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Promoting Social-Emotional Development and Physical Well-Being Table of Contents Educator’s Voice NYSUT’s journal of best practices in education Volume VII, Spring 2014 Included in this issue: Resilience Reimagined: Mindfulness Promoting Practices in the Classroom Creating a Caring Majority Social-Emotional Building Community with a Kinesthetic Classroom Development and Developing Social Consciousness through Media and Literacy Physical Well-Being The Guided Memoir Process: A Reflection in Four Voices Promoting Social and Emotional Well-Being through Meditation In this issue … Considerable attention is currently focused on developing students’ Decreasing Test Anxiety: A View cognitive skills, on looking at outcomes, at products of learning, and from a Special Education School things that can be measured. But developing the ability to understand self and others, to manage our feelings, to express emotions, and to listen well, Combating Test Anxiety leads to the cultivation of deeper attention and empathy while strengthening Cyberbullying – The New Age the ability to reason, understand, and interpret new information. The devel- of Harassment opment of these qualities can benefit students as individuals and as members of an increasingly collaborative and diverse society. These are lifelong skills Glossary and teachers are poised to help students acquire them. Resources The authors in this issue examine a variety of topics and offer related classroom practices connected to social-emotional learning and physical Call for Proposals for Next Issue well-being. They explore reflective writing and socially responsive media. They raise awareness about bullying, and offer advice for coping with test anxiety. They include ways to use mindfulness techniques like yoga, deep For additional information breathing, and meditation to reduce stress, increase attention, and cultivate on this and other topics, please visit www.nysut.org a positive school climate. All together the articles in this volume remind us that learning can include the creation of caring classroom communities in any setting. A Publication in Support of NYSUT’s initiative to end the achievement gap ©2014 NYSUT Social-Emotional Intelligence “Social and emotional learning (SEL) involves the processes through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” — Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) “. academic intelligence offers virtually no preparation for the turmoil — or opportunity — life’s vicissitudes bring. Yet even though a high IQ is no guarantee of prosperity, prestige, or happiness in life, our schools and our cultures fixate on academic abilities, ignoring emotional intelligence, a set of traits — some might call it character — that also matters immense- ly for our personal destiny.” — Daniel Goleman “Research underlying social and emotional development and learning (SEDL) suggests that a child who is anxious, afraid, preoccupied, depressed, or alienated is a child whose courage or ability to learn is impaired. There are clinical and educational methods available to help children focus their attention even when other thoughts or feelings intrude . SEDL is a contributing component to educating the whole child and engaging the whole school so that students are healthy, physically and emotionally safe, actively engaged, supported, and challenged by a well-balanced curriculum.” — New York State Guidelines and Resources for Social and Emotional Development and Learning http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/ Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ (p.36). NY: Bantam Books. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/sedl/SEDLguidelines.pdf 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110-2455 n (518) 213-6000 n www.nysut.org Now more than ever, educating the whole child is an issue that demands our close attention. At a time when educational pressures are greater, the world is increas- ingly complex, and lives have become more stressful, successful learning cannot be reduced to, or defined by a test score. In addition to thinking, comprehending information, and acquiring knowledge, we know that focusing on emotions and feelings is not separate from, but integral to academic success. NYSUT continues to support the development of social and emotional learning and physical well-being for every student. Learning and intelligence theorists from Bloom to Gardner have emphasized the importance of feelings and emotions in learning. While standardized tests do not measure self-awareness, self-discipline, motivation, or empathy, these traits are vital to a student’s healthy cognitive development. As educators we know it is necessary to address each of these elements in a well-rounded curriculum that supports all dimensions of learning. It might be difficult to focus on math after being bullied on the playground. Or, it might be instructive to discuss feelings and emotions while trying to interpret history. Social- emotional learning can be embedded in everything we teach and nurturing it can help to create a more positive school climate engendering future citizens who are more self-aware, understanding, and sensitive to the diverse needs of others. The authors in this volume explore a range of classroom practices which emphasize the importance of learning in the affective domain. From developing resilience and practicing mindfulness, to promoting social consciousness and combating anxiety, these concepts are illustrated from various perspectives by classroom teachers, building principals, guidance counselors, and professors who graciously shared their insights and experiences. The result is a rich collection of applied theory that exemplifies what social and emotional learning looks like in best practice. New York State United Teachers Affiliated with AFT • NEA • AFL-CIO EDITORIAL BOARD Daniel Kinley Director of Policy and Program Development, NYSUT Debra Nelson Director of NYSUT Education & Learning Trust Elizabeth Sheffer Educational Services, NYSUT Lawrence Waite Manager of Educational Services, NYSUT Research and Educational Services Deborah Hormell Ward Director of Communications, NYSUT Publication Coordinator Leah Lembo Research and Educational Services, NYSUT The Editorial Board wishes to thank the following individuals for their contributions to the development of this volume: Barbara Back, Clarisse Banks, Cynthia DeMichele, Ian Hughes, Glenn Jeffers, Susan Lafond, Terry McSweeney, Melanie Pores, Joan Rogers-Harrington, David Rothfuss, and John Strom. Representing more than 600,000 professionals in education, human services and health care 800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110-2455 518-213-6000 • 800-342-9810 www.nysut.org New York State United Teachers Affiliated with AFT • NEA • AFL-CIO Educator’s Voice NYSUT’s journal of best practices in education Volume VII, Spring 2014 Promoting Social-Emotional Development and Physical Well-Being TABLE OF CONTENTS Resilience Reimagined: Mindfulness Practices in the Classroom..........2 Creating a Caring Majority .......................................12 Building Community with a Kinesthetic Classroom ...................24 NYSUT members may photocopy these copyrighted Developing Social Consciousness through Media and Literacy..........32 written materials for educational use without express The Guided Memoir Process: A Reflection in Four Voices.............40 written permission. Promoting Social and Emotional Well-Being through Meditation........52 Some of the photos in this journal, Decreasing Test Anxiety: A View from a Special Education School .....64 of NYSUT members and their students, were taken by the Combating Test Anxiety ........................................72 following photographers: Peggy King Austin Cyberbullying – The New Age of Harassment .......................74 Maria R. Bastone Glossary .....................................................82 Steve Jacobs El-Wise Noisette Resources ....................................................84 Timothy Harrison Raab Call for Proposals for Next Issue ..................................89 For additional information In this volume of Educator’s Voice, authors may have referenced particular programs, on this and other topics, curricula or websites in the discussion of their work. These references do not imply approval please visit www.nysut.org or endorsement by NYSUT of any particular product, service, or organization. A Publication in Support of NYSUT’s initiative to end the achievement gap ©2014 NYSUT Resilience Reimagined: Mindfulness Practices in the Classroom SUMMARY focused attention, and to suffer from If resilience “… is fewer distractions. Mindfulness is Mindfulness techniques the force that drives essentially “receptivity and full engage- help students and a person to grow through adversity and ment with the present moment,” teachers focus inwardly disruption” (Richardson, 2002, p. (Black, 2011). Being mindful allows on reducing stress, 307) then mindfulness can be defined developing clear individuals to focus clearly on the reali- attention, and interacting as its counterpart; the practice of har- ty of a situation. more positively with nessing our full attention through Amanda Eilenfeld shares one of her others. This group focused intention and practice. The experiences with mindfulness: of authors present a force of resilience is not static and pre-
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