Social Emotional Learning Digital Journal

I am really proud of this new resource dealing with social emotional learning. While being at home during the pandemic, I have been going on walks and listening to podcasts. I have really learned a lot from Krista St. Germain's Widowed Mom Podcast and Jenny Lisk's Widowed Parent Podcast. As a young widow with children, these resources have been really valuable. These podcasts are great even if you aren't a widow. One episode I really learned a lot was Krista's Ep #3: How to Feel Better Now – The three most common ways of dealing with emotion and why they’re not serving you plus a fourth way to process your emotions and start feeling better right now.

This year has been full of challenges for our family but I have learned that I can change my thoughts and choose my responses. I don't always choose well and it is a work in progress. I wanted to package what I've been learning for my students so I created a digital journal for Google Classroom addressing Emotions, When I'm Not Happy, Happiness, Kindness, Empathy, and Gratitude. Practicing empathy and gratitude can change our entire perspective. I hope to share my growth with my students this year and help them learn and grow too academically, socially, and emotionally.

Link HERE

Preview the resource 

I have learned that there are a lot of social misconceptions about handling emotions. How wonderful to get to help our students learn healthy skills. We all will encounter difficulties. Tools in our tool box to handle them effectively, benefit all of us. 

One skill I really wanted to teach my own children and students is the N.O.W. of emotions.

In the section on Emotions, this is explained and practiced. Specific slides cover each of the components of feeling emotion with the N.O.W. system that Krista St. Germain explains in episode 3 of her podcast. It is so powerful and healthy. 

As a widow and mom of children who have lost their father, I'm grateful for this concrete path to feel and experience emotion and then let it move on. An emotion is a physical vibration brought on by a thought. That is all. This is helpful when we are experiencing so many challenging emotions and wonder if this is going to define us. It isn't. I also love how Krista explains that we can have an even brigher future than ever imagined. I thought the happy years were over with my husband's death. But, it doesn't have to be that way. I am in charge of creating a life and future for myself that it can be amazing. That gem of a thought is a lifeline and transformative for me.

Here is a video that shows more of the slides.

Here is the Table of Contents for this resource.

Videos from YouTube are included to give examples and teach. Who doesn't love a Kid President video. Go SoulPancake!

In addition to sections on healthy traits, 17 Gratitude Journal Templates are included.

This has been a challenging resource to complete. Rigorous research and successful strategies have been included in a student friendly format for the classroom or distance learning. I hope you find this helpful for you and your students.

For more ideas on creating relationships and a positive classroom environment, check out my friend Lisa Yeip's post with 5 great ideas. Click Here

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