We live in an information age where new knowledge and technologies are emerging rapidly and creating jobs of the future that we do not even know exist yet, and the ability to adapt, learn, and grow is more important than ever. To thrive in such an environment, cultivating a growth mindset is essential. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is pivotal in fostering this mindset. Harmony Academy, backed by National University’s Whole Human Education, proudly offers a holistic approach to help individuals embark on lifelong learning.

What does a growth mindset entail?

A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence, such as social and emotional intelligence, can be developed through learning opportunities. Embracing a growth mindset encourages resilience, a love for learning, and a willingness to embrace challenges and failures as opportunities for growth.

How does having a growth mindset and social and emotional learning connect to the Whole You?

As a leader in social and emotional learning, National University offers resources and programs to enhance student learning outcomes and increase educator impact in the classroom and beyond.

Focusing on the Whole Human, National University takes a holistic approach to student well-being through a supportive ecosystem that measures financial, social, and emotional success as well as through family, community, and career.

National University’s College of Education has developed an interactive, engaging, and innovative professional development website that houses digital playbooks and other resources focusing on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for teachers. Each playbook features in-action scenarios, steps for classroom implementation of SEL, guided reflections, and a place to share ideas and best practices.

Mastering new knowledge and skills takes time and is part of the learning journey. It is important to keep a growth mindset while learning how to integrate core social and emotional competencies in all that you do. It is worth the investment as it ultimately supports the Whole You!

Social and emotional learning is an educational framework that develops self-awareness and interpersonal skills. Through this process, SEL can provide individuals with opportunities to build resilience and the emotional regulation skills to bounce back and persevere. A growth mindset acknowledges that mistakes and failure are essential parts of learning, and SEL provides the emotional tools and relationship-building strategies to navigate these setbacks constructively.

Harmony’s Every Practices, such as Buddy Up and Quick Connection Cards, and their units specifically curated for grades Pre-K – 6th including Being My Best Self and Communicating with Each Other encourage collaboration, teamwork, and empathy. These interpersonal skills are essential for embracing a growth mindset, as learning involves seeking help from others, sharing knowledge, and understanding different perspectives.

How does Harmony offer a comprehensive approach to cultivating a growth mindset through SEL?

Harmony approaches this mission through:

1. Curriculum Integration: Harmony integrates social and emotional curriculum principles into daily classroom teachings, ensuring that social and emotional learning is intertwined with academic learning. This approach helps students see the connection between life skills and academic and personal growth.
2. Teacher Training: Harmony provides professional development and training for educators to implement SEL practices in the classroom effectively. Teachers play a pivotal role in modeling and fostering a growth mindset in their students.
3. Real-World Application: SEL is not limited to the classroom. Harmony Curriculum encourages students to apply their social and emotional skills in real-world scenarios, essential for developing a growth mindset in practical situations.

How and where can I get started?

1. Explore Harmony Professional Learning: (previously Inspire Leading in Learning) our 88 on-demand learning modules are dedicated to fostering community, belonging, and supporting the Whole Educator™. These modules can also provide up to 9 free graduate credits for the National University’s Master of Arts in Education with a SEL emphasis. Explore this more here!
2. Register for An Upcoming Live Webinar: Our monthly hour-long webinars with thought leaders and Harmony partners help inform educators about social and emotional learning and provide practical strategies that can be used in schools and organizations worldwide.
3. Explore our YouTube Channel: Explore past webinars, summits, and Harmony How-Tos on our YouTube channel.
4. Book a Demo: Bring Harmony into your school with a demo with one of our professional learning specialists! Learn how to add it to your daily teaching or out-of-school time programs.
   

Are you looking for more information on this topic? Reach out to harmony@nu.edu, and we are ready to support your no-cost journey to social and emotional learning!

Teaching is a noble and rewarding profession, but it can also be incredibly demanding. Oftentimes, wonderful teachers face common challenges that can lead to teacher burnout and, ultimately, stressful learning environments for all. As a leader in social and emotional learning (SEL), Harmony Academy powered by National University is dedicated to providing resources that improve educators’ and students’ lives through the classroom and beyond.

In this blog post, we will:

• Define SEL.
• Learn about Harmony Academy and how it can help improve teacher well-being and the Whole Educator.
• Explore the signs of teacher burnout.
• Discuss proactive steps teachers can take to prioritize their well-being.

What is SEL?

SEL, or social and emotional learning, is a teaching and learning process to develop and acquire the skills, knowledge, and beliefs (e.g., initiative-taking, communication, collaboration) all individuals need to be successful in school, work, and life.

What is Educator SEL?

Educator SEL is when educators engage in an intentional process to continue to nurture social and emotional competencies and capacities. Specifically, Educator SEL includes two core components: (1) competencies — processes educators take to nurture their social and emotional competencies (e.g., understanding and managing emotions, forming meaningful relationships, making helpful choices), and (2) capacities — the ability to translate knowledge of SEL to support student social and emotional development.

What does teacher well-being encompass?

Teacher well-being encompasses physical health, social, emotional, and psychological dimensions. It connects educators’ sense of purpose and fulfillment from their profession, ability to manage stress, and overall job satisfaction.

Why is Educator SEL so important?

“Through the Collaborating Districts Initiative (CDI), CASEL has learned that schools are more effective at teaching and reinforcing SEL for students when they also cultivate SEL competencies in adults.” (casel.org)

To promote educator well-being and avoid teacher burnout, it is critical to look out for the signs of teacher burnout, which can include the following:

1. Emotional Exhaustion: One of the primary signs of teacher burnout is emotional exhaustion. A clear indicator is when teachers feel drained, emotionally detached, or overwhelmed by their responsibilities.
2. Decreased Job Satisfaction: A sudden decline in job satisfaction can signify burnout. Teachers who once loved their profession may begin feeling disillusioned, disinterested, or even resentful toward their jobs.
3. Physical Symptoms: Burnout can manifest as physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances. It could be a sign of burnout if a teacher is constantly fatigued, experiencing regular headaches, or having trouble sleeping.
4. Reduced Professional Efficacy: Another common sign of burnout is decreased professional efficacy. Teachers may start to doubt their abilities, question the impact they’re making on their students, and feel a sense of hopelessness about their work.
5. Isolation and Withdrawal: Burnout can lead to a sense of isolation and withdrawal from colleagues and friends. If teachers avoid social interactions or feel disconnected from their support network, it’s a sign that something may be wrong.

How can school leaders promote educator well-being and prevent burnout?

1. Check in With Your Teachers. Are leaders supporting their teachers to set boundaries, practice mindfulness, and engage in fun activities outside of work? How do they encourage the work-life balance for their staff?
2. Offer Resources and Community. Be ready to share the resources the district offers for colleagues facing life challenges with access to professional help if needed. Consider offering fun staff activities that can instill a sense of community as well.
3. Refresh Professional Development Opportunities. Teachers can reignite their passion for teaching by pursuing professional development opportunities. Harmony Academy proudly offers no-cost online SEL professional learning courses, SEL webinars, and more at Harmony Professional Learning.

How can Harmony Curriculum help prevent teacher burnout?

Harmony Academy offers a free relationship-driven curriculum through SEL lesson plans, games designed to improve social and emotional skills, and fun ways for students to engage.

1. Provide Ready-to-use Materials for Your Staff to Readily Access.
2. Plan for the Integration of Harmony’s Everyday Practices, such as Buddy Up and Quick Connection Cards, and review the units specifically curated for grades Pre-K – 6th, including Being My Best Self and Communicating with Each Other, all encouraging collaboration, teamwork, and empathy building.

Creating a strong sense of community is the first step to supporting teacher well-being campus-wide. Educators everywhere can take proactive steps to prioritize their well-being, ensuring they can continue inspiring and educating the next generation without compromising their health and happiness. Leaders can support their staff on their journeys to maintain their well-being and will continue to support the Harmony-filled school community we all know and love.

“OST providers have many competing requirements to fulfill in their short time with students. That’s why I’m excited to share the new Harmony OST Edition. It builds the foundation yet remains flexible in its practices to create the ‘secret sauce’ to a healthy and happy environment for kids to grow and learn!” —Lauren Puzen, Chief of Strategy, Harmony SEL

We Are Thrilled to Announce Harmony SEL Third Edition Out-of-School Time Lessons Are Here!

Snuggle up with a cup of coffee — or herbal tea — and take some uninterrupted time to explore the Harmony portal and familiarize yourself with the content.

Communication is an essential part of healthy relationships. Without it, it’s difficult to learn and thrive in multiple environments. With the latest OST lessons in Harmony Third Edition, students can practice their communication skills in quick snapshots to help them thrive and form meaningful relationships. Topics include:

• Whole-body listening 
• Conversation bloopers and boosters 
• Using conversation “dos” 
• Using words to tell a story 

Since these lessons are short yet substantive, they’re perfect for any out-of-school staff member, volunteers, high schoolers, education-oriented college students, and experienced OST professionals. 

OST Third Edition Highlights

In Harmony Third Edition, lessons are created for Out-of-School Time.

• Designed to be used by Out-of-School Time professionals (i.e., coordinators, coaches, facilitators, volunteers, etc.).
• Applicable to multiple age groups in one setting through grade banding for upper and lower grades.
• Upper-grade and lower-grade lessons aligned to each Harmony unit.
• Concepts are introduced in a bite-sized format.
• Lessons open with one of three suggested Quick Connections: a Conversation Starter, Collaboration topic, or Community Builder.
• Lessons follow a four-step process of Get Ready, Get Set, Go!, and Stop and Reflect.

OST Highlights for Providers:

In Harmony Third Edition, lessons are created for Out-of-School Time. Perks include:

• Promotes healthy relationships and social wellness within out-of-school environments.
• Supports the Unit Themes through highly engaging activities.
• Offers device-friendly format (i.e., can be printed for use at the playground, cafeteria, or in other non-classroom facilities).
• Requires little or no materials.
• Allows for work in small or large groups with provider facilitation tips.

Out-of-School Time is the perfect place to foster healthy relationships. Lessons from the OST Third Edition give you all the benefits and connection to Harmony resources while honoring the uniqueness and flexibility of after-school.

We hope you enjoy what Third Edition has to offer and look forward to continuing the work of social and emotional learning in our schools and surrounding communities.

EXPLORE OST FOR LOWER GRADES!

EXPLORE OST FOR UPPER GRADES!

Learn more at harmonysel.org and start implementing SEL with the
Harmony Online Learning Portal.

As a high school teacher, you know better than anyone that your students will let you know when they don’t find something interesting.

While younger kids may love social and emotional learning (SEL) activities, students in grades 9 through 12 might respond with, “we already know we know everything about relationships!” You may even be wondering if it’s worth the time to incorporate SEL activities for older kids.

If this sounds familiar, we have two good things to share with you:

1. There are proven benefits of learning social and emotional skills far beyond the school community and student success. Studies have shown that the benefits are long-term and global, showing increased well-being in individuals up to 18 years later.
2. Social and emotional lesson plans can be implemented into your day in as little as 5-10 minutes, some with little-to-no prep.

In this blog post, we will explore both of these further, as well as answer questions you may have, such as:

• What is Social and Emotional Learning?
• What is Educator SEL?
• How does Inspire SEL work?
• What are some of the favorite online social and emotional learning activities for high school teachers?

We will also share ways you can further explore SEL, your professional development, and how to be the best social and emotional learning teacher out there! Let’s dive in!

What is Social and Emotional Learning?

Social and emotional learning is a teaching and learning process to develop and acquire the skills, knowledge, and beliefs all individuals need to be successful in school, work, and life.

In their updated definition, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines SEL as “an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

What is Educator SEL?

Educators may engage in an intentional process to continually nurture SEL competencies and capacities. Specifically, Educator SEL includes two core components:

• Competencies — processes educators take to nurture their social and emotional competencies (e.g., understanding and managing emotions, forming meaningful relationships, making helpful choices).
• Capacities — the ability to translate knowledge of SEL to support student social and emotional development.

How does Inspire SEL work?

The Inspire program is built on two Inspirational Pathways:

• Building Teaching Practices (modules that explore engagement strategies for high-quality classroom instruction).
• Developing SEL Capacity (modules on how to build healthy relationships in supportive learning environments).

The modules within each program are structured to help you succeed. They:

• Emphasize a unique aspect of teaching strategies and classroom management and include role-specific Implementation Resources.
• Are organized by topic. For example, the Professional Practices Unit includes the “Supporting Students with ADHD” module.
• (The on-demand modules) typically take 30-60 minutes to complete.
• Include a research-based micro course, followed by an assessment.
• Can earn you a certificate of completion which may be used for professional development hours or in some states, Continuing Education Units.

There are features throughout Inspire that help make the process easy and enjoyable, including:

• Multiple Module Resources enhance and expand the learning experience in different professional settings.
• The CARE model (it stands for “Care, Apply, Refine, and Elevate”) helps you incorporate modules depending on your learning environment:
  • After determining the Topics/Modules that best meet the group’s needs, everyone COMPLETES their assigned On-Demand Module(s), which could differ based on needs.
  • APPLY strategy from On-Demand Module(s) in the classroom.
  • REFINE application through peer observations and/or feedback from leaders.
  • ELEVATE teaching practice to inspire students. ELEVATE impact by sharing best practices with colleagues and becoming a teacher leader.

What online social and emotional learning activities do high school teachers love?

High school teachers like you use a variety of activities with their students to implement SEL lessons and SEL activities in their classrooms. Some of the favorite activities among teachers in higher grades are:

Greeting students. One basic (and often overlooked) SEL activity is simply greeting your students as they start their day! Encourage light conversation on a topic of their interest to show them you are interested, too. The Harmony SEL Quick Connection Cards are a fantastic way to incorporate this into the start of your day.

Role play. Social and emotional learning skills can be taught using situations drawn from students’ lives. Role play gives students the opportunity to explore a situation from someone else’s shoes and broaden their own view.

Reflective questions. Reflective questions can be used both personally and within the classroom to help reflect on important topics from Inspire. In the Inspire module, “Working Against Racial Bias” you are encouraged to develop a strong sociocultural consciousness. This understanding is gained by learning to ask reflective questions.

Choosing a quote for the day. Give each student an opportunity to choose a quote for the day or week in the classroom. Display it somewhere everyone can see it and reference it within your teaching.

Incorporating ‘associated actions.’ Associated actions are used alongside strategies to bring SEL to life within the classroom. In Inspire modules, “Using Critical Consciousness to Challenge Inequity” and “Linking Identity Through Cultural Competence” important topics are broken down into strategies perfect for the classroom.

Connect using literature. Find stories of individuals with stories from all different backgrounds in life, giving students the opportunity to connect with their struggles, challenges, and successes. Ask students to pick out books they feel a connection to, and share why!

Do you have questions about teaching SEL activities in high school?

We know you may have additional questions regarding SEL interventions and how they can become a part of your everyday classroom setting. We encourage you to attend an upcoming webinar focused on supporting professional development and implementation of SEL programs online and at no cost.

What if I want to take my SEL Training for Teachers to the next level?

As an affiliate of National University, we are pleased to connect you to higher education pathways as a way to continue to support your SEL learning. National University offers multiple social and emotional learning degrees and certification programs, including a master of education, to help you excel in your professional development.

Turning Over a New Leaf:
How to Navigate Harmony SEL

by Mimi Seeley, Harmony Client Success Associate

“Building relationships with students is a critical component to teaching the content. Only when a student feels safe and seen can they truly embrace learning the curriculum.” – Alex Kajitani, California Teacher of the Year 2009

The school year is well underway for many educators and students alike. If you’re reading this, then, more than likely, you decided to use Harmony’s SEL curriculum this school year as a means of supporting your SEL instruction. You know the benefits and believe in the mission behind the curriculum. Still, you might wonder, “Where do I begin?” and “What do I need to know?” Here are some helpful tips and tricks for using Harmony this school year.

Explore the Portal

Snuggle up with a cup of coffee — or herbal tea — and take some uninterrupted time to explore the Harmony portal and familiarize yourself with the content. ·      Browse through all the materials, training, and resources that are available to you ·      From the Dashboard, dive into the section titled “Getting Started,” where you will find a detailed program overview, a welcome letter to send home to your students’ families, and planning guides for implementing Harmony into your daily instruction ·      For an overview of the year ahead, open the scope and sequence document within the tab labeled “Program Resources” Giving yourself some time to explore now will support your ability to provide effective SEL instruction throughout the months to come.

Create a Plan

As a teacher who used Harmony within the classroom, I found it beneficial to decide early on how and when I would build Harmony into the school day. From there, I established routines around my Everyday Practices and unit lessons implementation. This planning ensured that I was able to keep up the pace, and planning brought a sense of comfort and stability to me and my students. ·      For Meet-Up, choose a ten-minute block of time that works for your class and prioritize this opportunity for connection each day. I loved starting the day with Meet-Up, as this allowed for a transition into our classroom’s community. ·      Buddy-Up is also designed to be used daily. Like Meet-Up, Buddy-Up can be implemented within a five-to-ten-minute period. It’s best to seamlessly weave it into your instructional hours so that it reinforces the idea that peer interaction is a valuable part of our day-to-day routines.

Check out Harmony SEL Everyday Practices  

·     It is recommended that you teach one Harmony lesson a week. Do so either in a 45-minute block of time or over several days by breaking the lesson into three parts.

·      Check out the Planning and Pacing Guides under “Program Resources” for more ideas around scheduling — including information on how to integrate Harmony into your small group rotations.

Teaching a Unit

As you dive into your first unit of instruction, I encourage you to set aside a little time for planning and preparation. This will ensure that you move through the lessons with greater ease and efficacy.

Click to view Unit 1, Grade 3

·      Begin by navigating through all the unit resources (a home letter, unit-specific vocabulary, educator SEL, etc.) and developing an understanding of the unit’s goals.

·      Preview all the lessons within a unit before instruction to provide yourself with knowledge of how they come together to form a cohesive whole.

·      Determine which materials you’d like a physical copy of and print them out — this ensures that you aren’t left scrambling for them five minutes before the school bell rings.

·      While exploring the upcoming unit, take some time to consider how the learning goals of the unit, and the unit’s lessons, could be integrated into your classroom. We will soon have Literature Alignment Guides to support this integration.

Further Your Learning

As with any new undertaking, there is a lot to learn, and questions will likely come up along the way. We at Harmony are here to support you through this process.

·      Each month, we offer webinars and events that touch upon various aspects of Harmony Third Edition. Review the calendar and see if you can find a session that will work for you

·      Check out the Educator SEL embedded within the landing page of each unit for aligned Inspire modules

Check out this example of an aligned Inspire module

·      Contact us at Harmony with any questions you have. We want to help!

Final Thoughts

“Teaching SEL is not something that slows down the teacher because it is one more thing to do; rather, teaching SEL is like taking a moment to pull back a slingshot so that learning can shoot forward and be accelerated.” – Alex Kajitani, California Teacher of the Year 2009

Every student’s social, emotional, and cognitive skills are crucial and shouldn’t be left to chance. With a foundation in researched, established methodology, Harmony will support you as an educator as you work to address SEL within your classroom. These tips and tricks will assist you as you get going. Now, it’s time to dive in and begin your year with Harmony.

Learn more at harmonysel.org and start implementing SEL with the Harmony Online Learning Portal.