At Ecolint’s Campus des Nations primary school, the focus on social emotional learning is a top priority, ensuring that students not only excel academically but also flourish emotionally. In a recent activity, Year 5 students engaged in a unique exercise aimed at equipping them with a practical strategy for managing feelings of frustration.
As they opened their journals and prepared for the lesson, a sense of calm settled over the room. The teacher guided the students to draw a line down the middle of the page, followed by a square at the top evenly bisected on both sides of the line. The next step was for students to hold a pencil in each hand and replicate the squares along the centre line down the page. This simple yet effective task encouraged students to focus their attention in a meaningful way.
Empowering students through the RULER approach
Lessons are anchored in the RULER approach, developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. This program ensures that students have the necessary language and strategies to recognize, understand and label their emotions to then be able to express their feelings in appropriate ways and regulate when necessary. This has resulted in students having authentic opportunities to develop their social emotional skills benefitting all members of the community. Cultivating emotional intelligence equips students with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in their learning journey.
The Mood Meter: a tool for emotional awareness
The Mood Meter is at the heart of the approach and can be found displayed prominently throughout the school. It is a tool that offers a framework providing both a visual and tangible structure for students to identify how they, and others, are feeling.
The Mood Meter, with its four color-coded quadrants, helps students identify and discuss their emotions. The y-axis measures energy levels, while the x-axis gauges the pleasantness of feelings. For example, a student feeling content but low on energy would place themselves in the green zone and use the tool to explore why. Teachers can integrate the Mood Meter for regular check-ins, class discussions, or individual support, fostering self-awareness, empathy, healthy friendships, and most importantly can enhance their self-esteem. When used at home, it further reinforces emotional skills, providing parents with tools to support positive behavior and strengthen communication.
Journaling for mind-fulness and self-esteem
This year, students have started using personal journals to enhance their learning. These journals provide a space to practise mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or right-left brain doodles. They also offer a place to record thoughts and feelings. Some sessions have encouraged students to list things, people, or experiences that they’re grateful for or that bring them joy. Clear language, open and honest discussions, and effective tools and strategies all combine to help students in many ways, most importantly by solidifying their self-esteem.
Building self-esteem at home: the role of parental support
Parental support is crucial in fostering self-esteem. Sharing thoughts and emotions, practising mindful techniques, and modelling effective strategies can have a significant impact at home. Using the Mood Meter can facilitate open discussions and help children articulate their feelings.
Having meals together and asking children about their day will all help to keep open lines of communication. Instead of asking, “How was your day?”- which often elicits a brief “fine” just as it does for adults – try questions like, “Who did you sit with at lunch?” or “What made you laugh today?” These open-ended questions encourage richer conversations and deeper connections. Better yet, share about the highs and lows of your own day. Having the language, and opportunity, to express emotions in healthy ways is the cornerstone of building a strong sense of self for all of us, children included.
