SEL IN ACTION
NOVEMBER 2020
Message from our Chief Academic Officer
Brené Brown shared that, “Trust is earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even highly visible actions, but through paying attention, listening, and gestures of genuine care and connection.” As we move into colder months and COVID-19 is still part of our daily lives, it’s valuable to remind ourselves that positive relationships are built little by little over time, especially through small acts of care and connection.
When we really take the time to stop and listen to our students, bring coffee for a teammate, and reach out to loved ones simply to check on them and say “I love you”, we build strong foundations for navigating uncertainty and create a deeper understanding that each of us is an important part of the fabric of our communities, families, and workplace teams. Not only is it important to continue nurturing existing relationships, but also to practice these efforts to cultivate new relationships, and strengthen those that need a boost.
Prioritizing healthy relationship building practices as part of the culture of a school or department fosters a sense of belonging for everyone. In this way, the campus or office then becomes a second home where people want to engage. For additional suggestions around intentional relationship building, reach out to your SEL coordinator for training and resources, or visit the SEL Department's website at Dallasisd.org/SEL. Let’s remember to be kind to ourselves and each other while staying focused on the positive relationship “investments” that we can make every day.
- Shannon Trejo,
Chief Academic Officer, Teaching & Learning
This Month's Focus: Healthy Relationships and SEL Signature Practices
Practices that build healthy relationships are foundational to creating a positive, safe, and welcoming environment. At a campus that prioritizes SEL, evidence of healthy relationships is apparent at the front steps to the school as students are warmly greeted by name. In the classroom, students learn specific skills centered around the 5 CASEL Competencies (Dallas ISD SEL Competencies) and practice these skills during Morning Meeting and throughout the day as these skills are integrated into the learning. Students learn and practice how to communicate clearly with others, are socially engaged while working in teams and collaborating during classwork, whether the learning occurs virtually or in a face-to-face environment.
SEL Signature Practices
Welcoming Activities
Check out Morning Meeting sentence stems (elementary) or Weekly Community Meeting questions (secondary) for ideas!
Engaging Practices
Engaging practices include a range of approaches to promote student collaboration and voice, guide active learning (in individual, partner, small group, and whole group settings), and encourage regular brain breaks
Check out our list of Engaging Strategies for Classroom Use or a recent SEL Department webinar on "Taking SEL Virtual for Students".
Optimistic Closings
Check our our team's list of example Optimistic Closures!
SEL Implementation Report
Dallas is one of the PSELI grant community sites, and we're excited to share this report widely while continuing to refine our SEL practices in Dallas! Review the full report,
Early Lessons from Schools and Out-of-School Time Programs Implementing Social and Emotional Learning, on their website!
Additional Resources
NYTimes Opinion
Hidden Brain Podcast
NPR's Life Kit
Treatment Agreements
Edutopia (Video)
Training & Learning Opportunities
SEL Department Fall 2020 Online Training
Check out our Fall 2020 online training flyer with session options and remember to register in Cornerstone!
TEA's Project Restore
Districtwide Opportunity: Mastermind Sessions
- Register here to join the class. We are excited to share this transformative practice with you!
Resources for SEL Explicit Skills Instruction
Sanford Harmony (Elementary School)
Random Acts of Kindness (Middle School)
Facing History and Ourselves (High School)
Family & Caregiver Resources
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 first session, Introduction to SEL, will happen via Zoom next Wednesday, Nov. 18th from 4:30-5:30PM. Remember to register with our English registration form or our Spanish registration form.
Healthy Relationships and Your Child
All parents want positive, healthy, long-lasting relationships for their children. How we talk to our children changes over time but, there are conversations that are important no matter the age of the child. To help build the foundation and the development of this skillset at home, have conversations with your child, at an early age, and equip them as they become teens and young adults to form their own relationships. Visit the following link for some expert advice and key points to help guide your journey every step of the way, from pre-kindergarten to college.
Standing Up For the Rights of Others
NPR's Life Kit (Podcast)
No Place for Hate
ADL Book List
Your Child's Inner Voice
Words can either heal or hurt, change minds or harden hearts, move people to action or move to tears. We all develop beliefs about ourselves based on our environment, the people closest to us, and the messages we receive. Our brain interprets and internalizes positive and negative words more profoundly and longer. Starting when children are young, the way we interact with them helps shape how they respond to us and to other people in their lives. Much more so than positive words and experiences. With the day-to-day pressures families face, it can be easy to lose sight of what children are doing well, and consequently, children may hear more criticism rather than praise. Visit the following articles and videos to learn more about building a more positive inner voice in your child.
Why Tone of Voice With Children Is So Important
Video - 1 min. - Kim DeMarchi, MEd, CPE
Morning Meetings at Home
How to Get an Awesome Response to "How Was Your Day?"
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
View our recent SEL Dallas October newsletter to learn more!
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