Technology has helped people greatly when it comes to staying organized and on top of things. In my future classroom I would love to use a virtual calendar that can be accessed by every student and parent. This is a great way to keep students informed of what is expected of them fo that month. It allows students to gain skills when it comes to planning ahead and getting assignments done on time. I love the idea of the virtual calendar because it will never get lost and will always be available. I cannot wait to use this type of calendar and personalize it to the assignments and links I have for my classroom!

There is certainly a heightened focus on mental well-being in schools today than there used to be. When I was in school grades K-8 mental health issues among students were not acknowledged the way they are now. Today, we know much more about their impact on academic performance. Recognizing its crucial role in student success and overall quality of life, schools are increasingly integrating mental well-being into their curriculum and support systems. In my future classroom, this is an area I really want to continue to put an emphasis on. I want to give my future students the support I wish I had as a child in school.

Understanding and building knowledge about mental health issues in youth is crucial for several reasons. Most mental health problems often emerge during adolescence, and early intervention can prevent long-term consequences. It is important for all people to know that mental health affects various aspects of a young person’s life, including academic performance, relationships, and overall well-being. By increasing awareness and knowledge, we can reduce stigma, promote help-seeking behaviors, and provide appropriate support and resources to those in need. Understanding and addressing mental health in youth fosters resilience and equips them with coping skills to navigate life’s challenges effectively.

Section two in this unit discusses common mental health challenges amongst students. Some common mental health challenges in youth include anxiety disorders, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, suicidal behavior, and mood disorders like bipolar disorder. These issues can significantly impact a young person’s emotional well-being, academic performance, and social relationships. Early recognition and intervention are crucial to prevent long-term consequences and promote healthy development. By addressing these challenges through education, awareness, and access to mental health resources, we can better support the needs of youth and foster resilience, ultimately ensuring their overall well-being and future success.

Supporting children struggling with mental health in the classroom involves creating a safe, supportive environment where emotional regulation is promoted through coping strategies and regular brain breaks. Providing individualized support, encouraging peer empathy, and normalizing mental health discussions are essential. Implementing sensory supports, establishing predictable routines, and collaborating with mental health professionals further bolster student well-being. By modeling healthy coping behaviors and prioritizing student support, educators foster an environment where all students can thrive academically and emotionally.

The last section of this unit covers the importance of a teacher’s mental well-being. It’s vital for teachers to be in a good mental state as it directly impacts their effectiveness in the classroom and their ability to support students. To maintain their mental well-being, teachers can prioritize self-care through activities like exercise and hobbies, establish clear boundaries between work and personal life, and seek support from colleagues and loved ones. Engaging in mindfulness practices, attending to emotional needs, and taking regular breaks also contribute to their overall well-being. By prioritizing their mental health, teachers can create a positive learning environment and serve as positive role models for their students.

I found this cute, fun, and engaging activity on this site https://www.we.org/en-US/ which seems to have the chance to have a positive impact on students.

It seems like a great little way to incorporate teaching gratitude to elementary school children and it can be extremely beneficial and valuable for my future classroom.

Teaching gratitude in a 3rd-grade classroom can have numerous benefits. It fosters a positive classroom environment, enhances social-emotional learning, and promotes empathy and kindness among students. It also helps children develop a sense of appreciation for what they have and who they have in their lives. Additionally, expressing gratitude can improve mental well-being by fostering positive emotions and reducing stress. Through activities like this one, students learn to recognize and articulate their feelings of gratitude, which can lead to stronger relationships and a greater sense of happiness and fulfillment. It helps them develop crucial social-emotional skills that lay the foundation for their overall well-being and success in life. At this age, children are beginning to understand their emotions more deeply and are forming relationships with peers and adults. Learning about gratitude helps them appreciate the positive aspects of their lives, fosters empathy and kindness toward others, and teaches them to express appreciation for the support they receive from family, friends, and teachers. By cultivating gratitude early on, 3rd graders can develop a positive outlook, resilience, and strong interpersonal skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Refrences

https://weschools.we.org/filter?filterOperation=in_array&filterName=recommendedFor&filterTitle=Grades%201%20-%203&filterValue=dd98e5b0-be9d-400b-8224-ca10bd87aa17

WE Virtual Learning Center is an amazing resource for teachers to use when trying to create lesson plans for their class room! There are so many amazing lesson plans that have already been created on this site to help steer you in the direction needed for the lesson you are creating.

As you go further through the modules you will see courses and modules that have been created to hopefully help benefit teachers to brainstorm new lesson plans. Like in this section for Trauma-informed Practices, there is a whole 48-page module that is created to help you introduce these tactics in a classroom to help produce a safe classroom environment.

The modules also give you great explanations and definitions on certain topics that might help you understand how to incorporate these learning experiences into your work. Having a place like the WE Learning Center is a super important and useful tool that I know I will be using in my future classroom.

we.org is an online learning tool, which teachers can find very useful. The virtual learning center is a place filled with tools for educators to use, ultimately enhancing their ways of teaching and helping to engage the minds of students even more. Teachers now can stay learning in a fun and creative way!

Above shows a small explanation of the teacher resources!

As someone who is going to be a teacher very soon I found this tool to be so amazing! The lessons are short, yet very informative, making this a easy way to be educated even with a busy schedule.

There a tons of options to chose from and most, or maybe even all, are suitable for every grade level that you teach. All of the resources are something that would be very helpful in a classroom, here is one of the examples and how they look!

There are also virtual workshops educators can join, again to teach them more information. The grade levels which it is suitable for are also posted near it.

Overall, I can not wait to use these tools to transform my future classroom, and to share these ideas with my future fellow coworkers to also expand their minds and ideas!

WE.org is a charity that gives children voices to make change in the world. It also has a portal of resources for teachers called the WE Virtual Learning Center. These resources focus on creating a welcoming, equitable learning environment by educating teachers with readings and courses.

There are many resources about encouraging students to make impacts in their local communities, from speaking out against environmental issues to participating in service learning activities. WE has created many lesson plans to teach students new skills that relate to these issues, including virtual workshops. The portal also brings attention to different campaigns that students and teachers can take part in.

If you’re a teacher looking to introduce your students to global citizenship, or even looking to expand their existing knowledge, the WE Virtual Learning Center is a wonderful collection of resources.

WE Virtual Learning Center is supplying educators with countless of tools and resources to enhance their teaching and engage their students effectively. A part of the job as being an educator is to be constantly learning too! WE Virtual Learning Center makes continuous learning easy.

https://www.we.org/en-US/

As a future teacher myself, right off the bat I saw just how valuable WE Virtual Learning Center is. One tool that caught my eye was the pre-made lesson plans. The one plan I chose is Learning About Community.

WE Virtual Learning Center has set out a step by step lesson plan for us. That means no work involved in creating a lesson plan!!

It includes the topics and activities in the order it is supposed to be taught.

A ‘Would you rather’ activity for students to answer and get to know each other further.

A discussion for students to talk about the concept of community and how it applies to the classroom.

The lesson includes one-on-one activities, class activities, and individual activities.

And finally, a reflection to end the lesson. Their reflections will show whether or not the lesson plan worked and how connected they feel towards everyone in the class.

I personally believe this is a great activity for the first day or sometime in the first week of school. I remember doing something similar to this in my eighth grade english class.

The “WE are one” campaign is a great resource I can implement in my classroom for many reasons. One of the reasons is that I can involve my students in activities such as creating a classroom code for inclusivity, discussing what inclusion means, and brainstorming potential products or services that may benefit someone with a disability. Additionally, I could have one of my students interview individuals who experience barriers due to disabilities and share their findings with their peers to build knowledge and understanding. This campaign not only promotes inclusivity but also fosters critical thinking, leadership, and relationship skills, which are valuable for students’ future success.

For students with disabilities who require hardware, software, or devices to enhance their functioning abilities in the classroom, assistive technology (AT) is offered at Stockton University. Students who struggle with language, auditory, visual, or both, as well as those who find it challenging to take notes in class, can all benefit from assistive technology.

Rocket book Beacon turns traditional whiteboards into smart boards with the Rocketbook app. Beacons have been placed on whiteboards throughout Stockton campus to help with notetaking and retention of information written on the whiteboards.

Dragon Naturally Speaking is a voice-activated application that lets students format, create, and edit documents by speaking aloud. The goal of this curriculum is to assist students in being more creative, productive, and adept at multitasking.

Read&Write is an application that helps teachers, staff, and students with daily chores including reading aloud from texts, comprehending foreign terms, researching assignments, and editing written work. It does this by providing an intuitive and user-friendly toolbar that makes the web, documents, and files more accessible. Anyone who needs further assistance with reading and writing, as well as English language learners and those with learning disabilities, can benefit greatly from this program. Students can use the portal on the Student Life tab to get this program for free.To have it installed on their computer, faculty and staff can submit a request through Information Technology Services.

C-Pen Reader is a portable gadget that uses a digital voice that sounds human in English, Spanish, or French to read printed text aloud.

FM Systems transmit voice and other signals to hearing aids via radio waves. Roger Pens and the conventional transmitter/receiver are available from us.

Smartpens function similarly to a pen, except instead of recording audio, it uses Bluetooth to communicate it to a computer, tablet, or smartphone. This tool records information that students might miss in the classroom and is intended to assist students in getting the most out of lectures.

Thunder T3 Air Flow Control technology in earmuffs lowers noise levels in the space.

I find each of these accessibility tools very helpful not only for students, but for teachers too.