Emotionally Intelligent Check

The students’ school day begins as soon as they step into the classroom.  It is essential for classroom teachers to learn how each individual comes in, emotionally.  

Some students might have had a nightmare that they didn’t have time to tell their parents about.  Lack of sleep, arguments with siblings, illness in the family, etc….  These factors are roots of young students’ anxiety. Many students can mask their true emotions, which is an amazing coping skill. But what can they do when masking skills are no longer an option to cope?

            Teachers care about students so much and are frustrated when they feel limitations in how much they can support children. But teachers need to shift their attitude from desperation to hope.  We can develop our compassion by acknowledging students’ emotions when they walk into the class. 

 The Emotionally Intelligent Checking in System gives me a good overall idea on how my students feel and which students might need extra connections.  This quadrant model is largely known as Mood Meter.  The x-axis represents the pleasantness of the emotion and the y-axis represents the energy level.  For example, depression doesn’t take much energy and is not very pleasant so it is located in the bottom left as the blue zone.  Excitement has high pleasantness and energy, so it is placed on the top right, as the yellow zone.   

 

Prior to starting the system, the class discussed each emotion and its placement.  And we revisit the ordering every couple of weeks so that everybody is on the same page consistently.  

Students practice being aware of how their emotions are at the moment.  This is the fundamental concept of mindfulness. It’s not only a teacher’s tool; some students notice others who come in not feeling energetic and pleasant.  Surprisingly and organically, compassionate glances and interactions happen among students.  

Throughout the day, students come up to this chart and move their names to different locations when they notice their emotions.  They don’t have to scream for help:  I can visit them as I notice their frustrations and other emotions.  And I visit to celebrate when they are excited from new learning.

Teachers can teach children that it’s okay and normal for us to feel different emotions.  When we accept each emotion at each moment, we can make a plan to shift gears.  We can respect and be compassionate with each other and each other’s emotions.  That is a learning community that students want to belong to.  We can totally do it!

The students’ school day begins as soon as they step into the classroom.  It is essential for classroom teachers to learn how each individual comes in, emotionally.  

Some students might have had a nightmare that they didn’t have time to tell their parents about.  Lack of sleep, arguments with siblings, illness in the family, etc….  These factors are roots of young students’ anxiety. Many students can mask their true emotions, which is an amazing coping skill. But what can they do when masking skills are no longer an option to cope?

            Teachers care about students so much and are frustrated when they feel limitations in how much they can support children. But teachers need to shift their attitude from desperation to hope.  We can develop our compassion by acknowledging students’ emotions when they walk into the class. 

 The Emotionally Intelligent Checking in System gives me a good overall idea on how my students feel and which students might need extra connections.  This quadrant model is largely known as Mood Meter.  The x-axis represents the pleasantness of the emotion and the y-axis represents the energy level.  For example, depression doesn’t take much energy and is not very pleasant so it is located in the bottom left as the blue zone.  Excitement has high pleasantness and energy, so it is placed on the top right, as the yellow zone.   

Prior to starting the system, the class discussed each emotion and its placement.  And we revisit the ordering every couple of weeks so that everybody is on the same page consistently.  

Students practice being aware of how their emotions are at the moment.  This is the fundamental concept of mindfulness. It’s not only a teacher’s tool; some students notice others who come in not feeling energetic and pleasant.  Surprisingly and organically, compassionate glances and interactions happen among students.  

Throughout the day, students come up to this chart and move their names to different locations when they notice their emotions.  They don’t have to scream for help:  I can visit them as I notice their frustrations and other emotions.  And I visit to celebrate when they are excited from new learning.

Teachers can teach children that it’s okay and normal for us to feel different emotions.  When we accept each emotion at each moment, we can make a plan to shift gears.  We can respect and be compassionate with each other and each other’s emotions.  That is a learning community that students want to belong to.  We can totally do it!