Activities to Start the Year

The beginning of the year is the ideal time to set out on the path toward “restorative discipline,” a holistic, relational approach to discipline that requires us as educators to be in community with…

In this webinar, hosted by AFT & Share my Lesson, we will introduce teachers to the basics of conflict resolution from a social and emotional learning standpoint. We will learn about our own…

In this webinar, hosted by AFT & Share my Lesson, we'll share concrete SEL strategies teachers can use to improve the classroom climate. Using footage from actual classroom lessons, we'll…

Begin by asking students, "What do you need to feel safe, comfortable, and excited to learn?" The beginning of the school year is the ideal time to start building a positive classroom climate. One…

Now - the beginning of the school year - is the ideal time to establish a caring community in your classroom. See our 28-page pdf booklet GETTING TO KNOW YOU  for a wide range of  activities will…

Materials Hugg-a-planet or other "talking piece" (See our Introduction to Circles activity for an explanation of talking pieces.)  Paper or large index cards and markers Print out of poem or poem…

To the Teacher:   This activity uses a circle format (see our Introduction to Circles) to help students consider values that are important to them and the class -- without putting students on the…

Objectives   Students will: share their names and a high point of their summer stand up to learn about similarities and differences in the classroom community begin considering what kind of…

The beginning of the school year is an especially good time for community-building activities. Use them to help set a positive tone with students and to create routines that your class can use…

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