PEANUT BUTTER HAIR

“One day . . . or day one.” -- Anonymous                February: Cherokee Month of the Bone Moon

SEL: # 2 Social Awareness   # 4 Relationship Skills

A kind word to one in trouble is often like a switch in a railroad track. . .an inch between wreck and smooth sailing.                                                   – Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

My husband was an emergency room nurse before he worked 14 years in a treatment center. I was a newly certified teacher, substituting while I waited for a permanent position to open. It was early days for me as a substitute so, I took  special needs assignments unawares. I came home knuckle-draggin’ and sat with my forearms on my knees. “Hi honey,” my husband’s standard greeting. “Rough day? “ total change of voice into the nurse-in-assessment-mode.

 “What grade did you have?”

“Young. Special needs.”

His silence and concerned look said it all. He was not one to interfere nor control, yet the put-together woman who walked out the door in the morning had disappeared. I sat bedraggled on the chair in the mudroom. “Do you know you have peanut butter in your hair?” he asked in his I’m-totally-confused-and-have-no-rational-reason-for-this-condition tone of voice.

“Uh-huh. When autistic children are happy, they can put their fingers in your hair. She had peanut butter for lunch and we hadn’t cleaned up yet.”

“So, this is a good thing?”

“Yes.”

“I see. I’ve got dinner ready if you want to clean up.”

“Thanks.” My monosyllabic answers weren't hostile, I was just whipped.

Aloha love,

Carla

I am committed to being an effective member of the global digital community. Montana Cat Tales for Life-Long Learners publishes children’s picture books, for ages 4-8, on earth science, feelings and emotions, and social-emotional learning (SEL). These books work to help children understand themselves and their place in the world through animal characters and diverse human companions. They provide Learning-to-Learn Skills for Early Readers, sight-words, and phonics to enrich academic development.

Commitments of a Digital Citizen (2022): I am inclusive. I engage with others online with respect and empathy. I am informed. I evaluate the accuracy, perspective, and validity of online information. I am engaged. I use technology for civic engagement and to be a force for good. I am balanced. I prioritize my time and activities online and offline. I am alert. I know how to be safe online and create safe spaces for others.  digcitcommit.org  ISTE.org   

The 5 SEL Competencies:  Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making. CASEL.org

The 7 Competencies for Technology in Education: Empowered Learner: I use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them, and demonstrating my learning. Global Collaborator: I strive to broaden my perspective, understand others, and work effectively in teams using digital tools. Digital Citizen: I understand the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world. Creative Communicator: I communicate effectively and express myself creatively using different tools, styles, formats, and digital media. Knowledge Constructor: I critically select, evaluate, and synthesize digital resources into a collection that reflects my learning and builds my knowledge. Computational Thinker: I identify authentic problems, work with data, and use a step-by-step process to automate solutions. Innovative Designer: I solve problems by creating new and imaginative solutions using a variety of digital tools. ISTE.org  

Disclaimer for Blog This site cannot and does not contain social-emotional learning (SEL) or technology in education advice. These materials are provided for general informational and educational purposes and are not a substitute for professional advice on any particular concerns or circumstances involved. This Blog: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) For Everyone! aims to share ideas and best practices, in good faith, only. Any information sent to Carla Chapin, or to Montana Cat Tales for Life-Long Learners, LLC, through the website, Internet, or email is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis. The original content of the websites Carla Chapin, Montana Cat Tales for Life-Long Learners, LLC and the Blogs: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) For Everyone!  and Montana Cat Tales for Life-Long Learners, are copyrighted materials and are subject to the restrictions and protections set forth in the Copyright Act.