Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is part of the daily routine across North East ISD. It's part of the conversation and curriculum for students in every grade level. It's also part of an ongoing conversation between staff and teachers. Julie Carter and Rebekah Cummings-Kmieciak are two of the District's eight SEL Behavior Coaches. Their primary role consists of supporting staff and students through group training or one-on-one coaching sessions.
Carter says a crucial part of their role is working with educators to ensure they're prioritizing their own needs.
"You'll hear us say it again and again, 'You can't pour from an empty cup'," said Carter. "Or we ask, 'What do they tell you on an airplane about the oxygen masks?' You take care of yourself first. As educators, that is such a foreign concept for many of us. We are caregivers by nature and we give our all to our students, but that can lead to burn out. It is so incredibly important for us to make ourselves a priority so we can take care of those in our charge."
The District has an all-in-one webpage with resources tailored to assist teachers and staff through discussion prompts, tools, quizzes and activities. Topics include SEL, stress management and emotion regulation. Cummings-Kmieciak says including self-care strategies throughout your day can be beneficial.
"We try to remind folks that taking time out of our day, even five to ten minutes, to intentionally focus on meeting our needs is not a luxury – it's imperative," said Cummings-Kmieciak. "We were all classroom teachers once, and we know how valuable time is. Part of our job is to make a teacher's job a little easier when we can."
NEISD teachers and staff juggle so many responsibilities in and out of the classroom. Our SEL Behavior Coaches are there to remind them to refill their cup when it gets empty.
Click here to learn more about NEISD's SEL Behavior Coaches.
