SEL in the classroom

SEL has become a buzz word and it seems like everyone keeps saying that we need to check on our students and teachers... but ​who is actually teaching students to name their emotions and regulate them? Who is teaching students to understand why they are reacting in a certain way? 
SEL practices have been around for a long time, and I think we need to share some tools with our students. These practices are truly THE BEST way to settle down and keep our students grounded and focus throughout the class. 

​As some of you know, because you follow me on Insta (Thank you! ILY), I am doing a course on SEL facilitation and Yoga Teacher Training. I have always loved meditation, yoga, and all the things that have to do with introspection, but I never knew how to teach them and share those tools with my students. 

This is not an ad for Breath 4 Change (the organization where I'm getting my training), but I have to say that they have been a tremendous help and have provided the tools I needed to feel confident teaching my students to discover who they are and what the want through SEL practices. 

I want to share with you how I have incorporated some SEL practices into my classroom, so hopefully you can find a way to practice these too. So here is how I made it happen:

• I chose four SEL tools to focus on (one per quarter)
• I explained the importance of SEL practices to my students and why I wanted to give them these tools
• I gave them choice - I allow them to sit quietly or step out if they need to, since getting in touch with your emotions can be triggering for some students
• I made sure to explain the purpose and how we were going to do our SEL practice the first time and let them make it their own after that
• I always use the first 5 minutes of class instead of a "warm up" or "bell ringer" for SEL - this way students know exactly what to expect and it helps them settle down for class

These are the practices I have incorporated:

• Quarter 1; Meditation - If you are not feeling confident leading a meditation of your own yet, you can always use apps like Headspace or Clam. You don't have to overextend yourself to make something happen. 
• Quarter 2: Journaling - You can find different prompts online. I use an app called "Lifecraft" for my own personal use, but I also have this resource with 50 prompts in Spanish. You can always do a quick google search as well, there are tons of options. I would suggest to keep a theme for the week (if possible) like gratitude, values, exploration of self, etc.
• Quarter 3: Mindful Movement - this sounds a lot like yoga, but it doesn't have to be. The gaol is just to connect their movement with their breath and setting an intention. It's also a good way to make it fun (like silent disco) and get them comfortable in their own bodies
• Quarter 4: Breathing - There are a lot of breathing practices that can be trigger that's why I left this for last. If you want to incorporate breath work you should really do some research. I strongly suggest doing one of the free webinars from B4C or just give students the space to do their own thing. After providing them with three tools, they can choose what they feel they need. 

I hope this is useful and that you can feel confident in sharing these practices with your students. The most important part is to start!! You will get better with time as you continue to practice teaching/leading these SEL practices. 

Un abrazo,   
- Jimena