Social Emotion Learning (SEL)
. The Melbourne Declaration Goal 2 stipulates that “All young Australians become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens”. Reinforcing the importance of teaching skills such self-awareness, resilience and empathy to our students. To facilitate this in schools it is important that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is supported, which is why I have created The Spotlight on You intervention programme.
Curriculum Intervention Unit
Title - Spotlight on You!
Description of Unit – This whole school intervention unit has been created to enhance students thinking about Self. Through this unit we will practically explore, Self-Esteem, Self-Regulation, Emotional Regulation and Empathy. Outcomes of this unit will include a combination of evidence-based strategies that enable students to use positive thinking and reasoning skills.
Week & Topic - 1 Self-Esteem and Self -Awareness
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Outcomes
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To acknowledge feelings and emotions.
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The recognise similarities and differences in peers.
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To learn how to use positive thinking.
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To understand how to build self-esteem with the use of positive affirmations.
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Teaching and Learning - 40 Minutes
10 Mins Introduction of Unit and Check In
Each student will be asked to check in with the mood meter. This does not need to be done publicly they can acknowledge to themselves.
Introduce the idea of Self-Awareness using the provided descriptors.
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Check for prior knowledge
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Give a brief introduction.
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Think pair share – times they have used self-awareness.
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5 Mins Activity One – “Carousel Connections”.
Form two circles the inside one facing the outside one. After each question the outer circle will move right so that students are talking with different people each time;
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One positive thing that happened today.
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Three things you have in common
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How can we promote health and well-being in school?
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10 Mins Activity Two – Positive Partners
In pairs decide A and B. A is to talk for 3 minutes about (hobbies, family, likes and dislikes). B listens, go around the room and B will say three things about A. (Then we reverse this and B talks)
15 Mins Activity Three – Building Paper Aeroplanes
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Create your paper aeroplane
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Anonymously write three positive things about yourself.
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Fly Aeroplane each student will read one out. Discuss similarities and differences
Assessment
Formative based on engagement during the lesson
Summative - Spotlight on Me Journal, Students will fill in page one (positive affirmations) and reflect on the lesson today
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Resources
Mood Meter App - http://moodmeterapp.com/
Self-Awareness Descriptors (CASEL, 2018, para. 2)
Information about school counselling service
http://www.gungahlincollege.act.edu.au/our_college/our_houses
A4 Paper and YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AljTDb2cyhc
Spotlight on Me Gratitude Journal – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Gratitude-Journal-For-Middle-School-2862444
Positive Affirmations Worksheet
http://www.selfesteemboston.com/pdfs/AFFIRMATIONS[1].pdf
Spare Paper and Pens
Week & Topic - 2 Self-Regulation and Self-Management
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Outcomes
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To acknowledge feeling and emotions.
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To understand how breathing can regulate stress.
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To build strategies to avoid distractions.
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To be able to set and complete a set of smart goals
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Teaching and Learning
5 Mins Introduction of Self-Regulation and Check In
Each student will be asked to check in with the mood meter. This does not need to be done publicly they can acknowledge to themselves.
Introduce the term Self-Management using the provided descriptor (CASEL, 2018, para.3). (The Same Process as Lesson 1)
10 Mins Activity One - Yoga and Body Breaks
Guide students through sun salutation (The Yoga Lotus, n.d., para. 2). Discuss, how they feel and what strategies they already use as a body break during their studying. (ideas to suggest, going for a run, meditating, dancing)
10 Mins Activity Two – Simon Says with Distractor
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Whole class - play Simon says
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Student is nominated as a distractor (remind about safe and supportive classroom).
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Three rounds of this and then discuss what strategies students used to ignore the distractions. (Milwaukee Public School, 2017, p. 3)15 Mins Activity Three - Writing smart goals (Reachout.com, 2018 -b, p.29).
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Introduce Smart Goals, (prior knowledge).
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Create Smart goals for their study time, consider how they study now and how they would like to be able to study. (taking breaks, staying calm, not procrastinating)
Assessment
Formative Assessment – Based on engagement during the lesson
Summative Assessment – Smart Goals to be presented in at the end of the lesson and stuck into journal (exit pass).
Resources
Mood Meter App - http://moodmeterapp.com/
Self- Management Descriptor (CASEL, 2018, para.3)
Sun Salutation Sequence (The Yoga Lotus, n.d., para. 2)
Smart Goal Setting Worksheet Page 29
Simon Says with Distractor http://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/MPS-English/CAO/Documents/PBIS/SAIG-Curriculum/1-3IGNORINGDISTRACTIONS.docx
Spotlight on Me Gratitude Journal – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/FREE-Gratitude-Journal-For-Middle-School-2862444
Spare Paper and Pens
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Week & Topic - 3 Emotional Regulation and Relationship Skills
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Outcomes
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To acknowledge feeling and emotions.
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To use pauses to stimulate the pre-frontal cortex and reasoning.
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To acknowledge that the control you have over the world is limited to yourself.
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To understand the importance of self
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To understand how emotions effect you, your learning and your relationships.
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Teaching and Learning
5 Mins Introduction and Check in
Discussion time about emotions
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How they can affect you and your relationships.
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Students that are comfortable check in publicly, (volunteers to share their feelings).
10-15 Mins Activity One – Stop Think Breathe and Respond
Using the following scenarios, student to work in small groups to re-enact with a negative, then positive outcome
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Someone has sent a message to you that speaks about one of your friends in a nasty light. How do you confront them and fix the situation?
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You have just gotten a bad result on a test and now you have to go and talk to the teacher about it.
15 Mins Activity Two – Circle of Influence (Covey, 1991, as cited in Beatty, 2000, p. 85).
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On the worksheet provided students note down the people in their life that influence them in a positive way.
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Create a class positive circle of influence and share ideas about people and things that can help (Reachout.com, 2018 -b, p. 22).
Assessment
Hand out post it’s, record a random act of kindness they do over the next week
Resources
Mood Meter App - http://moodmeterapp.com/
Positve Circle of Influence Worksheet Page 22
Post it notes
Pens
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Week and Topic - 4 Social Awareness and Responsible Decision Making
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Outcomes
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To acknowledge feeling and emotions.
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To understand how kindness to others makes you feel.
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To explore empathy and the impact on relationships.
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To learn how to use reflection as a self-regulation tool.
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To create a set of strategies that are personalised and effective during times of stress and anxiety.
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Teaching and Learning
5 Mins Introduction and Check in
Discussion time about emotions,
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How they can affect you and your relationships.
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Check in can be done publicly, as a class.
10 Mins Activity One – Random Acts of Kindness
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Discussion about what was done.
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Students reflect in their Spotlight on Me Journal.
20 Mins Activity Two – Amazing Empathy Race
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Each student creates a clue about themselves, class take turns to solve them.
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Once the solve the clue the class has chance to ask about that students hopes and dreams. And challenges they have faced (TeachersGuild, 2017, p. 3).
10 Mins Activity Three Reflection Time
Reflect on the strategies that we have discussed, ask for more information and note down three they want to use.
Assessment
Note down three strategies that they would like to use during Exam and Assessment Time and note them down in their Spotlight on Me Journal
Resources
Mood Meter App - http://moodmeterapp.com/
Spotlight on Me Gratitude Journal – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/FREE-Gratitude-Journal-For-Middle-School-2862444
Spare Paper and Pens
Envelops for Clues
Ideas for Empathetic Questions - https://www.fastcompany.com/3057294/7-interview-questions-for-measuring-emotional-intelligence