March 2022
Palma Ceia Elementary
SEL and AB/AR in an Elementary School
A Quick Word on SEL and our Focus on Equity and Antiracism or AB/AR: According to Dena Simmons -Assistant Director at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence - Social and emotional learning (SEL) equips young people with competencies to lead productive and healthy lives. There are barriers, however, that prevent many students of color and other marginalized youth from developing social and emotional competencies. For all students to benefit, SEL must be grounded in a larger context of equity and justice efforts within public education.
Studies have found that mindfulness meditation practices not only cultivate positive emotional states toward others but also reduce our knee-jerk biases against certain social groups. In particular, studies on loving-kindness meditation, which includes discussing and cultivating love and compassion toward oneself and others, have found that it increases social connectedness and reduces bias. This may be because mindfulness subjects our unconscious biases and impulses to the scrutiny of our conscious awareness.
Sure enough, a recent experiment found that when teachers received mindfulness training, they felt less stressed and were less quick to punish students. Engaging in a short daily practice of loving-kindness meditation can potentially help us reduce bias and connect more deeply with our students and their communities.
Identity: Related to all the ways we identify and are identified by others
Connected Topics
SEL
Relevance
Awareness
Visual Arts Virtual Event
March is Arts is Education Month in HUSD! Palma Ceia hosted a Visual Arts Event in their community earlier this month as part of our internal celebrations!
The arts are essential. They teach students innumerable lessons—practice makes perfect, small differences can have large effects, collaboration leads to creativity, and so much more. The arts also teach children that there are several paths to take when approaching problems and that all problems can have more than one solution. And importantly, art has been used as an accessible tool for communication, raising awareness about social issues and affecting positive change throughout history. When art intersects with political activism and social justice causes, it inspires both awareness and action to create a more just and equitable world.
Related Resources:
Art and Social Justice resources by PBS
Artworks To Discuss Social Justice Issues With Students
Using Art to Explore Injustice and Social Justice
Arts Education & Social-Emotional Learning Outcomes Among K12 Students
Skills: Related to being able to fully participate as a citizen in this country upon high school graduation
Connected Topics
College and Career Readiness
Democratic participation
Pursuit of happiness
Introducing Ms. Smith!
I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Ms. Smith more than once where I learned both from her and her students! I particularly enjoyed sharing in their SEL practice “Tell Me Something Good!” During this dynamic activity, Ms. Smith passes around a rubber duckie speaking totem and the holder literally tells us anything good they want to share after we all sing and hear the related song “Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus/ Chaka Khan (artist/activist). Beyond regularly incorporating SEL intro her instruction, Ms. Smith facilitates student voice and choice, often having students themselves lead learning and discussions and intentionally using humor as a redirection tool for students.
Related Resources:
Chaka Khan (1953- ) • - Blackpast
PBS Resources in Social And Emotional Development
Home of the free SEL video lessons of the week
5 Social Emotional Learning Activities for High School
5 Ways to Give Your Students More Voice and Choice | Edutopia
Intellect: Related to what we understand deeply about truth, not just facts
Connected Topics
Counternarratives
Scholarship
History and context
AB/AR PD Conversations & Applications
Debriefing some of the AB/AR Professional Development experiences with staff led to a discussion of both barriers and also passion points to continue this work. Palma Ceia has been ‘doing the work’ as we all continue working in HUSD to have a shared understanding of AB/AR; shared language; time to reflect; and opportunities to collaborate about how we might best interrupt inequities and racist outcomes. Not so surprisingly, sometimes major barriers include a lack of trust and difficulty reimagining an equitable and inclusive world that has yet to exist. Some of the courageous ways Palma Ceia continues to move the work forward has been to develop tighter community bonds and to explore AB/AR in the Classroom via their Instructional Leadership Team, who is also utilizing our anchor concepts and ideas drawn from Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Cultivating Genius.
For example, they have begun planning an SBDM-audit of what is celebrated to ensure they are truly being inclusive and reflecting the community’s diversity. They have also lifted up some internal best practices, which include for example, teachers hosting Socratic Seminars with students; student-led and cooperative learning structures; strong teacher-student and student-student positive relationships; and leaning on the fact that many of the parents in the community are also alumni of Palma Ceia who have great Panther Pride!
Related Resources:
4 Barriers to Dialoguing About Race and How to Overcome Them
Root Out Biases and Barriers - NEA EdJustice
7 Diversity Activities And Icebreakers For Coworkers - Sling
Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum
Anti-Bias Education - Teaching for Change
5 Anti-Racism Videos for School Staff - We Are Teachers
Criticality: Related to what we do strategically to improve the world for all
Connected Topics
Antiracism
Power
Inspired transformative action
Read Across America Event and Follow-Up
As I entered the beautiful campus ready to read, I walked into the hallway of the main office where I was greeted by tunes floating in the air. The music I hear came from a boombox that plays sounds daily at Palma Ceia. Staff told me students will often stop by to listen, dance, and connect, and that this is just one of the ‘pick-me-ups’ they say that not only make a positive difference, but that helps build community on campus after more than a year away from being in-person.
‘Read Across America Day’ first began in 1998 by the NEA as a way to encourage children to read. It later developed into a year-round program, with special celebrations in March focused on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone and for everyone.
Palma Ceia not only hosted a Read Across America event on campus, they will begin engaging in a conversation about the origins and potential future of the national event in terms of equity and antiracism. They acknowledge the complexities of the event being tethered to Dr. Suess to find ways that celebrate reading and literacy in culturally and linguistically responsive ways.
Related Resources:
The debate over Dr. Seuss, explained
How We Can Celebrate Dr. Seuss & Read Across America Day While Rejecting Racist Tropes
Joy: Related to one impact of learning new things about the world
Connected Topics
Affirming all of who we are
Motivation
Celebration
Spirit Days and Whole-School Photo
Each week Palma Ceia has School Pride Fridays as a fun way to encourage Panther Pride, a positive culture, and unity among students, most important given our context. In addition they have monthly spirit days where the options to participate are promoted also both in English and Spanish and include fun opportunities to show connection, culture and pride in many ways and to also earn incentives.
Recently, Palma Ceia had a whole-school color-coordinated photo shoot in which each grade level had the choice to participate (all did) and wear their Spirit Week class level colors in a picture demonstrating their unity and renewed community. This was the first time they were able to be in one photo together and follow COVID safety protocols to build community and boost spirits after an intense couple of months.
Related Resources:
5 ways educators infuse joy into learning | K-12 Dive
Research Connects School Spirit and Student Achievement
50 Spirit Day Ideas for Elementary Schools - SignUp Genius
14 Spirit Week Ideas That Kids Of All Ages Can Get Into