Dear educators,

I have been working for the International Charter School since 2004. If you want to find out more about our school please click here. The main goal of this page is to show how ICS teachers integrate Social and Emotional Learning during their daily routine. I hope you all can benefit from the activities/strategies I have shared here. I also hope that you share with us what YOU have been doing to improve your students Social and Emotional Learning.

Best,

Ms. Silvia Lima

"The mission of ICS is to integrate the diverse languages and cultures

of the communities it serves by teaching all students in two

languages-in Spanish and English or in Portuguese and English-and

helping children develop an appreciation of other cultures.

Children learn to work collaboratively from their multiple experiences

and backgrounds, striving towards high standards of academic

achievement. Everyone is part of a community of learners,

engaging in inquiry about the world, themselves, and others."

IB Learner Profile "Open-Minded" -
3rd-grade students English/Portuguese 2018/2019
showing where their families come from.

As a dual-language school, ICS integrates Social and Emotional competencies with Academic competencies daily. All our teachers are trained in Responsive Classroom and required to use RC throughout their daily routines. According to the Responsive Classroom, students need to learn a set of Social and Emotional Learning Competencies as well as a set of Academic Competencies. Please refer to the link above to find out more about these competencies.

A typical day at ICS starts with a morning meeting. Morning Meeting is an engaging way to start the day establishing a climate of trust between teacher and students, building a strong sense of community, and also setting the tone for respectful learning. It motivates students and teachers, encourages collaboration, and develops academic, social, and emotional learning. Please refer to the link below to learn more about the components of Morning Meeting.

The Power of the Morning Meeting: 5 Steps Toward Changing Your Classroom and School Culture

By Lisa Dabbs.

Here is how ICS principal, Ms. Julie Nora, has described Morning Meeting in our school:

"ICS students and teachers gather together in a circle for twenty to thirty minutes and interact with one another during four purposeful components:

1.Greeting: Students and teachers greet one another by name.
2.Sharing: Students share information about important events in their lives. Listeners often offer empathetic comments or ask clarifying questions.
3.Group Activity: Everyone participates in a brief, lively activity that fosters group cohesion and helps students practice social and academic skills (for example, reciting a poem, dancing, singing, or playing a game).
4.Morning Message: Students read and interact with a short message written by their teacher. The message is crafted to help students focus on the work they’ll do in school that day."

Structure of Morning Meeting in a 3rd-grade classroom

1. Greeting - My students greet me and the other students in the morning. The visuals help the second language learners to make a choice. Virtual Learning: Use "air" hugs, high five, etc.

Portuguese teacher choices for greeting

2. Sharing - My 3rd graders have a schedule to share during Morning Meeting. They use the language of instruction (Portuguese or English) according to the week they are supposed to share. Hybrid/Virtual learning: Create a schedule and ask students to use FLIPGRID to share in advance.

3rd graders 2019/2020 sharing during morning meeting.

3. Group Activity - Students play a game together as a group. The game below is in Portuguese.Hybrid/Virtual learning: Introduce the virtual games at the beginning of the week and play with the whole group. Divide students in groups (breakout rooms), so they can play together.

4. Morning Message - Students read the morning message interacting with the teacher.Hybrid/Virtual learning: Share your screen and project the message for all students to see it.

Morning Meeting Messages in Portuguese and English.

Responsive Classroom: Social and Emotional Learning Competencies

Cooperation - In the first 6 weeks of the school, ICS students learn how to cooperate with their peers to work in groups during the school year. Teachers use a T-Graph for social skills to discuss the meaning of the word "cooperation".

Ms. Brooke's chart - 3rd grade English teacher.

Assertiveness - In the first 6 weeks of the school, ICS students also learn to be assertive and to solve problems independently when they play or work in groups, being able to stand up for themselves, in a calm and balanced way.

2nd-grade students Spanish/English 2018/2019
working in groups

Responsibility - ICS students are responsible for their learning in two languages They take responsibility for their own actions, being honest and principled.

1st grade Spanish/English 2018/2019 during
Independent Reading

Empathy - Our students learn in two languages. They learn at a young age how to help other students to develop skills in a second language. They demonstrate empathy for other cultures other than their own. They are also encouraged to be open-minded by respecting differences.

3rd grade Portuguese/English bulletin board about families heritage.

Self-Control - During our school day, students engage in different activities to show respect, be balanced, and demonstrate self-control.

3rd-grade Portuguese/English 2017/2018.
Students are encouraged to practice
Yoga and Meditation as a
the choice before instruction.

Field Day 2018/2020 - Students cooperate during fun activities.

Responsive Classroom: Academic Competencies

Independent Reading at ICS happens in two languages every day.
Students will read 30 minutes in English and 30 minutes in either Portuguese or Spanish.
They are encouraged to persevere in becoming bilingual learners.

Learning Strategies

Academic Behaviors