/By IHT Spirit/ Shared Content/ • • /0 Comments

Macomber teacher Teresa Mahjoory shines in SEL challenge

Originally published May 12, 2019 in The Herald News.

By Linda Murphy

As Alice A. Macomber Primary School physical education teacher Teresa Mahjoory proves, there’s more than one way to bring social-emotional wellness to her students.

In fact, Mahjoory slipped social-emotional wellness initiatives into just about every facet of the school day, handily landing the school in first place for the 8th annual Greater Fall River School Fitness Challenge. With the $500 prize, she plans to bring another element to the school that will promote social-emotional wellness: an outdoor classroom in an unused grassy area adjacent to the building. Read More

/By IHT Spirit/ Shared Content/ • • • • /0 Comments

Children miss out on making friends amid shorter school break times, study finds

Originally published May 10, 2019 in The Independent.

By Eleanor Busby

Children are missing out on opportunities to make friends, socialise and exercise after school break times have been cut by as much as an hour over the past two decades, research finds.

The study, by University College London’s (UCL) Institute of Education, warns of a near “virtual elimination” of afternoon breaks, especially in secondary schools, and shorter lunch breaks. Read More

/By IHT Spirit/ Shared Content/ • • • • /0 Comments

Barnes selected to be part of Recess Rocks in R.I. initiative

Originally published April 19, 2019 in the Johnston Sunrise.

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI), Playworks New England and the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition (RIHSC) have added the first Johnston school to their roster of schools participating in the statewide #RecessRocksinRI initiative.

Barnes Elementary School joins a group of 80 total #RecessRocksinRI schools increasing physical activity and building social/emotional skills through the power of play. Read More

SEL
/By IHT Spirit/ IHT Blog • Social-Emotional Learning/ • • • • /0 Comments

Massachusetts Teachers Incorporate Student SEL Development Into PE Curriculum

Assessment of Social Skills Documents Growth, Identifies Areas that Need Continued Focus

Students across Massachusetts develop more than fitness skills in their PE classes. Social and personal skills – known as Social-Emotional Learning – remain a key focus.

“We focus on SEL because it works so well with the PE National Standard 4,” said Melonie Bennett, the  Braintree Public Schools Director of Physical Education and Health. Read More

/By IHT Spirit/ Shared Content/ • • • • /0 Comments

Social emotional learning and physical tasks

Originally published March 17, 2019 in the Hillsdale Daily News.

By Steve Head

The superintendents of Lenawee County schools have made social-emotional learning the focus of our monthly articles for this school year.

This month, the focus is on the role of physical activity on social-emotional learning. Physical education classes and play provide a wonderful opportunity for our students to develop the key skills necessary for self-confidence and self-esteem, along with a healthy lifestyle. Read More