Educator Enrichment Express

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Issue 2

Educator Enrichment Express

Your regular dose of tips, insights, and inspiration on the latest trends and timeless practices in education.

From AI for educators to social-emotional learning to educator well-being and so much more, we bring you practical strategies and fresh perspectives to enhance your educator journey.

Have you signed up for our free upcoming Tech Trailblazers Workshop?

Tech Trailblazers

Wednesday, October 30th, 10am-2pm

Join us for an engaging and hands-on workshop designed for educators eager to enhance their teaching strategies with technology tools. This professional development session will introduce you to innovative platforms and applications that can transform your lesson planning, collaboration, and student engagement. Perfect for teachers of all grade levels, this workshop will provide practice insights and easy-to-implement solutions to make technology an integral part of your classroom. You don't want to miss this opportunity!

Learn More & Register

Have you tried MAGIC SCHOOL?

MagicSchool is an AI-powered platform designed specifically for educators BY EDUCATORS. It can save educators up to 10 hours per week - time that you can use to focus on what is most important - YOUR STUDENTS! MagicSchool has 70+ tools that will save time on tasks that require a ton of effort... tasks such as generating relevant content, writing IEPs, differentiation, creating assessments, supporting school discipline, AND SO MUCH MORE! Sign up for a FREE ACCOUNT at magicschool.ai

Read on to learn about some of the most popular tools used on MagicSchool...

Image Generator

Generate and edit images with AI from Adobe Express.

Presentation Generator

Generate exportable slides based on a topic, text, YouTube video, or any uploaded content.

Lesson Plan

Generate a lesson plan for a topic or objective you're teaching.

Rubric Generator

Have AI write a rubric for an assignment you are creating for your class in a table format.

YouTube Video Questions

Generate guiding questions aligned to a YouTube video.

YouTube Video Summarizer

Get a summary of a YouTube video in whatever length you choose.

Math Spiral Review

Generate a spiral review problem set for any math standards or topics.

5E Model Lesson Plan

Generate a 5E model lesson plan for your science class. Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate.

Were you at our Restorative Practices Training in August? You'll love this one...

Restorative Reflection

Create a student reflection assignment based on restorative practices for disciplinary incidents.

Strategies to Integrate Social Emotional Learning

The research-based approaches below can be used as strategies and tools to teach social-emotional skills and lay the groundwork for a positive classroom climate necessary for learning.

Here are 9 research-based approaches and strategies teachers can use to integrate and support SEL in the classroom:

Integrating Literature and SEL
- How to start: Start by choosing any text you would read with your learners. This can vary based on age and curriculum content area. As you read, pause to discuss social-emotional topics and ideas.
Journal Writing
- How to start: Choose a social-emotional question to focus on. Discuss as a group to provide background knowledge and interest. Then, give time for independent journal writing.
Welcome Greetings
- How to start: As students walk in, stand in the doorway and greet students. Try to give a positive statement for every student who walks in.
Class Meetings
- How to start: Plan just 10-20 minutes each day to your class meeting sessions. When you get started, sit in a circle as a group. During this time, start with greetings. Next, you can focus time on a particular SEL topic to highlight such as kindness, integrity, empathy, or confidence. You can start a conversation about that topic, act out examples, or make a plan to use that skill today throughout the day. Give students a chance to share and discuss together.
Sequenced and Explicit Instruction
- How to start: Plan and teach structured SEL lessons focused on a social-emotional skill that your students need the most. Introduce the topic, practice it together, and then allow students to show what they've learned.
Class Discussions
- Choose a social-emotional topic to use as a discussion starter. Use the question to guide meaningful peer conversations.
Cooperative Learning
- How to start: Cooperative learning can take many forms. One strategy to use is role-playing.

Strong Teacher-Student Relationships
- There are COUNTLESS ways to strengthen relationships with students. Here are a few:
  - Use relationship-building conversation starters to get to know students and so they can get to know you.
  - Call students by their names often. When students hear their own name being said, it’s a reminder that they are known and valued as a unique individual in the classroom.
  - Try the 2×10 strategy for those you are struggling to connect with. For this strategy, talk with your learner for two full minutes about any topic they want for at least 10 days.
Home-School Connection
- How to start:
  - Consider one of the strategies to involve families with SEL:
  - Send letters home detailing which SEL skills or topics students are learning about in the classroom. Options can be given for extension activities at home.
  - Invite families to be part of classroom events and activities (such as a classroom reader or helper for craft activities).
  - Host a parent night to build relationships and encourage family participation at school.
  - Invite families to join classroom discussions and conversations.
  - Host a SEL night with focus on different social-emotional skills students are building throughout the year.
  - Invite parents as guest speakers for specific topics (such as talking about a particular career).

Educator Wellness Quick Tips

Here is a recap from the first two Lunch & Learn sessions in the Wholehearted Living Series:

AUTHENTICITY: Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are.

Start developing authenticity today by:

*Practice mindfulness

*Define the actions that would be authentic

*Find ways to act on your core values and beliefs

*Stop and reflect before making decisions

*Don't shame yourself for surviving

Check out the Recording and the Slides from this session.

SELF-COMPASSION: Self-compassion is extending the same type of compassion you'd give others but giving it yourself. When things don't go you way, or you make a mistake, instead of being hard on yourself, you treat yourself with kindness and understanding.

Five Exercises to Practice Self-Compassion:

*Practice mindfulness

*Recognize your common humanity

*Speak to yourself as you would a friend

*Respond to challenges with compassion

*Practice self-soothing

Check out the Recording and the Slides from this session.

This week's Lunch & Learn series is all about Resilient Spirit. Join us Friday, September 27 at 12pm! Check out more information here:

Learn More & Register

Educator Support Coordinator Corner

PRODUCT PREVIEW:

Courseware by Edmentum is a classroom solution that addresses students’ needs both inside and outside the classroom with standards-based core courses and electives designed to support personalized learning in grades 6-12. Credit recovery, unit recovery, and custom course creation are options available within the platform.

Edmentum Courseware is offered on a per-seat basis, providing unlimited access to courses for a single student throughout the school year at a cost of $140.

If you are interested in finding out more or would like to get students started please contact Ashley Anderson directly.

ashley.anderson@ruralvirtual.org

Please reach out at any time!

cassandra.kulibert@ruralvirtual.org

888-801-2666 ext. 8883