Social-Emotional Learning: Self-Management

Nature never ceases to amaze me! We can learn so very much from our immediate environment, but also travelling has helped me to greatly appreciate the diversity of our home planet and how very resilient plants can be. They grow everywhere! Even on the cracked earth!

NCS2017 Iceland

Both Hawaii and Iceland are amazing places, and I have had the opportunity visit them both. Observing how quickly vegetation starts growing after lava has cooled is almost unbelievable. 

Humans are very resilient, too. Or, at least we CAN be, if we choose to. According to APA:

Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or 

challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and 

behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.

Managing our emotions and behaviors is an important SEL skill. What do you want to try this week? 

Social-Emotional Learning: Making Responsible Decisions

The first item mentioned in the CASEL wheel under Responsible Decision Making is "Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness."

Curiosity is the most critical metaskill to thrive in a fast-changing world. Unlike adults, kids learning process is driven by curiosity, wonder and joy of exploration (until they get schooled out of it). Yet, learning IS the force for change.

NCS2022  Path to Cape Flattery, WA.

As adults we need to rekindle our curiosity every now and then. It is a great idea to wander into new places, physically and mentally, and virtually or in the nature to feed out own curiosity. It builds out learning mindset! 

More information:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-adaptive-mind/201905/curiosity-the-metaskill-thrive-in-the-21st-century