Social-Emotional Learning: Self-Management

Having the courage to take initiative is an important part of Adult SEL (and also very important for children and youth, too). However, in out work lives taking initiative isn't always perceived positively, sometimes because it may challenge the status quo making the initiative too high stakes to take, or simply be perceived as too much work piled up onto our existing responsibilities. 

Yet, we should just do it to support our own well-being. It doesn't have to be anything earth-shattering, it can just be a simple decision of doing what is important to us. Something we want to try. Just making a a simple little  PACT with ourselves:  

I will [action] for [duration]

These PACTs with ourselves can happen in any areas of our lives: personal, work, education...anything! 

Full confession: I love following the Ness labs blog, and I have learned so much from it! And now, realizing how well this aligns with SEL, I am just beyond excited! 

The most important part is to keep our learning mindset, or growth mindset alive. Because how could we ever help our students become learners if we forget to be learners in our busy everyday lives?

So here is my challenge to you: What do YOU choose to learn next??  What learning will you enjoy this weekend or next week?

Social-Emotional Learning: Self-Management

Self-management has so very many aspects: goal-setting, self-discipline, planning and organizing things, managing our emotions and managing out stress. There are days when things can get very overwhelming and life feels like a rogue wave washing over places we usually think to be safe.

Changing our self-talk is am important part of managing ourselves! I often hear teachers talk to themselves in a way they would never, ever talk to a student - and then I get to remind us all about  being kind to ourselves, because it helps SO much!

I also need  to remind myself about changing my words and sometime saying it aloud: Today is a challenging day, but I am making progress!  I can choose to focus on the positive things!