Social Emotional Learning Day At Conant Elementary
Pretzel yoga, bubble blowing, and sidewalk chalk were just a few of the stations students experienced at Conant Elementary’s Social Emotional Day! Conant parent and licensed clinician Jessica Cortez along with seven other licensed mental health professionals facilitated Mindfulness Matters at Conant.
Conant students participated in five rotating stations on the school’s soccer field. The stations catered to a diverse range of learners, accommodating everyone from visual learners to those who thrive on movement and tactile experiences.
Pretzel yoga assisted students in enhancing their breathing skills and promoting fluid movements. The students engaged in exercises where they acted as trees and deer concealed in the forest, focusing on balance and deep breaths.
Students practiced matching scenarios to the Zones of Regulation by tossing a ball into specifically labeled bins. The Zones of Regulation categorize our emotions, alertness levels, and energy states into four distinct colored zones: blue, green, yellow, and red, and align with Conant’s social-emotional learning approach. This straightforward language and visual framework of the Zones of Regulation help simplify the intricate self-regulation skills for both learners and their supporters. By learning to regulate our zones, we can meet goals and task demands, as well as support our overall well-being. “Not all students find themselves in the same zone for the same situation. Having the visual of tossing a ball into a bin, students can see that different situations fall in different zones for their fellow students,” noted Cortez.
The simple act of blowing bubbles and squeezing a stress ball can help pace breathing and soothe emotions. Students practiced taking deep breath exercises, inhaling through their noses and exhaling through their mouths to create numerous bubbles. They also filled balloons with water beads and practiced squeezing them in a rhythmic pattern.
Students used chalk to express positive affirmations on the Conant sidewalk. These uplifting messages reflected their feelings about themselves or their hopes for others. Statements such as “I am a great friend” and “Be kind to others” were scattered along the bus loop sidewalk.
It was a wonderful day at Conant!