SEL IN ACTION
March 2021
Message from Teaching & Learning Leadership
We have already reached a year-long milestone for navigating COVID-19 and although we can’t control everything that happens to us and around us, we can control our emotions and reactions, especially during challenging and stressful times.
I am Dr. Gena Koster, Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations, for Dallas ISD. If you have ever experienced parenting, while changing jobs, and moving all within the same timeframe, you can relate to why calming strategies are an important part of my daily routine. I would like to recommend some calming strategies that I use and encourage adults and students to use as strong emotions come up. Calming strategies can take many different forms based on your time, location, and preferences:
Deep breathing or simply taking a few quiet moments to pause
Drawing, journaling, or creating art
Listening to music
Going for a walk, exercising, dancing, or any other kind of movement
Mindfulness, meditation, prayer or any other activity focused on mental or spiritual needs
Calming strategies and self-care are closely connected: as our emotions change over the course of a moment or a day, it helps to take the time to acknowledge and soothe big emotions. As we make a regular habit of using calming strategies throughout our daily routines, we allow ourselves to reset and refocus. When we learn about personal triggers and practice a variety of calming options, we become more resilient over time. Try using apps like CALM or Ten Percent Happier to help relax as you wind down for the evening. Taking care of ourselves, allows us to better take care of those around us.
I hope that you find a new calming idea or resource in this month’s SEL newsletter, and that you have a restful and calming spring break.
Dr. Gena Koster
Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations
This Month's Focus: Calming Strategies
Mindfulness & Reflection
Calm App
Note that there are free sessions available to try but users must pay for a subscription to access all app features.
Ten Percent Happier App
Note that there are free sessions available to try but users must pay for a subscription to access all app features.
Headspace App
Understanding Emotions
Yoga & Sensory Pathways
Sensory pathways are great opportunities for students and staff to burn off some energy while transitioning between classes or activities.
Chair Yoga for Focus
Chair Yoga for Stress Reduction
Chair Yoga for Stress Reduction: Grades 6 - 8 (Yoga Ed; 9 min)
Chair Yoga to Regulate Emotions
Chair Yoga to Regulate Emotions: Grades 9 - 12 (Yoga Ed; 9 min)
Breathing Strategies
Breathing Stick Calming Tool
This video of the breathing stick strategy was adapted from Karen Barbwick’s model as described by Momentous Institute.
Use the breathing stick to re-focus on the present moment and help calm big emotions. As an educator, you can use the breathing stick throughout the day for various purposes. Take a few deep breaths just before you begin a lesson, speech, or presentation.
Also, a breath can serve as a pause. Use it to give you a pause that allows for think time when interacting with a student who is experiencing a challenge. When students see adults modeling this self-management strategy of breathing or taking a pause before they speak, they are learning a life skill.
Teach the strategy of breathing to re-focus or create a thinking pause for students. They may even want to make their own breathing stick, add a name tag, and store it in their supply box.
Additional Resources
SEL Day Challenge
Calming Box
NPR's Life Kit (Podcast)
Women's History Month Resources from Learning for Justice
Start with a quick article, "A More Complete Women's History".
The Parade Goes On
Available in both English and Spanish languages, this is a wonderful story highlighting the power of teamwork and managing our emotions during tough situations.
Printables (External Resources)
10 Ways to Calm Down Poster (Art is Basic)
Printable breathing exercises for kids (Childhood 101)
SEL Competencies EDU
This in-depth study of the SEL Competencies will deepen adult understanding of SEL and enable all staff members to:
- build resilience in order to meet today’s challenges
- gain knowledge needed in order to begin teaching SEL lessons and skills
Watch the informational video to get started and check out the first section on self-awareness!
Training & Learning Opportunities
Save the Date! SEL Student Leadership Summit (June 9th)
The SEL Department will host a virtual SEL Student Leadership Summit on June 9th, 2021 from 9:00am-12:00pm. We invite Dallas ISD secondary campuses to recruit a team of 5 students and one educator to attend.
Summit sessions will focus on student empowerment to promote student advocacy on campus in support of SEL, and participants will leave with an understanding of themselves and how to use their voice to positively impact school culture and climate through Social and Emotional Learning strategies. Register Here.
SEL In Action: Teacher Discussion Series
Our first session, Celebrating Black Educators, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10, 4:45-5:30 p.m (register here!).
Check out our team member, Franceslia's interview with Eric Hale (Urban Teacher of the Year 2020, National Teacher of the year 2021) for our first video and remember to register for our teacher discussion series!
NEW DATES: Online SEL Training (Spring 2021)
Due to recent inclement weather, our SEL team is rescheduling a few of our online training sessions. We will offer multiple live virtual training sessions (via Zoom) throughout March for Dallas ISD staff members to learn more about key SEL practices.
Download our training flyer and remember to register in Cornerstone!
Live Free Yoga for Dallas ISD Staff Members
Remember to register in advance!
SEL Dallas Book Club
Click on the following links for additional information and registration.
On the same website, CASEL also shares recordings of past webinars including:
- A Five-Part Series on "SEL as a Lever for Equity"
- "Permission To Feel for Adults: Healthy Emotion Regulation During Uncertain and Stressful Times"
"Permission To Feel for Kids: How Adults can Support Children in Managing Emotions During Challenging Times"
"Return to School During COVID 19: Helping Children and Families Manage Stress and Build Resilience"
And many other topics!
Resources for SEL Explicit Skills Instruction
Harmony SEL (Elementary School)
Random Acts of Kindness (Middle School)
Facing History and Ourselves (High School)
Family & Caregiver Resources
Visit our SEL for Parents/Caregivers website for resources and information! www.dallasisd.org/selfamilies
¡Visite nuestro sitio de web Aprendizaje Social y Emocional (ASE) para padres/cuidadores para obtener recursos e información! www.dallasisd.org/asefamilias
How Can You Control Your Emotions & Stop Reacting?
Worry Box - Anxiety Control
Feelings Thermometer
SEL Family Discussion Series
As part of the SEL Dallas partnership, join Dallas ISD’s SEL Department for a series of 1-hour family-focused virtual sessions to learn about social and emotional learning (SEL) and important SEL skills. Parents and caregivers are welcome to join any session or the entire series, and a Spanish translator will be available!
Our next session (Family Emotional Safety) is scheduled for Wednesday, March 24th. Remember to register with our English registration form or our Spanish registration form.
Sign Up for Our Upcoming Family Newsletter!
Parents and caregivers can submit their contact information via our sign-up form. We also have a Spanish version of the sign-up form as well!
Please share both language versions widely with any parents who may be interested in signing up for our family-focused newsletter!
SEL Dallas
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING DEPARTMENT
Email: SEL@dallasisd.org
Website: Dallasisd.org/sel
Location: 9400 N Central Expy, Dallas, TX, USA
Phone: 972-925-8951
Twitter: @DallasisdSEL