Tag Archives: SEL

SEL and Setting Intentions In Kindergarten

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Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an essential part of living and learning. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has 5 core SEL competencies, called the CASEL 5 – self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

According to CASEL, the social emotional learning that happens as we develop and use these 5 core competencies “is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

I don’t know about you, but I think that list of outcomes is spectacular! I read it and say, “Oh, yeah. I want that!” And, I don’t just want that for myself. I want it for my family, my students, and gosh, for the world.

I’m always looking for ways to enhance the SEL in my classroom. My question is always how to most effectively and efficiently give my students agency over their own SEL. I think I’ve found an answer in intention setting.

We talked a lot about setting intentions in our B4C training. We considered: How do I want to show up? What do I want to notice? What emotion do I want to cultivate?

Sometimes our instructors would invite us to join them in a particular intention. At other times they would encourage us to take a moment, and then set our own intention for our practice, or our time together. As I set intentions, I noticed myself using the CASEL competencies.

Self-awareness and self-management: What am I feeling/thinking? What did I hope to feel/think? What do I need? What might help me reach my goal?

Social awareness: Who is around me? How might I influence them, and them me? How do I want to show up in relationship to them? How might I grow?

Relationship skills: How might I show up as a leader, speaker, listener, and/or collaborator?

Responsible decision making: Might I increase my curiosity, courage or kindness? What is my role? Might I think more critically, more creatively? What is happening today? How does all of this impact my decision of how I might show up?

My best intention setting happens when I am present to myself, others, and the moment. I’m able to breathe, notice, think, and choose an intention that actually helps me to become the person I want/need to be in that moment in time. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? But, I tell you it’s true. Our minds are incredibly powerful, and our thoughts, emotions, mental images, and inner talk actually shape our brains, our experiences and our very selves. There’s tons of research out there if you’re interested. Here’s one article from Stanford News on the ability of our minds to shape our reality.

I definitely want to share the practice of setting intentions with my Kindergartners.

I imagine the power my Kindergartners will experience as they decide how they want to show up — kind, brave, happy, curious. I am sure there will be lots of modeling, lots of inviting them to join me in an intention, and lots of conversations about our intentions. We will have opportunities to share our intentions. We’ll wonder and talk about how it might look for us to live our intentions to be kind, or to be a good friend, or to be brave. At other moments we’ll check in with ourselves and each other to recall our intentions, reset them, or simply celebrate remembering that we set an intention. We might explore what happens if we set an intention and then forget it, or don’t actually do what we intend. It’s all part of our SEL and growth as our best selves.

I’m super excited to begin this work with my Kindergarten colleagues. My intention is to honor them as capable human beings, and give them tools they can use now and in the future. I’m hopeful this supported agency and growth in the CASEL 5 will empower them to be more self aware, more mindful, and more in charge of themselves and our classroom community.

I believe in the goodness and ability of my Kindergartners, and I believe in the power of this process. I know that there may be times I will need to intervene, so I will of course, remain in the mix. But, my plan is to remain more as a lead learner and model, rather than an arbitrator of all things necessary. I’m confident we will experience a positive difference in our classroom community – socially, emotionally, and academically.

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Oh.my.gosh!

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My fingers stand poised above the keyboard, waiting for directions from my brain. For many moments, nothing comes. It’s not that my brain has nothing to say. It’s almost as though it has too much to say. So I wait.

Perhaps it will help to say it again. OH.MY.GOSH! Yes, somehow saying it again has helped.

So. This happened just a few days ago.

I graduated the 200 Hour Training Intensive with Breathe for Change!

I am a certified SEL facilitator and (200 hour) yoga teacher.

OH.MY.GOSH!

How amazing is that?

It’s very amazing — not just because I graduated, but because I learned, I did, I experienced, I grew, and I glowed. It’s amazing and fantabulous how much I did of each of those things. Here’s a bit of what I gleaned and want to remember for my life and my teaching practice.

BE AN UNAPOLOGETIC HUMAN CRUISING ALONG WITH AND TO GRACE
Be kind. Be your best self. Show up knowing that there is grace and goodness in each moment. Apologize for being unkind, don’t apologize for being human. Did something touch you and you were overjoyed? Live it. Were you overwhelmed — enough for tears to flow? Experience it. Being alive is a huge gift. Honor who you are, and be open to greater transformation and grace. 

Wouldn’t this be an amazing lesson for our students? I imagine things like: Don’t apologize when you make a mistake or don’t understand something. Notice it, accept it, learn from it, use it, but don’t apologize. Celebrate the struggle. Celebrate being willing to say “I don’t get it.” Celebrate the learning. And also perhaps, start noticing the things for which we should apologize and the new ways we want to show up.

THERE IS POWER IN MY BREATH, BODY, MIND, AND BEING
It’s amazing how powerful simple things like noticing my breath, and accepting it can be. As I practiced mindfulness with my breath, I noticed myself becoming more aware and mindful in other ways. Just yesterday I was outside and thought, “Have those flowers always been there like that?!?!” It was as though I saw them anew. It was wild.

As I experienced the power of the mindfulness practices, I kept thinking — “Oh.my.gosh. I want to share this with my students! How amazing and empowering would it be for them to experience and embrace the power they carry around with them every moment of the day!”

SHOW UP – MAKE MAGIC
Show up as your best self in each moment. Even if it’s difficult — and it’s often difficult.

Isn’t that a great message to share with others? “Yes, showing up is hard. I get it. Sometimes it’s hard for me, too. It doesn’t mean you’re not good enough, or you’re doing something wrong. It just means some things are difficult.”

I’m thinking of my Kindergartners as they walk into school the first day. It’s a gigantic struggle for some of them. Sometimes it’s a struggle for their parents, too. I wonder how it might feel to have somehow say “Yup, it’s hard, no doubt about it. But guess what. You did the hardest part! You’re amazing, and fantabulous, and super brave. You showed up. You came in. I’m so glad you did. I can’t WAIT to see what kind of magic we create together today, and every day!”

CREATE A PROCESS AND SELL IT
I laughed as I decided on the heading for this section. Sell it sounds so anti-mindfulness and yoga, and yet, I still like it.

Sell it! Help others buy into the process. Use language that conveys the beauty and power of the process. Allow your emotions to express more than your words might express on their own.

The B4C trainers said things like, “I can’t wait to share this incredible process with you.” or “This is my favorite form of meditation. I’m so excited for you to try it.” Their excitement and conviction, made a difference. It heightened our interest level, and encouraged us to about take risks and give it a go.

I’m always doing my best to use my language, emotions, and behavior to rock the peace, positivity, and possibility vibes in my learning space. Intentionally and regularly selling the process and product of learning is a perfect addition to my teaching practice.

I really like the idea of being clear about my excitement and enjoyment of whatever I’m presenting. This also means I need to be assess my process and product. In order to share my excitement, I actually have to be excited. If I’m not excited, why am I teaching it the way I am? And, if I am excited by it, then, yes, share the love!

I CAN CREATE AND HOLD SPACE – LET ME MAKE IT GOOD SPACE
The B4C training was an incredible 6 weeks of creating and holding space for ourselves and each other. The affirmation, joy, and love were palpable and powerful. From the first welcome “Hello fabulous educators!” to the graduation goodbye — “”You matter! We love you!” B4C spoke to us about how they saw us. They spoke to us about who we are. They spoke to us about how they want us to see ourselves. Amazing isn’t it?

Teaching is about so much more than the information I’m sharing or the activities we’re doing. It’s even more than the thinking and creating. Teaching is about helping others to see and know themselves as the amazing humans they already are, and the even more amazing humans they are becoming.

Imagine starting your very first class — or each one of your classes — with this statement, “Hello fantabulous learners. I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t wait to share this incredible thing with you!” Now imagine ending it with “Wow! Look at all you’ve done, and learned! I’m going to open some space for you. I’d love to hear how you feel, and what you think …”

Talk about transformational!

So, yes! OH.MY.GOSH! The B4C Wellness, SEL, and Yoga Teaching Training is amazing. I’m so glad I took the risk and did it. It’s been transformational.

If your interest is at all piqued give them a look. Here’s a link to their digital 200 hour Wellness, SEL and Yoga Teacher Training information and application — no pressure, no commitment, just an opportunity to talk about the program and see if it makes sense for you.

And, whether or not you choose to become part of Breath For Change, remember you make a difference every moment of every day — for yourself and others! Keep being remarkable.