Thanksgiving is a great time to teach and reinforce social and emotional learning (SEL). Consider how your classroom activities can promote deeper social and emotional skill development, and start new traditions that teach students to celebrate different cultures, that increase social engagement and awareness, and that strengthen relationship skills. Below are four Thanksgiving activities [...]
Are you doing all you can to reduce incidents of bullying in your school or district? Research suggests that teens bully when they have insufficient self-confidence, social acceptance, respect, and/or feelings of insecurity. Schools continuously work to reduce bullying, but unfortunately there are no fast or easy solutions. In the spirit of National Bullying [...]
As we consider how to help all students achieve, we must ensure our teaching practices are equitable. A sweeping effort is being made to deliver high-quality education to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, income, disability, or learning style. Social and emotional learning (SEL) can promote equity in schools. SEL professional development for [...]
As the newest member of the Aperture Education team, I was really looking forward to my first client visit when I headed to New York City to attend the Urban Assembly’s SEL Symposium a few weeks ago. Not quite knowing what to expect, I entered the experience with an open mind and a blank [...]
Research shows that we all have implicit biases. Neuroscientists have found that our brains tend to quickly categorize others as a way to identify threats. These categorizations are often based on institutional race or gender stereotypes that we have been exposed to from a young age. Different than stereotypes or racism, implicit bias is [...]
Today, more than ever, classrooms in the United States are full of English language learners (ELLs). In fact, about one in 10 students consider English as their second language. ELL and immigrant students have unique learning needs. Many are unfamiliar with U.S. cultural norms and learning a new language can be difficult. These students often [...]
Our classrooms are more diverse than ever before, and the ways we teach students are changing. A sweeping effort is being made to deliver a high-quality education to all students regardless of factors like race, ethnicity, income, disability, or learning styles. As we embrace the goal of equity and helping all students achieve, we must [...]
Traumatic events — mass shootings, environmental disasters, reports of neglect and abuse — constantly make top news headlines these days. Many students across our nation are affected by trauma every day. This trauma can have deep and lasting impacts on students’ core beliefs about others, their environment, and themselves. Now more than ever, schools must [...]
