WHAT WE DO
MATTERS!
Social & Emotional Learning
In-service 2012
Colleen Meulstee & Tara Strouse
When you look at truly effective
teachers, you will also find
caring, warm, lovable people.
~Albert Camus
IT IS NOT WHAT IS,
BUT WHAT IS PERCEIVED
THAT COUNTS.
~HARRY WONG
A pessimist sees the difficulty in
every opportunity; an optimist
sees the opportunity in every
difficulty.
~Sir Winston Churchill
Most do better when we listen
and ask, rather than demand and
tell.
~Allen Mendler
Any genuine teaching will result, if
successful, in someone's knowing
how to bring about a better condition
of things than existed earlier.
~John Dewey
SETTING AN EXAMPLE IS NOT
THE MAIN MEANS OF
INFLUENCING ANOTHER, IT IS
THE ONLY MEANS.
~ALBERT EINSTEIN
Every time you act,
you validate who you are.
~Harry Wong
The highest result of education
is tolerance.
~Helen Keller
The most important knowledge
teachers need to do good work is a
knowledge of how students are
experiencing learning and
perceiving their teacher's actions.
~Steven Brookfield
The secret of education is
respecting the pupil.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the
decisive element in the classroom.
It's my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make
a child's life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of
inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.
In all situations, it is my response that decides
whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and
a child humanized or de-humanized.
~Haim Ginott
What is SEL?

The process of developing social and emotional skills
in the context of safe, caring, well-managed, and
engaging learning environments

These skills include the ability to:
-Recognize and manage emotions
-Care about and respect others
-Develop positive relationships
-Make good decisions
Why Teach SEL?

Emotions affect how we learn
 Schools are social places---relationships provide the
foundation for learning
 Effective as a classroom management strategy
 Reduces barriers to learning
 SEL skills can be taught
 Aligns with the academic agenda of schools-has a
positive impact on academic performance
How do your words and
actions impact your
classroom environment and
your students?
Consider:
*use of sarcasm
*word choice & decision making when
disappointed/upset
Students are always
watching us…what do
you want them to see?
NO ONE IS PERFECT…BUT
WE MUST STRIVE TO
RECOGNIZE THAT THE
DECISIONS WE MAKE
DAILY DEEPLY IMPACT THE
LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS.
The Difference Dash
A Game Designed for WSD Difference Makers
When forming game groups:
Work with individuals from different buildings
Work with individuals from different grade levels
Try to split evenly between the 8 game boards
While playing, keep in mind:

Be open and honest with yourself and your peers, take time
to reflect on your experiences and your choices

You will have approximately 30 minutes to play the game
Some systems/resources to consider:
• 7 Habits
• The Leader in Me (Dr. Stephen Covey)
• 7 Habits Intro Powerpoint
• Video Preview
Useful Website
• FISH! Philosophy
• FISH! Video
• Pretzel Meetings
• Pretzel Sheet
• Pretzel Notebook
• When Teaching Gets Tough (Allen Mendler)
• Michael’s Golden Rules (Delores Jordan)
Take it with you…
Please choose a card from the table and either write a note
or reminder to yourself to keep somewhere visible
throughout the year for when things get tough…
Consider writing:
• A quote you liked or one that resonated with you
• An idea a peer shared with you throughout the session
• A pep talk for yourself for those days when you just “need it”
• Something you just want to keep in mind this year