| By: Kim Gulbrandson 13 Reasons Why Teachers Are Appreciated May 9th is National Teacher Appreciation Day, a time to show our thanks to teachers for all they do. In honor of this day and of teachers in general, I asked others about why they value teachers. I interviewed children, parents and grandparents, including Joan Duffell, Executive Director of Committee for Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the safety and well-being of children through social-emotional learning and development. Of course, I added in my thoughts too. In total, 13 of us share why we appreciate teachers, and we mean every last word!Read More
| By: Shauna McBride Social-Emotional Learning The field of social-emotional learning (SEL) has made many exciting strides since Committee for Children introduced its first curriculum in 1989. During April 2017, in particular, a number of reports were published intended to advance the field of SEL.Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Tap Into Empathy and Respect and You Can Connect Communication is the key to many aspects of life. By teaching important social skills like listening and empathy, educators give students the tools to respectfully interact with their peers and the adults in their lives. Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Preparing Students for Tough Conversations From childhood to adulthood, conversations have an impact on daily life. We communicate every day, many times a day, and the skills we use to talk with others determine whether the outcomes of these interactions are good or bad.Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Grit, Growth Mindset, Mindfulness: Are These Trending Topics of SEL? Social emotional learning (SEL) is trending in education. The last 15 years of research has shown the many benefits to teaching SEL, such as reductions in violence and truancy and gains in academic test scores. Read More
| By: Committee for Children SEL Builds a Stronger Workforce On September 14 Committee for Children and CASEL co-sponsored a Congressional briefing, The Importance of Employability Skills: How and Why Educators Should Teach These Skills. The briefing was supported by the Career and Technical Education Caucus and attended by over 60 people including three members of Congress—Rep. Tim Ryan, D-OH, Rep. Susan Davis, D-CA and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, co-chair of the Caucus.Read More
| By: Committee for Children Why Don’t Kids Report Bullying? There’s good evidence that young people often don’t report bullying to adults. Children are adept at hiding bullying-related behaviors and the unequal “shadow” power dynamics that can exist among them. Because of this secrecy, adults underestimate the seriousness and extent of bullying at their schools. Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Understanding and Inspiring a Growth Mindset—4 Ways to Get Started A new school year is about to begin. As you revisit your goals and plans for the year, imagine cultivating these characteristics in your students: They are equipped to deal with challenges when faced with difficult work. They believe in their capabilities and in their capacity to improve. They seek challenging learning opportunities and view them as opportunities to learn. They thrive on obstacles and rise to the challenge when things get difficult. They believe they have control over their present and future. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Prevent Risky Behaviors and Promote Good Decision Making Who wouldn't want 42 percent less physical aggression and 20 percent less bullying in middle schools? Teaching the Second Step middle school program can result in improvements like these and more. But don't just take our word for it. In this post, blogger Kim Gulbrandson explores the third-party endorsements, research, and approach to the program that make it so effective and worth a look! Read More
| By: Kim Gulbrandson Expand Your Bullying Prevention Toolkit with Social-Emotional Learning Every year schools and communities across the country unite in their bullying prevention efforts during the month of October for National Bullying Prevention Month. Does this mean that if you focus on bullying prevention for one month you’re done? Not at all! This month is meant to jump-start continued efforts to prevent bullying. And social-emotional learning can make a great addition to the toolkit that helps you do this.Read More