SEL Day

Today, March 8th, our classroom, school, and entire district participated in International SEL Day.  This is a global-wide day which emphasizes the importance of social emotional learning not only in our students and teachers, but beyond our school as well. We began our day with an engaging read-aloud of I Am Peace by Susan Verde, a beautifully illustrated book that introduces mindfulness and emotional awareness. We focused on the "here and now" and the importance of understanding our own emotions. We asked the students to give a name and a color to their current feeling.  They had to focus on that exact moment, not how they were feeling a few minutes before.

Another focus for our day was on gratitude.  We did an activity called, "What if we Didn't Have this?" The students identified objects in the classroom that they were grateful for by imagining what their day would be like without them. By imagining a world without these small yet significant "benefits," it provided the students with the perspective they needed. It was refreshing to hear the conversations taking place and the realization of all they had to be grateful for.

To continue our exploration of gratitude, we thought about things that make us feel thankful. We realized that it could be someone doing something nice for us, stuff we own that we love, or the awesome people in our lives. Whether it's a random act of kindness, our favorite possessions, amazing friends and family, or the world we have around us, each of these things gives us a reason to be grateful. It really was a powerful activity.

While we focus on SEL everyday, it means a little bit more when we dedicate a day to the importance.  I feel fortunate to play a role in promoting the significance of social-emotional learning and its positive impact on my students.