Feelings: What are They?

A Word About Feelings

Mrs. Weiland talks about Feelings (click on link)

Another important factor in learning about feelings, is empathy. The best way to teach empathy, is to build your child's, and your own, awareness of others and what's going on around them. By being aware of others' experiences, we can identify their emotions, their struggles and their joys. We can't create connections without awareness and empathy.

Listen to this TED talk to hear more: How Do You Teach Empathy

Feelings in your Brain and your Body

When you have an emotion (or feeling), your brain has thoughts and your body has sensations, or physical feelings.

In District 105, we use a curriculum called, The Zones of Regulation®, created by Leah Kuypers of Think Social Publishing, Inc®. This program uses a specific color system to connect emotions, physical cues in the body and cognitive and behavioral strategies for regulating those feelings/emotions. For more information, please click on the link below:

Creating A ZONES Check-In at Home® - Create a system for everyone to identify and share their emotions at home.

Your Mindset

How you see and think about the world around you, can affect how you act and respond to situations and challenges.

It is OK to feel mad, sad, worried and overwhelmed - all those uncomfortable feelings. However, if we let those feelings live in us and take over, we will be limited in what we do and become. Doing things that are hard or new makes us uncomfortable, but if we decide we can be uncomfortable and still do or practice those things, then we are using a GROWTH mindset, and we will see good results!

It is important however, to remember that practicing can make us better, but that doesn't mean we will be the best. For kids in school, they are often being asked to do hard things that they also aren't necessarily interested in. We need to help kids remember, that just because it is hard, that doesn't mean you can't do it. Remember, you don't have to be the best! For students, that means they just need to do what is expected of them, with help when needed, and not give up. As adults, we need to praise children for those efforts, and not for the good grade, the trophy or the prize. Once we are out of school, we get to make more choices about what we do, practice or spend time on-so it becomes easier.

Check out this 5 minute video on growth mindset: Developing a Growth Mindset