The world around us is changing.  Today’s families are over burdened and our children are feeling stresses they have never felt before.  As educators, we know that kids cannot focus and excel academically if they are preoccupied with stress or anxiety.  We are becoming increasingly aware that our students need more from us than just academics.  This course is designed to help you not add something else to your already overflowing plate, but to incorporate effective techniques into your everyday interactions with students.  You will have the opportunity to reflect on your curriculum lessons and activities to maximize your students’ success.  This course will encourage you to work with other participants to find and implement strategies that will help you reach each student, and give you the opportunity to reflect upon your current teaching style.  It will offer you resources and ideas and allow you to collaborate with other elementary school professionals on best teaching practices.

Students enrolled in this course will

Know...

• resources available to them as classroom teachers
• real world statistics regarding the need for SEL
• how to communicate SEL strategies to parents and caregivers

Understand...

• the 5 Competencies of Social Emotional Learning
• the need for SEL in the classroom 
• strategies for enhancing their own social and emotional skills

and Be Able To...