Strategies 

To implement a procedure, you must teach it, rehearse it and then reinforce it. The way I would teach procedures in the classroom is by a visual of the procedures. For example, a picture of students lining up, one behind the other,. I will then model it, then we will practice lining up together as a class. We will continue to learn this procedure for a few weeks until they get it down. 

It is important to do this consistently with the students so that they learn it and know this is an expectation. You will have those who are stragglers or wigglers, but we need to reteach them how to stand in a line.

            The reason why we need a procedure in the classroom is according to the book better than carrots and sticks, “human societies tend to thrive when they develop rules to structure interactions, ensure fairness, and create a safe climate for all.” If we don’t have certain procedures in place, there will be chaos and lots of disruptions in the classroom. Students like predictability, they thrive on knowing what’s next. 

Routines not only save learning time, but it create positive behaviors in the classroom. It also mentions in the book that having procedures in place helps the students look out for one another and help one another. When students know the procedure, they start to take that initiative on their own and start to follow them and remind other students of them, this promotes their independence.  

A cozy corner in a classroom is more than just a physical space; it’s a vital element in building a trusting and creative classroom culture. This space serves as a refuge where students can take a moment to self-regulate, reflect, or simply find comfort, fostering a sense of security and belonging. The Cozy Corner is a space where there is bean bags and twinkle lights, inspiring posters and art, and resources for mindfulness and meditation. It is a constant in the classroom where students need a break. Zaretta Hammond highlights the importance of creating culturally responsive environments where students feel understood and supported. A cozy corner can embody this by being a space that reflects the diverse needs and backgrounds of students, offering them a personalized and calming environment. Such a space not only supports emotional well-being but also encourages students to take risks in their learning, knowing they have a safe space to retreat to when needed. This trust and safety are foundational for a classroom where creativity and critical thinking can thrive. 

Rationale: https://www.edutopia.org/article/creating-welcoming-classroom/ 

One strategy for Social Emotional Learning is implementing the Lunch Bunch for students needing support in their school day. A small group of students (usually 4-6 students) meet regularly for a lunchtime gathering. This could be weekly or even monthly, depending on the needs of the students. The group is facilitated by teachers, counselors, or support staff. The "lunch bunch" concept involves grouping students together during lunch or other informal times to help build social connections and foster emotional skills. It is often used in schools as part of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs, aiming to improve students' social skills, empathy, and overall emotional well-being (Woolf, 2024).  

The Lunch Bunch is a program utilized in our school. Students will be asked if they want to join a group that meets weekly or monthly, invited to get hot lunch or bring cold lunch, and meet in a designated space. A group facilitator will lead the lunchtime conversation relevant to the group's needs, including social skills, relationships, and cultural identity.  

The Rational for implementing the lunch bunch in our classroom has many benefits on our students. One of the biggest benefits of the lunch bunch is to foster relationships between staff and students, creating relationships that can extend into the classroom and community. Students can be part of a smaller group that needs to work on specific skills like problem solving, social skills or conflict, addressing the SEL Core Competency of Self-Awareness (Bridges, 2023). These groups afford the opportunity to work on SEL learning targets in a smaller group. These groups can also provide opportunities for students to work on a growth mindset and help with setting personal and academic goals.  

References 

Bridges, Cap Aguilar and Clarissa. “A Guide to the Core SEL Competencies [Activities Included].” Www.panoramaed.com, 2023, www.panoramaed.com/blog/guide-to-core-sel-competencies. 

Woolf, Nick. “The Lunch Bunch: A Small-Group Intervention for Building Social Skills.” Panoramaed.com, Panorama Education, 9 July 2021, www.panoramaed.com/blog/lunch-bunch-intervention#:~:text=A%20small%20group%20of%20students. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024. 

A strategy I would utilize in a classroom to promote social emotional learning is mindfulness practice. In particular, deep breathing (breathing in fully and exhaling fully) before the start of class to help reduce levels of stress and anxiety. We would watch videos or listen to calm/relaxing music to practice deep and slow breathing to center our bodies and calm our minds. Research findings show that “mindfulness techniques help focus attention and have the potential to enhance student wellbeing” (Ageret al., 2015).  

Mindfulness breathing practices will be introduced as soon as class starts. We will practice it every day (5 minutes) and students can choose to sit or stand by their desk and practice deep breathing as they follow the video/music I play in class. I will model and lead by example and we’ll focus only on our breathing and release all the tension and stress. Then we’ll have a conversation about how the exercise made us feel and why we will practice mindfulness every day.  

My rationale for using this practice is because it teaches children how to self-soothe, learn to focus, and other critical skills needed for everyday life (Gerszberg, N.D.).  Bringing mindfulness in a classroom will improve their social emotional well-being and their academic learning because students will be more focused and less anxious. One obstacle is that some students might not follow the breathing exercises because it’s “boring”.  I think it’s important to explain to the students why we are doing this and hopefully help them see the benefits of our mindfulness practices.   

Reference: 

Ager, K., Albrecht, N., & Cohen, P. (2015). Mindfulness in schools research project: Exploring students’ perspectives of mindfulness—What are students’ perspectives of learning mindfulness practices at school? Psychology, 6(7), 896–914.  

https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2015.67088  

Gerszberg, C. (n.d.). Best Practices Bringing Mindfulness into Schools. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-in-education/ 

A newsletter is a way to invite parents and guardians into your classroom. It is a way to communicate with parents about the learning that is going on in the classroom.  The newsletter will contain information such as events, classroom needs, learning focus, culture corner or important dates.  It can be sent out every month or bi-weekly. The newsletter is a way to bridge communication from the classroom to the home. It is a way to help families and guardians know what to expect in the classroom and feel part of the class community.    

The newsletter will be sent out bi-weekly. We will have options on how we get this newsletter to families and guardians. We will send out the newsletter digitally and a hard copy until we get to know the preference of the families. The newsletter will be clear and easy to read. We will translate the newsletter to the student's home language if needed. The newsletter will contain classroom information such as upcoming important dates, culture corner, classroom needs, and content learning for the week. It will not contain any personal information on anyone, only school information. Newsletter will also adhere to school policies and procedures.   

The newsletter is important and necessary because it is a way to have communication between the families and guardians. Newsletters not only give parents information but also build community.  It is also a way to get parents involved with classroom events by volunteering. When parents are aware of what's going on in the classroom, it makes it a better learning environment for the students. Having parents engaged with their child's learning not only engages the parent but the student as well. 

One Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) strategy that I will implement in my class is the Mood Meter. This tool was created as part of the RULER approach by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. The Mood Meter is a visual aid teaching tool designed to help students recognize, understand, and manage their emotions. This visual aid is a grid of four different colors representing different combinations of energy and pleasantness with labeled emotions.

 The red portion is high energy and unpleasant feelings such as: anger, anxiety, and frustration. The yellow quadrant is high energy yet pleasant feelings such as: excitement, happiness, and enthusiasm. The blue zone is low energy and unpleasant feelings such as these emotions: sadness, loneliness, and tiredness. And the green zone is low energy and pleasant feelings such as: calmness, contentment, and relaxation. 

At the start of each day, the students will sit in a circle in front of the Mood Meter. Each person gets to share how they are feeling by circling the emotion and using the sentence stem, “I am feeling ____ today because_______.” We will then talk about how our goal as learners is to be in the green zone, and it’s ok if we aren’t there yet. Our goal is to be in a good place for learning. To get there, we can use self-regulation strategies such as deep breathing, using fidgets, drawing, taking a walk, or talking to an adult. This will be used in our classroom every day of the year. 

A possible obstacle when using this method may be that students feel vulnerable and shy in front of their classmates. Sharing will never be forced and always invited. Starting off using the Mood Meter every morning encourages students to build emotional awareness (in themselves & others), and to expand their emotional vocabulary by identifying specific feelings (CASEL, 2023). Reflecting and understanding one’s own emotions helps a person manage how to respond to situations.  

Collaborative for Academics, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). (2023). What is

SEL? CASEL. https://casel.org/what-is-sel/ 

 In many classrooms, students are expected to remain seated and engaged for the whole school day. This is challenging for most, if not all students. “...only 20% of children meet the recommended levels of physical activity, and, on average, students sit for three-quarters of the school day” (Lander et al., 2024). Fortunately, there are many strategies that teachers can use to get their students up and moving as well as partaking in physical activity that benefits their minds and bodies. “Regular physical activity,” according to Lander et al. once more, “provides physical, mental, and cognitive benefits for children” (2024). While it is important we hold strong expectations for our students each school day, we can incorporate structured breaks to ensure that they are engaged and energized for learning.  

The phrase, “structured breaks” seems vague but is indeed a very broad term. After a longer, more difficult lesson, brain breaks involving physical movement are quintessential. This can look like the teacher leading the class in stretching exercises, which help students relax their muscles and get their blood moving. This is extremely helpful if we have been sitting for a longer duration. When bigger body movement is necessary, we can play games such as Four Corners. In this game, all four corners of the room are labeled with a number 1-4, one student who is ‘it’ will stand in the front of the room with their eyes closed and randomly call out numbers 1-4. If students are in the corner labeled with the numbers called out, they are out of the game. The last student standing wins. I have seen this done in many different settings and with many different age groups. This game is a great option for physical activity within the classroom and even builds on classroom community and communication. Other movement breaks that relate to this are scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, Simon says, etc. Other types of structured breaks could include sensory breaks where students can participate in activities that pull from their five senses, interactive videos, organized social interactions, art centered activities, quick write activities, silent reading, brain teasers, math games, and many more. As the list continues, it is important to note that teacher participation in these activities is not only necessary but crucial!  

When implementing structured breaks into your classroom, it is important to understand the needs of your students. What is going on that day? What has been the biggest challenge? Are students feeling tired? Sad? Excited? Overwhelmed? All valid questions when considering these breaks. Different types of activities might be better suited for different situations and each student may benefit differently from all possibilities. With that said, I will implement appropriate, accurate, and beneficial breaks into my classroom schedule. By doing so, I will be keeping my students engaged and ensuring they have the energy they need to be the best learners they can be. I will do my best to understand the needs of my students and ensure that everyone can rest their brains and bodies when it is needed. I will keep in mind that while I have high expectations for my students, I am also aware that to be successful in the classroom, they need to feel safe, relaxed, and comfortable. Structured breaks in their many forms are a great strategy to ensure so. 

References 

Lander, N. J., Contardo Ayala, A. M., Mazzoli, E., Lai, S. K., Orr, J., & Salmon, J. (2024). Beyond “Brain Breaks”: A New Model for Integrating Classroom-Based Active Breaks. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 95(4), 22–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2024.2308253