The word theory can become quite confusing…in social work ‘theory’ is thrown around and can often become synonymous with model, approach, or practice. Defining and understanding …

W-Sitting Infographic What is W-Sitting, what are the associated problems and what are solutions? Live in the Chicagoland area? Speak with an expert about your child. Complete the form below and one of our amazing staff members will be in contact with you soon.

Happy August! Many of you will be getting back at it this month and with that comes new folders, new markers, and now, new forms! Whether you’re a new school social worker just starting out or looking to update the outdated forms you’ve been using since the mid 90’s, the pack is sure to meet ...

Hand of Mental Health encourages us to reflect and discuss our everyday choices and their impact on our mental health. How does sleep and rest, food, relationships and emotions affect our mental…

feature art Emotion Sensation Wheel: A new kind of feeling wheel. A therapist-designed resource designed to help make connections between our brains and bodies. Unlike a traditional feelings wheel (first published in 1982 by Gloria

This worksheet highlights and gives an overview of core beliefs, and working toward overcoming negative core beliefs.

Teaching children how to play nicely with others is a common social skill that needs to be frequently addressed. As educators we will say things like, “be kind” or “treat others the way you want to be treated”, however we need to explicitly teach these skills. We cannot expect for children to know these social ... Read More about Social Story: Playing Nicely

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) worksheets for anxiety provide individuals with an effective way to address and manage their anxious thoughts and behaviors. These worksheets offer a structured approach to help individuals identify their specific worries, understand the underlying causes of their anxiety, and develop practical strategies to cope with it. Perfect for those seeking self-help options or for therapists looking to supplement their sessions, CBT worksheets on anxiety offer a valuable resource for anyone struggling with excessive worry and fear.

ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,

Today I'm excited to have Corrina from From Mrs. Allen's Teaching Files here to share a really fun and exciting activity to use when talking about self control. Self control is such a hard

Kids and young adults need to be able to problem-solve on their own. Every day, kids are faced with a huge number of social situations and challenges. Whether they are just having a conversation with a peer, working with a group on a project, or dealing with an ethical dilemma, kids must use their s

COUNTRY RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT TEMPLATE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER STUDY 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th GradeEmbark on a global journey with the COUNTRY RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT TEMPLATE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER. This comprehensive resource is designed for 1st to 4th-grade students, providing an in-depth exploration of differ...

30 social-emotional learning strategies for middle school kids to boost confidence and strengthen SEL skills students need for success.

Effective social responsibility strategies to teach kids to solve problems peacefully and resolve conflicts independently.

A Kindergarten blog about effective teaching and making learning fun.

Enhance your IFS journey by getting to know what parts look like in the burdened and unburdened system. Get a sense of how managers, firefighters, and exiles can transform your inner world with Self-led leadership.

Learn how to create simple models and maps with early years students with this free geography printable!

Free printable mindfulness activities on the worksheets that will help you build and stick to a daily mindfulness habit.

A bundle of free zones of regulation printables that you can download and use as a supplement to the Zones of Regulation curriculum.

Are you on the lookout for engaging and fun ways to foster social-emotional learning (SEL) skills in your students? Well, you're in the right place! Whether you're a seasoned teacher or a fresh-faced educator, I've included a treasure trove of games that will transform your classroom into a hub of self-awareness, self-management, relationship building, social awareness, and responsible decision-making. These games are not only a breeze to implement, but are sure to have your students begging for more. These activities aren't just about learning; they're about making SEL skills an integral part of your classroom culture. So, let the games begin! Self-Awareness: Game 1: Empathy Chairs This game is similar to musical chairs, but it has a social-emotional learning twist. Start the music as students rotate around a circle of chairs with emotion cards on the seats. When the music stops, they'll need to grab a seat. Based on the card at their seats, students will share experiences that they have had related to that emotion. For ready-made cards and detailed directions, click here. Game 2: Feelings Charades Get ready to break the ice with a classic game of charades, but with a twist! Instead of acting out movie titles or animals, students will express various emotions using only their facial expressions and body language. This not only hones their emotional awareness but also creates a safe space for open communication about feelings. Game 3: Emotion Journaling Equip your students with journals and encourage them to express their daily emotions through words, drawings, or a combination of both. This simple yet effective exercise fosters self-awareness by helping students identify and reflect on their emotions. Bonus: It's a fantastic tool for tracking emotional trends over time. Find my favorite journal prompts for building self-awareness here. Self-Management: Game 4: Mindful Minute Challenge Kick off each class or session with a mindful minute challenge. Set a timer for 60 seconds and guide students through a brief mindfulness exercise, such as deep breathing or visualization. This routine cultivates self-management skills by teaching students to center themselves, promoting focus and emotional regulation. You can also practice mindfulness with these FREE finger labyrinths. Game 5: Goal-Setting Bingo Turn goal-setting into a game! Create bingo cards with various self-management goals (e.g., completing homework on time, staying organized, managing time effectively). As students achieve each goal, they mark it off their bingo card. The first to get a bingo enjoys a small reward. It's a playful way to instill discipline and responsibility. Or turn goal-setting into a group bulletin board. Grab the FREE goal-setting materials here. Game 6: Popcorn Game Play a game called "Popcorn." Have students get into a circle. Explain that the goal is for them to each take a turn popping into the air and clapping at the same time. The only catch is that they must go in a random order. If they "pop" up at the same time as a classmate, they should all start again. This is great way to promote impulse control. Grab detailed directions to play this game and four others here. Relationship Skills: Game 7: Collaborative Storytelling Fuel creativity and teamwork by having students work together to create a story. Each student contributes a sentence, building on the narrative created by their peers. This not only strengthens relationships but also enhances communication and cooperation skills. Plus, it's a blast to see where the story takes unexpected twists and turns! (These reading passages based on SEL learning skills are fun, too!) Game 8: Group Challenges Help students develop their relationship skills as they complete a series of fun challenges as a team. Have teams of students work together to solve 5 different challenges that focus on teamwork, collaboration, and leveraging individual strengths to emphasize the power of working together. Make planning these challenges easy with these ready-made stations. Game 9: Peer Appreciation Circle Form a circle and have students take turns expressing appreciation for the person on their right. This simple yet powerful exercise builds positive relationships within the class and reinforces the importance of acknowledging each other's strengths and contributions. Social Awareness: Game 10: Perspective Puzzles Print or draw pictures of various situations and scenarios. Have students work in pairs to discuss and understand the emotions and perspectives of the people in the pictures. This game sharpens social awareness by encouraging students to consider different viewpoints and practice empathy. I've created a set of cards for this game here. Game 11: Community Connections Scavenger Hunt Create a list of community-related items or tasks that students can complete outside of the classroom, fostering a sense of connection to the broader community. This activity enhances social awareness by encouraging students to explore and appreciate the world beyond their immediate surroundings. Responsible Decision-Making: Game 12: Decision Dilemmas Present students with real-life scenarios that require responsible decision-making. Engage them in thoughtful discussions about the potential outcomes of each choice. This game equips students with the skills to analyze situations, consider consequences, and make informed decisions—a crucial aspect of responsible decision-making. Need some scenario cards to share with students? Grab them here. Game 13: Consequence Connect Four Create a Connect Four game board with spaces featuring different consequences of actions. As students play, discuss the potential outcomes associated with each move. This visually engaging activity reinforces the concept that every decision has consequences and helps students develop a sense of responsibility. Game 14: Decision Making Prompts Get students thinking about how they might respond to situations with targeted writing prompts. Share prompts that challenges students to make a decision. Then, give them opportunity to write how they might respond. Let students share their responses with peers or small groups. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- And there you have it, a bunch of games designed to infuse your classroom with social-emotional learning! These activities are not just about learning; they're about creating an environment where students flourish emotionally, socially, and academically. So, why wait? Dive into the world of SEL games and watch your students grow into self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and socially adept individuals. Your classroom is about to become the epicenter of SEL success—game on! Wishing you lots of fun in your classroom, Mary Beth P.S. Find 15 MORE social-emotional learning activities HERE.

Puppy socialization should be your focus for now. Learn that over socializing a dog is not possible as well as how and when to start socializing your puppy.

The term "choices and consequences" sounds harsh, doesn't it? It's missing that warm social-emotional feel other topics like empathy and calming strategies have. You know that helping students learn to reflect on the decisions they make and the results are some of the most essential SEL work you can do. So let's dive into five

Using social stories to teach social skills gives students direct and meaningful direction in learning essential social skills.

Solution Focused Therapy Worksheets, Solution Focused Cheat Sheet, SFBT Worksheets, Therapy Tools, School Counselor, Therapy Worksheets Solution-Focused Therapy Worksheets - 80+ Questions, Mind Maps, Scaling, and More Description: 🌟 Transform Your Perspective, Transform Your Life! Welcome to our Solution-Focused Therapy Worksheets – a comprehensive toolkit designed to guide you on a positive journey of self-discovery and growth. This downloadable package is perfect for individuals, therapists, and coaches seeking practical and engaging tools for fostering positive change. What's Included: 80+ Solution-Focused Questions: Thoughtfully curated questions to prompt introspection and goal-setting. Mind Map Exercise: Unlock creativity and visualize your goals with our mind map exercise. Connect ideas and discover new possibilities for positive change. Scaling Questionnaire: Assess your progress on a scale and identify steps for continuous improvement. Perfect for tracking your journey toward your desired outcomes. The 'Miracle' Question Exercise: Envision your ideal future with this powerful technique. Spark inspiration and set the stage for positive transformation. Benefits: 🚀 Goal-Oriented: Target specific goals for efficient and effective outcomes. 🌈 Positive Change: Emphasize strengths and cultivate a positive mindset. 🕒 Time-Efficient: Suitable for busy lifestyles, promoting quick problem resolution. 💼 Versatile: Applicable across diverse issues, fostering adaptability. 🧘‍♀️ Resilience Building: Strengthen coping skills and build resilience. 🤝 Collaborative Empowerment: Foster collaboration and empower your journey. How to Use: 📥 Instant Download: Download and print the worksheets for immediate use. 🗂️ Organized Categories: Easily navigate through different question categories. 🖊️ Reusable: Use the worksheets repeatedly to track your progress.

Just a simple sort I made to reinforce respectful actions/gestures. This can easily be added to your Citizenship unit, or beginning of the year activities to set a tone of spreading kindness in the classroom. I have listed 12 scenarios/behaviors, and students must decide is the actions "respectful" or "disrespectful", by gluing the sentence under the correct header. Hope you like and find this resource useful! Be sure to follow me: IG (Beached Bum Teacher) TikTok (Beached Bum Teacher)

Add some depth and complexity to your social studies lessons with this critical thinking choice board. Students must create complete three activities, completing a tic-tac-toe and passing through the center. If you print these at 90%, students can cut them out and glue them into their notebooks. I print the choice boards out on colored yardstick and laminate them for use at centers. I then run off a handful of each of the choices for students to choose from. For more choice boards, visit my store at: Choice Boards for Critical Thinking Blessings, The Curious Apple

Create these fun Inside Out activities to help boost emotional wellbeing within your classroom or livin room!

Social-emotional activities have never been more important for younger kids.

Frequently students will say they want to die, kill themselves, or wish they were dead when they are just frustrated or angry. Of course, as adults who work with these wonderful students, we ALWAYS take these comments seriously. Often, when we begin to speak with students at length about their comme...

ALL ABOUT EARTH Get ready for a month filled with so many fun activities to teach your kiddos all about our planet Earth . I teach this unit in April so it coincides with Earth Day. I’ve loaded up this blog post post with read aloud book ideas, free videos you can share with your students,

Self-control is an important life skill. Here's 4 ways to teach self-control to children using modeling, stories, practice, and consequences.

Transform children's thoughts and beliefs with cogntive behavioral therapy. Discover effective and fun strategies for positive change with CBT for kids.

Are you using ChatGPT in your daily process?

One of my biggest strengths (and weaknesses) is that I’m outspoken. There’s not much in the realm of school counseling that I don’t have a strong opinion about. That means there’s some things that are commonplace among other counselors that I don’t do – because they just aren’t in the best interest of my students. […]

Cognitive defusion is a key concept in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). It involves creating distance from our thoughts, allowing us to observe and relate to them in a more objective and flexible way.

These all about me, back to school art activities for kids are engaging icebreakers. Encourage creativity and build community during the first week back