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Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness
The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley recently highlighted the essential connection between social emotional learning and mindfulness. The center states that by helping children “become aware of and then embody the connection between their emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations, students are better able to regulate their emotions, which then impacts things such as their behavior, stress levels, relationships, and ability to focus.” Practicing social emotional skills in tangible ways helps children become more aware of themselves and others. Children who take time to think before acting are more likely to make responsible decisions and manage their emotions. Christopher Willard, Tufts psychologist and author of Child’s Mind: Mindfulness Practices to Help Our Children Be More Focused, Calm and Relaxed, names several ways in which children may practice mindfulness. Taking deep breaths is one way for children to pause and focus. Willard states that “exercises such as breathing consciously or taking a minute or two to really listen can help a child regulate such feelings as anger and anxiety.” Children can further regulate emotions by learning to identify their own body language as well as the body language of others. A racing heart can be the effect of nervousness or excitement, and a frown can be a sign of sadness or frustration. These physical signs can be cues for children to learn the moments when they may need to pause and relax. Children who are able to recognize these cues in themselves and others are also able to mitigate potential conflict. Willard further emphasizes the meaningful results when children take a few moments to listen to and observe their surroundings. He encourages another tangible practice in which children “listen carefully for about a minute and then name five sounds he heard while being quiet.” In this way, children practice how to pause, reflect, and gain awareness of self and others. The Greater Good Science Center asserts that such “mindfulness practices connect students’ inner and outer experiences and help them see the congruence between the two.” Children who are able to stop to think, to pause and reflect, are better able to live with assurance in the moment and build happy and peaceful futures.
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Human Bonding as a Preventive Factor
Conventional wisdom suggests isolation rises out of addiction, but studies have shown that in fact addiction may be a result of social isolation. Of course, there is a vicious cycle that then develops; isolation breeds addiction which breeds further isolation. Professor of Psychology, Bruce Alexander, conducted an experiment in the 1970s that has become known as the Rat Park experiment. Previous experiments revealed rats in isolation chose cocaine-laced water over plain water, so much so their addictions to the substance eventually lead to overdose and death. But Alexander wanted to test his theory which suggested rats would be less likely to become addicted to drugs in a social environment, so he created an engaging and social habitat. His rats were offered both plain and cocaine-laced bottles of water. Surprisingly, the inhabitants of Rat Park shunned the cocaine-laced water. These social and happy rats did not feel the draw of the drug their isolated counterparts felt. Addiction psychologists assert that human beings have a deep desire to bond, and if they can’t connect with other people, they may turn to something to fill that void. The trouble is the escape is only a temporary surrogate for the lack of human connection. Using alcohol or other drugs to escape or turning to sugar for comfort or other forms of distraction betrays an addictive yearning to connect. And so begins the journey to addiction, further isolating the person from the meaningful human bond they fundamentally need and miss. So what does this all mean for prevention? If isolation is likely to spawn addiction and a social environment fosters resilience, then it is essential that children learn how to develop and maintain healthy relationships from an early age. Fundamental social emotional skills equip children with the ability to bond with positive peers in a meaningful way. Effective communication and emotion management are key players on the road to building relationships. With these social emotional competencies in place, children can successfully maintain their forged connections. And a social environment clearly acts as a preventive measure against risky behaviors. Let these studies shine a light on the necessity for us to give children the tools to build strong foundations. Children who connect with others in meaningful ways are happier, healthier, and ultimately more resilient. They, in turn, stay true to social lives free of drugs and violence.
Read moreExecutive Function
Executive function development is essential for success in college and career. These executive function skills consist of working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control—all necessary components for higher education and the workplace. The most effective time for development of these skills is in early childhood, but they may be fostered well into the teen years. According to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, early childhood experiences “affect the development of brain architecture, which provides the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health.” In the early years, there is a process of neural connection proliferation that is necessary for the development of three areas of the brain: the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex. These three areas are responsible for emotional behavior and regulation, short term memory, and self-control. Following the process of proliferation, the brain prunes neural pathways. In other words, learned behaviors are defined. It is crucial, then, that early childhood experiences bolster executive function. Building executive function requires a three-pronged approach. This may be achieved through implementing a curriculum that ensures children gain access to education and creative activities delivered by an adult role-model who displays high executive function. Adult role-modeling plays a large role in learned behaviors. The Center on the Developing Child states that “even under stressful conditions, supportive, responsive relationships with caring adults as early in life as possible can prevent or reverse the damaging effects of toxic stress response.” Care-givers and teachers may not have control over a child’s family environment, but they can play their part in the healthy development of children’s executive function by displaying their own executive function skills. Activities that encourage creative play are another way in which children learn executive function skills. Card games, storytelling, and songs that repeat and add on exercise working memory; movement challenges, such as yoga or freeze dance, practice self-control; children can make their own play props or engage in matching card games to foster cognitive flexibility. The Center on the Developing Child says helping provide “the support that children need to build these skills at home, in early care and education programs, and in other settings they experience regularly is one of society’s most important responsibilities.” It is never too soon to start helping children develop the executive function foundation they need to prepare for success in life.
Read moreBenefits of Interactive Learning
Interactive activities are an integral part of social emotional learning. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) states that “learning is an intrinsically social and interactive process: it takes place in collaboration with one’s teachers, in the company of one’s peers, and with the support of one’s family.” Active and participatory lessons encourage children to learn social emotional skills firsthand. For the most effective social emotional skill development, it helps if activities are not limited to school but are also extended into family and community. Children who are socially and emotionally competent are skilled in five core areas: self-awareness, responsible decision-making, emotion management, social awareness, and healthy relationship building. By developing these skills through engaging activities, children are better equipped to stay on track to their goals, face potential challenges, and resist negative peer influence to engage in risky behaviors. What types of activities can be incorporated into lessons to develop social emotional skills? Cooperative learning designs that promote bonding—such as games, role-plays, and skits—are a great way to reinforce what students have learned. Through hands-on experience, students can practice these essential skills. Interactive games promote teamwork, giving students the opportunity to work on group decision-making, develop relationship skills, and resolve conflict peacefully. Real life scenarios enacted through role-plays and skits give students the opportunity to apply the skills they have learned, deepening their understanding of self and others. Interactive social and emotional learning helps children internalize the skills they will carry with them through life; they will in turn develop strong character that will give them the resiliency they need to live happy and healthy lives.
Read moreSpeak Up… And Lend an Ear
Effective communication skills are key to resilient living. Communication is the means by which we interact with the world, and how we communicate plays a large role in determining the outcomes of our actions and relationships. Children who communicate effectively are better able to make responsible decisions, stay true to their goals, and develop healthy relationships, because they can advocate their needs, seek help when necessary, and reject unhealthy pressures and influences. Dr. Carol Seefeldt writes in Scholastic that with effective communication skills “children can listen and learn from others, discuss ideas, and gain ever more knowledge of the world in which they live.” First, children must learn to differentiate healthy and unhealthy communication styles in order to adopt an effective communication style of their own. Our body language speaks to others before we even speak. For example, an interviewee who enters an interview with slumped shoulders and averted eyes will come across too passive. However, an interviewee who enters the interview with good posture and direct eye contact will come across assertive. The interviewer will take this into consideration and formulate an impression before the interviewee has a chance to answer questions. By discerning between these two communication styles, children learn that assertive behavior is more direct and honest, thereby portraying a confidence and readiness to perform. Listening skills are also essential to effective communication. Children learn how to listen by mirroring those who listen to them, but an understanding of the role of non-verbal cues conveys a message to children as well. Dr. Seefeldt writes that educating children by “fostering the conventions of communication, helping children learn to look, to take turns, and to negotiate verbal conflicts” develops an understanding of what it means to empathize with others. Teaching children to identify and adopt healthy listening skills, such as focusing on what the speaker is saying, smiling and nodding, and asking clarifying questions prevents miscommunication and facilitates stronger relationships. The above skills lead to the capacity to develop healthy relationships. As Dr. Seefeldt writes, “Children who look at the child they are talking with, who understand turn taking when communicating, and who know how to solve verbal conflicts are those who make and keep friends easily.” Effective communication helps children navigate challenging situations and peacefully resolve conflict. As a result, they are more likely to share their ideas and feelings with others, which promote enhanced cooperation and healthy bonding. Children who are ready to communicate effectively present themselves confidently in both manner and speech. They are emboldened to make responsible decisions that will keep them on track to reaching their goals, making friends along the way.
Read moreStop to Think
The road to healthy living begins with children setting reachable goals, but to stay true to that road children must learn to make responsible decisions. Children face the challenges of external pressures every day, whether they are from community, peers, or media. Dr. Jim Taylor in Psychology Today writes that "children who are poor decision makers are ready prey to the inevitable bad decisions when they listen to popular culture." Therefore, it is essential for children to learn at an early age what it takes to make decisions that will keep them focused on their goals. The primary method children can use to make responsible decisions is to stop to give themselves time to think through the decision before they act. Dr. Taylor states that children lack the experience of maturity so they "tend to make decisions that are impulsive and focused on immediate gratification." Because time is ultimately the only solution for gaining experience, we need to equip children with skills they can use until they gain that experience. Young children may benefit from such tangible practices as counting to ten or taking a few deep breaths before they speak or act. Developing decision making in children must be age appropriate. It is crucial that we recognize the capacity for decision making that grows with age. Younger children can tackle simpler decisions whereas adolescents can begin to incorporate much longer term thinking, with multiple potential outcomes and consequences, into their calculus. Thus, as we facilitate decision making, we should be mindful of this incremental process. Despite knowing to take time to think before they act, children often face peer pressure and peer influence that can challenge their decision making. Dr. Taylor says that children under pressure "may know that doing something is stupid, but they may feel peer pressure to do it anyway." Children who develop a strong moral compass and conviction to attain their goals are more likely to make responsible decisions in the face of peer pressure. They will more carefully weigh the negative consequences of making poor decisions versus the benefits of making good decisions and how those consequences, good or bad, will affect their ability to reach their goals in the short and long run. Teaching responsible decision-making skills is easy, but learning these skills requires time and practice to incorporate them into everyday life. A supportive learning environment that allows children to practice these skills and learn from mistakes can foster a confidence to take on more challenging decisions. This confidence in turn enables children to take on healthy risks and strive to reach more challenging goals. Children who learn from an early age to approach decisions in a thoughtful manner are better equipped to resist the influence of popular culture. They are more likely to live confidently in each moment, because making responsible decisions brings assurance and peace of mind. Children who stop to think about their decisions are one step closer to reaching their goals.
Read moreBuilding Better Relationships
As children enter adolescence, their minds and bodies are rapidly changing. Adolescence marks the beginning of more complex relationships, including romantic relationships, as hormones begin to rage and social influences to begin dating strengthen. Because teens are greatly influenced by the role models at home and in their communities, it comes as no surprise that we see teens exposed to violence at home or in their communities express similar behavior in their own dating relationships. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) recently released research on current teen dating violence trends, finding "risky social environment was the strongest correlate of physical and emotional dating violence victimization and perpetration within a romantic relationship." Teens exposed to violence in their community or family environments are more likely to become involved in dating violence, because they often mirror the behavior they see. Home environments that consistently use violence or aggression to resolve problems or to establish power or control set a standard for the children to follow in those environments. Teens without healthy role models to establish positive norms about dating relationship behavior are ill equipped to handle the complex emotions that stem from these new relationships. Teens who learn to identify unhealthy relationship qualities are much less likely to perpetuate negative norms they might have learned in their communities or homes. Development of social competency at an early age to promote pro-social bonding equips teens to apply what they have learned about healthy relationship norms to their own relationships. Positive peer influence promotes healthy norms as well. According to NIJ, "Programs that help develop healthy peer relationships should begin early in adolescence, when youth are first learning to establish more autonomous and meaningful peer relationships. Youth can learn and practice with peers many of the positive qualities that are important in healthy romantic relationships." Often, teens simply don't know yet the boundaries of acceptable behavior. As teens learn to differentiate positive and negative relationship qualities, they learn how to set appropriate boundaries. SEL activities that simulate real-life scenarios offer teens opportunities to practice handling a spectrum of relationship possibilities. Essential social and emotional skill development, such as learning to identify and manage emotions, as well as making responsible decisions, lays a strong foundation for lifelong healthy relationship management. Simple education of the acceptable "do's" and the unacceptable "don'ts" can go a long way to promoting healthy relationships. Research may show that teen violence does in fact occur, but we can do our part to steer teens toward healthier relationships. By equipping teens with strong social-emotional skills sets, and the knowledge they need to observe appropriate boundaries and discern unhealthy from healthy relationship qualities, we prepare teens to make healthy choices as they navigate relationships from adolescence into adulthood.
Read moreThe New Face of Heroin
Think of Vermont, and you most likely conjure images of mountains ablaze with russet foliage and roads meandering through quaint covered bridges. You might not suspect this pastoral state has an escalating heroin epidemic. But early this year, Rolling Stone highlighted a story of a Vermont teen whose OxyContin abuse led to heroin addiction. Teens and young adults are increasingly exposed to heroin in places few of us would expect. In less than a decade, the demographic of heroin users has dramatically shifted. What once was considered an inner-city street drug can now be found in the heart of suburban households. Recently, a front page article in The New York Times featured a story about a Staten Island mom who over a four month period spiraled into a life of using and dealing heroin that ended in her arrest. The home she and her family once shared quickly became a den for drug users and dealers. Why this surge in heroin use and the change in demographic? A recently published article in The Economist identifies a direct correlation between prescription medication abuse and heroin use. The causal link between these two drugs is not obvious on its face but easy to see after examining how these drugs are related. The rise in prescribed pain medications has led to an increase in opioid addictions. Effective measures to control access to prescription pain medications have driven addicted users to the next affordable source for their high. Street heroin is as plentiful and cheap as it ever was. This revelation reminds us to consider efforts to prevent substance use in the first place. People young and old carry misperceptions of the strength of prescription medications and the negative effects of their abuse. The implied safety of a doctor’s prescription suggest pills and other medications are a safer risk than street drugs like heroin or methamphetamine. What may begin as legitimate treatment for illness or injury may turn into addiction as a result of decisions made without considering consequences. But what preventive measures can we take to navigate children and teens away from the abuse of prescription medications? The root problem lies much deeper than simply targeting individual drugs. Research has shown that children at high risk of substance abuse benefit from prevention education strategies that build social and emotional skills. Responsible decision-making skills give children the ability to consider the consequences of the choices they face. Effective communication skills together with practical and effective refusal strategies embolden children and teens to refuse negative pressure from their peers. Adding an awareness of the harm of abusing substances effectively builds for children and teens a solid foundation to meet the challenges of life and make healthy choices along the way.
Read moreThe Possible Dream
Goal-setting is a cornerstone to effective prevention education. When children set goals for themselves, they make an investment in their future. The firmer their resolutions, the less likely they are to make decisions that would deter them from reaching those goals. They in turn develop a stronger moral compass, and they are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as substance use and violence. Setting age appropriate goals for children, and encouraging them to set their own, will foster foundational expansion. However, it is crucial to recognize the stages of children’s cognitive development; children move from concrete to abstract thinking over the course of elementary school. In order for children to reach their goals, they must strive toward goals that are set within their stage of development. Furthermore, children who are able to discern short-term from long-term goals may set and reach their goals with greater confidence. While aiding children in setting and reaching goals, we must consider the most beneficial learning environment. In a recent Huffington Post article, Dr. Gail Gross, Family and Child Development Expert, writes, “As we guide children towards their fullest potential, we teach them through bonding, observation, social learning and role modeling, how to delay gratification and reach goals and resolutions.” Children thrive in a learning environment that encourages bonding and social learning. They establish a sense of individuality in relation to others, which is necessary for both autonomy and healthy relationship building. Social learning activities may include interactive games, media, and role-plays. These activities simulate real life social constructs so children may tangibly apply what they have learned to their own lives. But how does a social environment circle back to goal-setting? Once a community is established, children are able to feel both a sense of individuality and a sense of belonging to a group. These feelings in combination relieve stress in children, which in turn frees them up to set reachable goals for themselves. And the more capable children are of setting reachable goals, the more likely they are to take responsibility for their own actions and behaviors. Children will develop healthy decision making skills that will secure for them a safe and flourishing future.
Read morePlease Pass the Gravy!
As we greet the new year, we tuck away more memories of close family gatherings—memories of the table draped in heirloom lace and the lingering taste of great-grandmother's gingersnaps. During the holiday season, the dinner table is a symbol for tradition and family unity; it is a place of comfort and bonding. Moving forward, it would prove especially beneficial to let this tradition extend into a year-round routine. According to a study commissioned by CASA Columbia, teens that have frequent dinners with their families are less likely to engage in alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use. The study showed that teens who had weaker relationships with their parents were more than twice as likely to have used alcohol, twice as likely to use tobacco, and three to four times more likely to have used marijuana. Healthy bonding, support, and high expectations are protective factors for establishing positive norms to prevent substance use and abuse. Family, school, and community environments offer children a space to engage in healthy relationships, and bonding through meaningful participation provides opportunities for children to develop esteem, promoting a sense of self-worth in relation to others. From the dinner table to the classroom, positive adult role models set and reinforce healthy norms for children. When parents and teachers set a positive example, children will come to expect their parents' and teachers' attitudes and behaviors to be the norm; the opposing negative attitudes and behaviors of negative influences will be seen as an unhealthy exception to the norm. High expectations from respected adults, combined with a strong support system, reinforce in children a desire to live up to their best selves, giving them the confidence they need to aspire to reaching their goals and relate to others in a healthy way. It is sometimes difficult to resist being swept away by the fast-paced current of our contemporary culture. The holidays remind us to pause and engage more frequently in meaningful exchanges with children and teens who look to us for direction, for we play a significant role in their unfolding futures. From all of us at the Mendez Foundation, we wish you a safe and fruitful new year!
Read moreTake Five
Emotion management is one of the core components of social emotional learning skills taught in effective prevention education. Coupled with other social emotional skills, emotion management benefits children both socially and academically. Dr. Kenneth Barish, a child therapist and Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University, in the Huffington Post writes, "Children who are able to regulate their emotions pay more attention, work harder, and achieve more in school." And the 2013 Too Good evaluation study showed just that-prevention education that develops social and emotional skill sets, such as emotion management, not only decreases the risk of substance use but also facilitates stronger academic performance. Research and evidence show the benefits that result from emotion management, but how can we as adult role models cultivate emotion management in children? One way is by lending an empathetic ear. When children feel they are truly being heard, they feel less a sense of urgency and therefore are able to more thoughtfully express themselves. Dr. Barish states that children are less likely to "get stuck in attitudes of blaming, argument and denial." Children are therefore more likely to take responsibility for their actions and behaviors, which prepares them to make thoughtful, rational choices. We can also heighten children's awareness of their own emotions by teaching them valuable self-assessment tools, such as learning to identify the physical signs of their emotions in addition to the thoughts and experiences associated with them. For example, children attentive to how their heart races, or to the feel of the muscles around the mouth when they are frowning, can use these physical signals as a cue to relax. When children learn to identify these signs in others, they are better able to interpret and ultimately anticipate the emotions of others. Acute social awareness provides the necessary elements to applying empathy. Socially aware children are also better able to positively influence the behaviors of those around them by deflecting conflict or intervening with a solution-based attitude. Self-aware children are empowered not only to respond to internal and external influences but to bring about positive change in potentially negative situations. Children who learn to recognize and appreciate the emotions of others develop a greater capacity to build stronger, more supportive relationships. Emotion management ultimately leads to responsible decision making, effective communication, pro-social bonding, and academic success-an established formula that emboldens children to establish a bright future for themselves.
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