Optimistic thinking involves individuals having an attitude of confidence, hopefulness, and positive thinking regarding themselves and their life.

Adults can support the development of optimistic thinking by:

• helping students become aware of, and reinforcing, their positive attributes/strengths

• providing opportunities for students to notice and appreciate the strengths of others and the positive events in their lives

• cultivating a sense of gratitude by modeling their own gratitude and providing opportunities for reflection

• fostering a growth mindset that reflects a belief that skills and abilities can be developed through effort and learning. One way to do this is by providing specific praise related to effort and the learning process

Self-awareness involves the abilities to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts.

This includes recognizing one’s strengths and limitations with a well grounded sense of confidence and purpose. Such as:

• Integrating personal and social identities

• Identifying personal assets

• Identifying one’s emotions

• Demonstrating honesty and integrity

• Linking feelings, values, and thoughts

• Examining prejudices and biases

• Experiencing self-efficacy

• Having a growth mindset

• Developing interests & a sense of purpose

Self-management involves the abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations.

Adults can support the development of self-management by:

• creating structured environments, with consistent routines and expectations

• acknowledging that emotions and distractions are natural and intentionally teaching strategies to help children gain control of strong emotions or off-task behaviors

• providing reinforcement, guidance, or encouragement as children practice and use self-management strategies

• modeling use of effective self-management strategies during times when remaining calm and refocusing attention are needed

Goal directed behavior involves a child’s initiation of, and persistence in completing, tasks of varying difficulty.

Adults can support the development of goal directed behavior by:

• Providing opportunities to set meaningful, personally relevant short and long-term goals.

• Encouraging children to set “SMART” goals – goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant (or Realistic), and Time-sensitive.

• Providing formative feedback and reinforcing goal progress, including alerting them when effort or strategies need to be adjusted and supporting their continued effort towards reaching their goal.

• Engaging children in their learning by encouraging the use of reflection and self-monitoring of goal progress.

Social awareness involves understanding the perspectives of and empathizing with others, recognizing one's impact on others, and use of cooperation/tolerance in social situations.

Development of these skills leads to higher-quality relationships, an increased ability to cope with conflicts and misunderstandings, and greater acceptance among individuals and communities with different backgrounds.

Adults can support the development of social awareness by:

• Emphasizing different people's perspectives during pretend play, sports activities, school interactions, and community involvement.

• Providing genuine reinforcement, such as specific praise and recognition, following the practice of socially aware behaviors.

Relationship Skills involves an individual's consistent performance of socially acceptable actions that promote and maintain positive connections with others.

• Children learn relationship skills by observing the actions of important people in their lives such as parents, educators, and peers.

• Adults can intentionally teach relationship skills through activities and assignments (e.g., teaching complements or helpful behaviors).

• Many opportunities for adults to teach and reinforce relationship skills occur outside of structured lessons or activities.

• Children are at different levels with their relationships skills and teaching should be tailored to individual needs.

Personal responsibility is an individual's tendency to be careful and reliable in their actions and in contributing to group efforts.

Adults can help support the development of personal responsibility by:

• Setting a good example and having clear expectations and stable routines

• Providing an abundance of safe and engaging opportunities to practice and demonstrate their abilities

• Trusting children with tasks and activities that require autonomy, care, and reliability

• Reinforcing their demonstration of these skills through specific praise and recognition, which supports ongoing efforts to help them internalize these skills and values

Decision making is an individual's approach to problem-solving. It involves learning from others and previous experience, using one's values to guide action, and accepting responsibility for one's decisions.

Adults can support the development of decision making by:

• Making time for conversations with children about decision making. and “thinking out loud” to model decision-making.

• Teaching children a step-by-step framework or process for making decisions, and helping them predict the consequences of decisions.

• Allowing children to safely experience their own decision making and consequences.

• Providing positive consequences when good decisions are made, rather than just negative consequences for unfavorable decisions.

As the school year comes to a close, use this choice board as a way to reflect on the SEL competencies learned throughout the year and transition to summer by saying goodbye to your class community.

CELEBRATE ALL YOU HAVE LEARNED AND HOW YOU HAVE SUPPORTED EACH OTHER DURING THE JOURNEY!