At school & in life, social awareness is one of the most important skills you can learn. Social awareness means noticing how people around you are feeling, understanding different perspectives, and thinking about how your actions affect others.

Social Smarts at school can look like: 

• Noticing how someone else may be feeling

• Listening to understand, not just waiting for your turn to talk

• Paying attention to facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice

• Remembering that others may think, feel, or see things differently

• Showing empathy when someone is having a hard time

• Respecting differences, even when you don't understand or agree

• Thinking about how your words and actions may affect others

• Paying attention to the situation and adjusting your behavior when needed

Why do Social Smarts matter? 

• Helps students better understand the people around them

• Builds empathy and stronger relationships

• Strengthens listening and communication skills

• Helps students navigate social situations and misunderstandings

• Encourages respect for different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences

• Helps students become more thoughtful about their words and actions

• Creates a more respectful, inclusive, and connected school community

How Mrs. Tammen promotes Social Smarts 

• Classroom Lessons: Teaching age-appropriate lessons that help students practice empathy, perspective-taking, listening, communication, and recognizing social cues.

• Building Social Awareness: Encouraging students to look beyond themselves and notice the feelings, needs, and perspectives of the people around them.

• Perspective-Taking: Helping students understand that two people can experience the same situation differently—and that understanding another person's point of view doesn't always mean you have to agree with it.

• Positive Communication: Practicing how to listen, respond respectfully, read the situation, and consider how words, tone, and actions may come across to others.

• Collaboration with Families & Teachers: Partnering with adults to help students strengthen social awareness and positive relationship skills across different settings.

• Student Support: Meeting with students individually or in small groups to work through social situations, peer concerns, communication challenges, and ways to better understand themselves and others.