Improving Social and Emotional Intelligence, One Day at a Time

In Focus (Grades K-5) is a teaching resource filled with 10–15 minute lessons that help your students develop their social and emotional intelligence. Students need this critical form of intelligence to successfully navigate the challenges, relationships, and experiences they encounter throughout their school years and later in life. In Focus helps your students do the following:

• Improve their intellectual development and academic performance
• Elevate their awareness, management, and expression of feelings
• Develop focusing and attention skills
• Reduce bullying and impulsive behavior
• Learn how to deal with conflict and stress
• Elevate self-esteem and confidence
• Strengthen social skills
• Increase sensitivity and empathy
• Build self-reflection and self-awareness skills
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Improve teamwork and collaboration skills
• Increase social and emotional intelligence

About In Focus Lessons

• The lessons meet the needs of all three levels of the brain: (1) brain stem = safety; (2) limbic system = emotions and motivation; (3) cortex = thinking.
• Each lesson begins with background information and provides a script that you can follow, though you can also paraphrase if you prefer.
• Many lessons tie into the development of reading, writing, and 21st century skills.

In Focus has three main parts:

• Part 1 Meeting the Needs of the Brain Stem: Creating Safety, Security, and Connection in the Classroom
• Part 2 Meeting the Needs of the Limbic System: Identifying and Expressing Emotions
• Part 3 Meeting the Needs of the Cortex: Focusing, Managing, and Harnessing Emotions to Support and Enhance Learning