiences like the district and state-level YAG conferences, help build the Social and Emotional Learning skills of time management, organization, collaboration, and self-efficacy. “Our club is small, but we’ve been before the school board and have been recognized for our achievements,” he says. “It allows students to be active in politics and try to solve problems that really exist.” The Youth in Government club will send delegates to the Youth and Government’s Conference on National Affairs, and is also considering participation in the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life’s Speak Up! Speak Out! event in May.

Ms. Gershoni said that her experience at the state Youth and Government Conference has inspired her to consider a career in public policy. She also found that just being present at the conference was inspiring in another way: “Sometimes high school just seems like a big swimming pool, with everybody just trying to swim to the top to graduate and get on with their lives like you know you’re supposed to,” she said. “It was great to feel like I was poking my head up out of the water, and seeing all these other young people like me who were poking their heads up too, who are concerned about the big picture-the future of the state and country-and who have big ideas to help affect it.”

Congratulations to Miranda Gershoni, Madison Perry, Theo Symonds, Joseph Smith-Klein, Mr. Wnoroski, and Austin High! We are sure #AISDProud of these #SELSmart, engaged young people on the fast-track to making big changes in their world!

Amplify Austin ISD SEL and Whole Child Education!

Today is the day! Amplify ATX is 24 hours (March 8th 6pm-March 9th 6pm) of community giving to local non-profits all over the Austin area, and once again Austin Ed Fund is participating to raise funds to support Austin ISD’s innovative whole-child education initiatives!

From Austin Ed Fund:

Help us support excellence and innovation in Austin Independent School District (AISD)! Your investment in our urban district, serving more than 83,000 amazing students at 130 campuses, ensures that every student has access to innovative opportunities and enriching experiences.

Your generous contribution will:
• Fund teachers’ creative project ideas for their classrooms or campus through our Innovation Grants program
• Expand AISD’s nationally-recognized Social and Emotional Learning program, which teaches students the skills to resolve conflict, manage emotions, and succeed in the classroom, career, and life
• Fund economically-disadvantaged and first-generation students through our Student Opportunity Fund.

AISD’s Social and Emotional Learning team works with every single campus in the district to create safe and welcoming learning environments, foster meaningful relationships between students and teachers, and teach 21st century skills like collaboration, communication, time management, and self-efficacy. Funding that supports AISD’s Social and Emotional Learning comes largely from individual donors, partners in the Austin community, and national donors and foundations, so your Amplify AISD donation really does make a huge difference!

Schedule your donation now, or participate today (March 8th) starting at 6pm through 6pm tomorrow (March 9th) , by visiting:

Austin Ed Fund’s Amplify Overview Page

Katie Cameroneil’s Amplify Whole Child Education Page

Caroline Newman’s Amplify Our Students, Our Teachers, Our Future Page

Thanks so much for being a part of AISD’s Whole Child, Every Child education movement!

Follow along on Twitter too: @AustinISDSEL @AustinISD_OID (Office of Innovation and Development) @AustinEdFund and keep up with the hashtags #AmplifyATX and #InvestinAISD!

Real Teachers Talk Part II: Spring Semester SEL

Austin ISD is chock-full of passionate, compassionate, talented educators bringing Social and Emotional Learning to their students in every part of our fair city, every single day. Last time on the blog, two amazing teachers from Bedichek shared their insight on the importance of intentional self-care during the stresses of the spring semester. Today, seven more outstanding teachers lend their thoughts and practices from around the district. They are all at different schools in different capacities, and they have this in common: they know their students, and they know SEL!

Mr. Howard, 6th-8th Grade Math Teacher, Learning Support Services

Mr. Howard works one-on-one with students experiencing long-term in-school suspension, teaching math and being a strong, positive, compassionate adult connection. He works hard to engage with each student authentically, so that their relationship facilitates lasting learning. He says that he does his best to stay relaxed and focused on one task at a time, so that he doesn’t get overwhelmed. “I try to know about and anticipate obstacles and challenges, so that I can make a response plan,” he says. “You can’t always predict what’s going to happen, but thinking through some possible responses to challenges that may arise helps me avoid feeling worried and reactive. This allows me to stay calmly focused on my students.”

Ms. Williams, 3rd Grade ESL Teacher, Linder Elementary

Ms. Williams is a big fan of the Peace Area, a special place in classrooms where students can choose to go to manage strong emotions, resolve interpersonal conflicts, or just take a self-care break. Many teachers like Ms. Williams have experienced professional development dedicated to the creation and effective use of Peace Areas in the classroom environment, and she even has one she can take with her wherever her students might end up! “The Peace Area is a great tool to use in de-escalating and problem solving. I grab it and take it with me as I’m walking out the door with the kids. Since it’s portable I can bring it to recess or other places. It’s just a wonderful tool for me to use when modeling [social and emotional skills] for the kids.”

Peace Areas often contain soft stuffed animal friends, squeezy stress-balls, “calm down” bottles full of slow-settling glitter to watch, pictures of faces for emotion identification, paper and art supplies for self-reflective writing or drawing, and many other creative ideas for peace-making. Many include a “peace path” and conflict resolution script for students to practice interpersonal assertive communication.

Mr. Light, 9th-12th Grade English Language Arts Teacher, Alternative Learning Center

Mr. Light covers his desk and classroom in quotes from famous folks addressing kindness, self-efficacy, and inspiration for learning. One in particular, from Oscar Wilde, serves as an important daily reminder: “Life is far too important to be taken seriously.” He builds and draws on his sense of gratitude as a self-care practice. “When the everyday drudgery settles in, when students become ‘snarky’ and push the buttons they know so well, when the work seems to keep piling up and you might wonder, What am I doing here? . . . These are the times to remember to set your mind on the bigger pictures (your dreams, your passions) and not merely what is in front of you. It helps you remember to enjoy life and to be thankful. It helps you remember to enjoy your students and to be thankful for them. It helps you. It helps them.”

Ms.Gandomi, 2nd Grade Teacher, Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy

Ms. Gandomi has found ways to weave her Social and Emotional Learning knowledge straight into challenging learning experiences for her scholars. “Subtraction with regrouping was really frustrating my students. I needed to find a way to teach my students to be kind and patient with themselves,” she says. “I created a lesson to teach them a more positive approach toward learning. First, we had a class discussion about neuroplasticity and my students learned how neurological pathways develop in the brain as we learn something new. This was a game changer! My students got excited when a lesson or strategy was difficult because they knew their brains were growing. I have overheard my students say, ‘This is hard! It’s okay because I’m creating a new neuropathways in my brain!'”

Neuroplasticity is the process by which the brain physically grows and changes in response to learning new information and trying new things. Many teachers in AISD have participated in professional development around neuroplasticity and growth mindset, helping their students foster intellectual resilience and positive self-talk to help work through challenging learning experiences.

Mr. Sikes, 8th Grade Math Teacher, Fulmore Middle School

Mr. Sikes makes sure his students feel safe and welcome in his classroom by teaching about stress management, and also by helping each student feel heard and seen. “I like to show my kids what types of stress triggers I have during second semester and how I know to read my bodies warning signs. We can’t avoid stress, but how can we cope with it when it arises?” Mr. Sikes teaches from all parts of his classroom, checking in and reinforcing connections with each young person as he moves between the groups of seated students. “There is a lot of [student change and movement] as well at the beginning of a semester, so we take time every week to reintroduce ourselves and share things about ourselves that makes us unique, so that all students feel heard and valued no matter how ‘new’ they are to the school, or city, or state.”

Mrs. Roberts, 4th Grade Science Teacher, Widen Elementary

Shown here among emotion identification words and steps for calming down in her classroom, Mrs. Roberts takes time each day to take care of Social and Emotional Learning business before getting down to the business of learning science. “SEL allows me to internalize and model emotional management skills throughout the school day, and transfer those to the kids,” she says. Like many teachers throughout AISD, Mrs. Roberts is skilled at using SEL concepts and practices to maximize learning time. “I love the rituals of Morning Meeting and breakfast in the classroom and the sense of community it instills. Words can’t describe how beautiful it is and the impact it has on our community.”

Mrs. Lozano-Studstrup, 6th Grade English Language Arts, Mendez Middle School

Mrs. Lozano-Studstrup works hard every day to create a warm, engaging, culturally-relevant, connected learning environment. Student work and drawings adorn the walls, and each class’ social contract is prominently displayed. A large portion of her classroom is dedicated to a cozy space with a bookshelf full of diverse books, a colorful floor lamp, and a comfortable area rug primed for the unhurried enjoyment of reading for fun. “I love my students, and I try to connect with each one of them every day they are with me,” she says. “I try to make sure each of them feels seen and heard and valued. When students feel safe and connected, that’s when authentic learning takes place.”

These amazing educators represent how Social and Emotional Learning is infusing lessons, classrooms, practices and schools across our district. To all seven talented teachers who shared their faces, expertise and insight for this post, thank you! With your dedication, compassion, and unique style, you are demonstrating the very best of SEL and Austin ISD!

REAL TEACHERS TALK: Second Semester Self-Care

Let’s be real: Teachers know Social and Emotional Learning. Teachers have been creating safe classrooms, welcoming students, building in 21st-century skills, and modeling healthy adulthood since schools were invented. We invited teachers from around the district to share their best SEL tips and advice for managing the stressful second semester, and so this post and the next one will be dedicated to showcasing the voices of competent, compassionate educators from our Austin ISD. For this one, dynamic duo Hannah Vaugh and Jenna Conde of Bedichek Middle School guest blog on the crucial topic of Teacher Self-Care.

Treat yo’ Self – brunch, happy hour, baths.

In our line of work, it’s easy to let your emotional well-being fall to the wayside. We give everything we have to our kids, and by the weekend we’re faced with mounds of papers to grade (why did I give this many short-answer questions?!), seating charts to re-arrange (there’s got to be SOME place to put Billy where he won’t be a vortex of chaos!), and bureaucratic nonsense filled with so many acronyms that by this point we don’t even remember what all those jumbled letters stand for. We are convinced that our work will never end, and with good reason: it doesn’t.

That’s why we need to make it a point to purposefully carve out our hard-earned “me time.” Put down the pen, close your laptop, and give yourself a second to grab half-priced appetizers (and other delicious things!) at happy hour on Friday. Give yourself a few hours to grab brunch with your long lost friends. When is the last time you soaked in the tub with your favorite record playing in the background? If you absolutely MUST do work, bring it with you to your favorite coffee shop for a change of scenery and a guaranteed morale boost. Look at you, grading those papers with your chai tea latte and a mouthful of eggs benedict, you rock star! It’s time to turn some of that unconditional love you’re always doling out back onto yourself. You deserve it!

Mentors/Cohorts

Everybody needs a hero. Even us heroes. A teaching mentor is a wonderful resource for both classroom and personal needs. A mentor is your go-to person on campus who can answer all your questions, provide classroom support, and comfort you when that lesson you planned so hard for fell flat on its face (you turned your back for one second…)

A group of trusted amigos on campus is another invaluable resource for emotional refreshment and well-being. Finding a person or group of people you can trust can be difficult in a workplace setting, but we promise that it’s worth investing time in the good ones. Knowing you’re not alone on those tough days, with people who will genuinely empathize with you, makes the struggle less real. Having a group of people to celebrate your accomplishments with, who will be genuinely happy for you when you are rocking it, leaves you feeling on top of the world.

Find people who will build you up, and who you can build up in return. It’s a beautiful thing!

You can say no sometimes.

This one goes out to all the first-year teachers, but it’s applicable to teachers of all experience levels.

It’s going to happen. You’re going to be minding your own business, probably in the middle of teaching a lesson, when an administrator or teacher will walk through your door. “Sorry to interrupt but…” Now they throw out a compliment, appealing to your vanity. “You did such a good job with x,y,z, and…” Here it comes. It’s a thing, and they want you to do/join/spearhead/tackle/organize. Sometimes you’ve got the energy, in which case FANTASTIC! Grab your clip board and get to work, you magical unicorn of a person!

But here’s the deal: if you don’t have the energy, or you can’t focus on whether or not you think you could handle it, or if you are already on six other committees and you don’t think you’d be productive on another one, IT IS OK TO SAY, “NO.”

Allow me to repeat myself.

IT IS OK TO SAY, “NO.”

And yes, they may try to persuade. “Well, you have to do SOMETHING.” (Guess what? You’re dedicating your time to molding the minds of children. You ARE doing something!) or “Oh, we just want to hone your leadership skills.” (Since when did you say you wanted to be a leader?) Don’t give in.

Somewhere along the road, our occupation became more than just teaching. Not only are we educators, therapists, moms and dads, advocates, social workers, and a whole other slew of emotionally exhausting professions, we are also expected to be superhuman. At some point a line has to be drawn, and you’re the only one who knows when to draw it.

By the way, saying “yes” can be amazing sometimes. It can be especially fun if you say yes and then drag someone into it with you, so you have all kinds of fun while you plan together.

Want to remember why you teach and make a bunch of people’s day? Positive Parent Phone Calls.

95% of our students are darlings. 95% come in, ask questions, have their binder, agenda, ISN, pencils, every single day—and yet, we spend the majority of our energy on our 5-10 challenging students that require frequent parent contact, one-on-one relationship building time, bargains, rewards, and unfortunately, consequences.

Look at your rosters and put some dots next to the students you forget to worry about—they’re so self-sufficient! Self-motivated! Next, of those, pick out the ones that are in the middle of the pack—grades, behavior, everything. Call those parents one after the other with a short and sweet “I appreciate your child’s hard work EVERY day. I am so impressed with their [participation in discussion/organization/perseverance when things get difficult].” The parents are so appreciative, excited, and grateful that they got some news from school that their student rarely warrants. Not only will this amp up your parent support and involvement, it will also remind that student that you NOTICE their effort, and possibly, keep them from turning to the dark side in May. On top of that, you feel great.

Laugh often and let it happen. Make like an improv class: Embrace your failures and literally have your class clap for you.

One of the first exercises that you do at an improv class is an exercise where you stand in a circle. Whenever you feel so inclined, you shout out to the group a recent failure of yours (i.e., last night I dropped an ENTIRE carton of eggs on the kitchen floor), and take a deep bow as everyone claps for you ecstatically. Then, someone else shares. It is no surprise how cathartic and humorous this practice is.

Next time you forget to make a set of copies, forget to project the Essential Question on the screen and then get mad when no one is writing it down, or call a student by the wrong name, just take a deep breath, say “I’m so sorry guys. I’m only a human.” Take a bow and have a round of applause.

Thanks, Ms. Vaugh and Ms. Conde, for your fabulous ideas, engaging writing, and rockin’ pictures! Stay tuned next week for more great thoughts and tips from even more amazing AISD teacher super heroes!

Peace Through Pie Through Pictures

On Monday, January 25th 2016, Lamar Fine Arts Academy hosted their annual Peace Through Pie event as part of their school-wide No Place for Hate yearly campaign. AVID students and student council representatives helped to put the program together. They were guided by ELA teacher/NP4H Coordinator Dorothy Winburne, and Social and Emotional Learning facilitator/AVID teacher Constance Ledesma. Kerren Campa, active parent and member of Lamar’s SEL Steering Committee, took on a leading role as well, getting pizza and pies donated from local businesses and taking care of logistics like cups, plates, water, and pie slicers. She also managed the mild chaos of middle schoolers serving pie to other middle schoolers with effortless grace. Check out all the awesome that happened on that peaceful evening!

Beautiful pies created and donated by Lamar parents and community partners–before the peaceful devouring

The devouring begins…peace can come through sharing all kinds of pies, including pizza pie!

Mr. Andrew Bennett, Assistant Principal and SEL Administrator Extraordinaire, enjoys a peaceful pie piece.

The program for the event

Beautiful mandalas created by 6th grade Lamar art students…

…Encouraging event participants to create their own mandalas for peace.

Student leaders got into peace promotion by wearing, singing, and reading for the theme…

…And performance groups lent their multitude of talents to the evening.

Parents, teachers and students added the names of famous peace promoters to this banner…

And Ms. Dorothy Winburne had the last word, sharing Lamar’s dedication to increasing the peace on the planet.

Thanks for another successful, delicious Peace Through Pie, Lamar Fine Arts Academy! We sure are #AISDProud of y’all!

Spring Semester 2016!

Welcome to your brand new semester, Austin ISD SEL fans! Happy 2016! As a new year begins, it’s a great time to get back in touch with the five competencies of Social and Emotional Learning. These are the concepts we explicitly teach and practice with all 83,000+ students in our district, helping guide their paths toward engaged learning, positive citizenship and rich lives. Here is the Wheel of SEL Competencies, explained by an American luminary leader we also celebrate this week!

As we remember the legacy of Dr. King in our hearts and classrooms, we revitalize the journey of growth, compassion, and learning for our students and ourselves. Here’s to new beginnings!

December Newsletter!

Check out our live newsletter for clickable pictures and links!

Don’t forget to visit the live version, and have a fabulous break!

December Homestretch!

We’re in the homestretch of the first semester! These next few weeks before winter break are often full of excitement and celebration, but they can also be stressful and anxiety-provoking for all the members within a school community. Luckily, there are plenty of resources out there to help our students and ourselves stay calm and mindful before the holidays.

The Devereaux Foundation and its affiliated Devereaux Center for Resilient Children has these 7 Tips for Holiday Resilience, which are aimed at adult seasonal sanity, and also offers these ideas to foster social awareness in classrooms:

Holiday Tradition Quilt: Each student comes from a different culture and has his or her own customs. Use this time to allow students to share their holiday traditions with classmates. This can be done in multiple ways. One way is for each student to be given a square piece of construction paper as their “quilt” piece. On this they will draw or write a brief explanation of a custom or tradition that their family has over the holidays. When all pieces are completed, students can share aloud, if they choose, and discuss differences and similarities among themselves. This gives students a chance to reflect on their attitude towards others’ traditions in relation to their own. Another option is to partner or group students together. Each student will individually discuss one tradition that his or her family has (verbally or on paper). Then partners or groups will create one “quilt” piece together that reflects some combination of both or all traditions. This shows students how to listen to other ideas, and compromise on final solutions.

Help an Outside Organization: This can be a classroom or whole school effort. The holidays are a time that many people donate extra supplies, or time, to people or organizations in need. Classrooms can discuss why it is important to provide this care to people in need, and how they might feel over the holidays. Some sort of donation effort could be made by the students such as a canned food drive, collecting pet supplies for an animal shelter, or sending holiday cards to a local hospital or nursing home. This will give students a sense of doing good for others during this time.

Random Acts of Kindness Poster: Create a Random Acts of Kindness Poster for your classroom. Explain to students that a random act of kindness refers to a positive action done for them or to them unexpectedly. If students experience a positive interaction with a classmate they can add it to the poster. Younger students can draw a picture and explain it to the class. At the end of each week read over the poster with the class and recognize these positive interactions between students!

Team-Based Games: When reviewing for a test, or practicing a new skill, turn questions into a game format. Students can be put in teams and instructed to work together in order to come up with an answer to the question or problem. Before beginning the game, explain to students that they will need to cooperate in order to figure out the final answer. You can also add a bonus point for the team that works together best on each question. This will ensure those positive interactions are being recognized as well as the academic content of the game. Award a team winner based on correct answers, as well as the team who has the most points for working effectively as a team. This is a great way for students to experience authentic relationship skill building.

Speaking of team-based games and community-building opportunities, the Digital Activity Center from PeaceFirst is one of the most comprehensive, searchable resources for finding relevant connection experiences for students. This time of year is perfect to restore and revitalize classroom culture ahead of the academic pressures of the spring semester.

Finally, amazing educators from around Austin ISD share their advice and encouragement for these December weeks:

“Every year, at this time of year, when my students come in for class they are relieved to come into a consistent routine. They know exactly what is expected of them and what they need to accomplish via their agenda and objectives for the day, and the routine remains the same, as do the expectations. And while I might supplement a lesson with a sponge activity (regarding the season,) we mostly remain on track.” –Middle School Choir Director

“This is the time of year where I go through old notes students have written me to remind me why I do what I do. What we need to remember is that these students who give us a “run for our money” during the year are the students who, on the last day of school, are always the ones that surprise us with their appreciation. This can rejuvenate our passion as educators to keep on fighting the good fight.”–Middle School Assistant Principal

“Introduce something completely new and utterly engaging. For example, this week, we are doing a modified version of Dungeons and Dragons to illustrate the way the Battle of Yorktown could have turned out. Hey, I know I am going to have fun with it! And, when I have fun, my students tend to have fun!”–Learning Support Services Teacher

“1. Be kind, patient, and welcoming to other students and staff. EVERYBODY is stressed and people will GREATLY appreciate your calm demeanor and positive vibes.

2. SMILE as much as you can. Remember the reason you’re at work everyday, and keep that in mind when things get frustrating, complicating, and stressful.

3. Love your kiddos! Ask them about their holidays (or to be extra sensitive, ask how their break was or what they’re planning to do during their break!) They’ll love you for asking, and they’ll love to share. If this doesn’t work or apply to your situation, remind them of how much YOU love them and care about them. That’ll generate some warm, fuzzy feelings in their hearts.

4. Teach what you can in the best way that you can. The holidays are approaching and it is inevitable that students know and feel it (whether they want to or not). Do the best you can, trust me, they will appreciate you for it!” –High School Social Studies Teacher

Here’s a post from October with even more resources for staying calm and connected, as that is a similar time of transition and stress. And if all else fails, stay with your breath! You are doing a great job!

Happy December!

AISD Social and Emotional Learning

News, information and resources about Austin I.S.D.'s Social and Emotional Learning Initiative

SEL