No Shhing Here

  As librarians, we cover so many different standards. Information literacy? Check. English Language Arts? Check. Reading? Check. STEM? Check. Computer science? Check. Over the last year or two, I've added social-emotional learning to the list of skills and competencies I teach through library instruction.  Some strategies are super obvious - like direct instruction as part of my teaching, but other methods like book displays and bulletin boards are more subtle. One primary focus of my library program is supporting students' mental health, which is directly tied to the SEL strand of emotional regulation.  Emotional regulation refers to the ability to manage and express emotions in a healthy and appropriate way. Emotional regulation is essential for secondary students, who are navigating the challenges and complexities of adolescence. During this time, my junior high kids feel a huge range of intense emotions, from excitement and joy to frustration and anger and everything...

A virtual relaxation room is my 2022 version of a Bitmoji classroom. It's an interactive scene - most objects in the room are clickable links - that provide opportunities for students to de-stress and chill out. Here's my PDF version . There are MANY different digital activities you can add to a virtual relaxation room. This room, for example, links to calming music, guided meditations, a virtual lava lamp, a fish tank cam, coloring pages, cute puppies, and a set of virtual bongo drums.  Above: This is a screenshot of the virtual room - to interact with the links, you'll need to open the PDF. I really enjoyed creating this scene in Canva - there are so many options for graphics (with transparent backgrounds!) and it's easy to add links to each item, then export to a PDF.  I also wanted to share this great resource (created by Sarah Wood and participants of the Kent ISD Virtual Relaxation Room Course) for virtual relaxation ideas  - so many options!  I'm planning t...