Jun. 25, 2020

Contributed by Andrea Oka

During this uncertain time when our haumāna need support, we continue to share weekly tips for educators from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Now is a time to provide opportunities for students to complete activities that affirm their competence, sense of self-worth and feelings of safety. There are many social emotional learning practices and wellness activities that teachers can encourage students to complete independently or online. 

These activities can promote self-regulation when students are feeling stressed and provide a healthy sense of control over controllable aspects of an overwhelming situation. Here’s this week’s social emotional and wellness practice:

• Have students complete a virtual or long-distance appreciation or gratitude circle. Encourage students to write one thing they appreciate about classmates. Add your own, and then give each student the appreciations written about them.