Considering ways to honor Black History Month in your classroom? Check out this article by Learning for Justice, as well as this slideshow from We are Teachers!
This website from Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History & Culture has some wonderful resources and ideas for study.
Thank you to Mrs. Kielty for this display and for her work of breaking down the Social Contract with her students!
Social Contract Signing
Now that your Social Contract is complete, here are a few ideas to solidify the expectations with your students:
Whole Team Signing- Write the Social Contract on a large poster board and have every student and adult on your team sign it. Hang it in the hall for all to see. You could do this three times to have a signed poster in each core classroom or have students sign one big poster in your UA class (you will have all students by the end of the year).
Example Dots- Hang the Social Contract in your room. Pass out three dots (maybe different colors- one for each guideline). Have students write an example on how they show each expectation in action on a dot. For example- I have taken accountability when I was late to class and got a pass or I have encouraged others when I was playing field hockey and cheered on my teammates. Hang the dots around the Social Contract poster in your room. Be sure they sign the actual Social Contract poster.
Hand prints- Have students trace their hands and write their names on them. Hang them around the Social Contract poster to show that you all had your hand in the creation of the expectations.
Team Chain- Give each student a strip of paper with the Social Contract guidelines printed on them. Have each student sign their strip. Then make a team chain out of the strips and hang the chain where it can be easily seen.
Symbol Signing- Have each student create/draw something that symbolizes them. Have them cut this out and glue it to the Social Contract poster as an alternative to a signature.
Can we embed SEL work into all content areas?? Well, yes we can! Check out these amazing prompts that get to all of the CASEL competencies in the world of ART!
Thank you, Michelle Badji!
Are you looking for something to help promote Kindness in your classroom? Try these amazing short videos from Steve Hartman!!
Steve also has a Facebook community page for educators called Kindness 101. Check it out!
Hey EMS! Check out the latest blog post from Innovative Education in VT!
There are many great ideas for maintaining community all day!
We Are Teachers is a great website that offers numerous ideas and advice around all aspects of teaching.
FREE ONE WORLD POSTERS- These downloadable posters are featured in Teaching for Justice magazines and available on their website, as well. Check them out! They would make a wonderful statement of inclusion in your classroom!
Teaching Tolerance is now Learning for Justice!
Check out the EWSD Equity Policy!
Asset-Based Language- Wondering how we shift our mindsets about students? Let's use language to help us get started!
Focusing on Learning Gains to start the year!
"If there aren't structures to support healthy, inclusive communication and relationship-building, they won't happen. Community and trust don't just occur because we all come to school and everyone follows a schedule. They are built deliberately, piece by piece, out of every encounter between one person and another." -DD1 Resource Book pg. 25
This is a great article to reinforce this conversation around the importance of Social Emotional Learning. Morning Advisory time (CPR) is the place where we start this work! This is where we begin to meet our students' five needs - Autonomy, Relationships, Safety, Competency, and Fun. This is where we build our community that lasts all day long.
The EHS Chill Zone is a site for teachers and students to bookmark for quick and easy access to calming music/videos, mindfulness activities, and tools for self-soothing. The SEL & Restorative Teams encourage students and teachers to check it out!