Tacoma Whole Child Classroom Practices

"Social and emotional learning (SEL) will create a process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions." – CASEL.org

Social Emotional Learning Strategies:

1. Explicit Instruction of SEL Lessons
2. Integration and Infusion 
3. Climate and Culture

Examples:

"PBIS will create safe, civil schools by giving a common purpose & approach to discipline in hopes of creating an environment where students can grow socially & academically. We will:

•     Define appropriate behaviors
•     Teach appropriate behaviors
•     Model positive social behaviors
•     Reinforce those behaviors" 

-PBIS.org.

PBIS Strategies: 

1. Expectations posted and taught
2. Teaching matrix
3. Acknowledgement system
4. Proactive discipline system

Examples:

 "Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle" – ASCD

Physical and Mental Wellness Strategies: 

1. Mindfulness
2. Brain breaks for movement 
3. Healthy breakfast, lunch and snack choices

"Using a trauma-informed approach our staff: Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff, and others involved with the system; Responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; Seeks to actively resist re-traumatization." – SAMHSA.org

Trauma-Sensitive Practices Strategies: 

1. Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
2. Safe and consistent 
3. Building relationships and connectedness
4. Supporting and teaching emotion regulation

"Aligning and implementing Signature Whole Child Practices during the school day and in the ELO space will create a process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions" – CASEL.org

Signature Whole Child Practices:

1. Warm Greetings
2. Group Circles
3. Emotional Check-In

"Restorative practices will use proactive informal and formal processes that build relationships and a sense of community to prevent conflict, reduce bullying, strengthen civil society, provide effective leadership, restore relationships, and repair harm" – IIRP

Restorative Practices Strategies: 

1. Community Building Circles
2. Repairing Harm Questions
3. Affective Statements

Tier 2 (targeted group support for SOME students) and Tier 3 (individual support for a FEW students) systems of support will improve student skills and overall well-being socially, emotionally and academically.

Advanced Tiers Strategies: 

1. Check-In, Check-Out
2. SS GRIN 
3. Check and Connect

Continuous improvement will create an ongoing cycle of positive change and employee involvement using data to inform a small step-by-step incremental improvement strategy.

Continuous Improvement Strategies: 

1. Use of comprehensive data to inform decisions
2. Representative team with active administrator
3. Effective and efficient team meetings
4. Always evolving