empowering& minds:& a& mindfulness=based& social ... · 1....

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1. CASEL!Core!competencies:!Self6Awareness,!Self6Management,!Social!Awareness,!Relationship!Skills,!Responsible!Decision!Making.!Retrieved!from!http://www.casel.org/social6and6emotional6learning/core6competencies/!!

2. Durlak,!J.!A.!et!al!(2011).!The!impact!of!enhancing!students’!social!and!emotional!learning:!A!meta6analysis!of!school6based!universal!interventions.!Child&Development,&82,!4056432.3!See!“Theories”!section.!

© 2015 Empowering Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction 1 of 22

“Educating+the+mind+without+educating+the+heart+is+no+education+at+all.”++++6+Aristotle+ ++ +

& &

Empowering& Minds:& A& Mindfulness=Based& Social& Emotional& Learning& (SEL)& Curriculum! is! comprised! of! 30!foundational! lessons! that! directly! support! the! five! core! competencies! of! the! Collaborative! for! Social! Emotional!Learning!(CASEL).1!These!lessons!are!a!product!of!five!years!of!hands6on!experience!teaching!and!developing!SEL!in!public! schools.!The! lessons! are! experiential,! fun,! focused,! and!written! in! a!way! that!will! allow!any! teacher! to!deliver!the!content!with!minimal!training.!!

We! know! that! there! is! a! wide! array! of! choices! and! philosophies! when! it! comes! to! teaching! SEL.! While! many!programs!offer!high!quality! training! in!mindfulness!and!SEL,! few!offer! the!breadth!and!depth!of!evidence6based!practices! found! in! our! one,! unified! curriculum.! Our! programing! provides! a! comprehensive! foundation! for! any!school!interested!in!investing!in!the!emotional!health!of!their!students.!!

Empowering&Minds! is! intentionally!designed!on!the!basis!of! three!theoretical!models:!mindfulness,!brain-based.learning,!and!cognitive.behavioral!therapy.3!Combining!these!evidence6based!models!provides!students!with!a!wide! range! of! tools! and! knowledge,! increasing! SEL! competencies,! and! enabling! more! success! navigating! the!complexities!of!relationships,!emotions,!thoughts,!and!behaviors.!

We! are! excited! about! our! core! curriculum! and! we! are! equally! excited! about! the! lesson! supports! we! have! in!development!during!the!fall!of!2015.!As!an!early!adopter!of!our!curriculum,!you!will!receive!priority!access!to!the!following!supports!as!they!become!available:!

• Extensions:. !Each!core!lesson!will!include!differentiated!extension!lessons!and!activities!designed!to!reinforce!lesson! concepts! throughout! the! week! and! school! year.! These! extensions! will! include! student! and! teacher!resources! for! further! learning,! classroom! and! school6wide! activities,! literacy! and! other! interdisciplinary!connections,!and!a!complete!mapping!to!the!English/Language!Arts!Common!Core!State!Standards.!!

• Online. Learning. Platform.&. Video. Tutorials:! Research! tells! us! that! students! learn! social6emotional! skills!most!effectively!through!direct!observation!and!experience.!In!other!words,!the!“how”!of!teaching!SEL!is!much!more!important!than!the!“what.”!Since!no!curriculum!can!replace!quality!teaching!and!training,!we!are!working!hard!to!build!a!high6quality!online!course!in!Mindfulness6Based!SEL!that!teachers!can!complete!for!continuing.education.credits..The!course!will!include!video!tutorials!for!each!lesson!designed!to!bring!the!lessons!to!life.!!

As! the! science!of! SEL! continues! to! advance,! our! curriculum!will! continue! to! evolve.!As!our!partner,! you!are!not!simply!receiving!a!static!curriculum!that!will!eventually!gather!dust!in!a!drawer!somewhere;!you!are!entering!into!an!ongoing!partnership!with!expert!coaches!dedicated!to!the!social!and!emotional!health!of!your!students,!school,!and!community.!!!

We! believe! that! every! student! is! “at6risk”! and! as! such! deserves! a! high6quality,! proactive! social6emotional!education.! An! investment! in! the! social6emotional! health! of! your! students! is! an! investment! in! the!whole! child! –!including!academic!growth.2!!

Included!in!this!introduction!you!will!find!three!sample!lessons,!an!overview!of!SEL,!background!on!our!theoretical!models,!and!more! information!on!who!we!are.!Ultimately,!SEL! is!much!more! than!a!curriculum;! it! is!a! complete!shift! impacting! the! individual! and! the! entire! school! culture.! We! are! glad! you! are! here;! we! look! forward! to!partnering!with!you!in!meeting!the!social6emotional!needs!of!your!school.!

http://empoweringeducation.org

http://www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/core-competencies/

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Sample Lessons

SEL Lesson

Concepts

CASEL Core Competencies

.

.I-Statements.

.

• Assertive!Communication.• Conflict!Resolution!.• Identifying!&!Expressing!!

Emotions.

Self6Awareness!Relationship!Skills!

.

.Mind.and.Matter.

.

• Coping!Skills!• Emotional!Literacy.• Mind6Body!Connection.

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!Responsible!Decision!Making!

.Lizard-Wizard.Brain.

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• Brain!Science.• Coping!Skills.• Thoughts,!Emotions,!&!Behaviors!

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!Social!Awareness!Responsible!Decision!Making!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section

Concepts

What?.• Overview!of!Social6Emotional!Learning!• CASEL!5!Core!Competencies!

Why?.• Benefits!of!SEL!• Evidence!for!SEL!

How?. • High!quality!implementation!

Implementation.*Available.with.purchase.

• SEL!Approaches!• Teacher!Instructional!Practices!• School6Wide!Implementation!

Theories. • Theoretical!background!

Who.We.Are.

• Mission!&!Vision!• History!• Core!Beliefs!• Biographies!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section

Concepts

What?.• Overview!of!Social6Emotional!Learning!• CASEL!5!Core!Competencies!

Why?.• Benefits!of!SEL!• Evidence!for!SEL!

How?. • High!quality!implementation!

Implementation.*Available.with.purchase.

• SEL!Approaches!• Teacher!Instructional!Practices!• School6Wide!Implementation!

Theories. • Theoretical!background!

Who.We.Are.

• Mission!&!Vision!• History!• Core!Beliefs!• Biographies!

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!


1st.Semester.

SEL Lesson

Concepts


1

.

.I-Statements.

.

• Assertive!Communication.• Conflict!Resolution!.• Identifying!&!Expressing!Emotions!

Self6Awareness!Relationship!Skills!!

2

.Mindful.Body.

.

• Mindful!Body!• Mindfulness!• Paying!Attention!

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!

3

.Mindful.Listening.

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• Coping!Skills!• Mindful!Listening!• Mindfulness!

Self6Awareness!

4

.Active.Listening.

.

• Active!Listening!• Communication!Skills!• Conflict!Resolution!

!Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!!!

5

.Conflict.Resolution.

.

• Active!Listening!• Conflict!Resolution!• Restorative!Approaches!

Relationship!Skills!Responsible!Decision!Making!Social!Awareness!

6

.Breathing.Basics.

.

• Attention!• Breath!• Coping!Skills!

Self6Management!

7

.Mindful.Breathing.

.

• Breathing.• Coping!Skills.• Mindfulness.


8

.Lizard-Wizard.Brain.

.

• Brain!Science.• Coping!Skills.• Thoughts,!Emotions,!&!Behaviors!

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!Social!Awareness!Responsible!Decision!Making!!

9

.Emotional.Literacy.and.

Mindfulness..

• Emotional!Vocabulary!• Emotions!• Mindfulness!


10

.Mind.and.Matter.

.

• Coping!Skills!• Emotional!Literacy.• Mind6Body!Connection!


11

.Gratitude.

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• Coping!Skills.• Gratitude.• Happiness.


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12

.Compassion.for.Others.

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• Compassion!• Kindness!• Loving6Kindness!!

Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!Responsible!Decision!Making!

13

.Self-Compassion.

• Mindfulness!• Self6Compassion!• Self6Kindness!• Self6Talk!


14

.Mindful.Eating.

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• Attention!• Healthy!Eating!• Mindfulness!

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!Relationship!Skills!

15

.Coping.Skills:.

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• Cool!Down!Strategies!• Coping!Skills!!


End.of.1st.Semester.

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!

2nd.Semester!

SEL Lesson

Concepts


16

.SMART.Goals.

• Goal!Setting!• Visualization! Self6Management!

17

.Cognitive.Triad.

• Thoughts,!Emotions,!&!Behaviors!• Impacting!Change!


18

.Dropping.your.Anchor:.Lizard-Wizard.Review.

• Integration!• Intention!Setting!• Self6Regulation!


19

.Thoughts,.Mindfulness,.

and.Letting.Go.!

• Coping!Skills!• Mindfulness!• Thoughts!!


20

.Teflon.&.Velcro:.Taking.

in.the.Positive.

• Mindfulness!• Negative!Self6Talk!• Positive!Self6Talk!!

Self6Awareness!Self6Management!Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!

21

.We’re.All.in.This.

Together.

• Active!Participation!• Engagement!• Interdependence!• Teamwork!

Self6Management!Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!Responsible!Decision!Making!

22

+Progress.Monitoring.

Goals..

• Accepting!Failure!&!Mistakes!• Accountability!Strategies!• Positive!Affirmations!

Self6Management!Self6Awareness!

23

.Fairness.and.Equality.

• Diversity!• Equality!• Fairness!• Privilege!

Self6Awareness!Social!Awareness!

24

.Mind.in.a.Jar.

• Calming!Strategy!• Mindfulness!• Self6Compassion!

!!Self6Awareness!Self6Management!!

25

.Bullying.101.

• Bullying!• Conflict!• Power!

Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!Responsible!Decision!Making!

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26

.Social.Justice.

• Equity!• Fairness!• Privilege!• Social!Justice!

Self6Awareness!Social!Awareness!

27

.Creating.a.Personal.

Mantra.

• Coping!Skills!• Mindfulness!• Positive!Intentions!


28

.Healthy.Goodbyes.

• Grief!&!Loss!• Saying!Goodbyes!

Social!Awareness!Relationship!Skills!

29

.Neuroplasticity.

• Brain!Growth!• Brain!Science!• Thoughts!

Self6Awareness!Responsible!Decision!Making!!

30

.Mindset:.Fixed.vs.

Growth.

• Personal!Growth!• Perspective6Taking!• Self6Actualization!


.End.of.2nd.Semester!

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!


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SOCIAL'EMOTIONAL,LEARNING, WHAT? According! to! CASEL,! the! leading! organization! for! the! research! and! advancement! of! social! and! emotional!competencies,!SEL!can!be!defined!as:!!

“the& process& 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.&”&(http://www.casel.org/social=and=emotional=learning)&

!Every!lesson!in!the!Empowering&Mind’s!curriculum!supports!at!least!one!of!CASEL’s!Five!Core!Competencies.!Taken!as!a!whole!our!curriculum!is!a!comprehensive!foundation!for!all!five!competencies.!!!!

“CASEL&has& identified& five& interrelated& sets& of& cognitive,& affective,&and& behavioral& competencies.& The& definitions& of& the& five&competency&clusters&for&students&are:&• Self6awareness:&The& ability& to& accurately& recognize& one’s&

emotions& and& thoughts& and& their& influence& on& behavior.& This&includes& accurately& assessing& one’s& strengths& and& limitations&and& possessing& a& well=grounded& sense& of& confidence& and&optimism.&

• Self6management:&The& ability& to& regulate& one’s& emotions,&thoughts,&and&behaviors&effectively&in&different&situations.&This&includes& managing& stress,& controlling& impulses,& motivating&oneself,& and& setting& and& working& toward& achieving& personal&and&academic&goals.&

• Social+ awareness:&The& ability& to& take& the& perspective& of& and&empathize&with&others&from&diverse&backgrounds&and&cultures,&to&understand&social&and&ethical&norms&for&behavior,&and&to&&recognize&family,&school,&and&community&resources&and&supports.&

• Relationship+ skills:&The&ability& to&establish&and&maintain&healthy&and&rewarding&relationships&with&diverse&individuals& and& groups.& This& includes& communicating& clearly,& listening& actively,& cooperating,& resisting&inappropriate&social&pressure,&negotiating&conflict&constructively,&and&seeking&and&offering&help&when&needed.&

• Responsible+ decision+ making:+The& ability& to& make& constructive& and& respectful& choices& about& personal&behavior&and&social&interactions&based&on&consideration&of&ethical&standards,&safety&concerns,&social&norms,&the&realistic&evaluation&of&consequences&of&various&actions,&and&the&well=being&of&self&and&others.”&(http://www.casel.org/social=and=emotional=learning/core=competencies)&

!In!simple!terms:!SEL!educates!the!heart,!while!traditional!academic!learning!educates!the!head.!The!21st!Century!model! of! educating! “the. whole. child,”. is! the! process! of! bringing! these! two! together.! Our! mindfulness6based!curriculum!is!designed!to!support!both!the!social6emotional!and!academic!growth!of!your!students.!!

Figure.1:.Retrieved.from.CASEL.org

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1Durlak,)J.)A.)et)al)(2011).)The)impact)of)enhancing)students’)social)and)emotional)learning:)A)metaAanalysis)of)schoolAbased)universal)interventions.)Child&Development,&82,)405A432.)2)King,)Elizabeth;)Rogers,)Halsey.)2014.)Intelligence,&personality,&and&creativity:&unleashing&the&power&of&intelligence&and&personality&traits&to&build&a&creative&and&innovative&economy.)Washington,)DC;)World)Bank)Group.)) © 2015 Empowering Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction 9 of 22

SOCIAL'EMOTIONAL,LEARNING,.

WHY?..Though! the! ‘why’! of! SEL!may! seem! intuitive! to!many,!much! of! the! current!movement! in! education! has! directly!opposed! SEL.! Schools! and! principals! under! pressure! to! perform! have! emphasized! test! scores! over! learning,!academic!achievement!over!student!well6being,!and!‘instructional!time’!over!peer6peer!interaction.!All!of!this!has!come!together!to!create!schools,!teachers,!and!students!who!are!remarkably!underequipped!to!navigate!the!social!and!emotional!terrain!of!life.!!!Ironically,!schools!that!have!effectively!implemented!school6wide!SEL!initiatives!demonstrate!significantly!higher!academic!achievement!than!schools!that!are!strictly!focused!on!academics.1!It!just!makes!sense.!Imagine!how!you!felt!after!a!difficult!emotional!event!in!your!life.!How!well!did!you!perform!at!your!job?!Were!you!able!to!focus!on!your!work?!How!did!it!influence!your!relationships!with!people!around!you?!!Similarly,!we!cannot!ask!students!to!behave,!focus,!and!perform!without!giving!them!the!necessary!tools!to!cope!with!life’s!ups!and!downs.!!!Others!argue!that!school!is!for!“learning”!and!that!social!skills!should!be!left!to!parents!and!families.!The!reality!is!that!many!families!are!not!equipped!to!provide!this!type!of!education.!If!schools!do!not!provide!for!students!social!and!emotional!growth,!then!many!students!will!graduate!without!the!necessary!intelligences!that!are!required!in!today’s! socially! driven! workplace.!Well6rounded! schools! educate! children! about! art,! physical! education,! music,!mathematics,!reading,!writing,!science,!and!social!studies.!Thus,!any!school!that!claims!to!educate!“the!whole!child,”!must!adopt!a!school6wide!vision!for!SEL.!!!.

CASEL!describes!the!benefits!of!SEL!as!follows:!!!

“Research&shows&that&SEL&can&have&a&positive&impact&on&school&climate&and&promote&a&host&of&academic,&social,&and&emotional& benefits& for& students.& Durlak,& Weissberg& et& al.'s& recent& meta=analysis& of& 213& rigorous& studies& of& SEL& in&schools&indicates&that&students&receiving&quality&SEL&instruction&demonstrated:&&• better+academic+performance:&achievement&scores&an&average&of&11&percentile&points&higher&than&students&who&

did&not&receive&SEL&instruction;&• improved+attitudes+and+behaviors:&greater&motivation&to& learn,&deeper&commitment&to&school,& increased&time&

devoted&to&schoolwork,&and&better&classroom&behavior;&• fewer+negative+behaviors:&decreased&disruptive&class&behavior,&noncompliance,&aggression,&delinquent&acts,&and&

disciplinary&referrals;&and&• reduced+emotional+distress:&fewer&reports&of&student&depression,&anxiety,&stress,&and&social&withdrawal.”&

(http://www.casel.org/social=and=emotional=learning/outcomes/)&&

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Beyond! the!direct! emotional! and! academic!benefits! to! your! students,! SEL! is! now!accepted! as! a! critical! factor! in!economic! outcomes! on! individual! and! societal! levels.! Traditionally,! economic! success! and! employability! was!strictly!linked!to!increasing!cognitive!skills!(intelligence)!in!education.!Recent!research!in!economics,!psychology,!neuroscience!and!education,!however,! all!point! to!a!more!unified!model!of! cognitive!and!non6cognitive! skills.! In!other!words,! increasing! social6emotional! skills! through! effective! SEL! programming! in! schools!will! have! a! direct!effect!on!graduates’!employability!and!earnings,!as!well!as! the!overall!economic!strength!of!countries!embracing!policies!that!support!effective!SEL!programming!and!reform.!2!

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SOCIAL'EMOTIONAL,LEARNING,HOW?.!The!lessons!included!in!this!curriculum!are!not!sufficient!by!themselves!for!effective!SEL!programming.!This!may!seem!like!an!odd!statement!coming!from!the!authors!of!the!curriculum,!however,!we!are!firm!believers!that!how&SEL!is!implemented!far!outweighs!the!importance!of!what!is!taught.!Research!supports!this;!the!success!of!even!the!most!evidence6based!SEL!program!is!dependent!on!high6quality!implementation.1!!High6quality! implementation! is! a! school6wide! initiative! that! includes! school! policies,! discipline! procedures,! and!administrative! support;! however,! quality! implementation! starts! and! ends!with! the! teacher.! If! you! are! a! teacher!reading!this!and!feeling!the!pressure,!we!have!good!news!for!you:!“high6quality”!implementation!is!not!defined!by!a!teacher’s!expertise!with!social6emotional!content;!rather,! it!comes!down!to!the!teacher’s!buy6in!or!openness!to!the!program!and!the!quality!of!delivery.²!This!is!a!critical!distinction!for!two!reasons:!!!

1. Teachers!do!not!need!to!be!SEL!experts!to!effectively!teach!SEL.!2. Poor6quality!implementation!of!SEL!programming!(teachers!who!do!not!demonstrate!buy6in)!has!actually!

been!shown!to!have!negative!effects!on!students.!!!

The!teacher’s!attitude!in!teaching!SEL!is!perhaps!the!single!most!critical!factor!in!the!success!of!the!programming.!!!!

While!many!programs!offer!high!quality!training! in!mindfulness!and!SEL,!these!trainings!can!often!be!costly!and!time!consuming.!Our!goal! is!to!make!SEL!accessible!to!as!many!students!as!possible!by!bridging!the!training!gap!with!highly.structured.lessons,.extensions,.and.an.online.learning.platform.with!video.tutorials:..• Highly. structured. lessons:.Every! lesson! is! scripted!using! effective! teacher! language! and! includes!notes!on!

tone,!body!language,!and!other!delivery!factors.!The!hope!is!not!that!teachers!rely!on!the!script,!but!rather!that!it!provides!a!solid! foundation! for!even!the!most! inexperienced!teacher.!We&strongly&recommend&that&teachers&review&the&script&before&teaching,&create&their&own&teaching&outline,&and&then&make&the&lesson&their&own...

• Extensions:. The! Empowering& Minds:& A& Mindfulness=Based& Social=Emotional& Learning! curriculum! includes!extension!resources!designed!to!enhance,!deepen,!and!reinforce!the!core!lesson!concepts!throughout!the!week!and!school!year.!We’ve!done!the!work!for!you!in!locating!and!assembling!complementary!lesson!resources.!For!more!information!on!student!and!teacher!resources!found!in!Extensions!please!see!the!following!page..

.• Online.Learning.Platform.&.Video.Tutorials:.Our!forthcoming!online.learning.platform.&.video.tutorials!

will!provide!instant!access!to!concise,!high6quality!coaching!specifically!tailored!to!each!lesson,!as!well!as!the!chance!to!see!the! lessons! in!action!at!our!pilot!schools.!Teachers!can!use!the!tutorials!to!“train”!at! their!own!pace!and!even!review!moments!before!teaching.!We!are!working!hard!to!build!a!high6quality!online!course!in!Mindfulness6Based!SEL!so!that!teachers!can!earn!continuing.education.credits.for!completion..

..

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All!we!ask!is!that!you!bring!an!open6mind!and!a!sincere!intention!to!deliver!the!content!to!the!best!of!your!ability.!Your!students!will!learn!more!from!your!presence!than!they!will!from!your!words.!!!

Beginning! on! page! 12! you! will! find! specific! recommendations! on! how! to! approach! high6quality! SEL!Implementation!in!the!classroom!and!school6wide.!!!!

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!!EXTENSIONS:!!!The!Empowering&Minds:&A&Mindfulness=Based&Social=Emotional&Learning! curriculum! includes! extension! resources!designed!to!enhance,!deepen,!and!reinforce!the!core!lesson!concepts!throughout!the!week!and!school!year.!We’ve!done! the!work! for!you! in! locating!and!assembling!complementary! lesson!resources.! !Extensions!will!be!updated!frequently!as!new!resources!are!recommended!by!teachers!implementing!our!program.!!Student. Resources:! !Making! literacy!connections!with! the!core! lesson!concepts! is!a!strong! feature! found! in! the!student!resource!section.!!!!

! Featured. books! include! a! focus! on! both! literature! text! and! informational! text! to! best! align! with! the!expectations! found! in! the! English/Language! Arts! Common! Core! State! Standards! (ELA6CCSS).! Text6dependent,!short6constructed!response!questions!or!graphic!organizers!provide!opportunities!for!students!to!respond!to!text.!!!!

! Extended-response. writing. tasks! can! be! used! as! additional! evidence! of! lesson! concept! attainment,!providing!students!with!a!choice!of!several!writing!prompts.!The!three!text6types!of!writing! found!in!the!ELA! –! CCSS! are! also! embedded! throughout! the! 30! core! lessons.! Opinion/argument!writing! prompts! are!suggested!for!10!core!lessons,!informative/explanatory!writing!prompts!are!suggested!for!10!core!lessons,!and!narrative!writing!prompts!have!been!suggested!for!10!core! lessons.! !Student!writing!self6assessment!checklists!and!writing!rubrics!accompany!each!of!the!three!text6types!of!writing!–!differentiated!by!grade!level.!!!

! Learning. links!provide!additional!ready!to!use!student!activities!focused!on!the!core!lesson!concepts,!as!well!as!access!to!video!links!that!further!reinforce!lesson!concepts.!!!

Teacher. Resources:! ! One! of! the! cornerstone! philosophies! of! the! Empowering&Minds! curriculum! is! that! lesson!effectiveness!is!directly!related!to!the!comfort!level!of!the!teacher!in!delivering!mindfulness6based!social!emotional!learning! lessons.! ! This! section! has! been! designed! to! include! quick! access! to! resources! for! teacher! professional!development!and!to!offer!support!in!deepening!one’s!own!practice.!!Standards.Alignment:!This!section!includes!a!complete!alignment!to!the!academic!standards*!embedded!in!both!Part!I!Lessons!and!Part!II!Extensions.!!Where!appropriate,!alignment!includes!the!following!standards:!!

! English/Language!Arts!Common!Core!State!Standards!! Colorado!Academic!Standards!for!Science!! Colorado!Academic!Standards!for!Physical!Education!! Colorado!Academic!Standards!for!Comprehensive!Health!! 21st!Century!Learning!Student!Outcomes!

!*A!complete!alignment!to!individual!state!standards!is!available!upon!request.!!!References:! Every! attempt! has! been!made! throughout! the!Empowering&Minds&curriculum! to! cite! the! author! of!original!source!material.!Empowering!Education!is!committed!to!recognizing!individuals!and!organizations!in!the!field!that!are!pioneering!efforts!to!advance!social!and!emotional!learning!in!our!schools.!We!regret!any!oversights!that!may!have!occurred!and!will!be!pleased!to!rectify!omissions!immediately.!!!!!

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!IMPLEMENTATION:.!Research!from!CASEL!indicates!that!3!approaches!are!necessary!for!high6quality!implementation:!!!!!!

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Explicit.SEL.Skills.Instruction:.We’ve!got!you!covered!here.!Our!30!lessons!provide!a!comprehensive!foundation!for!SEL!Skills!Instruction.!You!should!aim!to!teach!at!least!one!lesson!per!week.!!.Integration.with.Academic.Curriculum.Areas:!Our!extension!lessons!will!provide!specific!recommendations!for!integrating!each!SEL!lesson!into!core!content!areas.!We!have!also!found!that!teachers!are!often!the!best!resource!for!bringing!SEL!into!academics.!You!are!the!experts!in!your!content!area,!so!bring!your!creativity!and!enthusiasm!and!you!will!find!that!the!opportunities!for!integration!are!limitless.!!.Teacher. Instructional.Practices:!Of!the!three!approaches,!teacher!instructional!practices!are!the!most!nuanced.!Your!ability! to!deliver!SEL!effectively!will!vary!greatly!with!your!own!experience,! training,!and!confidence.!Your!ability!will!also!continue!to!improve!over!time,!so!go!ahead!and!accept!that!it!won’t!be!perfect!and!teach!to!the!best!of!your!ability.!The!manner!in!which!you!model!SEL!skills!is!critical,!so!we!have!included!some!tips!on!modeling!to!get!you!started:!!• Beginners+mind:!A!basic! tenet!of!mindfulness!practice! is! “the!beginners!mindset”! (sometimes!referred! to!as!

the! “don’t! know!mind.”)!The!most! advanced!practitioners!of!mindfulness!will! be! the! first! to! admit! that! they!“don’t!know”!and!that!their!mindfulness!practice!is! far!from!perfect.!As!you!teach!mindfulness!and!SEL,!your!students!will! learn!more! from!your!ability! to! embrace!your!own!mistakes! and! imperfections! than! they!ever!would!from!a!so6called!“expert.”!In!fact,!if!you!have!never!taught!or!practiced!mindfulness!you!are!in!a!perfect!position!to!step!outside!of!the!teacher!role!and!learn!alongside!your!students!–!they!will!love!you!for!it!and!it!will!create!the!space!for!them!to!learn!from!their!mistakes!as!well.!!

!• Developing+your+own+EQ:&“EQ”!is!shorthand!for!Emotional!Quotient!–!a!play!on!the!classic!“IQ”!–!and!refers!to!a!

person’s!level!of!Emotional!Intelligence.!Similar!to!the!5!Core!Competencies!of!SEL,!EQ!includes!self6awareness,!self6regulation,! motivation,! empathy! and! social! skills.! More! and! more! research! is! linking! EQ! to! success! in!career,!relationships!and!life,!so!it!will!benefit!both!you!and!your!students!to!take!some!time!to!develop!your!own!EQ.!The!paths!to!increasing!your!EQ!are!wide!and!varied,!from!personal!activities!like!journaling!and!self6care! to! therapy,! social! groups,! retreats,! books,! and!mindfulness! based!practices.!Whatever! path! you! choose,!don’t!be!afraid!to!dive!in!and!get!to!work!on!your!EQ.!You!and!your!students!will!be!glad!you!did.&

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Figure.2:.www.casel.org/social-and-emotional-learning/outcomes.

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• Active+ Listening:! Modeling! active! listening! is! key! to! effective! delivery! of! SEL.! Much! of! the! learning! in! SEL!comes!from!student!share6outs!and!discussion,!and!it!truly!takes!an!effective!facilitator!to!create!safe!space!for!students!to!share.!The!following!active!listening!skills!will!be!your!bread!and!butter!for!quality!SEL!delivery:&

&o Paraphrasing:!Paraphrasing!is!the!skill!of!repeating!back!to!a!student!what!they!said!using!slightly!

different!wording.!In!other!words,!paraphrasing!involves!clarifying!responses!by!repeating!the!meaning,!or!gist,!of!what!was!shared!with!slightly!different!phrasing.!See!what!I!did!there?!That!was!a!paraphrase.!Use!this!skill!often!to!bring!clarity!to!student!share6outs.!!

o Reflection:!A!reflection!differs!from!paraphrasing!in!that!you!simply!repeat!back!to!a!student!what!they!shared!without!changing!the!wording.!So,!a!reflection!is!just!repeating!what!someone!shared!without!changing!the!wording.!See,!I!did!it!again.!For!example,!if!a!student!shares,!“I!feel!excited,”!a!reflection!would!be,!“I!hear!that!you!feel!excited.”!!

o Summarizing:&Kids!like!to!talk.!Sometimes!a!lot.!Having!the!ability!to!quickly!and!concisely!summarize!longer!share6outs,!emphasizing!important!points!and!emotional!content!will!go!a!long!way!in!keeping!discussions!moving!and!helping!students!feel!heard.!!!

o Minimal+Encouragers:!Just!like!it!sounds!–!encourage!sharing!through!small,!affirmative!signals!in!your!verbal!and!non6verbal!communication.!This!includes!short!phrases!like,!“Uh6huh;”!“Hmmm;”!“Wow;”!“Keep!sharing;”!etc.!This!also!includes!non6verbal!signals!like!head!nodding,!eye!contact,!facial!expressions,!and!even!the!“keep!going”!hand!signal.!You!may!be!surprised!at!the!depth!of!responses!you!can!elicit!with!simple!minimal!encouragers.!!!

o Body+Language:!!Your!body!language!is!critical!to!helping!students!feel!safe!to!share.!The!classic!“open”!posture!when!seated!is!leaning!slightly!forward!with!your!hands!on!your!lap!and!your!body!at!a!slight!angle!to!the!speaker.!The!same!principles!apply!when!standing:!consider!your!proximity!to!the!student!(move!closer,!but!not!too!close),!your!posture!(avoid!crossing!your!arms)!and!your!overall!presentation!(facial!expressions,!alertness,!interest).!Play!around!with!different!body!language!and!see!what!responses!you!get!from!students.!!!

o Clarifying+Questions:&Never!underestimate!the!power!of!a!good!open6ended!question.!Questions!like,!“What&do&you&mean&when&you&say&______?”;&“How&did&you&feel?”;&“What&were&you&thinking&at&the&time?”;&“Can&you&explain&that&more?”&can!be!useful!and!inviting!ways!to!demonstrate!listening!and!prompt!further!sharing.!!!

o Clarifying+Statements:!Direct,!clarifying!statements!are!often!underutilized!because!they!feel!too!“bossy”!or!demanding,!but!they!can!often!be!more!effective!than!questions.!Simple,!open6ended!statements!like,!“Say!more!about!that;”!“Explain!how!you!felt;”!“Keep!going;”!or!“Talk!about!_____”!can!be!delivered!in!a!warm!way!that!accesses!more!honest!sharing!from!students!due!to!the!implicit!command!tone.!

!• Empathic+ Responses:& Throughout! the! course! of! teaching! SEL! lessons! students! will! share! stories! with!

emotional! content! that! runs! the!whole! spectrum!of! human! experience.!Many! people! become!uncomfortable!when!something!challenging,!vulnerable!or!unusual!is!shared,!but!often!all!that!is!required!is!a!simple!empathic!response.!“That!sounds!really!scary”;!“How!exciting!”;!“You!must!have!felt!____”;!and!a!simple,!“Thank!you!for!sharing,”! are! all! great! examples! of! empathic! responses.! If! you’re! not! sure! how! to! respond! to! a! challenging!emotion,! avoid! the! “how! do! we! fix! it?”! response! and! simply! reflect! what! the! student! is! feeling.

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• Presence:&While!“presence”!is!an!inherently!subjective!term,!anyone!who!has!stood!in!front!of!a!class!knows!that!students!respond!to!the!energy!you!bring.!If!you’re!enthusiastic,!they!will!be!too.!If!you’re!exhausted!and!stressed!out,!your!class!responds!in!kind.!Similarly,!students!will!implicitly!respond!to!the!comfort!level!and!confidence!you!bring!to!each!SEL!lesson.&If!you’re!uncomfortable!discussing!a!difficult!topic,!they!will!be!too.!Conversely,!if!you!maintain!calm!and!confidence!even!in!the!face!of!challenging!discussions,!your!students!will!feel!safe!to!follow!your!lead.!!!This!is!why!research!has!shown!that!teachers!who!do!not!buy6in!to!SEL!lessons!actually!cause!more!harm!than!good.!Just!like!anything!else,!you!get!out!what!you!put!in.!Spend!some!honest!time!reflecting!on!the!type!of!presence!you!want!to!bring!to!your!classroom!–!it!cannot!be!emphasized!enough.!&&

• Tone:!When!expressing!emotions!and!attitudes,!a!whopping!93%!of!what!is!communicated!comes!through!tone!and! body! language! rather! than! actual! spoken! words.! When! it! comes! to! SEL,! how& you! say! something! far!outweighs!what! you!actually! say.!For! instance,! “Today! is! such!a!great!day,”! can! take!on!completely!different!meaning! when! delivered! in! a! sarcastic! vs.! genuine! tone.! Pay! attention! to! your! tone! when! teaching! and!expressing!emotional!content.+

&• Mindfulness+Practice:+There!is!a!wealth!of!new!research!suggesting!that!teachers!who!cultivate!their!own!

personal!mindfulness!practice!are!more!effective!as!teachers!and!experience!less!stress!and!burn6out.1,!3!Moreover,!research!has!revealed!that!training!programs!that!focus!on!teaching!mindfulness!to!teachers!can!actually!improve!student!performance!more!than!programs!that!teach!mindfulness!to!students.2!Ideally!we!can!do!both!–!and!if!you’re!going!to!teach!mindfulness!it!makes!sense!to!practice!it.!!!There!are!many!different!ways!to!approach!mindfulness!practice!–!from!yoga!to!sitting!meditation!and!beyond.!We!encourage!you!to!find!a!method!that!works!for!you,!start!small!and!practice!consistently.!While!any!self6care!and!mindfulness!practice!done!outside!the!classroom!is!going!to!benefit!you,!little!attention!has!been!given!to!“on!the!job!self6care.”!How!do!you!practice!mindfulness!when!two!students!are!arguing,!one!is!running!into!the!hall,!and!another!is!making!a!mess!–!all!while!you!are!trying!to!teach?!Well,!there’s!a!reason!it’s!called!practice.!Perfection!is!not!the!goal,!but!the!ultimate!test!of!a!“mindful!teacher”!is!the!ability!to!find!that!space!between!stimulus!and!response.!!!If!you!need!help!getting!started,!get!in!touch!with!us.!We!are!more!than!happy!to!talk!through!it!with!you.!!

+!!!!!!!!!!!!

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© 2015 Empowering Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Introduction 15 of 22 !

SCHOOL-WIDE.IMPLEMENTATION:..Beyond!teacher!buy6in!and!high6quality!delivery!of!SEL,!school6wide!and!district6wide!support!for!SEL!are!critical!factors! linked! to! program! success.! Even! the!most! highly! qualified! and! emotionally! competent! teacher!will! lack!efficacy!without!administrative!and!colleague!support.!This! is!because!SEL!cannot!be!restricted!to!specific!times,!lessons!or!programs!–!it!is!inherent!in!the!culture!of!every!classroom,!playground!and!lunchroom!interaction.!Each!time!you! interact!with!a!student!or!another!adult! in! the!building,! students!are!observing,! imitating!and! learning!social! and! emotional! norms.! ! Think! of! the! lessons! in! this! curriculum,! the! explicit! instruction,! as! the! necessary!coursework!for!the!practicum!of!daily!interactions!in!a!school!setting.!!!A! true! school6wide! approach! requires! a! clear! vision,! commitment! and! honest! re6evaluation! of! everything! from!school! culture! and! discipline! practices! to! details! like! daily! schedules! and! effective! transitions.! These! changes!typically! require! time! and! dedicated! leadership,! and!will! be! unique! to! your! schools’! needs,! but! there! are! some!small!steps!you!can!take!towards!a!more!emotion6centered!climate!right!now.!Here!are!a!few!considerations:!.• School6wide+coordination+of+lessons:&We!strongly!recommend!that!the!same!lesson!be!taught!on!a!weekly!

basis!in!every!class!in!the!building*.!This!is!most!effectively!achieved!by!designating!a!“point6person”!to!coordinate!weekly!scheduling!of!SEL!lessons.!The!lessons!are!arranged!in!a!logical!and!sequential!order,!but!can!be!modified!according!to!your!schools’!specific!needs.!The!benefits!of!teaching!the!same!lesson!across!the!school!each!week!include:!!!

o Reinforcing+interactions+between+grade+levels+and+siblings:!In!our!experience!teaching!SEL!school6wide,!students!get!excited!about!the!weekly!lesson!and!often!share!the!concepts!with!siblings!and!peers!in!other!grade!levels.!This!type!of!peer!reinforcement!is!one!of!the!most!effective!methods!of!acquiring!SEL!skills.!!!

o Reinforcement+of+skills+and+lesson+concepts+from+other+teachers:!When!there!is!one!single!SEL!focus!each!week,!it!is!much!easier!for!specials!teachers,!administrators,!support!staff!and!teachers!from!other!grade!levels!to!reinforce!and!practice!lesson!concepts!throughout!the!week.!!!

o Public+displays:&Public!displays!and!posters!can!be!changed!and!added!each!week!to!reinforce!the!“SEL!Skill!of!the!Week.”!In!fact,!we!strongly!recommend!that!you!do!post!visual!reminders!of!the!weekly!skills!throughout!the!building.!Consider!designating!a!person!or!team!to!be!in!charge!of!displays.!!!

o Teacher+ownership+of+lessons:!SEL!services!are!frequently!facilitated!and!taught!by!support!staff!and!outside!providers.!This!can!provide!a!great!starting!point,!however,!the!ultimate!goal!is!for!SEL!to!be!integrated!into!all!parts!of!the!school!day!and!academics.!There!is!no!better!way!to!gain!expertise!in!an!area!than!to!teach!it,!so!by!having!classroom!teachers!take!ownership!of!SEL!lessons!we!create!deeper!opportunities!for!teacher!and!student!mastery!of!SEL!skills!throughout!the!school!week.!!

o Assemblies+and+events:!Schools!with!a!cohesive!school!culture!typically!have!frequent!assemblies!and!all!school!events!built!into!their!schedule.!Introducing!and!reinforcing!lesson!concepts!at!school!assemblies!will!deepen!opportunities!for!integration!and!are!also!ideal!times!to!recognize!and!celebrate!students!and!teachers!who!embody!specific!SEL!skills.!!A!little!creativity!will!go!a!long!way!in!creating!opportunities!for!SEL!centered!events.!For!instance,!the!gratitude!lesson!suggests!that!you!create!a!large!“Gratitude!Wall,”!that!serves!as!an!interactive!display!for!students!to!share!what!they!are!grateful!for.!

!!

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o Peer+mentoring:!Students!learn!social!skills!most!effectively!through!peers!that!are!slightly!older!than!them.!Consider!building!mentoring!opportunities!into!your!programming,!or!even!having!older!students!teach!SEL!lessons!to!younger!students.!!&

o Family6School+Partnering:&We!are!developing!methods!to!effectively!partner!with!families!and!communities!around!SEL,!and!we!encourage!you!to!do!the!same.!A!simple!starting!point!would!be!including!a!brief!blurb!on!the!“SEL!Skill!of!the!Week”!in!your!family!newsletter.!&

!• School+Discipline+Practices:&Discipline!proceedings!are!a!crucial!opportunity!to!facilitate!SEL.!School!policies!

on!discipline!typically!lean!towards!one!of!two!categories:!punitive!or!restorative.!Punitive!practices!focus!on!correcting!“wrong”!behavior!through!punishment!in!order!to!promote!adherence!to!a!fixed!set!of!rules.!Restorative!practices,!on!the!other!hand,!emphasize!developing!an!understanding!of!how!one’s!actions!affect!others,!taking!responsibility!for!your!actions!and!eliciting!student6generated!ideas!on!how!to!repair!any!harm!that!occurred.!We!believe!that!restorative!practices!are!a!much!more!effective!method!for!fostering!social6emotional!competence!and!strongly!recommend!that!your!school!begin!discussions!and!evaluations!of!your!current!discipline!practices.!!&

• School+Values+&+Mission:.There!is!a!reason!that!successful!businesses!and!organizations!spend!a!significant!amount!of!time!combing!over!the!fine!details,!words!and!phrases!of!their!mission!and!values!statements.!!Words!shape!reality,!so!an!intentional!mission!statement!can!be!the!rudder!that!steers!the!entire!ship.!If!your!school!has!not!already!done!so,!we!encourage!you!to!create!a!team!to!review!and!update!your!mission!and!values!statements!to!reflect!the!social!and!emotional!climate!you!desire.!Post!this!publicly,!and!then,!of!course,!the!real!work!comes!in!putting!words!into!action.!!&

*++++A+Note+on+Grade+Level+and+Timing:+While!the!current!lessons!are!written!at!an!upper6elementary!to!middle!school!level,!nearly!every!lesson!in!this!curriculum!can,!and!has,!been!taught!at!every!grade!level!from!Kindergarten!through!8th!grade.!Our!next!edition!will!include!grade!level!differentiations!for!each!lesson,!so!in!the!meantime!we!are!available!for!support!and!rely!on!the!expertise!of!classroom!teachers!to!make!appropriate!modifications!for!their!grade!level.!!!You!may!also!have!noticed!that!the!recommended!timing!of!the!lessons!is!not!aligning!with!your!experience.!We!assure!you!that!all!of!these!lessons!have!been!taught!within!the!recommended!time!frame,!though!by!experienced!teachers.!Given!the!current!state!of!most!schools,!it!is!difficult!to!secure!dedicated!time!for!anything!that!is!considered,!“non6academic;”!thus,!our!goal!is!to!provide!lessons!that!deliver!content!as!concisely!as!possible!without!sacrificing!quality.!!!Our!main!priority!is!the!quality!of!delivery,!so!if!this!means!you!need!to!slow!things!down!and!are!not!able!to!teach!all!of!the!content!–!by!all!means!do!so.!Lessons!can!be!broken!up!over!several!class!periods,!days!or!even!weeks.!In!fact,!the!lessons!are!organized!in!sequence!from!basic!to!advanced!skills,!so!if!you!do!not!teach!all!of!the!lessons!in!the!first!year!students!will!still!receive!a!complete!foundation.!Find!a!pace!that!works!for!you!and!stick!with!it.!Over!time,!you!will!gain!experience!and!proficiency!in!teaching!these!lessons!in!shorter!time!periods.!!!!!

!!!!!!

!

1. Campbell,!E.!(2013).!Research!round6up:!Mindfulness!in!schools.!Greater&Good.!2. F!sak,!BJ,!Richard,!D,!and!Mann,!A.!The!prevention!of!child!and!adolescent!anxiety:!a!meta6analytic!review.!Prev&Sci.!2011;!12:!255–268.!3. Wilson,!D.,!and!M.!Conyers!.!(2013)!Five!Big!Ideas!for!Effective!Teaching:!Connecting!Mind,!Brain!and!Education!Research!to!Classroom!Practice;!New!

York,!NY:!Teachers!College!Press.!


!THEORIES:..Theory,!as!we!use!the!term!here,!refers!to!a!lens!through!which!one!can!view!the!world.!The!three!theories!we!have!chosen!to!inform!our!curriculum!are!currently!considered!the!most!“evidence6based”!lenses!for!understanding!and!teaching!SEL.! !Each! theory!serves!a!unique!purpose!and!when! taken! together!can!offer!students!a!well6rounded!understanding!and!experience!of!SEL!topics.!!.Mindfulness:! Mindfulness! can! be! summed! up! in! two! words:! paying! attention.! More! completely,! mindfulness!means! paying! attention! to! what! is! happening! from!moment6moment! without! judgment.! ! This! practice! of! non6judgmental! awareness! (mindfulness)! has! been! strongly! linked! to! increases! in! positive! benefits! in! schools,! e.g.,!attention,! self6control,! participation,! focus,! enhanced! school! culture,! and! improvements! in! teacher! mood.!Mindfulness!has!also!been!linked!to!significant!decreases!in!stress,!distractibility,!and!depressive!symptoms.!1!!!We! use!mindfulness! as! a! foundational! theory! in! our! curriculum.! As! a! theory,! mindfulness! is! one! of! the! fastest!growing!and!most!evidence6based!practices!to!foster!social6emotional!and!academic!growth.!!.Cognitive. Behavioral. Therapy. (CBT):. While! CBT! is! a! form! of! psychotherapy! it! is! also! widely! used! as! a!preventative!teaching!strategy.!The!use!of!CBT!as!a!preventative!teaching!strategy!to!reduce!childhood!anxiety!has!been!well!documented.!2!We!will!be!using!CBT!as!an!educational!strategy,!not!conducting!therapy,!and!feel!that!CBT!offers!students!insight!into!challenging!limiting!beliefs!like,!‘I’m!not!good!enough!at!math,’!and!‘No!one!really!likes!me.’!CBT!also!offers!invaluable!insights!into!how!our!emotions,!thoughts,!and!behaviors!interplay!with!one!another.!!.Brain-Based. Learning:.Words! like! “neuroscience,”! and! “brain6based! learning,”! are! gaining! a! lot! of! buzz! in! the!current! educational! climate! –! and! for! good! reason.! It! simply!makes! sense! to! understand! the! hardware! you! are!working!with!before!trying!to!install!the!software.!Teaching!children!about!the!form!and!function!of!their!brain!is!akin! to! giving! them! an! “owner’s!manual,”! of! their! brain! and! thereby! empowers! them! to!make! positive! choices!regarding!their!thoughts,!behaviors,!and!emotions!to!support!healthier!brains.!3.!!

!The! combination! of! mindfulness,. brain-based. learning,! and! CBT! provides! students! with! the! necessary!knowledge!and!tools!to:!• increase!self6awareness!and!self6regulation!on!a!moment!to!moment!basis.!• modulate! behavior! based! on! an! understanding! of! the! biological! underpinnings! of! human! behavior! and!

emotions.!• make!responsible!decisions!based!on!an!understanding!of!the!dynamic!interplay!between!thoughts,!emotions!

and!behavior.!!

!


!!WHO.WE.ARE:.!

Mission.Empowering&Education&enables&learning&by&contributing&to&the&social&and&emotional&wellness&of&students,&families,&and&educators.&

!!

Vision.Foster&a&sense&of&empowerment&in&the&21st&Century&student&that&drives&them&to&seek&&healthy,&positive&relationships&with&their&friends,&family,&and&in&their&community,&&

ultimately&resulting&in&positive&contributions&to&society&as&a&whole.&!!

Objective.To&provide&Social&and&Emotional&Learning&services&to&schools&in&order&&

to&help&create&a&well=rounded,&emotionally&confident&student.&!

!!Though!our!services!have!changed!significantly!over! the!years,!our!mission,!vision,!and!objective!have!remained!constant.! Our! goal! is! simple:! to! provide! high6quality,! universal! social6emotional! learning! to! as! many! students,!teachers,!and!families!as!possible.!!!We!believe!you!can!tell!a!lot!about!an!organization!from!their!history!and!their!core!beliefs,!so!we!want!to!take!a!moment!to!share!ours!with!you.!!!.History:.!Empowering!Education!(EE)!was!founded!in!2009!by!Mr.!Andreas!Wilfong,!a!176year!business!owner.!Mr.!Wilfong!was!inspired!to!found!EE!after!witnessing!firsthand!his!own!son!struggle!with!the!social6emotional!challenges!that!face!so!many!adolescents!today.!As!Mr.!Wilfong!became!actively!involved!in!helping!his!son,!he!realized!most!other!students!were! struggling!with! similar! issues.!There!was!a!pattern!of! inadequate! social! and!emotional! skills! that!was! not! being! addressed! by! schools.!When! he! saw! the! improvements! in! his! son’s! ability! to! function! in! a! social!context!after!being!exposed!to!a! formal!SEL!program,!he!felt!a!personal!responsibility!to!bring!these!proven!and!highly!successful!concepts!to!the!mainstream!classroom,!making!the!life6changing!benefits!available!to!all!students.!!As! Mr.!Wilfong! has! said! frequently,! “our! goal! is! to! have! a! positive! impact! on! the! lives! of! as! many! students! as!possible.”!This!goal! is!based!on!the!belief!that!SEL!must!be!an!integral!part!of!education!from!preschool!through!high!school,!considered!as!essential!to!education!as!reading,!writing,!and!arithmetic.!!During!the!past!six!years,!EE!has!successfully!engaged!in!collaborative!partnerships!with!six!public!schools!and!two!charter!schools!to!reach!over!6,000!students!at!all!levels!of!learning!–!all!at!no!cost!to!our!partner!schools.!Our!own!experience! and! current! research! overwhelmingly! shows! the! linkages! among! SEL,! student! outcomes,! and! school!performance.!!

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Our! two! SEL!Coordinators,! Cody!Wiggs! and!Daniel! Flanders,! are! both!Master’s! level! counselors! that! bring! their!clinical! expertise! to! the! educational! world.! They! have! spent! the! last! 5! years! on! the! ground! in! public! schools!training!teachers,!teaching!students,!and!working!with!administrators!and!families!to!find!the!most!effective!ways!to! deliver! quality! SEL.! We! have! learned! a! lot! from! these! lessons! and! our! work! has! evolved! from! our! original!elective! course! to!what!we! believe! is! a! streamlined! and! effective!method! for! implementing! quality! SEL! school6wide:!the!curriculum!and!supporting!materials!you!are!currently!reading.!!!Through!our!partnerships!over!the!years!we!have!learned!a!simple,!but!important!lesson:!every!school!has!unique!needs!and!challenges,!thus,!any!successful!SEL!program!must!be!tailored!to!the!specific!culture!and!community!of!each!individual!school.!There!is!no!panacea!or!silver!bullet!for!SEL;!it!must!start!with!a!sincere!commitment!from!every!teacher!and!administrator!and!requires!ongoing!effort!and!learning!from!all!involved.!!!Our! curriculum!provides! a! starting! point,! but! the! real!magic! happens!when!we! put! the! lessons! in! the! hands! of!classroom! teachers.! By!providing! a! foundation! for! teachers! to! build! on,! they!have!brought! the! lessons! to! life! in!ways!that!surpassed!our!expectations!and!intuitively!link!the!content!back!to!their!academic!curriculum!and!daily!routines.! It! is! the! responsibility! of! every! educator! in! the! building! to! facilitate! SEL! at! all! times! and! in! every!interaction.!SEL!must!be!taught,!modeled,!and!built!into!the!school!culture.!This!is!hard!work.!After!witnessing!the!transformations!in!our!partner!schools,!we!assure!you!it!is!well!worth!the!effort.!!!We!are!here!to!support!you!in!this!work.!As!your!school!examines!and!changes!its!culture!around!SEL!we!will!make!every!effort! to!be!available! for! the!questions!and!challenges! that!will! inevitably!arise.!We!are!dedicated! to!high6quality!SEL!implementation!to!support!the!social,!emotional,!and!academic!growth!of!every!student,!teacher,!and!parent!that!encounters!our!curriculum.!!!.Core.Beliefs:..!• Social6emotional!learning!is!as!critical!to!a!child’s!education!as!reading,!writing,!mathematics,!science!and!the!

arts.!!!• Every!child!deserves!a!high6quality!social6emotional!education.!!• Every!teacher!with!a!sincere,!positive!intention!is!capable!of!teaching!and!modeling!SEL.!!• Classroom!teachers!are!the!most!effective!source!for!teaching!SEL.!!• Effective!SEL!is!a!school6wide!effort!and!is!inherent!in!every!personal!interaction!in!the!building.!!!!• SEL!curriculums!and!trainings!should!be!affordable!and!accessible!to!all.!!!• Success!is!achieved!through!effective!partnerships!between!schools,!families!and!community!partners.!!!!!!!!!

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!Visions:..We!believe!there!is!a!lot!of!power!in!sharing!our!goals!and!visions.!This!enables!transparency,!accountability,!and!motivation.!We!want!you!to!know!who!you!are!working!with.!Here!are!our!long!term!goals!written!in!present!tense!to!reflect!where!we!hope!to!be!as!an!organization!and!as!an!educational!community:!!• Social6Emotional!Learning!has!been!adopted!nationwide!and!is!a!requirement!for!all!students.!

• Empowering!Education!is!an!active!leader!in!the!SEL!community!and!has!made!significant!contributions!to!the!policy,!advocacy,!and!science!of!SEL.!

• Empowering!Education’s!curriculum!has!been!approved!by!CASEL!as!an!evidence6based!curriculum.!

• Empowering! Education! provides! high! quality! online! training! and! support! to! any! school! implementing! our!curriculum.!

• Teachers!completing!our!online!course!receive!continuing!education!credits!and!access!to!an!online!community!of!educators!dedicated!to!SEL.!

• Empowering!Education!provides!a!full!library!of!videos!and!resources!for!teachers,!students!and!parents.!

• We!feel!proud,!stable,!and!sustainable!as!an!organization!and!our!work!continues!to!align!with!our!core!values.!

• Our!services!and!products!continue!to!be!distributed!in!equitable!ways!that!align!with!our!mission!to!provide!all!students!with!access!to!high6quality!SEL.!

!.Support:!!We!are!here!for!you.!Contact!us!with!any!questions,!comments,!feedback!or!requests!for!support:!!Cody!Wiggs,!MA,!LPC:[email protected]!!Daniel!Flanders,!MA:[email protected]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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!About.the.Team:.

Cody!Wiggs,!MA,!LPC:!Executive!Director!&!Lead!Author!

Cody,!a!Colorado!native,!has!been!working!with!youth!for!the!past!10! years.! Cody! brings! a! wide! range! of! experience! to! EE:! from!community! organizing! in! Denver! Public! Schools,! senior! field!instructor! at! Second! Nature! Wilderness! Programs,! leading!international!service6learning!trips,!school!counseling!and!private!practice! to! his! current! role! as! Executive! Director.! Cody! is!passionate!about!empowering!students!with!the!knowledge,!skills!and! experiences! needed! to! realize! their! fullest! potential.! Cody!received!his!Master’s!in!counseling!at!the!University!of!Denver.!He!is! a! licensed! professional! counselor! and! a! licensed! school!counselor.! He! is! also! a! certified! yoga! instructor! and! graduate! of!the!Greater!Good!Science!Center!Summer!Institute!at!UC!Berkeley;!thus,! mindfulness! practices! and! body6centered! approaches! are!integral! to! his! work.! ! Much! of! his! education! has! come! through!extensive! travel! in! Thailand,! India! and! South! America!where! he!studied! indigenous! healing! and! cultural! practices! –! it! is! this!

wisdom! he! hopes! to! convey! through! his!writing! and! teaching.! In! his! free! time,! he! can! be! found! rock! climbing,!mountain!biking,!fly6fishing!and!skiing!in!the!Colorado!mountains.!!!!!!!Daniel!Flanders,!MA:!Social6Emotional!Learning!Coordinator,!Author,!&!Videographer!!

Daniel!graduated!from!Georgia!Southern!University!with!a!M.S.!in!Clinical!Psychology.!He!spent!six!years!teaching!and!guiding!various! outdoor! activities! while! completing! his!undergraduate/graduate! education.! During! his! practicum,!Daniel! counseled! and! coordinated! disability! accommodations!for!students!at!Savannah!College!of!Art!&!Design.!He!went!on!to!work! with! teens! as! a! senior! instructor! for! Second! Nature!Wilderness! Program.! It! was! at! Second! Nature! that! he! gained!the! expertise! needed! to! successfully! incorporate! proven!principles! into! active,! often! challenging! environments.! He!believes! that! the! addition! of! an! experiential! or! 'journey'!element!allows!for!more!meaningful,!constructive!outcomes!for!the!individual.!Daniel!brings!a!skilled!eye!for!photography!and!videography! to! the! team,! as! well! as! a! unique! passion! and!understanding!of! neuroscience.!When!he! is! not! busy!with!EE,!

you!may!find!him!wandering!Denver!in!hopeful!search!for!Southern!cuisine.!

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Maryann!Wiggs,!MA:!Educational!Consultant!!

Ms.! Wiggs! has! over! four! decades! of! experience! in! education! and! looks! to!utilize! that! experience! as! the! Educational! Consultant! for! Empowering!Education.!Ms.!Wiggs! is! the! founder! of! Educational! Performance! Consulting,!providing!engaging!seminars!and!workshops!on!a!wide!range!of!educational!topics! both! locally! and! nationally.! She! is! the! author! of! five! books! on!understanding!and!implementing!standards6based!educational!practices.!As!a!former! Assistant! Superintendent! and! Executive! Director! in! two! Colorado!school! districts,! Ms.! Wiggs! has! been! instrumental! in! orchestrating! the!alignment!of!all!aspects!of!teachers’!work!to!improve!the!quality!of!instruction!in! the! classroom! including,! standards! and! assessment,! curriculum! and!instruction,! interventions! and! strengthening! relationships.! She! is! also! a!former!speech!pathologist,!special!education!teacher,!behavior!consultant,!and!principal,! having! served! students! at! the! elementary,!middle! and!high! school!levels.!Ms.!Wiggs!and!her!husband!are!outdoor!enthusiasts!who!can!be!found!cross6country!skiing!from!hut6to6hut!in!the!winter!or!camping!and!kayaking!in!the! summer.! Their! three! children! have! all! joined! in! the! call! to! serve! young!people!in!education.!Cody!Wiggs!serves!as!Executive!Director!for!Empowering!Education.!

!!!!Andy!Wilfong:!Board!Chairman!

!Andy! is! the! Board! Chairman! and! founder! of! Empowering! Education! Inc.!(EE)! and! has! also! founded! two! additional! companies! headquartered! in!Colorado.! One! of! the! companies! was! awarded! best! small! business! in!Colorado! from!200862010!and! in!2010!was!ranked!25th!nationally.!Andy!has! extensive! experience! with! business! start6up! operations! and!subsequent!business!sustainability.! In!the!Chairman!role,!he!has!a!proven!track! record! in! the! development! of! successful! companies! and! looks!forward! to! utilizing! this! experience! and! knowledge! in! support! of! EE’s!success.! Andy! has! a! strong! personal! desire! to! see! additional! support!implemented! in! the! school! system! that! will! enhance! the! social! and!emotional!wellness!of!the!21st!century!student.!He!is!excited!to!be!involved!with! EE,! specifically! the! development! of! EE’s! newest! curriculum! in! the!nation’s!schools.!

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