A great way to integrate SEL into your program can begin with a daily CHECK IN. Taking the time to connect with every student and to gauge their emotional state helps to set a positive tone for each student’s after school experience. A check in can be a brief group...

This past Friday Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro stopped by the Martinez 21st Century Community Learning Center (21CCLC) in New Haven to do some gardening with the children. Students were making Mother’s Day flowerpots and planting seeds for gifts for the upcoming holiday. Though it was a cloudy day, the smiles on...

Classroom Management for Small Children I sat in the back of the classroom. I pulled out my pen and paper and began conducting an observation at one of our Learning Center sites.  I can never forget my observation of this class, or really, I’ll never forget witnessing one teacher feeling...

Tips for Boosting your Self-Esteem I remember hating Valentine’s Day when I was in high school. Yuck! All the cool girls would receive candy grams and carnations from their secret admirers. As much as I tried to play it off, I sulked all day. My mother tried her best every...

A Chain is Only as Strong as Its Weakest Link For many years, my extended Connecticut family has shared in an October multi-generational tradition. We choose a weekend before Halloween to go pumpkin picking together. We take a hayride, select our squash, and head home for some communal carving. These...

Health benefits of drinking of water Recently I started the Keto diet.  One of the core components of the Keto diet is reducing the consumption of sugar.  No more cans of Ginger Ale, now I’m drinking water strictly.  Over the last few weeks, I noticed a few changes; physically I...

Choices and More Choices Bootleg, skinny, straight leg jeans; there are so many options! Sheesh! Just choosing a pair of jeans can be overwhelming, however, I believe one of life’s greatest gifts lies in our ability to choose. Our ability to make choices is one which gives us significant power...

Self-Esteem vs Self-Awareness I have learned that self-esteem can have several different meanings depending on who you converse with. When it comes to your self-esteem, only one opinion truly matters: your own. As educators, it is critical to understand the difference between self-esteem and self-awareness; they share many of the...

Prioritizing Meaningful Conversation with Your Children Too often parents and children stop communicating. In most cases, it happens subtly and unintentionally.  Parents are continually trying to balance their personal, professional, and family lives. As a result, parents may tend to become distracted and can forget the importance of taking the...