What is RULER?

RULER is a research-based approach to social emotional learning from Yale University that teaches emotional intelligence to people of all ages, with the goal of creating a healthier, more equitable, innovative, and compassionate society.

What Does RULER Stand For?

R - Recognize Emotions:

  • Better understand others

  • Have positive social interactions

  • Work well in groups

  • Know when children need emotional support

U - Understand the Cause of Feelings:

  • Anticipate, manage, or prevent unwanted feelings in ourselves and others

  • Promote wanted feelings in ourselves and others

  • Support children’s emotional needs

L - Label the Feeling:

  • Communicate our feelings

  • Appropriately manage our feelings

  • Help children learn new vocabulary to express their feelings

E - Express and Display Feelings:

  • Appropriately act in social situations

  • Properly model social behavior for children

R - Regulate and Manage Feelings:

  • Be more effective in reaching our goals

  • Feel more, less, or the same of an emotion

  • Make wise choices about how we respond to emotional situations

The 4 Anchors of Emotional Intelligence

The Mood Meter

The Mood Meter is a tool that helps us understand our emotions. It's made up of four different quadrants with a range of energy and pleasantness. Students and staff check-in daily on the Mood Meter and plot their emotions. This helps build the mental framework for understanding our emotions and how they affect us.

The Charter

The Charter is an agreement guided by the questions:

  • How do you want to feel when we're together?

  • How will we help each other have these feelings?

  • How do we respond when others are not living the Charter?

The Meta Moment

The Meta-Moment is a pause between the moment something happens and our response. Its steps are:

  • Something Happens

  • Sense: Noticing body, thoughts, feelings like sweaty palms and a racing mind

  • Stop: Taking a deep breath

  • See Your Best Self: Remembering the person you want to be

  • Strategize & Succeed: Use an action or thought strategy. For example taking a walk, getting a drink of water, remembering there is more than one way to look at a situation.

The Blueprint

The Blueprint is a set of questions for resolving conflicts:

  • What happened?

  • How did I feel?

  • What caused my feelings?

  • How did I express and regulate my emotions?

  • How might my actions have affected others?

  • Next time how might I respond differently?

For more information, visit the RULER website, check out our Classroom Lessons tab, and keep an eye out in our Monthly Newsletters!