Bright Minds, Happy Hearts

Keep Learning and Be Well All Summer Long! 

We ALL need a rest and have earned our summer break after a year of hard work learning and growing at school. Just remember, keeping your brain active and your mind and body healthy is important ALL SUMMER LONG!  Staying engaged in fun activities and keeping your body tuned will ensure that your mind stays sharp!

SPEND TIME OUTSIDE 🌤

Everyone, both children and adults, need to find time to go outside every day. Playing games, taking walks, even just sitting and watching the clouds go by is good for us. The sun gives us vitamin D and other benefits that keep us healthy and boosts our mood.

GO TO BED AT A REASONABLE TIME 😴

We ALL need enough sleep to stay healthy. Even though you might stretch the day out a little longer in summer, be sure to keep a good schedule. Give your body the rest it needs.

THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS 💬

The words we tell ourself are important. We believe what we think. TRY new things. Learn from mistakes. Write your own personal affirmations. BELIEVE in YOU.

MOVE YOUR BODY! 💪 

Our brain and body are connected in more ways than we can imagine. Exercise helps us feel strong and healthy. It keeps our mind sharp and focused too! Run, walk, bike,  play games and sports, swim, climb, dance... Just move!

EXERCISE YOUR MIND TOO! 🧠

PLAY GAMES: Limit time on online video games and try traditional games instead! Card games, board games, and car games (such as I Spy) are all fun and easy to play. 

KEEP READING! Need motivation? Take a SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: Baxter Memorial offers a fun Summer Reading Challenge. Barnes & Noble Summer Reading and TD Bank Summer Reading programs also give you another way to earn while enjoying reading.

Enjoy Real Life Experiences. Help compute the change when you shop with your family, or plan a road trip if your parents ok it! Read menus, magazines and newspapers, signs, brochures, maps, guidebooks. 

Anything counts, just READ! 

Be ENGAGED wherever you are. HAVE FUN!

Build healthy habits.
Make summer 🌞  
Your superpower!

Words Matter

 

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me ....

 Wait, REALLY?? Do we truly believe that WORDS can't hurt?

Our words are powerful. 

We can build resilience and learn to stay calm when others are rude or hurtful. We can try to ignore insults and use only kind words ourselves.

But the truth is, 

             words can cause lasting harm to any one of us.

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Swears. Using bad language is on the rise and that's not a good thing.

Swearing can make people feel uncomfortable and create a negative environment. Curse words are disrespectful. Using bad language can give the impression that you don't care about others. 

     If you want to show people your best self, choose a better word.

People swear when they might have a hard time expressing big emotions.  You must find the courage to say what you mean and ask for what you need.

Be smart. Find your courage. Listen to your heart. There is always a better word.

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Jokes. Sometimes jokes aren't funny. Sometimes jokes can really hurt.

Humor should connect people and bring us together. Good jokes can make the mood light and fun. We just need to ensure that everyone is included and feels safe when the laughter happens.

Never joke about the unique characteristics of a group or individual. Don't use profanity or mean words. A joke isn't a joke if it hurts.

"You're too sensitive."

"Chill out. I was just kidding."

"Can't you take a joke?"

If you've ever been on the receiving end of one of these comments, you know it can make you feel even worse than the joke that was just made at your expense. 

If a mistake is made and someone is hurt by a joke, don't minimize it. 

Admit your mistake. Apologize and make it right. Do better the next time.

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The Words We Tell Ourselves.

Perhaps the most important words are the words we tell ourselves. Sometimes we might struggle with a challenge, or we might make a mistake. 

We might be angry and call ourselves names or put ourselves down. Our words matter. If we're not careful, we can start to believe the words we say. 

Choose KIND words, forgiving words, accepting words. Tell yourself you are GOOD and SMART, FUNNY and KIND. 

If we are careful, we will BE the WORDS we TELL ourselves.

Our words are powerful. Choose wisely. Show that you respect and care about the people around you. 

Finding A Happy Balance

 

ALL feelings matter. Everything we experience is part of what makes us us. Emotions can be messy, complicated, and just plain confusing. Learning to name our emotions and talk about them — by ourself and with others — is a key part of developing our emotional intelligence and well being.

We are human and we will experience every emotion in our lifetime, but we are not our emotions alone, and we do not need to be controlled by our emotions either. Feeling content, good, and positive can happen and being healthy and happy is where our body will feel best and function best. 

We can feel that way every day, regardless of the the many feelings that 

come and go.   Below are a few GREAT strategies for finding your happiness ~

Name It to Tame It is a powerful way to manage our strong emotions. All it requires is noticing and labeling emotions as they’re happening. The act of identifying an intense emotion (“naming”) has the effect of reducing the stress and anxiety (“taming”) in the brain and the body that that emotion is causing.

Practicing mindfulness can also help us feel balanced. It's a reminder to stop and think 🤔 and appreciate all that we are experiencing in that moment. Mindfulness can help us calm our bodies and thoughts. Being more mindful means we can stay focused and in control of our thoughts and feelings. 

Practice Gratitude. Intentionally appreciating the things, people and experiences 

that bring us joy can improve our mood and feelings of happiness.

Remember to breathe deeply. Deep breathing can help relax your body and calm your mind. There are many different ways to practice, try a few fun ones HERE! The less tense you feel, the happier you'll be.

Get Outside! Spending time in nature can be rejuvenating and calming. You can try gardening, walking in the grass, or just sitting and reflecting quietly.

I can be mindful

Stopping, breathing, in and out

Still, calm and peaceful.

Haiku by S Sawyer 

ALL feelings really do matter. Everything we experience is part of what makes us us.  We CAN learn ways to feel more calm and happy and appreciate all that we feel and experience.

Positive Psychology 

Blissful Kids

2025 Dreams and GOALS

 

Why not DREAM a little this year?

Think about something you really want to achieve. 

Set a GOAL. 

And you will get there! 

Setting goals and working towards them builds perseverance, the ability to keep trying despite difficulties, failure or opposition. In trying, we develop grit and strength we didn't know we had!

There are many benefits of goal setting ~
It pushes us to take responsibility  for ourselves and our choices. 

Thinking about who we are and what we want helps us to develop purpose, putting our values into action.
Goal setting motivates us to try new things and to take risks. Who knows what we might achieve!
When we set goals and takes steps, we develop organization skills, and when we are challenged, we develop resiliency.

Do You Want to Give It a Try?

The First Step is to DREAM BIG!

Write down your goals, or create a VISION BOARD of all the things you think about and dream of. 

Next, list smaller steps you can take toward your goals. Think about it like it's a To Do list.

Then, set a timeline, even if isn't too specific.

 
Track your progress and celebrate your successes!

Stay positive and remember, 

even when our goals seem out of reach, 

it's in the trying that we grow the most!

AI As A Social Emotional Learning Tool ?

Image AI generated Canva 2024

We are living in a fast paced, ever changing, critical time in history. We no longer live with technology, we live IN it. Improved machines, faster production, and global communication all positively impact our world. We are also realizing another side to some of this science.

Technologies, especially video games and cell phones, have been proven to negatively impact wellness, especially in our youngest population. Overuse of technology, combined with less unstructured free play and reduced exposure to the natural environment has led to sleep deprivation, attention deficit, loneliness, and even anxiety. (The Anxious Generation, 2024)

School and families are having to make difficult choices. We want our children to be ready for the global world. We want them to be confident and smart digital citizens. We also need to ensure that they are developing healthy habits and social skills, to ensure good physical and mental wellness will benefit them well beyond their school years. Just how much technology is the right amount of technology? This is the challenge.

So where does Artificial Intelligence come in? Is there room for this type of technology? Can AI be a tool to help our students build social skills and healthy habits, or will it be counterproductive?

*Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds tremendous potential in enhancing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) within educational settings. SEL revolves around the development of crucial life skills such as empathy, emotional regulation, and effective communication. 

*AI can support this by providing personalized learning experiences and real-time feedback. For instance, AI-driven platforms can analyze students' interactions and emotional states, offering tailored exercises that promote emotional intelligence and  resilience. Additionally, virtual assistants or chatbots can simulate social scenarios, allowing students to practice and refine their interpersonal skills in a safe, controlled environment. 

*By integrating AI with SEL, educators can create more inclusive and adaptive learning environments that cater to the unique emotional and social needs of each student, ultimately fostering a more empathetic and emotionally intelligent generation.           *Text Generated with AI (Canva 2024)

AI, along with other technologies, is an ongoing challenge. It is new and leaves us with many questions around ethical use and over reliance, among others. However, the ideas generated in the paragraph above are one example of how AI can get us thinking and perhaps lead us to solid answers to difficult questions.  Prior to the Covid pandemic it made sense that social emotional always referred to connected, in-person relationships. Today, we recognize there are many lifestyles and many pathways to mental health and social intelligence, can AI be part of that?

There might just be some benefit to this advanced type of technology for some of our students and families. Tools to help us research best practice and supports, such Understood's AI Assistant, might make it easier for parents and educators find answer to questions around social emotional topics and more.

In addition, unique learners might benefit from online support and tools. Below is a small snapshot of what has become available.

Best Free Social-Emotional Learning Sites & Apps

Image AI generated Canva 2024

We need balance in all aspects of life. We have to help students find what works best for them, appreciating that this will look different for every individual.  In-person connections and real-world strategies remain essential for social emotional learning and development. If we can also use AI to motivate and support our students, if AI can help them achieve their best self, shouldn't we explore the possibilities?

 

November Is National Career Development Month

 

You might still be in elementary school but it’s never too early to think and talk about future job or career opportunities.

What is the difference between a job or career? A job, or occupation, is something you do to earn money. A career is a long-term occupation that you do that often requires special training or education.

You probably don’t know exactly what you want to “be” or “do” when you grow up and that is OKAY!  Our ideas, skills, interests and plans can change throughout our whole life.

Career Development Month is a great time to begin exploring! Below are resources that might be helpful and fun. 

Learn more about yourself! 

Try a Career Interest Quiz or the Multiple Intelligence Surveys and think about how you learn and what skills and interests you have. This will help you begin to think about careers that match your style.

Career Interest Quiz– A picture career interest survey
Interest Survey – Simple
Interest Survey- Detailed
Strengths Survey– For Older Students

Career Videos for Jobs/Careers

Click on the links below to view videos (varying in length) of people sharing information about their jobs and careers.
A- Z Career Lab (PBS)
Career One Stop (Many different careers!)
Careers In A Flash (ASCA)
Curious Kids Career Video (Marine Biology, Artist/Sculptor, etc.)

More Exploration Websites & Activities  

EPIC Career Book Collection

Bitmoji Room

Career Clusters Explained

K-12

Kids Money Career Videos

Career Word Scramble

Word Search

Job & Career Notes Outlines

Sometimes it is helpful to keep a written log of job & careers that interest us. Here is a simple organizer to help you as you begin to explore:

Career Explore Video/Book Organizer– K and up!

Your career is not just a job; it’s a way to make a difference in the world.
Dare to dream big and work to achieve it.

Podcasts for Kids

Podcasts for kids?    !!!YES!!!

Podcasts can be a valuable learning tool 

                          and will support social emotional learning too.

Quality podcasts designed for children can improve Listening skills and build engagement by offering multitudes of topics. Kids learn about science, history, and culture. Listeners can hear  stories from around the world by an infinite number of diverse authors.

Speaking and listening are critical life skills. Listening to podcasts, especially together, Starts dialogue and builds conversation skills. It keeps us curious and encourages questions and exploration of new ideas.

Podcasts as a replacement for Reading? NO, but as an engaging literacy support? YES. Listening carefully, developing voice, creating mind pictures and fostering creative thinking are complex reading skills. Podcasts also expose us to new words and phrases which builds vocabulary. all of this leading to children becoming readers. 

How can podcasts support SEL? Communication, self-awareness, empathy, problem-solving, and self-control are all skills that typically fall under SEL. Listening to podcasts benefits children in the same ways that reading and thinking about good book does. Listening connect students to others who are like themselves, and also expose them to new people, places, experiences and ideas. Read Book Love for questions to help you talk about books (and podcasts!)

 Listening to podcasts together can foster strong relationships. if children and their important adults listen together the benefits increase. They are  a  fun media alternative that brings families together — no screens required.

Give podcast a try, you will be surprised at the benefits.

Share these  and other podcasts with kids to help them develop essential skills, develop their communication and literacy skills, and become confident and complex thinkers.

Check Out These Great Lists from  Common Sense:

Best Podcasts for Kids

Podcasts for Social Emotional Learning

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Need More Convincing?  Watch Bellow for some GREAT recommendations

Book Love

 

Books are a powerful tool in social emotional learning and development. The act of reading has been found to help children of all ages relax and feel happy. Young readers also report feeling more confident and better able to solve real-world problems. 

There are many beautiful stories written around specific SEL topics including empathy and effective problem solving, recognizing and managing our emotions, developing healthy relationships, and responsible decision making. 

However, ALL books can support social emotional development. Books connect students to others who are like themselves, and books also expose students to new people, places and experiences. 

Talking to children about the books they read is one of the best ways to support their literacy development. It is also a great way to connect and talk about important topics. 

Here is a short list to help you to start a book discussion with kids:

 

15 ~SEL~ Questions to 

Ask Your Child 

About a Book

Before reading, ask:

• Why did you choose this book?

• What makes you think this book is going to be interesting?

• What do you think it's is going to be about?

• Does this story remind you of another book, movie or experience you've had? 

• What kind of characters do you think you might connect with in this book?

During reading, pause to ask:

• Why do you think "_X_" happened? What do you think will happen next?

• If you were that character in that situation, would you do anything differently?

• Did this part change how you're are feeling? 

                        For example, "I heard you giggle! Does this part make you feel silly?"

• Where does the book take place? Would you want to visit there?

• Which character(s) might make a good friend?

After reading, ask:

• What was your favorite part of the book? Why?

• Who was your favorite character? Why?

• What was the most interesting thing you learned? Why does it interest you?

• Why do you think the author wrote this book? What book might you like to write?

• Did the problem in the story get solved? How do you solve problems?

A FEW of my favorite book lists:

77 Children's Books About Mental Health (ChildMInd)

Peter Reynolds' collection themes. SEL and MORE! 

Common Sense Books All Kids Should Read By Age 12

Goodreads Book List By Age

What Is SEL? This short video helps us to better understand key ideas:

Curious to learn even more? 
Here are a few great articles on the mental health benefits of reading:

Psychology Today

National Literacy Trust

NCBI Research

Summer Transitions

 

August is summer. The sun shines and the days are warm and wonderful! August is also our transition month. It connects us to September, our bridge into autumn. 

August is a good time to think about how we manage our transitions back to school and work. Parent, teacher or student, we all need to be mindful to make decisions to be our best self! With that, I offer my take on Do's and Don'ts for our summer break.

Do

Do Enjoy Find something good in every day. Look around and be thankful for the things around you, no matter how small. I am always thankful for family, the warm sun and blue waters!

Do Travel 🌎 You don't have to go far. Not everyone boards a plane to find new adventures. LOOK around for new places and opportunities to try something new right in your own hometown. EAT new food, or LISTEN to new music.  READ! Reading can take anyone to new places and introduce us to interesting people. Your town library has so many wonderful places to take you if you just ask. 

Do Sleep 💤 Sleep is a critical part of our wellness. Even as your schedule opens up, remember to maintain healthy bedtime and morning routines. Sleep deprivation is a real health concern. Our bodies need sleep to ensure healthy brain function and to maintain our physical health. Check out recommended hours by age here.

Don't 

Don't think that being nervous, or worrying,  is for little kids and new situations. Do you worry when trying new things? Remind yourself that summer is the perfect time to get out of your zone and make mistakes too!  So, try your new bike. Learn a new craft. Cook something interesting.  Jump in and then bring your stories back to school with you.

Don't be afraid to be bored! Take time to enjoy the outside. Look at clouds. Draw. Breathe. We are all so used to being busy that we easily forget that sitting still is also good for us. 

Don't forget to read and write, it will keep your skills sharp! Keep a journal or 🔏 write your own book. Tell stories to your family and ask them to share theirs too. Your brain needs to be challenged so use puzzles and games to keep it growing all summer long.

Don't save school preparation tasks for the last week of vacation.  Do you have a summer assignment? Will you need new supplies? Waiting can be easy to do and some people find it fun to do all at once, but is that going to increase your excitement, or make you feel overwhelmed? Be smart and make a plan that works for you and your family.

Don't forget that exercise, healthy snacks and a water bottle are important every day! It is fun to try new foods and healthy to relax. Remember to eat well and get moving too! Limit screen time and get outside. Take advantage of the weather and your extra time with family and friends. Your brain and body will reward you.

If we are thoughtful, our transitions into summer and then back into school will be smooth and full of positivity.  While I always look forward to new beginnings,  I encourage everyone to

ENJOY every day! 

Be well and we'll see you soon 🧡

Resources:

Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Summer Journal

42 Summer Activities for Kids

Back to School Books & Resources