What improves achievement by an average 11 percent, increases appropriate social behavior, improves students’ attitudes, and reduces stress? Social Emotional Learning. Author-educator Marilee Sprenger shares brain-wise strategies to blend SEL into your everyday practice.
It is not the skills or rules of sports that our students will remember from our teaching of physical literacy, writes PHE teacher Anthony De Giorgio, but the environment and experiences we provided that allowed them to not only learn, but to also have fun and be a kid.
Every summer educators ask these questions: (1) How can we lessen summer learning loss? and (2) How can we help build students’ SEL skills? Sarah Tantillo and Meredith Murray share the story of a Summer Bridge program and some useful resources to address both questions.
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/26/2018 · Last modified 01/17/2020
Filled with thought-provoking ideas on how to meet the social and emotional needs of our students, Amber Chandler’s The Flexible SEL Classroom guides us with ideas and activities to try while meeting the curricular mandates we are given, writes Laura Von Staden.
Adolescent Development / Book Reviews
by MiddleWeb · Published 07/26/2018 · Last modified 11/17/2019
In addition to explaining the brain science behind adolescent risk taking, John Medina’s Attack of the Teenage Brain! is filled with valuable information to change the way teachers respond to adolescents in the classroom, says educator Elizabeth OBrien.
Given what we know about the adolescent brain, is it realistic to attempt to teach middle school students how to manage their emotions and use their best knowledge and judgment? Emotional intelligence expert Dr. Maurice Elias says it’s not only realistic but imperative.
In the 100+ pages of Two Teachers in the Room, Elizabeth Stein provides a treasure trove of strategies, tips and ideas not only for co-teaching, but also for creating a student-centered learning environment in every classroom, says ESE leader Laura Von Staden.
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 05/10/2018 · Last modified 11/21/2019
SEL is a hot topic in education circles today, and it should be, writes reviewer Rita Platt. If you are looking for lesson plans and ideas to help you boost social and emotional learning, Boost Emotional Intelligence in Students will be a great addition to your toolkit.
Mindfulness, teacher self-care, and increased job satisfaction for teachers are currently hot topics. Teacher librarian Rita Platt finds Lisa J. Lucas’ helpful book, Practicing Presence, a welcome addition to the conversation about Social Emotional Learning for educators.
Constructivist Thinking / Two Teachers in the Room
by Elizabeth Stein · Published 11/26/2017 · Last modified 11/29/2019
How do teachers influence students’ opportunities to connect with themselves as learners on a deep level? Coach and NBCT Elizabeth Stein provides tips to shift away from a behaviorist pedagogy and toward strategies that have students actively seeking knowledge and strengthening skills.
