As we close out this school year and get ready for summer activities, we talked with educators about what’s needed most as they wrap up two of the most challenging years of teaching. To address the unprecedented need of both teachers and young students alike, Dr. Kendra Carr, our Chief Program Officer, worked with our team to develop the Circle Up + Reset Workshop Thanks to a sponsorship, this social-emotional learning (SEL) support and resources for educators working with K–2 children, is available to teachers for free.
Three reasons Circle Up + Reset works:
1. To “circle up” is powerful for healing
In many cultures, the circle is a symbol of connection, joy, reciprocity, and balance. When we gather in a circle, there is no hierarchy; we simply are united in our common humanity. Over the last few years, we have collectively experienced a pandemic and a global uprising in response to racialized and gendered violence. These experiences have taken a toll on our psyches and spirits, and have significantly impacted the children we serve. We believe that healing from collective trauma is work we must attend to together because we were never meant to do this alone. This workshop is an opportunity to center healing and wellness for ourselves, and one another. We want educators to return to their communities and invite the children in their classrooms and their colleagues to join them in attending to healing.
2. We know how demanding this year has been with K-2nd graders
Most kindergarten, first, and second grade educators we have heard from are beyond fatigued. They have shared with us that children in their classrooms and programs have high levels of anxiety, and they have seen an increase in conflict and aggressive behavior among children. These educators in particular are looking for tools to support this increase and heightened level of emotional support their children need. They also shared with us that they personally feel the pressure to “catch kids up” — to teach two years’ worth of material in this one school year. We designed this workshop to center the emotional needs of teachers and youth service providers.
3. Our lessons were co-designed with K-2nd graders
Girls Leadership’s Monica Cortez, California Program Manager, began intentional work with kindergarten and first grade students this school year in our Power Lab elementary school in Sacramento. Through empathy interviews and focus groups with girls in kindergarten to first grade, Monica explored what brought them joy and made them feel strong. She also learned what they felt was hard and where they needed support. In compiling their responses and synthesizing the themes that emerged, Monica designed social-emotional lessons focused on addressing the needs students shared with her. Monica then tested the new lessons over several months in focus groups with girls, and made revisions and updates based on the girls’ engagement and responses to the activities. We now have a set of proven SEL lessons for early elementary school that we want to give you with the training.
Join us on August 18 for the a FREE Circle Up + Reset workshop for this school year. We are here to support you.
To bring Circle Up and Reset to your school or organization as a free support, reach out to us, info@girlsleadership.org.
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