Building Resiliency Skills for Kids

This past year our students have been learning remotely in Goggle classrooms. Each morning, our second graders spend an hour focusing on their social-emotional needs. Our school has adopted the FranklinCovey’s K-12 Leader in Me (see www.TheLeaderInMe.org) curriculum so support students’ personal growth based on Stephen R. Covey’s The Leader in Me book. The seven habits that we focus on with a variety of reflective activities include:

1. Be proactive by taking responsibility for personal choices and behaviors.
2. Begin with the end in mind by setting goals.
3. Put first things first by achieving the most important things first.
4. Think win-win so that everyone can win.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood by learning to listen first and talk second.
6. Synergize by having folks work together to achieve a better solution.
7. Sharpen the saw to achieve balance in life.

Stress Reduction Strategies

Additionally, our students learn to overcome failure in various learning situations through stress reduction strategies. These may include:

1. Learning to say positive messages to themselves when they feel they are failing or getting frustrated with a situation. Three videos that we use in class to overcome this negative mindset and help our students persevere include https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOaFwwLyTRo,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ampy3IFt6k, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su7gegYKDy4

2. Using basic relaxation strategies used in meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises
3. Practicing effective visualization exercises to view how they may overcome challenges
4. Writing a mantra or motto to say to themselves when they are feeling fearful or anxious about a situation
5. Taking brain breaks to relax and refocus during a very challenging lesson or for essential breaks from remote learning

Much success as you explore and practice these resiliency skills at home with your children and families!

Danielle

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