Do you feel like you spend a good majority of your day putting out little “emotional” fires? Me too, until created a No Drama Llama poster to help support gifted collaboration while working together.
When it comes to helping gifted kids understand conflict, we first must help them understand their emotions. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has spiked in the past years and will only continue to be necessary to implement in our classroom.
What is SEL?
SEL goes beyond monthly lessons from a school counselor. I think of it more as a chance to explicitly teach our students how to interact with their peers. With the rise of social media, students are entering our classrooms with less peer face-to-face time, so it’s important for them to learn how to communicate with peers in person and online.
For more on SEL, check out the articles below:
SEL Skill Development During Recess and PE
SEL Is Good Teaching
Incorporating SEL as a New Teacher
How No Drama Llama Can Help Gifted Collaboration
Other than being adorable (and reminding kids of a Fortnite character), Drama Llama serves as a quick reference to help kids work through conflict when you can’t.
L: look- we must teach our kids that when someone is speaking to you, you look at them. It’s the easiest way to show you’re listening.
L: listen- this is a hard lesson. Kids want to talk and share, but they need to learn that listening is just as important.
A: acknowledge- often I hear “stop it” or “you’re bothering me”, without any explanation to what is being asked to stop. On the flip side, the reception of the request should acknowledge they heard what was being said.
M: middle ground- compromise, it’s a tough thing. Sometimes it’s as simple as both students agreeing to walk away.
A: apology (if needed)- I don’t believe in forcing my students to say “I’m sorry”, because fake apologies are a waste of time. When they realize an apology is needed, I provided a sentence stem so they say more just sorry.
How do you teach SEL in your classroom? What do you use to help your students work through conflict?
