Seattle Public Schools start the year with their Best Self forward

What students wish their teachers knew about them

RULER Reflection and Preparation

Below are some reflections and pictures from two staff members at the Cherry Gulch school – Ryan Hayes and Kylie Anderson.

This last year of rolling out RULER has been a great success.  All of the staff have been trained in the Approach and measures have been taken to ensure frequent trainings to keep the material fresh in the minds of the staff and students.  I have seen the development of myself personally as well as the staff

and students due to the introspective nature of the Blueprint, Mood Meter, Meta-Moment and the Charter.  I have watched as students have come in to class in the red, plotted themselves, stated their one-word feeling, said how they are going to PRIME that emotion and within minutes have a concrete action plan and are in a better head space for learning.  I have also watched as teachers have filled out blueprints with students who they have been struggling with in class and have seen how they both (student and teacher) have been able to take a step back, see each other as people and change their actions, in so doing they have bettered their relationship, their teaching and their learning. There is no doubt how the RULER Approach has benefited our school and helped the staff and students be able to learn at their optimum level, build relationships, learn how to cope more effectively by taking Meta-Moments and treat each other with more love and humanity.

Going forward into the next school year, I feel it will be important to have the resources available to the teachers and staff that they will need to continue rolling out RULER in the coming year.  Some of these supplies may include: a SMART board if it fits within the school’s budget, a binder of worksheets, work samples and implementation ideas that the teachers can make copies of at their leisure, as well as any paper, markers, dry erase boards etc. that may be useful in implementing RULER.  Below is a list of key points that I feel need to be addressed before going into the new year so that a solid plan can be in place for the further implementation of the RULER Approach.

• Teacher buy-in
• Is anyone getting burned out?
• What can we as trainers and leaders do to help reinvigorate the staff?
• What supplies will be needed in the new year?
• When will the training for the staff be held for the Feeling Words Curriculum?
• Will any incentives be given to teachers who go above and beyond in implementing RULER?
• How often will the classroom Charters be re-vamped?
• Will the Blueprint continue to be used as re-entry to the classroom after a student is asked to leave due to a behavioral concern?

Feelings Around the Mood Meter

Whether in the red, yellow, blue, or green– these students know a lot about the Mood Meter!

All Emotions Matter at Bay Ridge Prep! 

A 6th grade student uses music and media to represent each quadrant of the Mood Meter

Girton Grammar School Putting the Anchor Tools into Practice

Mood Meter App – Now available in the Apple iStore

We are excited to launch the long-awaited Mood Meter App, now available in the iTunes store. This dynamic, intuitive, and visually appealing app unites leading edge technology with research conducted at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. The app helps users of all ages build the skills of recognizing, labeling, and regulating emotions to live a healthier, more productive, and fulfilling life.To learn more, click here.We hope you enjoy using the app, learn a lot and share it with family and friends!