ThrivingYOU BLOG
Our thoughts, views and everything else.
Cultivating Gratitude in the Classroom
In our fast-paced world, the importance of cultivating gratitude is often overlooked. It sometimes feels like extra “fluff” that isn’t worth spending a lot of time, especially in the classroom when we have so many other demands on our time. However, integrating a...
Boost Academic Focus and Classroom Behavior with the Social Skills Toolkit
Educators, we know you're all about creating a school environment where students can grow and succeed academically and personally. We also know that you have a lot on your plate – and you want to be able to focus more on teaching academic content rather than playing...
Moving from SEL to SEAL: Social-Emotional Learning Activities
In a recent professional learning session, we asked participants to describe in 1-2 words how they would measure the success of a child they know-- a student, their own child, a niece or nephew, a neighbor or friend’s child-- at age 25. The responses came back...
Sustainable Connection: Belonging Strategies for Back-to-School and Beyond
Fostering a sense of belonging and connection among students is crucial for their overall well-being and academic success. This sense of belonging helps create a positive classroom environment, promotes student engagement, reduces feelings of isolation, and enhances...
Back to School Prep: Tier 1 Classroom Management Strategies
Effective classroom management is crucial to creating a positive and productive learning environment. MTSS Tier 1 classroom management skills lay the foundation for a well-managed classroom where students feel respected, engaged, and motivated to learn. As the start...
Unwind and Recharge: Why Educators Should Take Time to Breathe this Summer
As the school year comes to a close, educators around the world can finally take a much-needed break from the demanding and often overwhelming nature of their profession. Summer break offers a golden opportunity to unwind, recharge, and prioritize self-care. It's...
Building Strong Classroom Relationships: The Key to Successful MTSS Tier 1 Interventions
This month, we sat down with our resident MTSS expert, Liz Toruno, to discuss how educators can effectively implement Tier 1 interventions. Liz is the MTSS Coordinator for Bakersfield City School District, the Lead Culture Coach for Thriving YOUniversity, and has a...
Reducing Testing Stress
It is standardized testing season, which often means heightened stress for everyone in the classroom, so we wanted to share some activities you can use to help ease the stress of testing. You can use mindfulness, movement, and brain breaks to help alleviate student...
Synergy Day
Even now, three years after the start of the COVID shutdowns, it is evident that the pandemic has had a significant impact on students' social-emotional well-being. Many students have experienced increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. Additionally,...
Strategies to Decrease Stress and Increase Social-Emotional Skills
Many students returned to school following the pandemic with higher stress and anxiety levels than ever before. Additionally, the time spent away from peers during the shutdowns lowered their social-emotional skills. While there are many factors in our students' lives...