May Monthly Objectives
To support you with the myBlueprint implementation process, you will find two newsletter drafts (one for K-6 and one for 7–12) that can be shared with your colleagues and/or school teams for May with a focus on #GetReal about teaching empathy.
Looking for our top implementation ideas for the month of May?
Scroll down to the bottom of today’s blog post to learn more!
K-6 Newsletter (or K-7)
Title: #GetReal about teaching empathy
‘I can relate’
How many times have you said this statement when a student of yours tells you they are tired, stressed, worried, overwhelmed? As humans, we say this statement without even thinking about it and these three simple words contain one of the most sophisticated skills in supporting others with their mental health. That skill is empathy.
Empathy is one’s ability to share another’s feelings or experiences by putting yourself in their shoes. With over 24 months of a pandemic behind us, we have all lived through a shared experience. Now more than ever, educators can use this experience to teach and integrate empathy into their classroom.
But why is teaching empathy important? Students with a strong sense of empathy develop meaningful relationships with the self and others, they are more accepting of others and their unique backgrounds, and are less likely to display negative behaviours like bullying. Not to mention, high levels of empathy lead to overall higher levels of happiness.
With May 2–8 2022 being mental health week, we want to support educators ability to be there for one another and to help foster empathy within your students.
Tying digital portfolios to mental health is a natural fit. Any activity can be turned into an opportunity to develop helpful strategies to become more empathetic and to promote thoughtful reflection on mental health. Want to download an entire toolkit to help you and your students #getreal this May? Click here.
Want To Learn More About How To #GetReal and support students to be empathetic using All About Me (K-6)?
- Invite students to name their emotions. This could be overall, towards a specific prompt, or a situation. Invite them to add this to their All About Me portfolio (Add Box > Add Media > Add Audio or Video > add title #GetReal) and reflect on how others might feel during this time.
- Invite students to describe how they would care for a brand new pet. Either have students reflect or discuss on how the actions represented by caring for an animal connects to how they should treat others.
- Have students create S.M.A.R.T. Goals using “I Can” statements: “I can treat others…” (Add Box > Add Box > Goals)
- Explore the Being a Global Citizen lesson plan to make connections towards being empathetic in the community.
Use the Class Pass App to support easy artifact building, even when there is only one device in the classroom.
Want to learn more? Email support@myBlueprint.ca or sign up for a drop-in webinar.
7–12 Newsletter (or 8–12)
Title: #GetReal about teaching empathy
‘I can relate’
How many times have you said this statement when a student of yours tells you they are tired, stressed, worried, overwhelmed? As humans, we say this statement without even thinking about it and these three simple words contain one of the most sophisticated skills in supporting others with their mental health. That skill is empathy.
Empathy is one’s ability to share another’s feelings or experiences by putting yourself in their shoes. With over 24 months of a pandemic behind us, we have all lived through a shared experience. Now more than ever, educators can use this experience to teach and integrate empathy into their classroom.
But why is teaching empathy important? Students with a strong sense of empathy develop meaningful relationships with the self and others, they are more accepting of others and their unique backgrounds and are less likely to display negative behaviors like bullying. Not to mention, high levels of empathy lead to overall higher levels of happiness.
With May 2–8 2022 being mental health week, we want to support educators ability to be there for one another and to help foster empathy within your students.
Tying digital portfolios to mental health is a natural fit. Any activity can be turned into an opportunity to develop helpful strategies to become more empathetic and to promote thoughtful reflection on mental health. Want to download an entire toolkit to help you and your students #getreal this May? Click here.
Want To Learn More About How To #GetReal and support students to be empathetic using Education Planner (7–12)??
- Invite students to create a #GetReal Portfolio to provide a private space where they can feel comfortable sharing (check out our Mental Health Portfolio Exemplar here!)
- Have students create S.M.A.R.T. Goals focused on mental wellness
- Explore the What Does my Mental Wellness Look Like? Activity and invite students to complete
Hungry for more? Make time for yourself (you deserve it!) and watch the latest webinar on How to build resilience as a teacher! Password: CompetenciesPodcast
Want a quick summary? Check out this blog post!
myBlueprint Implementation Ideas for May
- Help students mindfully build upon essential competencies — May’s focus is Self-Discovery. Have students watch S1E17 of Competencies without a Classroom and engage students in a discussion using the accompanying slide deck, teacher guide, and student handout
- Have administrators self-report their school usage. Not sure how? Check out this quick clip on pulling statistics and reports
- Share news about the Education Planner Pathways Planning contest with your school teams for a chance to win
- Do you have staff that needs a refresher? Have them watch one of our pre-recorded webinars (All About Me and Education Planner)
- Plan myBlueprint training for the fall (email your myBlueprint contact to begin planning today!)
- If you are leaving your district-level position email your myBlueprint contact to let them know (and include your replacement, if known) to support a successful transition
Want to learn more? Email support@myBlueprint.ca, sign up for a drop-in webinar or watch our bite-sized video tutorials.
