Education Resources Blog

Regulating emotions is tough - for all of us. And understanding (and accepting) what's in and out of our control is a powerful tool to help. In our students, learning to control feelings is an important lesson that will guide them through decision-making, personal relationships, and cause-and-effect consequences - both now and throughout their lives. And because we at VariQuest want to continue to help you fill your teacher toolbox with valuable learning - and in this case, social-emotional learning - supports, we've designed this fun coloring activity as a picture diagram of recognizing things both in and out of an individual's control - to help with this learning process!

Here at VariQuest, many of our education consultants were once teachers themselves, and all of them have credible voices that they bring to the table thanks to their backgrounds. Not only that, but almost all of our employees in every department are well-connected in the education world - through family, friends, or the wonderful educators our children are taught by, in their schools. And we know that every educator has a unique story to share, and deserves as much support as we can give them. Recently our Director of Sales, Jason Butts, sat down with his friend Anna, a Moderate-to-Severe High School Life Skills Special Education Teacher at Prior Lake High School in Minnesota, to learn more about her unique story.

Do you love listening to podcasts in the education space? Are you looking for more information and resources on Social-Emotional Learning and Teaching in schools? We've got something great just for you! The Common Ground Education Podcast, hosted by Charles Barr, a licensed social worker in the state of Illinois with 15 years of experience in serving schools, is focused on progressive education, mental health resources and multi-disciplinary collaboration. Its goal is to provide needed information to professionals in the educational domain. Recently our very own expert Education Consultant Howard Shaw, a 20-year teaching veteran, sat down with Charles to discuss his experiences in the classroom and school community with developing a supportive social-emotional learning environment, and how visual aids are important in these programs to reinforce and help students.

Reflecting on, and regulating emotions is a life-long learning process. Even as adults in the age of discussing the "Karens" - we all need to remember to take a moment to stop and think about how we're going to react to a problem, before our reaction becomes the problem. In an elementary classroom with lots of different personalities and energy levels, students may be working on the lines between "tattle-tale", needing an adult to help, or critical thinking to calmly solve problems on their own.  In this realm of social-emotional learning, we've once again partnered with Cathy Henry, educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, to create this How Big is My Problem? lesson plan for elementary teachers to help students look at problems and regulate how they would (or should) react. By encouraging thoughtful reflection and practicing scenarios, students can begin to see how things might upset themselves and others, and how they can find their own solutions to many everyday issues.

We can't control our feelings, but we can control how we act on them. For students learning this concept as they grow socially and emotionally, this means not only recognizing feelings, but understanding what causes them, and how the same scenarios may impact others differently. Because social-emotional learning for elementary students is such an important part of their learning and development, we've again partnered with Cathy Henry, educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, to create this Emotion Meter Lesson Plan Activity Booklet to help students identify and express their feelings in a healthy way to nurture growth not only emotionally but academically as well. By creating a supportive environment for group discussion and sharing, you'll create that sense of community every teacher hopes for in the classroom.

What is a sense of community? The feeling of belonging and mattering to a group. Connection is something we all want. Feeling connected to people, to places, and to things feels important - but perhaps more important is feeling like you're personally part of a bigger picture. In the classroom, it's not just making friends, it's connecting the entire group together. In the school, it's not just connecting the grade levels together, but connecting the older kids with the younger kids, encouraging role models and leadership. When students feel connected to their class and their school, they feel a sense of safety and belonging when entering the building. When students are genuinely connected to their teachers, there is mutual trust and respect. In this bonus installment of our social-emotional learning unit series, we spark discussion among students about how we can all be more inclusive, and make everyone feel like they belong.

Planning, organizing, and having things to look forward to are concepts we all can appreciate. While surprises are sometimes lovely, clear expectations for what's ahead can bring a sense of calm - especially for students in the classroom. "Pop quiz" is a phrase almost no one wants to hear! For special education and primary students, this is especially true - and as we educators know, visuals can help bring a schedule to life. So in partnership with Cathy Henry, an educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, we've created this Visual Schedule Cards Lesson Plan activity to manage classroom anxiety, help with transitions, and encourage social-emotional wellbeing in the classroom. For both verbal and non-verbal students, this exercise will promote that sense of calm with clear expectations an organized schedule can bring for both teacher and student.

Now, don't panic yet...but ESSER I funding is expiring on September 30th, 2022. It's "use it or lose it" crunch time. ESSER II funding ends September 30th, 2023. ESSER III funding ends September 30th, 2024. According to a FutureEd analysis, most schools focused on spending their funding dollars on academic recovery, staffing, and school facilities and operations. Followed by technology, mental and physical health supports, and other miscellaneous financials, you, of course, have lots to consider as you determine how to finalize your spending of these precious funds.

Belonging. Community. Inclusive. Comfortable. These words describe the environment that educators work so hard to achieve in their classrooms and school buildings. Our students need our help and support now more than ever, as we all work through challenging and divisive times. When a student enters your classroom for the first time or the 100th time, you want them to feel like they belong, and that for the short time they're with you, they are in supportive surroundings where they can fully focus on learning and growing. Enter the morning welcome - a way to set the tone for every day. In partnership with Cathy Henry, an educator and founder of The Curriculum Corner and Free Word Work, we've created this Morning Welcome Activity lesson plan and download pack for Elementary teachers to help introduce students to their day in the classroom - the moment they step foot through the door. And it not only helps students settle in for their day, but it teaches them valuable social-emotional learning skills in the process.

When it comes to bulletin boards, the creativity that educators display knows no bounds. It's the timeless school décor that brings back the most familiar and fondest of memories for both young and old. As you plan for the upcoming school year, here are some fun bulletin board ideas to implement in your classroom or school building!