Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence - RULER Training

2018.3.21

Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence - RULER Training
“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:

The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence is an impressive operation. The RULER approach makes so much sense and can have a positive impact on all members of a school community.

What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:
Practicing the use of “meta-moments” and picturing my best-self when I am faced with tough decisions or adversity.

Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” ~ John F. Kennedy

“Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you.” ~ Aldous Huxley

“Success is the sum of small efforts - repeated day in and day out.” ~ Robert Collier


This week began with two days of training on the “Anchors of Emotional Intelligence” with staff from the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Our trainers were extremely knowledgeable, engaging, and related many/most aspects of the training to real-world situations (which is always appreciated). Including myself, there were six employees representing NCHS as we were joined by educators from across the country (CT, NY, NC, TN, IL, KS, TX, CA) and around the globe (Spain, Qatar). 

The focus of the workshop was on implementing the RULER approach at the high school level. RULER stands for Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating. This has already been rolled out to the K-8 levels in New Canaan. Our team will continue planning and then be introducing it to the high school staff in the coming weeks, which is exciting. 

The training began with one of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou, one that I have shared several times on Twitter as well as my blog. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you’ve said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” There is so much power, wisdom, and common sense in this quote. This was a terrific way to begin the workshop and set the tone for the work that we would be doing together.

Over the course of the two days, we learned about RULER, the science behind, and importance of, recognizing our emotions to be our best selves, and steps to implement this approach in our respective schools. This included thought sessions, collaborative discussions, activities that reinforce the foundation of RULER, and the four anchors of emotional intelligence: the Charter, the Mood Meter, the Meta-Moment, and the Blueprint.

Some of my biggest takeaways include:

• Emotions matter for: attention, memory, learning, wellness, everyday effectiveness, and more...
• The RULER approach is not an initiative, but a way of thinking/life. 
• The elements of RULER are not just for students, but for the entire school community (and certainly applicable in our personal lives). 
• They are all important, but I liked the “L” is RULER (“Label”) and the quote that goes along with it: “You’ve got to name it to tame it”. So true... 
• Each quadrant on the mood meter is important and where we fall on the meter will ebb and flow depending on the situations that we are in at any given time. Quadrants are not defined by “good” or “bad” and each serves a purpose (more on this below). 
• It is all about being aware and not necessarily expecting yourself, or anyone else, to shift or adjust. It is this awareness that allows us to respond accordingly. 
• The meta-moment is a six-step process, in the moment (that they jokingly say will keep you away from having to follow a 12-step program). The irony here is thick… The six steps include: Something happens. Sense. Stop. See your best self. Strategize. Succeed (which does not mean “win”; act in a way that reflects your best self, that you can be proud of).
• This is definitely a marathon and not a sprint. The introduction and roll out need to be done thoughtfully and purposefully, over an extended period of time. This may mean years for full implementation, and that is okay... 

This has been a tiny snapshot of RULER. I attempted to capture the essence of the approach and hope to share more about our introduction and implementation in the near future. We will be receiving several resources as well as research to back up the foundation of RULER to help us develop our blueprint for NCHS. In the meantime, you are welcome to check out a couple of their sites:

www.ei.yale.edu
http://rulercommunity.yale.edu (website)

Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. Have a great week!

Tags: @YaleEmotion, @RULERapproach, #EmotionsMatter, @JADHoffmann, @NCHS_CT


Please feel free to contact or follow me:
Twitter: @DavidGusitsch
Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/
Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org


Here are a few pictures from the Yale EI Training:
Our @NCHS_CT EI crew. Representing English, Math, Art, Psychological Services, District, and Admin:





One of my favorite quotes as seen in the halls of NCHS:





Working on a draft “charter”:





Defining RULER:





Some words to describe emotions in different quadrants on the Mood Meter:



Some mood congruent instruction based on the meter:
Red - persuasive writing; debating
Blue - proofing/editing; showing empathy
Yellow - creative writing; brainstorming
Green - journal writing; building consensus


We took a quick walk before Day 2 began to get ourselves in the best mindset possible to learn!




The buildings and architecture on this part of the campus are amazing and beautiful:




A quick trip to the Yale bookstore after the last day of training. It’s always fun to check out university bookstores!:

School Culture - Choose Positive

2018.2.11

School Culture - Choose Positive

“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:
The life we live is typically impacted by the lens we choose to view it through.

Perspective: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.


What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:
Highlighting positive events, activities, or actions around NCHS.


Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:
We can write our own story, or let someone else write it for us.


Each week, I consider a topic that would best represent how the week went or highlight something exceptional that took place. This was no exception this week, except this week was chock-full of activities and events. Instead of a particular occurrence, I wanted to put a spotlight on perspective and positive school culture. In addition to the regular agenda of meetings, visiting classes, and daily business, there were extracurricular activities, concerts, an evening budget meeting, a parent informational session, and more... Our schools in NCPS have SO MUCH “good” going on, every day. People do an amazing job of sharing through newsletters, twitter, blog posts, tv shows, and more, but we all have a choice as to how we perceive these messages.

A friend of mine, who does not work in education, sent me the below message. We share similar views as to what makes a successful, positive environment and often send/share messages that include such content. I found the one below to be particularly accurate when considering how we see the world around us. Are we seeing what is most important to us, or are we seeing things from many different perspectives?

What do you see?
By, Seth Godin
A better question might be, "what do you choose to see?"
If I take four professionals to the Whitney:
The architect sees the building, the sight lines, the way the people and the light flow.
The framer notices the craftsmanship and taste in the way the paintings are framed and hung.
The lighting designer can't help but comment on the new LEDs.
And the art dealer sees the names of each artist and marvels over career arcs.
When you read a blog post, or see a successful project or read about an innovation, what do you see?
Do you see the emotions and the fear and the grit of the people behind it?
Do you see the strategy and high-level analysis that went into it?
Or do you see the execution and technique?
Some people are willingly blind to metaphor, viewing each example as a special case. Others manage to connect the dots and find what they need just about anywhere.
You might not need more exposure to the new. Instead, it might pay to re-see what's already around you.

To be realistic, it is not always roses and there are trying times to work through as well. This is when it is important to remember the big picture and each component that makes up our great NCPS system. The below parable can be dated back thousands of years. I first heard it at a conference several years ago, and it has always stuck with me. If we only consider what we see in our own particular silos, we miss the sum of all of its parts. The fact that each person is “correct” in their observation, but “incorrect” from an overall viewpoint shows the importance of perspective. We should all do our best to listen and try to truly understand where someone is coming from before making a judgment call, or even trying to help.

The blind men and the elephant:






From: wikipediaThe parable of the blind men and an elephant originated in the ancient Indian subcontinent, from where it has been widely diffused. It is a story of a group of blind men, who have never come across an elephant before and who learn and conceptualize what the elephant is like by touching it. Each blind man feels a different part of the elephant body, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then describe the elephant based on their partial experience and their descriptions are in complete disagreement on what an elephant is. In some versions, they come to suspect that the other person is dishonest and they come to blows. The moral of the parable is that humans have a tendency to project their partial experiences as the whole truth, ignore other people's partial experiences, and one should consider that one may be partially right and may have partial information.

Looking ahead, this will be a topic that I will revisit. I am looking forward to attending RULER Training at Yale next month! It will focus on emotional intelligence, and ultimately overall positive school culture. Stay tuned for more positivity...

Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. Have a great week!


Tags: #ChoosePositive, @mrmcateer, @Hernbergler, @cveets117, NCHS Band, NCHS Orchestra, NCHS Chorus, NCHS Athletics, @ThisIsSethsBlog, @NCHS_CT, #perspective


Please feel free to contact or follow me:
Twitter: @DavidGusitsch
Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/
Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org


Here are a few pics, and a video, to support positive perspective and all the “good” that goes on around us, all the time:

Definitely one of my favorite displays at NCHS. Celebrating positivity!:






One Second Everyday (1SE) from NCHS, August - February:
Check out the youtube clip, here.



Students in action comparing evaporation rates in a lab with Mr. Hague:




Students get creative in Mr. Honohan’s Woodworking class:




Mr. McAteer’s flexible learning environment:





Ms. Martinich’s class discussing perspective by making observations from a “busy” scene:





The NCHS chorus and orchestra join forces for an amazing rendition of Carmina Burana:





The NCHS band kicks off the “All Ensemble” concert:





There is something for everyone at NCHS! Here is a nice, large group of parents attending a parent workshop on standardized testing:





It may have been a rainy/snowy morning, but Mrs. Vita caught/shared a great sunrise:





Lots of NCHS sporting events took place this week. Here are a few:








Ms. Hernberg shared some creative learning in her classes this week:



Instead of “first”, I prefer “Frequent Attempts In Learning”:

#NCHS_WE: providing unity in our community!

2018.1.19

#NCHS_WE




“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:

This week brought the first iteration of the NCHS Wellness-Enrichment offerings during midterms. We are looking forward to learning from this experience and continuing to grow opportunities that foster a positive school environment, all year long.





What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:

Seeing students and staff coming together to participate in activities that they have chosen and enjoy.





Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:

Taking time for yourself is always worth it.



#NCHS_WE: providing unity in our community!




After a snowy return from the holiday break, we finally got to midterm week at NCHS. As discussed throughout the first semester by the administrative team, teachers, parents, and students, we wanted to offer something that would lighten the stressful atmosphere and possibly even provide some fun. Enter, #NCHS_WE. Leading up to this week, we gathered information through surveys from staff and students and tried to cater offerings to what people were most interested in. This was a great collaboration by staff, students, and parents that kicked off on the first day of exams. Below is the message that was sent out to students:





Greetings Students,





During exam week, we are considering offering some wellness-enrichment activities between the exam periods for students (and staff) to have options to de-stress, prepare for upcoming exams, or just have some fun (there is a great amount of research on activity and mood as it relates to positive academic performance).





All offerings are intended to be non-curricular and encourage a positive experience through individual choice. These may include physical activity offerings in our larger spaces, or something that you are enthusiastic about based on your area(s) of interest throughout the rest of the building (musical offerings, art offerings, club-related offerings). Some ideas that have been shared include badminton, guided meditation, yoga, kan-jam, spikeball, volleyball, musical jam session(s), karaoke, board games, puzzles, sudoku, etc... Of course, having quiet spaces for students to study will always be an option.





In an effort to guide our planning, we have put together a quick survey (less than 2 minutes) to see what your interest level may be in participating in any activities/offerings. Your participation is dependent on your schedule, so there is no strict commitment. You may choose to participate in an activity for one or two days, or for all four. Our hope is that you will enjoy checking out some, or many, of the offerings and have some fun with your peers (and maybe even teachers)!





The purpose of the survey was two-fold. One was to gather information and the other was to provide awareness about the concept of #NCHS_WE. Responses were thoughtful and helped guide next steps. We also had one of our students, Olivia, write an impressive article for the online edition of the school newspaper, NCHS Courant. She did her research and included some good links to back up the science behind incorporating movement into the learning process. You can check it out, here.





As of this post, we are halfway through midterms and the response has been positive. Following exams, we will send out a follow-up survey to students and staff to see what went well, which offerings did not bring in the crowds, and solicit ideas for future experiences.





Thanks to everyone who helped make the #NCHS_WE kick-off a success and thank you for taking the time to check out this post. Have a great weekend!








Tags: @NCHS_CT, #NCHS_WE, #wellness, @ofl_courant, @NCHSCourant, @BeWellNCPS





Please feel free to contact or follow me:


Twitter: @DavidGusitsch


Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/


Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org





Here are a few pics from the Wellness-Enrichment activities that have taken place so far:




Part of the “advertising campaign”:












The poster of #NCHS_WE offerings:











Grab and go snacks were a hit:











No surprise, the dogs were a hit:











Some of the creative offerings:








Guided meditation and activity offerings:








Zen Zone with virtual koi pond!











Who doesn’t love a happy dog?! Thanks to Scooter, Bob, and Meca:



























Different parts of the brain that are activated after particular activities:















A picture is worth 1,000 words:












Coincidence that the News had a piece on “being well” this week??:

@BeWellNCPS

2017.12.15

@BeWellNCPS

“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:

The kickoff of the NCPS Employee Wellness program is exciting and has the potential to offer a great service to all employees in the district.

What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:

Being part of team that is going to offer exciting opportunities to all employees in the NCPS.

Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:

“It's never too early or too late to work towards being the healthiest you.”

“Caring for the whole employee, while educating the whole child.”

The recently announced district-wide employee wellness program is exciting news for everyone (not just employees). Why, you ask? People who feel better, perform better. Since we are in the “kid business” the direct beneficiaries are our students. The mission of our committee states the following:

The Wellness Committee strives to educate, promote, and support the wellbeing of all NCPS employees by fostering and inspiring healthy lifestyles.

The fact that our superintendent, Dr. Luizzi, is leading the charge speaks volumes about the potentially positive return on investment across the district. There have been a few meetings to brainstorm and propose ways to roll this initiative out to everyone. It has been a terrific collaboration between professionals from central office, teachers, nurses, administrators, and our insurance representative.

Part of the rollout has been to come up with a brand that will help people recognize positive and/or wellness related messages. We are proud to have developed the below logo and banner that will be part of our ongoing communications. It was a nice team effort between committee members, NCHS art teachers, and district technology personnel. We have also reached out and collaborated with professionals from other districts/states to find out what has been successful for them. Feel free to check out progress, see messages, collaborate, and follow along on our journey at: @BeWellNCPS.  

While the details on all facets of the program are still being ironed out, it is exciting to hear about the potential of joining forces across the district and offering activities and services that may currently be confined to one location. Some of the offerings that already exist include walking programs, fitbit challenges, a.m. basketball, Zumba, yoga, fitness center, amongst others. In addition, we will consider screenings and programs that will help provide information to guide health-based decisions and hopefully foster community with, and amongst, colleagues.  

We owe it to ourselves to be wellness-minded, but that is often easier said than done. Over time, the results of not feeling well can compound resulting in you not operating at, or anywhere near, 100%. Remember, being well does not have to consist of long, arduous workouts or extended periods of cardiovascular training. It could be as simple as getting extra steps or doing short sets of exercises (even without equipment) throughout the day. The key is being consistent. Again, the end result will be great not only for individuals, but for the community and students that we serve.

Thanks to our tremendous NCPS Nursing Supervisor, Janet Reed, we have a few tips to help us “Be Well”:

From the Nurses - TEN TIPS TO STAY WELL:
1. Exercise!
2.    Eat a healthy diet to boost your immune system.
3.     Wash your hands frequently
4.     Keep your hands away from your face since germs enter through your mouth, nose and eyes.
5.     Drink plenty of water.  Hydrated cells are better able to repel viruses and bacteria.
6.     Get enough sleep.  7-8 hours for adults. 10 for children and teens.  People who sleep less than 7 hours are 3 times more likely to catch a cold.

7.     Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow rather than your hands, which can spread the germs.

8.     Stay home when you have a fever or a cough that can’t be quieted.

9.     Have a positive attitude.  A negative outlook can be harmful to your physical and mental health.

10.   Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness.  Studies show these strategies boost your immune system and activate the calming parasympathetic nervous system.

With that being said, “Be Well” New Canaan!

Tags: @BeWellNCPS, @NCHS_CT, @NCPShealthPE, #wellness  

Please feel free to contact or follow me:

Twitter: @DavidGusitsch

Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/

Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org

Here a few pictures from this past week:

The logo consists of colors representing each school in the district. The Orange represents the Positivity Training the we participated in (The Happiness Advantage, The Orange Frog).

The banner has the district “crest” and elements that are important from each domain (cognitive, affective, psychomotor, and social). The puzzle pieces represent each piece being important to benefit the whole.

A Week in the Life of...

2017.12.8

A Week in the Life of...

“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:

This is a busy time of year for everyone.  

What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:

A moment for me. Remembering to take time to keep everything in balance and perspective.  

Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” ~ John F. Kennedy

“I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”  ~ Michael Jordan

After a week off from writing a blog post (life/work sometimes has a way of loading up the calendar!), I am back with a reflection on a “week in the life of…”. You may insert teacher, educator, student, administrator, or anything education related, in the latter part of the title and it would apply to this time of year. It is a time of excitement, activities, and business. This is by no means a critical look at the calendar, just a snapshot of the balancing act that takes place during certain times of the year. Meetings, observations, conversations with students/staff, emails, etc. are the constants, the rest of the schedule ebbs and flows

Monday was a typical day start to a week during the day, followed by the Board of Education meeting that evening. Making the best of an extended day, I was able to grab a bite to eat with a colleague from Saxe and talk shop in a different setting (Note: The Lime Restaurant in Norwalk has a great veggie burger!). It was exciting to see Melinda Meyer and Jonathan Adams present on their specific content areas, Science and Health Education, respectively. NCPS is fortunate to have smart, talented, dedicated leaders in all disciplines. Melinda focused on the transition to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) while Jonathan covered the importance of comprehensive, quality Health Education.

Tuesday included a Tri-State Assistant Principal study group, which I found engaging and professionally enriching. That evening, the NCHS Orchestra held their Annual Orchestra Festival. I was not surprised, but I was amazed at the talent that these students displayed during the concert. Mr. Ficks and company do a great job of preparing this impressively large group and keep it interesting for anyone in attendance by having their music range from Bach to Pixar to Star Wars. Tremendous.

Wednesday began with one of my favorite events of the week, the Rising Above Ceremony. This recognizes students who have helped others, put forth extraordinary effort to reach a goal or “risen above” difficult situations. Parents were invited and it was a nice celebration for these well deserving students. Later in the day, the Health and Physical Education program had an impromptu meeting with a regional representative from the US Games OPEN program to consider ways to continue to improve and provide quality, meaningful Health and Physical Education for all NCHS students. The day wrapped up with a district administrative meeting that included conversations ranging from facilities to budget to transportation to programming, and everything in between. It is always nice to get this talented group of educational leaders together and I always feel as though I grow professionally after these collaborative meetings.

Thursday began with a Wellness Walk that was put together by our amazing Nursing Coordinator, Janet Reed. This is one example of offering opportunities that benefit employees, physically, socially, and emotionally which ultimately allows staff to perform at an optimal level for their students. I will be writing more about the recently developed Employee Wellness program (@BeWellNCPS) in the near future. Thursday evening was rounded out by a community event in my hometown (Bethel) by the best-selling author of the Kinesthetic Classroom books, Mike Kuczala. It is always nice to experience an event given by someone who is the best in their respective field, in this case, the brain-body connection. Today, he will be working 130+ educators for one of their professional development days.     

Friday, looks to be another “standard” day. It began by greeting students out in front of the building as they arrived (my favorite), followed by a visit to a class doing a shark dissection (very cool) and will conclude with a conference call this afternoon with a colleague (Sam Karns) in my PLN to discuss ideas and details about the great Employee Wellness program they have in place in Spring Branch, Texas. Finally, I hope to round out the week with a nice jog in Waveny. A great opportunity to de-stress, experience nature right in our “backyard”, and build some new brain cells through some aerobic activity! Have a great weekend and thanks for taking the time to read my post this week.

Tags: @BeWellNCPS, @NCHS_CT, @NCPShealthPE, @Samuel_Karns, @kinestheticlass, #NGSS, Melinda Meyer, Janet Reed  

Please feel free to contact or follow me:

Twitter: @DavidGusitsch

Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/

Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org

Here a few pictures from this past week:

Molecular Geometry simulation in AP Chemistry

Jonathan Adams presenting to BOE

NCHS Orchestra (amazing)

Rising Above Ceremony

Mike Kuczala (Bethel)

Dogfish shark dissection in Marine Science