2020 has been quite a rollercoaster for us all! This year has tested the best of us and unfortunately meant great pain for so many while the relentless onslaught of troubling news does not seem to be letting up. With a global pandemic, racial injustice, economic hardships, storms, fires, political unrest, where do we look […]
“Is that your lunch? It looks kind of weird…” “Well, if your favorite color isn’t purple then I don’t want to be your friend.” “Girls can’t play this game, only boys.” “I don’t want to play with you, I only want to play with her. She’s my best friend.” As educators, our first reaction when […]
This year has delivered us one unpredictable blow after the next. Parents, teachers and kids alike, have coped with school closings, travel cancellations, social and political unrest, isolation from friends and family, and an endless barrage of disruption and uncertainty. We all have been forced to pivot and get super creative during these unusual times […]
Teachers are incredible. You consistently go above and beyond in providing quality education for your students. Each day you take on the role of caregiver, advocate, cheerleader, guidance counselor, and mediator rolled into one… and now you do all of this while trying to keep yourself and those around you safe. And it doesn’t stop […]
2020 has been a year we all would like to forget. With an unprecedented and ceaseless string of events from natural disasters, racial and societal injustice and unrest, economic uncertainty, and of course a global pandemic. Stress is on everyone’s doorstep. For those who were already dealing with difficult and anxiety producing experiences, the current […]
As we approach mid-summer, many parents are anxiously planning for their children’s return to school. Though going back to school presents a small step towards a sense of normalcy and routine, it also gives rise to many legitimate questions about how to protect your child from COVID-19 when they return to class. Many schools are […]
In some areas of the country, families have been isolating at home for over 3 months. As we enter the summer months, many parents are wondering how to maximize summer fun while staying home and staying safe. As a central tenant of the begin to ECSEL program, educators are instructed to establish a consistent routine […]
For all children, play is a child’s “work” and is essential in developing the foundation for social, emotional, and cognitive skills. A wealth of research shows that unstructured play is a fundamental necessity for children to thrive physically, emotionally, mentally and socially. The importance of play is something that I have stressed repeatedly in my […]
Juneteeth is a holiday that takes place on June 19th every year to commemorate June 19, 1865, when federal orders declared in Galveston, Texas stated that all previously enslaved people in Texas were free. This momentous occasion fell two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War and two and a half […]
Among other important life lessons, this global pandemic is highlighting just how much we depend on social relationships. As social animals, some of us are struggling to establish a new normal while learning how to maintain relationships in this bizarre time of social distancing. Some of us may still be trying to figure out how […]
How many times have you found yourself asking how will these times of increased stress, anxiety and uncertainty affect my young students’ mental health? As tensions mount and the instability of the situation intensifies, not only may you be questioning your young students’ well-being but so too may you be questioning your own ability to […]
Let’s Turn Off the Screen, This Earth Day, And Read a Book The experience of having a book read aloud to children prompts conversations about what’s happening in the story, what the characters are feeling, the meanings of words, and especially how what’s happening in the book might relate to the child. In a world […]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re reading a lot about the importance of practicing mindfulness to manage stress. Is it a practice that young children can use? As a former preschool teacher who implemented the begin to ECSEL® program in my classroom, I encouraged children to practice mindfulness every day. It is a practice whose principles […]
With all of the anxiety surrounding COVID-19 and the constant news alerts, we at Housman Institute & begin to ECSEL thought it might be helpful to compile a list of tips on how to discuss coronavirus with your children: 1. Focus on helping your child feel SAFE. Children can sense your anxiety, so try to maintain a calm environment […]
At the Housman Institute, we recognize the profound importance of building the foundation for emotional intelligence in children from birth. Our begin to ECSEL program helps children recognize, understand, regulate and express their emotions in a healthy way that sets them up for a lifetime of well-being, mental health and success. Within our program, we […]
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we here at Housman Institute are reflecting on gratitude and what it means for the development of emotional intelligence in young children. As Robert Emmons, Ph.D. the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude. a professor of psychology and founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology, has discovered when people regularly […]
